TOC grayed out... help pls!

[LizziTAuthor]

Hi all, I FINALLY got all chaps for this textbook in and approved...

But now (unlike previously), the TOC panel is greyed out... I have gone through every chapter and made the titles into Heading 1.

Any bright ideas please?

Thanks,

Lizzi

[LizziTAuthor]

Just now, LizziTAuthor said:

Hi all, I FINALLY got all chaps for this textbook in and approved...

But now (unlike previously), the TOC panel is greyed out... I have gone through every chapter and made the titles into Heading 1.

Any bright ideas please? 

scared to turn it off or crashing as had to repopulate and reapprove all of the chapters.... again...

Thanks,

Lizzi

 

[bbrother]

The TOC panel is grayed out/inactive and you don't see the list of text styles in it because you haven't opened any chapter from the book.

1. Go to the Book panel and double-click the chapter where you want to place the table of contents. I suspect it's "i4 Table of contents".
   After opening the chapter, the TOC panel will still be inactive but a list of text styles should appear in it that wasn't there before.
    
2. By default, the TOC panel works in such a way that until you place the cursor caret in the text frame, it is inactive.
   So place the caret in the text frame where you want to place the table of contents. This will unlock the [Insert] and [Update All Tables of Contents] options.
    
3. Click [Insert]. No entry will be generated yet because the default scope is set to "Document".
   Change the scope to "Book", also select the text styles from the list on the basis of which the table is to be generated.
    
4. Click [update All Tables of contents]. The entries should now be generated.

Hope this will help you 🙂. Check the video bellow that describes the procedure.

 

[LizziTAuthor]

Hi, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Most of the way there now!

Was able to get to this point, with extra pages below page 1 of the TOC, but shift-click not working. When do this, it tries to recalculate numbers, but wont go to page beneath?

 

Did it again (twice) and still gets to there, but won't go further. if shift click it spreads further down the page but not moving to LH page, the once it populated, it went to the RH page below.

Tried deleting extra pages in between and just leaving first L and last R page.. and it added pages in between. like 38 pages... and the amount showing already is just under half of the Heading 1s....

 

THEN it decided to populate, but only to the RH page below... couldn't get it to go over to the left page...

Not sure what I'm doing wrong here....

But we're halfway!

The last screenshot... wondering if the blue line is where the bottom of it should be?

Erggghhh..

Don't dare turn it off...

Thanks so much, any more ideas would be greatly appreciated!

xxxx

Lizzi

[LizziTAuthor]

@bbrother!!!

I did it!

I deleted the pages that had  (somehow...) a two column format (which said it was one) and clicked on the arrow on left side of the second page, connected the box 1, and it WORKED!

Not very pretty, but it worked!

THANK YOU!

xx

L

[bbrother]

I was going to suggest something similar, but you see, you nailed it by yourself. I'm glad I could help. Best regards, I wish you fruitful work🙂

 

[LizziTAuthor]

@bbrother, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!    By the end of 233 pages of this book, I hope I have figured out a few little tricks, I'm good at images now!   I just need to fix some page numbers....  Oh, it did it! YAY! 

Can I just go in and play with the text/ font now or will that mess it up?

Two quick questions, if you don't mind?

 1 - I'd like to delete the numbers on Part 1 and Part 2.. will that muck anything up?

2 - Can I play with the text in the TOC?

3 - When it crashed, or when I turned it off, it depopulated the list in Book... Will that happen again? Do I need to save anything other than "the book" (Save Book As..)

and a PDF? (or ten..._)?

scared to shut if off...

Thanks once again!

xx from NZ,

Lizzi

but YAY, it worked!

xx

L

 

[LizziTAuthor]

AAAANd it crashed. TOC gone.

Is there a way to keep it? Had saved it...

Nuts.

Thanks @BigBrother...

Night, late here.

Thanks again.

xx

lizzi

[bbrother]

36 minutes ago, LizziTAuthor said:

Can I just go in and play with the text/ font now or will that mess it up?

Yes you can. Nothing should happen. However, I would use text styles to play with the look of the table of contents rather than editing the text directly. Such direct edits called manual overrides everytime you update the TOC will be lost.

 

36 minutes ago, LizziTAuthor said:

I'd like to delete the numbers on Part 1 and Part 2.. will that muck anything up?

I don't know what numbers you mean? Can you be clearer?

 

36 minutes ago, LizziTAuthor said:

Can I play with the text in the TOC?

Yes as said above. You can:

• type additional text in the TOC entries
• manually override the font family, size, indent, spacing etc.

Bu you need be aware that all manual overrides will be lost whenever you update TOC. If you want to keep the changes you need to edit the TOC text styles APub created for you.

 

36 minutes ago, LizziTAuthor said:

When it crashed, or when I turned it off, it depopulated the list in Book... Will that happen again?

Once generated, it should remain until you explicitly and specifically delete it. But you must remember to save the changes in chapter in which you created it.

