Best way to do a TOC for large numbers of entries?

HarryT · 01-18-2009, 05:36 AM

Does anyone have any thoughts on a good way to create a TOC for a large number of small items?

As you may have noticed, I'm currently creating omnibus editions of Shakespeare's complete works, split into four volumes (tragedies, histories, comedies, and poetry). The poetry is the issue, specifically the "Sonnets", of which there are 154.

Given that there will be one per page, what I'd though of doing was to simply create a TOC entry for every 10th one - ie 1, 11, 21, etc. This would result in 16 TOC entries, and you'd need to move backwards or forwards a maximum of 5 pages to locate a particular sonnet.

Does this sound like a reasonable solution, or does anyone have any better ideas?

Jellby · 01-18-2009, 05:53 AM

Well, you could create a list with no line breaks:

Sonnets: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...

where each number is a link. The problem with the Cybook is that you must cycle through all the links, one by one, in order to reach the one you want. But in systems with a pointing device or spatial navigation it would be much more convenient.

mtravellerh · 01-18-2009, 05:56 AM

I had the same problem with the book I just uploaded (Gustav Schwab). I didn't really find a solution, but what I did was split up the book in parts (but that was quite convenient for me as there were different themes) and add to the depth of the TOC (there are like 200 legends in there all in all)

pdurrant · 01-18-2009, 06:06 AM

Normally, I'd do a hierarchical TOC for this number of items, but as I don't think the sonnets group in any sensible way, this won't work.

I would use TOC entries like "Sonnets 1-10", "Sonnets 11-20", ..., so that people don't wonder where to find sonnets 2-10 etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Given that there will be one per page, what I'd though of doing was to simply create a TOC entry for every 10th one - ie 1, 11, 21, etc. This would result in 16 TOC entries, and you'd need to move backwards or forwards a maximum of 5 pages to locate a particular sonnet.

mtravellerh · 01-18-2009, 06:09 AM

That is what I did and was meaning to say in my clumsy way.

HarryT · 01-18-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

Well, you could create a list with no line breaks:

Sonnets: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...

where each number is a link. The problem with the Cybook is that you must cycle through all the links, one by one, in order to reach the one you want. But in systems with a pointing device or spatial navigation it would be much more convenient.

Exactly - that's why it won't work on the CyBook. That approach would work on the Sony, which has "two dimensional" hyperlink navigation.

I think I'll do it as I originally proposed, but with the suggested revision that the TOC entries say "Sonnets 1-10", etc.

01-18-2009, 05:36 AM	#1
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Best way to do a TOC for large numbers of entries? Does anyone have any thoughts on a good way to create a TOC for a large number of small items? As you may have noticed, I'm currently creating omnibus editions of Shakespeare's complete works, split into four volumes (tragedies, histories, comedies, and poetry). The poetry is the issue, specifically the "Sonnets", of which there are 154. Given that there will be one per page, what I'd though of doing was to simply create a TOC entry for every 10th one - ie 1, 11, 21, etc. This would result in 16 TOC entries, and you'd need to move backwards or forwards a maximum of 5 pages to locate a particular sonnet. Does this sound like a reasonable solution, or does anyone have any better ideas?

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01-18-2009, 05:53 AM	#2
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Well, you could create a list with no line breaks: Sonnets: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... where each number is a link. The problem with the Cybook is that you must cycle through all the links, one by one, in order to reach the one you want. But in systems with a pointing device or spatial navigation it would be much more convenient.

01-18-2009, 05:56 AM	#3
mtravellerh book creator Posts: 9,657 Karma: 3856660 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Luxembourg Device: Kindle Scribe	I had the same problem with the book I just uploaded (Gustav Schwab). I didn't really find a solution, but what I did was split up the book in parts (but that was quite convenient for me as there were different themes) and add to the depth of the TOC (there are like 200 legends in there all in all)

01-18-2009, 06:09 AM	#5
mtravellerh book creator Posts: 9,657 Karma: 3856660 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Luxembourg Device: Kindle Scribe	That is what I did and was meaning to say in my clumsy way.

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