Simple index

[gombi]

Tried several DTPs to make autobiog notes into booklets - most important missing issue was simple ability to form contents and index;  thought this was the answer.  Have written a booklet about my first university days in the late 1950s;  all worked well except I cannot get a simple index.  All I need is a list of topics, no initial caps which I have been able to remove, many dots till page number appears on right side, and several page numbers for multiple entries - typical of most books?  However, I cannot  get this - separate lines for each identical entry, and page number next to entry separated by but a few dots.   It is probably a simple process - but I am getting frustrated at my lack of ability! Be grateful for simple instructions. 

[walt.farrell]

I've never seen an index that has separate identical named entries like that. I'm curious what purpose that serves, rather than just having the one entry that would say "4, 6, 7".

[jmwellborn]

7 hours ago, gombi said:

. . .several page numbers for multiple entries - typical of most books?  However, I cannot  get this - separate lines for each identical entry, and page number next to entry separated by but a few dots.   It is probably a simple process - but I am getting frustrated at my lack of ability! Be grateful for simple instructions. 

I don't know whether this might help, but If you want to have a separate entry for each time that "Molly Bew" appears in your book, you may need to differentiate between the entries.  It will take a little work, but good indexes actually do.   It just means that the first time you enter her name, you type Molly Bew in the "Topic" box, and create the Parent Topic "Molly Bew."   (Although you might want to make it "Bew, Molly" for standard index procedure.   Then  each time you use her name, you highlight it, place an index entry (Shift + Command + [ ) , and when the dialog box turns up, you will need to type in a descriptive phrase for why she is being indexed (i.e. "at the 1980 Reunion") and then scroll down through your list of Parent Topics to find Bew, Molly (or Molly Bew.   I have attached a portion of an index to show you what I am suggesting, as well as a screenshot of the Index dialog box to show you how you would make the entry.

 

  

 

[gombi]

22 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

I've never seen an index that has separate identical named entries like that. I'm curious what purpose that serves, rather than just having the one entry that would say "4, 6, 7".

Thanks for comments - not sure if I am replying to both of you?  Anyway, Walt is in my book - that is all I want - one entry for Molly Bew [ agree Bew, Molly will be better], row of dots, then all the page numbers where her name appears - regardless of the topic.  This is a simple and short booklet, so no need for too much detail.  I have had a frustrating hour trying to change what I had entered, to tune in somewhat in line with jmw comments - kept getting message cannot change this, do that, do t'other ....  I liked the idea of relevant topics but not necessary in this short trial.  Tried to delete all my index marks so that I could start again - eventually found the way!  In the process, Publisher kept quitting, but I am improving by trying to remember to save the version, plus save as an alternative duplicate every 20 seconds - then close the latter, and reopen the former ....!

As I have said elsewhere in the forum - aged 81, been using and teaching computers for some 40 years, loved PagePlus, so prepared to put up with my perhaps decreasing mental abilities .......   Looking forward to the full version, accompanied by a simple but detailed manual.   Meanwhile - I will persevere, and hope you may respond again?

 

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, gombi said:

that is all I want - one entry for Molly Bew [ agree Bew, Molly will be better], row of dots, then all the page numbers where her name appears - regardless of the topic.

To end up with only one entry I think you need to pay attention to the Parent entry when you insert each index mark. Probably need to make sure it says None.

[jmwellborn]

4 hours ago, gombi said:

 This is a simple and short booklet, so no need for too much detail.......  Tried to delete all my index marks so that I could start again - eventually found the way!  In the process, Publisher kept quitting, but I am improving by trying to remember to save the version, plus save as an alternative duplicate every 20 seconds - then close the latter, and reopen the former ....!

As I have said elsewhere in the forum - aged 81, been using and teaching computers for some 40 years, loved PagePlus, so prepared to put up with my perhaps decreasing mental abilities .......   Looking forward to the full version, accompanied by a simple but detailed manual.   Meanwhile - I will persevere, and hope you may respond again?