[LizziTAuthor]

1 minute ago, bbrother said:

Yes you can. Nothing should happen. However, I would use text styles to play with the look of the table of contents rather than editing the text directly. Such direct edits called manual overrides everytime you update the TOC will be lost.

 

I don't know what numbers you mean? Can you be clearer?

(all good, had a play and it works. )

 

Yes as said above. You can:

• type additional text in the TOC entries
• manually override the font family, size, indent, spacing etc.

Bu you need be aware that all manual overrides will be lost whenever you update TOC. If you want to keep the changes you need to use TOC text styles.

 

Once generated, it should remain until you explicitly and specifically delete it. But you must remember to save the changes in  chapter in which you created it.

ah... so saving the book does not save the TOC. It needs to be saved as the TOC PAGE?  That would make sense. I have to keep reminding myself it's just a compilation of the CHAPTERs, not altering the whole. Thanks, Is there a way to get the green circles faster than individually? Thank you. going to do tomorrow. xxx

Thanks re: manual overrides and using styles. I used all caps in titles, so... not ideal. Don't think can make a style to pull those out.  changed font, anyway.

[I don't know what numbers you mean? Can you be clearer?]

(all good, had a play and it works. )

[LizziTAuthor]

On 6/3/2024 at 11:04 PM, bbrother said:

Yes you can. Nothing should happen. However, I would use text styles to play with the look of the table of contents rather than editing the text directly. Such direct edits called manual overrides everytime you update the TOC will be lost.

 

I don't know what numbers you mean? Can you be clearer?

 

Yes as said above. You can:

• type additional text in the TOC entries
• manually override the font family, size, indent, spacing etc.

Bu you need be aware that all manual overrides will be lost whenever you update TOC. If you want to keep the changes you need to use TOC text styles.

 

Once generated, it should remain until you explicitly and specifically delete it. But you must remember to save the changes in  chapter in which you created it.

 

[LizziTAuthor]

@bbrother... Thought it was working, but found that none of the pdfs have a TOC!

I have redone (completely) the TOC four times now, (using styles) and had to redo all the green ticks four times, and the latest fun is that it seems to think there is a TOC open elsewhere. Everything has  been shut down several times. This is the second time it's asked if I wanted a recovery file opened. The first time I said no, and it wiped the TOC completely.

Rebuilt it again, saving a lot... and it asked if I wanted a recovery file. This time said yes. Mistake. The stupid lock is back on although I hav a perfectly good TOC right here.

What am I doing wrong please?  NO TOC is showing up even when all are green and working apparently. Heading for bed, very late. early.

Thanks in advance

Lizzi

 

[LizziTAuthor]

[LizziTAuthor]

and it keeps missing a chapter, which I have saved several times to be sure it's saved... Ch 34. pg 213-214.

argggghhh..

Thanks,

lizzi

[bbrother]

15 minutes ago, LizziTAuthor said:

The stupid lock is back

If you see a padlock icon in the chapter status, it means that the file may be open in another application or marked as read-only. It is difficult to remotely advise without knowing what specific steps you are taking. It could be some silly error on your part or a bug in the application.

 

[LizziTAuthor]

31 minutes ago, bbrother said:

If you see a padlock icon in the chapter status, it means that the file may be open in another application or marked as read-only. It is difficult to remotely advise without knowing what specific steps you are taking. It could be some silly error on your part or a bug in the application.

 

very odd.  Thanks for that.

I have no other apps open. There was another version of a TOC in a nearby file, but I deleted it, then got all the numbers to redo themselves, then all looked perfect in the sidebar.

Asked it to make a PDF 3x... 2003 like for Ingram spark, and it made a pdf. will attach.  Still no TOC in there. though it looked perfect and no lock before asking for the pdf...

now just after making the PDF which has no TOC in it , a BUNCH of locks are on other files for some reason. NO other apps are open. and there are no duplicate files. Have looked. some below.

it prob needs to be turned off again, but will lose all I've done again.

???/

past it, it's 1:30 and been at this since 5 am.

Thanks, any help appreciated.

This one with the multiple locks is new.

I updated the other night, but it seems to have fallen off and been worse since then.

Thanks,

Lizzi

 

 

 

 

 

[LizziTAuthor]

if the toc is missing two chapters now, do I need to redo the TOC?

thanks.

[bbrother]

2 hours ago, LizziTAuthor said:

if the toc is missing two chapters now, do I need to redo the TOC?

If some chapters are missing, you may need to update the table of contents to include these.

[LizziTAuthor]

Thank you. I’m definitely finding the holes in my understanding of the program. LOL that’s good. I need to just keep playing with it even between Books. Thank you so much

[LizziTAuthor]

Hi again @bbrother.. AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Finally figured out why 34 wouldn't work, it must've been corrupted. Redid the file from scratch and that worked.

Now the TOC works, but if I alter it, fonts and sized by styles,, moving the headings to look like headings, (see the two diff screenshots), it says in preflight that need to fix things. Hit fix, and it goes back to the unaltered state. again.

