Links in ebooks

Jamestoo · 10-30-2011, 05:09 PM

I am transferring a wildflower Web site to ebook format, which in the Web version has a number of links, for example, to flowers of the same family on other site pages.

I've ignored these up to this point since the format for the ebook is quite different, and I've been concentrating on getting the text and images right.

Understanding that I am new to this:

I wonder is there any way to give the reader a way to go to a particular chapter from within the text of another chapter?

Thanks

theducks · 10-30-2011, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamestoo

I am transferring a wildflower Web site to ebook format, which in the Web version has a number of links, for example, to flowers of the same family on other site pages.

I've ignored these up to this point since the format for the ebook is quite different, and I've been concentrating on getting the text and images right.

Understanding that I am new to this:

I wonder is there any way to give the reader a way to go to a particular chapter from within the text of another chapter?

Thanks

Yes

Sigil will not code these for you, But normal links and anchors function in EPUB and some other formats.

Code:

 
<p><a href="../Text/thepage.xhtml#Illustration_22.xhtml"/>Illustration here</p>

and  place the anchor
in the proper place in "thepage.xhtml"
<a id="Illustration_22"></a>

dwig · 10-30-2011, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Yes

Sigil will not code these for you, But normal links and anchors function in EPUB and some other formats.

Code:

 
<p>< href="../Text/thepage.xhtml#Illustration_22.xhtml"/>Illustration here</p>

and  place the anchor
in the proper place in "thepage.xhtml"
<a id="Illustration_22"></a>

whoops...

The "a" is missing in the first line in the code. It should read

Code:

<p><a href="../Text/thepage.xhtml#Illustration_22.xhtml"/>Illustration here</p>

BTW, these generally convert well to MOBI format. Also, since ePub is XHTML based the target anchor needs to identify itself with the ID attribute and not the old NAME attribute.

Jellby · 10-31-2011, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwig

Also, since ePub is XHTML based the target anchor needs to identify itself with the ID attribute and not the old NAME attribute.

And you don't need to use an <a> for an anchor, you can add the "id" to whatever element, like a <p>, <h2> or <img>:

Code:

<p>This <a href="#target">link</a> wil take you to the next paragraph.</p>

<p id="target">This paragraph is the target of the previous link, and any other link that points to "#target".</p>

BeccaPrice · 10-31-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

And you don't need to use an <a> for an anchor, you can add the "id" to whatever element, like a <p>, <h2> or <img>:

Code:

<p>This <a href="#target">link</a> wil take you to the next paragraph.</p>

<p id="target">This paragraph is the target of the previous link, and any other link that points to "#target".</p>

I'm not familiar with the id tag - is that what the hash mark in the href tag refers to? I notice there's not # in the anchor when <a= is used.

crutledge · 10-31-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I'm not familiar with the id tag - is that what the hash mark in the href tag refers to? I notice there's not # in the anchor when <a= is used.

Try this sourtce:

http://www.daaq.net/old/xhtml/index....tml+hyperlinks

Jellby · 10-31-2011, 02:59 PM

Basically, with "id" you name locations inside a file, whith "href" you link to a file and/or location like this: href="file#location". If you omit the file (href="#location") the current file is assumed, if you omit the location (href="file") the top of the file is assumed.

HarryT · 11-01-2011, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I'm not familiar with the id tag - is that what the hash mark in the href tag refers to? I notice there's not # in the anchor when <a= is used.

The "#" indicates that the link is to a location within the current file.

DaleDe · 11-02-2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The "#" indicates that the link is to a location within the current file.

It is also used after a filename to indicate where in the file the link belongs. Only if it is the first character does it mean the current file.

HarryT · 11-02-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

It is also used after a filename to indicate where in the file the link belongs. Only if it is the first character does it mean the current file.

Yes; the absence of a filename, as is usual, indicates the current file.

dlw · 11-05-2011, 11:46 AM

This is all well and good, but Sigil recodes my work (I'm using v0.3.4 till I find the time to follow instructions for updating on linux).

