Index Columns Lost

[soulartist]

When I export from InDesign to ePub, both the columns (which are linked) and formatting are lost.

So, the ePub version gets reduced to one long linear column.

is there a way to fix this?

Thanks.

Eden

Please see attached.

[Jellby]

Try adding "oeb-column-number: 3" to the resulting CSS.

[soulartist]

Originally Posted by Jellby

Try adding "oeb-column-number: 3" to the resulting CSS.

I added your suggestion this way, but no effect.

}
p.index-level-2 {
font-family: "Adobe Caslon Pro";
font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal;
font-size: 0.75em;
line-height: 1.20em;
text-decoration: none;
font-variant: normal;
text-indent: -1.33em;
text-align: left;
color: #000000;
margin: 0em 0em 0em 1.33em;
oeb-column-number: 3;
}

[DMSmillie]

I can't help with the column problem, sorry, but as a sort of sideways approach to the issue - does the ebook really need an index, when ebooks are completely searchable? Just a thought...

[soulartist]

Originally Posted by DMSmillie

I can't help with the column problem, sorry, but as a sort of sideways approach to the issue - does the ebook really need an index, when ebooks are completely searchable? Just a thought...

Your point is well taken. But my book has a comprehensive index, which could be a source for exploration and help readers search for index items.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by soulartist

I added your suggestion this way, but no effect.

}
p.index-level-2 {
font-family: "Adobe Caslon Pro";
font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal;
font-size: 0.75em;
line-height: 1.20em;
text-decoration: none;
font-variant: normal;
text-indent: -1.33em;
text-align: left;
color: #000000;
margin: 0em 0em 0em 1.33em;
oeb-column-number: 3;
}

Well, as far as I can see that is the proper way to define columns in ePUB, but it's up to the reading software to support them or not, and most probably none does.

But do you really, really, really want multiple columns[*]? Note that in a portable reader the screen width / font size is often such that one column fills the screen already. I would leave the index in a single running column, and maybe add links to the different initial letters to make navigation simpler.

[*] If you do, ADE has some extension that could allow them. There was a document where Adobe explained how it works, but it seems to be offline. If you search for xpgt and page templates you could find something. It is not spec-compliant and only works (if it does) with Adobe-based readers.

[soulartist]

Thanks for your good suggestions. I appreciate them.