Manual navigation bar Epub 2.0

canopus56 · 08-01-2017, 10:05 PM

What is the best method to include a manual navigation bar in a page header? What are the pros and cons of this? The book that I have in process in Sigil Epub 2.0 coding has many cross-references and in order to make navigation easier for the user, I would like to have a navigation bar at each section that goes directly to a summary Table of Contents, detail Table of Contents, the Index, and References. My development EPUB reader is Akido for Android. The code that I used to implement this is below, but I am wondering if there are better examples or opinions on adding this into a EPUB book, i.e. - duplication of features, other solutions, interference with a broader range of readers.

Navigation bar at start of page-sections -

<p class="navBar"><a href="../Text/TOC.xhtml">Seasons</a>  
<a href="../Text/TOD.xhtml">Days</a>  <a href="../Text/Index.xhtml">Index</a>  <a href="../Text/References.xhtml">References</a></p>

CSS file entry -

.navBar{color: white; a:link{color:white}; a:visited{color:green}; background-color: aqua; font-size: 0.9em; text-align: left;}

KevinH · 08-01-2017, 10:51 PM

The reader itself should be always able to navigate via the toc.ncx or nav. As long as your toc.ncx/nav is set properly to include those sections you should be good to go for almost all reasonable readers

canopus56 · 08-02-2017, 10:30 AM

Thanks for the feedback. I settled on a more restrained style for the nav bar:

.navBar{width: 80%; border-style: solid; border-width: thin; font-size: 0.9em; text-align: left;}

This is used with a nav bar after each section break:

<hr class="sigil_split_marker"/>
<p class="navBar"><a href="../Text/TOC.xhtml">Seasons</a>  
<a href="../Text/TOD.xhtml">Days</a>  <a href="../Text/Index.xhtml">Index</a>  <a href="../Text/References.xhtml">References</a></p>

The built-in toc is fine, but it takes too long to get around a complex document with many citations and cross-references.

KevinH · 08-02-2017, 11:14 AM

I do not think creating a toc.ncx with links to each citation or cross-references makes any sense. Only major sections should be linked to in the toc.ncx/nav. Sections with h1 or possibly h2 tags that start them. You can also use the opf guide items for navigation on most epub2 readers as well.

08-01-2017, 10:05 PM	#1
canopus56 Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2017 Device: Andriod	Manual navigation bar Epub 2.0 What is the best method to include a manual navigation bar in a page header? What are the pros and cons of this? The book that I have in process in Sigil Epub 2.0 coding has many cross-references and in order to make navigation easier for the user, I would like to have a navigation bar at each section that goes directly to a summary Table of Contents, detail Table of Contents, the Index, and References. My development EPUB reader is Akido for Android. The code that I used to implement this is below, but I am wondering if there are better examples or opinions on adding this into a EPUB book, i.e. - duplication of features, other solutions, interference with a broader range of readers. Navigation bar at start of page-sections - <p class="navBar"><a href="../Text/TOC.xhtml">Seasons</a>   <a href="../Text/TOD.xhtml">Days</a>  <a href="../Text/Index.xhtml">Index</a>  <a href="../Text/References.xhtml">References</a></p> CSS file entry - .navBar{color: white; a:link{color:white}; a:visited{color:green}; background-color: aqua; font-size: 0.9em; text-align: left;}

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Navigation bar idea?	HarryHutton	General Discussions	5	05-20-2015 06:36 AM
Change navigation bar	cyttorak	Recipes	3	12-02-2014 06:30 AM

08-01-2017, 10:51 PM	#2
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,491 Karma: 5703586 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	The reader itself should be always able to navigate via the toc.ncx or nav. As long as your toc.ncx/nav is set properly to include those sections you should be good to go for almost all reasonable readers

08-02-2017, 10:30 AM	#3
canopus56 Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2017 Device: Andriod	Thanks for the feedback. I settled on a more restrained style for the nav bar: .navBar{width: 80%; border-style: solid; border-width: thin; font-size: 0.9em; text-align: left;} This is used with a nav bar after each section break: <hr class="sigil_split_marker"/> <p class="navBar"><a href="../Text/TOC.xhtml">Seasons</a>   <a href="../Text/TOD.xhtml">Days</a>  <a href="../Text/Index.xhtml">Index</a>  <a href="../Text/References.xhtml">References</a></p> The built-in toc is fine, but it takes too long to get around a complex document with many citations and cross-references.

08-02-2017, 11:14 AM	#4
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,491 Karma: 5703586 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	I do not think creating a toc.ncx with links to each citation or cross-references makes any sense. Only major sections should be linked to in the toc.ncx/nav. Sections with h1 or possibly h2 tags that start them. You can also use the opf guide items for navigation on most epub2 readers as well.