PDF bookmarks are flattened and alpha sorted for Books

[MikeTO]

Anchors generated from a TOC will be flattened and alpha sorted if the chapter with the TOC doesn't include at least the first heading of the TOC.

1. Open Test.afpub. Note that the Anchors are in the correct order and are nested.
2. Export to PDF with bookmarks - the PDF bookmarks will match the document.
3. Create a new Book and add Test to the Book.
4. Change the TOC scope to Book and update the TOC. Anchors will be good and if you export the Book it will be good.
5. Create a new document, save it, and add it in the Book before Test so that it's a front matter chapter.
6. Draw a frame in the new document, insert a TOC, set the scope to Book, and update it. Now if you go back to the Test chapter the anchor hierarchy will be flattened - anchors for the level 1 and 2 headings will now be at the same level. Exporting to PDF will alpha sort the bookmarks.

Test.afpub

This was a confusing one to figure out.

Edited August 9, 2024 by MikeTO
Clarified what I meant by flattened

[Hangman]

FWIW, the same issue exists on Windows...

[walt.farrell]

Can you explain what you mean by the anchors being flattened? (Just curious and can't run the test right now.)

[MikeTO]

7 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Can you explain what you mean by the anchors being flattened? (Just curious and can't run the test right now.)

The anchor hierarchy is flattened so they're all at the same level - level 2 heading anchors are no longer children of level 1 heading anchors. Thus when it's exported to PDF, the bookmarks are all at the same level.

I will edit my post and clarify this. Thanks.

[Hangman]

7 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Can you explain what you mean by the anchors being flattened? (Just curious and can't run the test right now.)

Before Left | After Right (No longer Nested)

Which is also reflected in the PDF Bookmarks...

[NathanC]

Hi @MikeTO,

I've replicated and logged this with the developers, thanks for the detailed report and sample file. 🙂

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "Nested Anchor hierarchy can be flattened when updating the TOC between book chapters" (REF: AF-4078) has been fixed by the developers in the latest beta build (2.6.0.2805). The fix is planned for inclusion in the next customer release.
Customer beta builds are announced here and you can participate by following these instructions.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that build version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Affinity Info Bot to notify us.