So, rebuilt it all. All chapters now present, and have formatted as want... see last screenshot. Still, however, preflight wants a fix... IS there a way to keep my formatting and STILL get it to save the PDF?

While exporting, it goes back to this crappy TOC.

IS there a way to make this work and still look like the two and three before last screenshots?

The last screenshot: at least the TOC is in the PDF!  But doesn't look anything as would like, and no I cannot insert chapter numbers and have them hold...  Sorry, didn't get the screenshot of when had chapter numbers before each CHAPTER.

THEY LOOKED LIKE THIS:

12  CHAPTER NAME

13  Next Chapter name, etc. instead of just Chapter name.

 

Thank you!

xx

Lizzi

 

 

[LizziTAuthor]

@bbrother... wonder why didn't think of this.... took the PDF and opened it in pub. made the changes I want.

I've been doing these changes manually anyway...

If you know a way to help with the original prob above, great, otherwise I can run with this.

OOPS, It's missing whole chapters...... ... From page 1 to page 22... oh hell.

Thanks for all your help!

xx

Lizzi

 

[LizziTAuthor]

Is anyone available to help please?

Now the TOC is correct with numbers (never mind about the additional formatting, not working so can do in final PDF.

Biggest concern now is that when all boxes are green ticked, no errors showing, and I ask it to make a PDF/x-1A or 3..., it turns several of the green ticks into locks. Those items in the pdf are not present.

I have gone down the sixty odd columns more times than I care to count  ticking them, then saving and closing, but this continually happens when try to make a pdf.

Is there somewhere I can go for help while I'm doing this? I need to get this book out and I'm losing it.

The last one screenshot above was the nicer results I can get on either the apub file or on the pdf in AffPub, but which on the apub turns back into default (even if I set it with a style) and bolding, etc.  It would be nice to be able to do in the AFpub, but... I just need to get the WHOLE book into PDF.

I have looked and looked and cannot find duplicate files for those which have turned into locks.

Please, someone.

Thanks,

LIzzi

First image is just before exporting, after saving (this time for once didnt go down the whole list opening, checking, and saving each file , so not all green dots)

and the PDF has none of the files with locks.

arggh...

xx

L

 

 

[LizziTAuthor]

22 minutes ago, LizziTAuthor said:

Is anyone available to help please?

Now the TOC is correct with numbers (never mind about the additional formatting, not working so can do in final PDF.

Biggest concern now is that when all boxes are green ticked, no errors showing, and I ask it to make a PDF/x-1A or 3..., it turns several of the green ticks into locks. Those items in the pdf are not present.

I have gone down the sixty odd columns more times than I care to count  ticking them, then saving and closing, but this continually happens when try to make a pdf.

Is there somewhere I can go for help while I'm doing this? I need to get this book out and I'm losing it.

The last one screenshot above was the nicer results I can get on either the apub file or on the pdf in AffPub, but which on the apub turns back into default (even if I set it with a style) and bolding, etc.  It would be nice to be able to do in the AFpub, but... I just need to get the WHOLE book into PDF.

I have looked and looked and cannot find duplicate files for those which have turned into locks.

Please, someone.

Thanks,

LIzzi

First image is just before exporting, after saving (this time for once didnt go down the whole list opening, checking, and saving each file , so not all green dots)

and the PDF has none of the files with locks.

THIS LOCKING issue has only occurred since updating to new version of Aff Pub.  Is there any way to go back?

 

arggh...

Thank you,

xx

L

 

 

 

 

 

[bbrother]

22 hours ago, LizziTAuthor said:

Still, however, preflight wants a fix

"One or more table of contents entries need updating" — This type of error is reported by preflight when the TOC becomes out of date.

The cause is probably one of two things:

• You edited or removed text in one of the document headings wchich is used by TOC
• You manualy edited one or more TOC entries.

If you want to keep the manual overrides you made you should be able to ignore the preflight and export.
But this is not how you should work. You shouldn't manually edit the TOC. 

 

7 hours ago, LizziTAuthor said:

Biggest concern now is that when all boxes are green ticked, no errors showing, and I ask it to make a PDF/x-1A or 3..., it turns several of the green ticks into locks.

I'm not sure, but it might be a bug. I've seen reports of Affinity Publisher blocking chapter files making it imposible to publish a book.

[LizziTAuthor]

Thank you @bbrother, I will try that in the morning. (Ate u in the UK? Im in nZ). Will check all are still Heading 1 and not edit toc till it is in exported PDF. Will check these first then clear TOC (which is the only way I think I can do it) and then Rebuild TOC. is this the right way to go about it?

Thanksis this the right way to go about it?

Thanks very much. Otherwise I’m at a total loss. They are very very large files, each Chapter. I was able to combine all of the front matter files into one, but when I tried to combine even part one and the first, for paged Chapter, it all went to custard.The image from page one was there and part of the caption, but all the text started on page 3 and was all mashed together. If this means anything.

 

Thanks very much,

kind regards,

Lizzi