 

Good for you!     We just have to remember to open and save any document we have been working on in the beta versions when the last beta is issued.  I believe we have been advised that those last-saved documents will open correctly with the full, commercial version when it becomes available.   It would be rotten to loose all your work.   I have been experimenting with indexes, using a long PDF import, saved in .afpub, which I can mess up as much as possible, and then close with a Don’t Save.   When the commercial Publisher version arrives, I will start redoing my books!   Meanwhile, 81 is the new 51 in my book.   Press on regardless!!!!

[gombi]

Seem to be getting somewhere thanks to your help.  Deleted all index markers several times, reinserted and ensured no Parents - beginning to look like what I want!  Remaining issue is getting the page numbers to close up.  Inserting an index seems to insert it in a preformat and I cannot change this last point - can change others but not exactly easy, or quickly!  

[fde101]

19 hours ago, jmwellborn said:

remember to open and save any document we have been working on in the beta versions

I think you might have missed the point of what was said.

While it is unlikely that files will break between the last beta and the final release, there is no guarantee that a document created in one beta will open in the next beta, so until we reach the last beta, you need to assume that anything you create today might break tomorrow.

[jmwellborn]

4 hours ago, fde101 said:

I think you might have missed the point of what was said.

While it is unlikely that files will break between the last beta and the final release, there is no guarantee that a document created in one beta will open in the next beta, so until we reach the last beta, you need to assume that anything you create today might break tomorrow.

No, I haven’t missed the point.  I know there is no guarantee, and that is why  I have been EXPERIMENTING with documents, and trying things out.   If something is saveable, I also export it as a PDF and hope for the best.  If Gombi is working on an actual finished project, the best thing to do is to be sure to save it frequently in .afpub (in the most current beta version) and in PDF.   That way, the project has a possibility of being useable in the first commercial version.    I guess my comment was a bit muddy.

[fde101]

21 minutes ago, jmwellborn said:

be sure to save it frequently in .afpub (in the most current beta version) and in PDF

agreed

 

21 minutes ago, jmwellborn said:

I guess my comment was a bit muddy.

That is probably more what I was reacting too - I didn't want someone to read that the wrong way 

[gombi]

.... and there was I using the title Simple Index!   I am working on a trial project just to get familiar with Publisher - but hoping it will eventually become a finished job.  Had learnt from your comments to save frequently, and to save a copy frequently - now saving a third edition as a pdf as advised.  Job is almost complete and I have learnt  a good deal.  In particular, I have now learnt to leave the index completely untouched until I have really finished writing and formatting;  I was putting the preformatted index at the end, then would format it to a style that suited me - go back and possibly added a couple more index items, and update the index - - - - it was then inserted in the original preformatted style so I would have to play around with it yet again.  Slow learner at this age but I have finally realised not to touch it again for some time!  Wanted a row of dots with the page numbers on the right side, but no success; have accepted, that and the gaps between the numbers, changed the leading gaps between items, reduced the font size, and changed to two columns so that the index takes up only one page. etting there?

[Dave Harris]

If I understand you correctly, to get the dots with the number at the right margin you need to use a leader tab. You should use the View > Studio > Index panel to check that the separator is a tab, then find what text style the index entry is using (probably Index Entry 1) and edit its tabstops. Add a tabstop, then click its ... to get a little panel with more options. Set Align to Right,  Leader character to (.), Position 0, and tick the From right checkbox.

Essentially, the Index and Table of Contents features build on the basic text styles and paragraph formatting options, so you need to learn those to get the most out of it. The From right checkbox means the tabstop is positioned relative to the right edge of the text column. You should find the other customisations you want can be achieved by editing the styles that the index uses, for things like leading and pointsize.

[walt.farrell]

4 hours ago, Dave Harris said:

You should use the View > Studio > Index panel to check that the separator is a tab,

I wondered about that the other day, but found that I could not change the separator to a tab. It would not accept either \t or a pasted in tab character, or the "tab" marker used in Find and Replace. (Windows, .145 build)

[Dave Harris]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

I wondered about that the other day, but found that I could not change the separator to a tab. It would not accept either \t or a pasted in tab character, or the "tab" marker used in Find and Replace. (Windows, .145 build)

That's not ideal. I've logged it to be looked at. Probably it should use the same control as Find and Replace.