Page-Map needed or not? & "Update Manifest Properties"

[Trane]

Hey all...

Finally finished a72k-word, how-to, hobby book. Has 138 files & 120 pics.

Ran through epubckecker and FlightCrew. Good to go.

Used Kindle Previewer (latest) to convert to mobi and the info log, says "Page map not found" (or similar).

I am loathe to try to insert anything into this monster as I fear screwing up something else (since I don't know what I'm doing). Is a page-map necessary? If so, how to I create one and insert it in Sigil?

Last question: what does "update manifest properties" do?

Thanks!

[DiapDealer]

I'll let others more knowledgeable answer the page-map question definitively, but as I understand it, it's a purely optional element.

Update Manifest Properties is only relevant to EPUB3s. And since you indicated you've validated successfully with Flightcrew, then your book is not an EPUB3.

[Trane]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'll let others more knowledgeable answer the page-map question definitively, but as I understand it, it's a purely optional element.

Update Manifest Properties is only relevant to EPUB3s. And since you indicated you've validated successfully with Flightcrew, then your book is not an EPUB3.

I started this book over 6 years ago, so I have no memory anymore of steps taken at the outset. Can I look at some code somewhere to see what kind of EPUB I created?

EDIT: Having read more about page-map.xml I believe you're correct and I am not doing it. Don't have a print version to correlate to, and not creating tags for pages myself.

Also, we exchanged many posts here about 18 months ago as I was loading my images in at that time and getting crashes in Sigil (it would freeze) and was trying to be of assistance in relaying info that would hopefully allow you and other coders here to identify the cause. I was never helpful enough, I'm afraid, but since then Sigil only froze/crashed once, [not when placing an imagine]. It has been an invaluable tool that I am immensely grateful for.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Trane

I started this book over 6 years ago, so I have no memory anymore of steps taken at the outset. Can I look at some code somewhere to see what kind of EPUB I created?

It should tell you right in the Sigil titlebar. After the file name will be "- epub2.0" or "- epub3.0"

FlightCrew won't let you check an epub3, so I feel pretty strongly that yours is an epub2.

[Trane]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It should tell you right in the Sigil titlebar. After the file name will be "- epub2.0" or "- epub3.0"

FlightCrew won't let you check an epub3, so I feel pretty strongly that yours is an epub2.

D'oh! Well that was easy! Right you are, ePUB2. Thanks once again for your help.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by Trane

Used Kindle Previewer (latest) to convert to mobi and the info log, says "Page map not found" (or similar).

You probably got the following message:

Info(pagemap):I8000: No Page map found in the book

As you can see by the Info prefix, this is an informational message. I.e., it's nothing to worry about.

Originally Posted by Trane

Is a page-map necessary?

No. Actually, if you added one to your book, it'd make your epub fail EPUBCheck, because it's vendor extension introduced by Adobe. (KindleGen will also accept NCX pagelists, which are epub-compliant.)

Theoretically, you could insert an NCX pagelist with my Pagelist plugin, but it'd pointless since Amazon KDP will usually ignore pagelists and page-maps in self-published books, unless a print edition exists and the page numbers are relevant.

BTW, when previewing your book with Kindle Previewer 3.x, make sure that you're getting the green Enhanced Typesetting check mark.

[Trane]

@Doitsu - Thanks for that explanation of page-map. And yes, the enhanced typesetting is included in the epub.

BTW, there's a setting to "start reading here" (can't recall the exact language now) but I set it to the first chapter. My question is, is this used in Amazon when people preview the first 10% of the book, or is it only used inside e-readers?

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by Trane

BTW, there's a setting to "start reading here" (can't recall the exact language now) but I set it to the first chapter. My question is, is this used in Amazon when people preview the first 10% of the book, or is it only used inside e-readers?

Amazon KDP used to support user-defined SRLs (Start Reading Locations), which were defined in the <guide> section of the .opf file. E.g., you could use something like:

<reference type="text" title="Start reading" href="Text/chapter01.xhtml"/>

However, according to the latest version of the Kindle Publishing Guidlines, SRLs have been deprecated.

If your book has one, you can keep it, but Amazon KDP will ignore it.

[Trane]

Much appreciated!