how to use command line to automatically create ToC from all headings?

[Whip]

Thank you for the suggestion DNSB. However, I don't think that will work.

When I set --level1-toc to //*[(name()='h1' or name()='h3')] it gathers all <h1> tags and all <h3> tags and makes them ToC items at level1.

I'm worried at this point the command line ebook-convert tool just doesn't make ToCs at the full depth that I need. I don't see a way to make <h4> and <h5> tags turn into level4 and level5 ToC elements. It seems like the GUI is the only way to make ToCs up to 5 or 6 levels deep.

Am I missing anything? Or am I correct that ebook-convert can only make ToCs with three levels of ToC elements?

[Whip]

If ebook-convert doesn't make ToC with depth >3, is there any other automated way to do that? Like a script in Calibre's code base I could use?

It would be really helpful to automate this rather than use the UI. Thanks for any suggestions.

[kovidgoyal]

Yeah conversion, whether from the gui or the command line can generate at most depth 3 tocs You will find that some ebook readers have issues with even that depth. If you want deeper tocs you need to use the toc edit tool after conversion.

[Whip]

I didn't know some e-readers handle deeper ToCs poorly. Thanks. I wondered why the CLI would be limited to three ToC levels. I'll stick with that.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Also, FYI, the reason I posted several times in a row yesterday was that some posts appeared instantly and some appeared only after a delay, so I wasn't sure they had actually submitted properly. Didn't mean to spam the thread.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Whip

Also, FYI, the reason I posted several times in a row yesterday was that some posts appeared instantly and some appeared only after a delay, so I wasn't sure they had actually submitted properly. Didn't mean to spam the thread.

An ongoing challenge at MR. Quite often posts from new members (and at times from those who are not that active) go into "Moderation". Until a moderator notices this your post will be hidden to non mods.


Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

I think the OP is doing everything from the command line.

Why would the OP want to make things more difficult?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why would the OP want to make things more difficult?

Book Production?
Arnold Bailey used a very early Calibre for Webscriptions (Baen's entry into e-books). There were Calibre footprints all over the EPUB.

Ask @Hitch (or other book wranglers that haunt MR) if they use the command line or GUI .

But, with the power of recent (I am calling a Decade ago recent?) Calibre and plugins. Why! is a good question.
Remoting in over a 300baud line, command line is really the way to go
For just TOC work, you can add a TOC icon onto the main GUI. (I only work on EPUB2 for personal use, so I dont know if this works for a NAV. But I suspect, neither does the CLI.

[jmurphy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why would the OP want to make things more difficult?

If you are going to reference the OP, try reading the title of the thread.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why would the OP want to make things more difficult?

For me, one off tasks are done from the GUI. If there is a task that is going to be done multiple times and can be automated using the CLI, I see no reason for me to waste my time doing repetitive tasks when the computer can do them for me.