TOC Set-Up difficulties

[Mr.C]

Tried to set up a TOC but it does not appear to work: 

• I Set-up 5 paragraph styles
• Tried to 'Insert Table of Contents' but option not highlighted in Text menu
• Found TOC panel > selected' TOC' from TOC drop down and the 'Inserted Table of Contents'
• had an issue selecting the 'Style Name' to Include, then it would select  the style and then tick would disappear.
• Once the Styles did select, tried to Insert TOC again, but all I get is a blank text box.

I'm Probably doing this in the wrong order.

 

[artbymaddesign.com]

It's not just you, Mr. C. I'm able to duplicate your problem.

I can get a TOC to work just like the tutorial if I do the following:

1. highlight my heading in the document
2. select "Heading 1" paragraph style
3. edit the parameters of the "Heading 1" style (font, size, color)
4. apply "Heading 1" paragraph style to future headings in my document

If I try to make a custom heading, or if I try to rename "Heading 1" paragraph style, the TOC will not work.

[StuartRc]

It does work but can be a little confusing at first

Basically, there are 3 parts:

A>Set up you Styles

Create Styles in Paragraph Styles for your headers {what you want to define as TOC content }

B. Create TOC Text Frame in Document

1. Add Text Frame

2. Insert TOC either from Text/Table of Contents/Insert Table of Contents or Top Left Icon on TOC Panel [Without anything selected you should see 'No Table of Content Entries Selected']

3. Open View / Studio/Table of Contents Panel

4. Make sure you have a text frame selected

5. Select style [applied to title/header/chapter name etc..] from the visible defined styles list in TOC Panel [checkbox]+page number checkbox if required

This should add a basic list of headers and page numbers for the location of the defined style on pages in the document

C.Define styles for use in TOC

You can apply styles to the TOC using TOC dropdown on the Table of Contents Panel [Click menu to create new]

When you create a new Style name here 2 new Style (1Para+1Chr) Entries get added to the Text Styles panel. They exhibit the prefix of the TOC Style name [myStyleName:xxxx].

Edit these Styles to define the appearance of the actual TOC on the page (one for the TOC List;one for the TOC Page Number)

 

There is also a tutorial video available to help you:

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/tutorials/publisher/desktop/video/286545105

 

[artbymaddesign.com]

StuartRc,

Thanks for offering to help with this topic. I did some more experimenting, and was getting frustrated. I could repeat the error that Mr. C and I were encountering, in spite of following both the video tutorial and your well-explained directions.

Then I tried to save my file after creating custom paragraph styles, but before inserting the TOC in a text frame. That resolved the issue. Just offering that as a suggestion in case anyone else had trouble creating a TOC with custom paragraph style names.

[Mr.C]

I worked through the options given by others and the video (more on that below) but to no avail.

I tried again from scratch and I did see a tiny blob appear in my text box. When I zoomed right in I could see a TOC. I then had to go to each TOC: 'style name' in the Text Styles panel and individually change the font size from 5pt to a readable 12pt. It seems that the default font size for the TOC is 5pt. I will see if there is a preference/default setting for this and update this thread.

The video was only a minor help: suggest that some preceding steps are covered in the video. Show the Paragraph Styles Panel > Create a new Style > Tick the Box on the TOC Panel then 'Insert TOC' to the text box.

[Chris_K]

I've had experience with the TOC being very small it is usually is caused by the base style being removed as the default TOC styles are based on this base style.If this is not the case would you be able to give some information about your OS version and language?

Cheers

[Mr.C]

Hi Chris,

Yes, all the base Paragraph Styles have gone and I am only left with those that I created.

It seems to cause issues with the TOC panel:

• Selecting the TOC in the top drop down of the TOC Panel and then trying to select Paragraph Styles to include in the TOC.
  • The selections get the tick but then the top drop down flicks back to blank and the ticks disappear.
• Selecting the TOC in the top drop down of the TOC Panel highlights the text box associated with it > tick the Paragraph styles to include:
  • Nothing changes in the text box
  • An ICON appears when over the page with the 'Create a text box' look. I dragged out a new text box but still no TOC content.

I uploaded the file so you can see directly. I cannot remember at what stage the standard Paragraph styles disappeared.

Siretta Master airCONNECT.afpub

[FGUK]

I've found that TOC won't get generated if your TOC text box is on the same page as my first box of text.

Example:  I create a box and type in some headings and body using Styles. Then, create a box for the TOC and follow the process. It reports no text found. However, if I move the body/headings text box to page2 and leave the TOC box on page1 then it works.

Note; in the TOC Tab I look in 'All Text Frames' and scope is 'document'.

[walt.farrell]

5 hours ago, FGUK said:

I've found that TOC won't get generated if your TOC text box is on the same page as my first box of text.

Example:  I create a box and type in some headings and body using Styles. Then, create a box for the TOC and follow the process. It reports no text found. However, if I move the body/headings text box to page2 and leave the TOC box on page1 then it works.

Note; in the TOC Tab I look in 'All Text Frames' and scope is 'document'.

By default (as pointed out in the tutorial video) the TOC includes (searches for) text that follows the TOC. There's an option in the TOC panel for "Include entries before TOC" that you would need to enable to pick up items before your TOC.

[FGUK]

Thanks Walt. Yes, I did view the Tutorial which shows the TOC.

Actually, with a bit more time it works fine now. I withdraw my criticism.

[Old Bruce]

On 8/31/2018 at 6:06 AM, Chris_K said:

I've had experience with the TOC being very small it is usually is caused by the base style being removed as the default TOC styles are based on this base style.If this is not the case would you be able to give some information about your OS version and language?

Cheers

Okay, that clears up a lot of problems I have been having with the ToC and the Index. For what it is worth I am one of those people who insist on starting fresh and rolling my own. Also for what it is worth I solved all the problems I was having by just making a Base style retroactively. One more bit of knowledge to rattle around in my head, the Affinity Publisher Help was really sparse, I would suggest having this information about the Base style being needed put in there even if nothing else is there.

[ea0723]

I have document set up with Headings Text Styles applied across different pages. Try to set up TOC - works great (add text box, insert TOC)... then add pages / remove pages so pagination changed -  updated TOC, and now some heading Heading 1 not being recorded in TOC, while others being recorded. Still have heading, still have style applied, but TOC not picking it up. Maybe I'm missing something (still looking) but so far, nothing fixes it...