Create and use my Table of Contents

[hymie]

So let's say I use ebook-convert to convert a bunch of HTML files into an EPUB, and let's say the Table of Contents isn't correct. So I use ebook-edit to fix the TOC the way I want it, and I can capture my toc.ncx file.

Next time I use ebook-convert, how can I say "There is a file toc.ncx . Use it as the TOC" ?

[kovidgoyal]

it will do it automatically when you convert an epub with an ncx

[hymie]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

it will do it automatically when you convert an epub with an ncx

It isn't. If it were doing it automatically, then I wouldn't be here asking the question.

$ ebook-convert index_top.htm spacetechnology.epub \
--cover=pics/logo-750x250.jpg --preserve-cover-aspect-ratio
[...]
Merging user specified metadata...
Detecting structure...
Maximum TOC links reached, stopping.
Auto generated TOC with 50 entries.

[ps67]

Originally Posted by hymie

It isn't. If it were doing it automatically, then I wouldn't be here asking the question.

You can enhance the Maximum TOC links in the conversion settings, at the voice "Table of Contents" (My calibre is in Italian so I am not sure about the exact English terminology)

[hymie]

Originally Posted by ps67

You can enhance the Maximum TOC links in the conversion settings, at the voice "Table of Contents" (My calibre is in Italian so I am not sure about the exact English terminology)

I don't want it to generate a TOC at all. I want it to use the existing toc.ncx file.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by hymie

I don't want it to generate a TOC at all. I want it to use the existing toc.ncx file.

From your orignal post, it seems you want to use an external file to be used to replace the toc.ncx in the epub when converting an epub to epub. At best a horrible idea and likely to lead to having to rebuild the toc.ncx file. If nothing else, can you guarantee after conversion, that you will have the same number of text files with the same file names? And the "chapter names" will be the same?

[hymie]

Originally Posted by DNSB

From your orignal post, it seems you want to use an external file to be used to replace the toc.ncx in the epub when converting an epub to epub.

I use ebook-convert to convert a bunch of HTML files into an EPUB,

[kovidgoyal]

I said when you convert *EPUB*.

ncx files are meaningless when you convert HTML. If you really want to convert a collection of HTML files, then make an OPF file that refers to them and convert that. The OPF file can also refer to an NCX in the usual way, though I dont recall if the HTML input plugin will actually use that or not. Probably will.

[hymie]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I said when you convert *EPUB*.

So you're answering the question you want to answer, and not the question I asked.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

ncx files are meaningless when you convert HTML. If you really want to convert a collection of HTML files, then make an OPF file that refers to them and convert that. The OPF file can also refer to an NCX in the usual way, though I dont recall if the HTML input plugin will actually use that or not. Probably will.

OK. I don't know what an OPF file is, but I see there is one in my EPUB. I'll see if I can figure out how to work that into my goals.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by hymie

So you're answering the question you want to answer, and not the question I asked.

So sorry I'll refrain from answering any of your questions in the future, better things to do with my time.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by DNSB

From your orignal post, it seems you want to use an external file to be used to replace the toc.ncx in the epub when converting an epub to epub.

Originally Posted by hymie

I use ebook-convert to convert a bunch of HTML files into an EPUB,

And again, the toc.ncx is not a one size fits all solution.. It is specific to the epub in which it is embedded. As I said, unless you can guarantee that all the filenames and the number of files in the epub are identical, your toc.ncx is useless. For example, the code below is the toc.ncx file file from an edition of "The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World", a collection of Harlan Ellison stores. A valid toc.ncx for this epub and this one only. If nothing else, are you planning on generating a collection of epubs with the same identifiers?

Spoiler:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ncx xmlns="http://www.daisy.org/z3986/2005/ncx/" version="2005-1">
<head>
    <meta content="urn:uuid:c277af8f-256f-4c97-afd2-5e8746cd3f89" name="dtb:uid"/>
<meta content="1" name="dtb:depth"/>
<meta content="0" name="dtb:totalPageCount"/>
<meta content="0" name="dtb:maxPageNumber"/>
</head>
<docTitle>
<text>The Beast That Shouted Love At the Heart of the World</text>
</docTitle>
<navMap>
<navPoint id="navpoint-1" playOrder="1">
<navLabel>
<text>Cover</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_cov.html"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-2" playOrder="2">
<navLabel>
<text>Title Page</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_tit01.html#tit01"/>
</navPoint>