I have this anchor in one file (ch01.html)

Code:

<p id="CH01-94" class="footnote">

and this reference in another (ch09.html)

Code:

See <a href="./ch01.html#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>.

Sigil processing changes the reference to:

Code:

See <a href="#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>.

which is broken: ereaders try to find "CH01-91" in the current chunk (ch09.html) and can't.

I tried changing the source to:

Code:

See <a href="../Text/ch01.html#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>.

thinking Sigil might need a reference from root -- but the same truncation occurred.

Any guidance? Am I overlooking something obvious, or do I really have to turn off HTML Tidy and manually restore these links in Sigil's editor?

Thanks for thinking about this.

HarryT · 11-05-2011, 12:13 PM

You don't need the "./". Just use "ch01.html#CH01-91".

theducks · 11-05-2011, 01:46 PM

I have noticed that Sigil has trouble when it can't find a file.

This can happen when you delete the file or what appears to be happening in your case, when it standardized the epub structure.

Quote:

See <a href="./ch01.html#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>.

I have a feeling the dot slash (valid) threw it off. on import.
HarryT probably has the easiest answer/work-around

dlw · 11-06-2011, 06:28 PM

Thanks for thinking about this, HarryT and theducks, but . . . it doesn't work for me.

Have you had success linking from one file to another? If you haven't actually tried it, I've attached SigilLinktest.epub that demonstrates Sigil's link reduction. If you load this into Sigil you'll see that it reduces each cross-file link style to #CH02-01. This makes ebook readers try to find the link in file01.html -- the currently-open file -- which, of course, they can't.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

opitzs · 11-06-2011, 06:53 PM

The example already has reduced links, so opening it in my copy of sigil won't show me anything.
You should upload an example where the links are destroyed by opening it in Sigil.

10-30-2011, 05:09 PM	#1
Jamestoo Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle	Links in ebooks I am transferring a wildflower Web site to ebook format, which in the Web version has a number of links, for example, to flowers of the same family on other site pages. I've ignored these up to this point since the format for the ebook is quite different, and I've been concentrating on getting the text and images right. Understanding that I am new to this: I wonder is there any way to give the reader a way to go to a particular chapter from within the text of another chapter? Thanks

11-05-2011, 11:46 AM	#11
dlw Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 15 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Palm TX, Pocket eDGe, Nexus (2012), iPad Air (3), Kobo Clara HD	This is all well and good, but Sigil recodes my work (I'm using v0.3.4 till I find the time to follow instructions for updating on linux). I have this anchor in one file (ch01.html) Code: <p id="CH01-94" class="footnote"> and this reference in another (ch09.html) Code: See <a href="./ch01.html#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>. Sigil processing changes the reference to: Code: See <a href="#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>. which is broken: ereaders try to find "CH01-91" in the current chunk (ch09.html) and can't. I tried changing the source to: Code: See <a href="../Text/ch01.html#CH01-91">note 1, on page 50</a>. thinking Sigil might need a reference from root -- but the same truncation occurred. Any guidance? Am I overlooking something obvious, or do I really have to turn off HTML Tidy and manually restore these links in Sigil's editor? Thanks for thinking about this.

11-06-2011, 06:53 PM	#15
opitzs Avid Reader Posts: 161 Karma: 36472 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Look for rain, hail and snow... Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, PRS T1, Kobo Glo	The example already has reduced links, so opening it in my copy of sigil won't show me anything. You should upload an example where the links are destroyed by opening it in Sigil. Last edited by opitzs; 11-06-2011 at 06:59 PM.

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10-31-2011, 02:59 PM	#7
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Basically, with "id" you name locations inside a file, whith "href" you link to a file and/or location like this: href="file#location". If you omit the file (href="#location") the current file is assumed, if you omit the location (href="file") the top of the file is assumed.

11-05-2011, 12:13 PM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You don't need the "./". Just use "ch01.html#CH01-91".

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