Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Technical Help and How To's Can anyone tell me how to make a TOC when I convert a fanfic in Sigil?

Lately I've been converting some fanfics into .epub format using the Sigil program .

I've been separating the longer fanfics into chapters by using the "Insert Chapter Break" menu option.

I am able to "create TOC" (there's a menu option for that) but then the TOC never shows up pm my e-reader (a Nook) when I download the fanfic into the Nook.

Do you know why, and can you tell me how to make the TOC show up in my e-reader?

I looked at the Sigil help page on creating a TOC but it was not helpful for this.

Would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

Hi, Iolanthe

You can always use the process that I use.
1. Do the pre-formatting before you bring the document into Sigil.
2. Bring the document into Sigil as one big document.
3. Mark all of the chapters (I use heading 3) using the <Select heading> drop-down near the upper left corner of the window. (This is what allows the e-reader to find the chapters.)
4. As you mark the chapters, just above the heading, I insert an SGF chapter marker using the “Insert” drop down in the toolbar.
5. Get all of the headings and SGF markers in place before you split the file. I also make sure that the Metadata (title and author) are correct.
6. When you are sure that everything is right, use the Tools -> Split on SGF chapter markers. This splits the file.
The whole process is documented reasonably clearly in the instructions for epub conversion located here: LnC epub conversion instructions
If you look at the section called “Bob’s version” you will know exactly what I do.

Note: I just looked at the instructions and can see that the instructions should be updated with details of how to do the SGF chapter markers trick. I didn't realize that I had left that part out of the instructions.

Bob

Thank you, Bob. Your instructions have been great so far - I have converted numerous fics into epubs for my e-reader using your directions.

Re the chapter markers: That advice is very helpful. I had been using only "Insert - Chapter Break" instead of "Insert - SGF Chapter Marker".

Can you put in the "SGF Chapter Markers" along with a "Chapter Break"? The reason I ask: I've taken some very long fanfics (L's "Long Strange Trip", for example") and at the beginning, it takes forever for Sigil to save the file. As I whittle it down into chapters, Sigil becomes faster and faster at inserting chapter breaks and saving, as the part-to-be-completed becomes shorter.

That's why I ask if you have to put in all the SGF chapter markers *before* you use the Tools to "Split on SGF Chapter Markers", or can you do this as you go along?

And another thing...

When you "Insert...SGF Chapter Markers", should you insert them at what will be the end of one chapter, or insert them at what will be the beginning of the next chapter?

I hadn't tried that before but I did a quick test and it looks like you can do it in any order you want. The key thing is to be sure and set the headings on the chapter marker.

Whenever I am going to break a part, I always add the word Part or Chapter and I put the break right above that. It should look like this:

-------------------------------------------

...End of chapter 5 text. End of chapter 5 text. End of chapter 5 text. End of chapter 5 text. End of chapter 5 text. End of chapter 5 text. End of chapter 5 text.

<Chapter break / Break marker goes here>

Chapter 6 <-- set format to Heading 3 so that it shows up in TOC

Beginning of chapter 6 text. Beginning of chapter 6 text. Beginning of chapter 6 text. Beginning of chapter 6 text. Beginning of chapter 6 text. Beginning of chapter 6 text.

-------------------------------------------

Does this help?

Bob

Thanks, Bob! Extremely helpful.

I just got a Nook for my birthday and I'm looking forward to reading some stories that haven't been converted to epub yet (Yes, SQD, this includes your "My Inspiration" story we discussed a while back). This thread will be most helpful. I'm sure I'll have many questions.

First off, if my conversation is successful (and that's a big "if") who should contact over at Archives to forward it on to? Because if I'm going to go through all the work to convert a story, I'd want to share it with others.

Michael

Oooooh. Yes, these conversions are Lauren's baby.

And, following Michael's links out of curiosity, I discovered that some of my stories have been converted for Kindle.

No idea who did that, but, whoever it was - thank you!

Actually, perhaps we could add a line to the end of each story file to credit all that hard work? For example:

LabRat