<navPoint id="navpoint-3" playOrder="3">
<navLabel>
<text>THE BEAST THAT SHOUTED LOVE AT THE HEART OF THE WORLD</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_fm1.html#fm1"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-4" playOrder="4">
<navLabel>
<text>Dedication</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ded01.html#ded01"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-5" playOrder="5">
<navLabel>
<text>Contents</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_con01.html#con01"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-6" playOrder="6">
<navLabel>
<text>FORWORD</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_fm01.html#fm01"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-7" playOrder="7">
<navLabel>
<text>INTRODUCTION</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_fm02.html#fm02"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-8" playOrder="8">
<navLabel>
<text>THE BEAST THAT SHOUTED LOVE AT THE HEART OF THE WORLD</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch01.html#ch01"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-9" playOrder="9">
<navLabel>
<text>ALONG THE SCENIC ROUTE</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch02.html#ch02"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-10" playOrder="10">
<navLabel>
<text>PHOENIX</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch03.html#ch03"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-11" playOrder="11">
<navLabel>
<text>ASLEEP: WITH STILL HANDS</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch04.html#ch04"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-12" playOrder="12">
<navLabel>
<text>SANTA CLAUS VS. S.P.I.D.E.R.</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch05.html#ch05"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-13" playOrder="13">
<navLabel>
<text>TRY A DULL KNIFE</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch06.html#ch06"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-14" playOrder="14">
<navLabel>
<text>THE PITLL PAWOB DIVISION</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch07.html#ch07"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-15" playOrder="15">
<navLabel>
<text>THE PLACE WITH NO NAME</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch08.html#ch08"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-16" playOrder="16">
<navLabel>
<text>WHITE ON WHITE</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch09.html#ch09"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-17" playOrder="17">
<navLabel>
<text>RUN FOR THE STARS</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch10.html#ch10"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-18" playOrder="18">
<navLabel>
<text>ARE YOU LISTENING?</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch11.html#ch11"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-19" playOrder="19">
<navLabel>
<text>S.R.O.</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch12.html#ch12"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-20" playOrder="20">
<navLabel>
<text>WORLDS TO KILL</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch13.html#ch13"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-21" playOrder="21">
<navLabel>
<text>SHATTERED LIKE A GLASS GOBLIN</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch14.html#ch14"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-22" playOrder="22">
<navLabel>
<text>A BOY AND HIS DOG</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/beastthatshoutedloveattheheartoftheworldthe_ch15.html#ch15"/>
</navPoint>
<navPoint id="navpoint-23" playOrder="23">
<navLabel>
<text>Copyright Page</text>
</navLabel>
<content src="Text/backmatter.html"/>
</navPoint>
</navMap>
</ncx>

Anyhow, I'm outta here.

“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” —Thomas Paine, The American Crisis

[hymie]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As I said, unless you can guarantee that all the filenames and the number of files in the epub are identical, your toc.ncx is useless.

I'm completely confused by what you're trying to say here.

If I take five HTML files and generate an EPUB, the EPUB will have a Table of Contents and a toc.ncx. If I take the same five HTML files and re-generate the EPUB, why wouldn't I expect the TOC be the same?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by hymie

I'm completely confused by what you're trying to say here.

If I take five HTML files and generate an EPUB, the EPUB will have a Table of Contents and a toc.ncx. If I take the same five HTML files and re-generate the EPUB, why wouldn't I expect the TOC be the same?

You did not say you were converting the same 5 files over and over. I will admit that that is a rather strange work flow and I have to wonder why anyone would do so. You've already converted the HTML files to epub so why not edit the epub using calibre's editor?

To quote your original post:

Next time I use ebook-convert, how can I say "There is a file toc.ncx . Use it as the TOC" ?

This reads as if you were planning on re-using the same toc.ncx file for multiple conversions. Toc.ncx is not a generic file and should not be re-used. The displayed TOC may look the same but the toc.ncx file will not be the same.

You might want to take the time to look at the documentation. Here's a link to the Open Packaging Format (OPF) 2.0.1 v1.0.1 Section 2.4.1.2 as a starter.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by hymie

If I take five HTML files and generate an EPUB, the EPUB will have a Table of Contents and a toc.ncx. If I take the same five HTML files and re-generate the EPUB, why wouldn't I expect the TOC be the same?

The conversion generates the ToC from the book being converted. That is based on the files in the book and the contents of the files. This can build the ToC from the heading tags or class attributes or other things. The searches for each level can be specified in the conversion.

I rarely do conversions. But, when I edit a book, I make sure I can regenerate the ToC at any time and will get the desired result. I usually just use h1, h2 and h3 to do this. But, occasionally will use other tags if that is the best way to do it.

The only I can think of to use a prebuilt ToC is if the files are basically identical. And the simplest way I can think to use it would be to replace the ToC file after the conversion. But, I think that what I would really do is to make sure the input files and conversion parameters used would produce the result I desired.