How to mark chapter headings

[JimLL]

Setting chapter heading lines with the Headings attributes in Sigil seems to be a one at a time process. Very time consuming if there are a lot of chapters. (One document has 100 chapters. Others 30 or 40.)

How can I set it up to mark all of the chapter lines then automatically run through and set them all at one time with the Headings attribute?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JimLL

Setting chapter heading lines with the Headings attributes in Sigil seems to be a one at a time process. Very time consuming if there are a lot of chapters. (One document has 100 chapters. Others 30 or 40.)

How can I set it up to mark all of the chapter lines then automatically run through and set them all at one time with the Headings attribute?

Do the headings have a unique class (style) assigned?

Do the headings ONLY have 'Chapter n'? (n being numbers)

Regex is about finding patterns to trigger on

[JimLL]

Originally Posted by theducks

Do the headings have a unique class (style) assigned?

Do the headings ONLY have 'Chapter n'? (n being numbers)

Regex is about finding patterns to trigger on

Thanks

Unique class (style)? Assigned? I don't even know what a class (style) is, let alone a unique one. And assigning attributes is what _I_ am doing - very slowly.

Yes, I believe most of them are 'Chapter n'. One or two may have 'Chapter [one, two, etc.]'. Some of them have Chapter titles following them on the same line. The titles show up in the TOC, which is what I want, but that's all details. My concern is the time involved.

There seems to be a pile of stuff out there about Regex. But since I had a stroke at age 47 (decades ago) I can't even program stuff I already went to school for, let alone study something new.

I've figured out how to set and use heading attributes, but it takes a very long time to manually set 100+ chapter headings one at a time. So I'm asking how to set them automatically. What I've tried so far, highlighting the lines with CTRL, doesn't work, because when you set one line it erases all the other highlights. (NOT what CTRL is supposed to do.)

I could do it in OOo in a blink, but I haven't found a program to convert it into HTML without stripping all the headings attributes out.

[Sunlite]

The only way in Sigil is through search&replace using regular expressions. The Book view (WYSIWYG editor) in Sigil is a lot less developed than the Code view (HTML editor).

If you can do what you want in OO, you should do so and then save as html. I just tested it with a sample and the html produced by OO is not bad. It is not perfect, but a lot better than even the filtered version of Word's html.

You can then open the html file in Sigil and go from there.

If you prefer a WYSIWYG editor, maybe you should try to do as much as you can in OO and only use Sigil to turn the html into epub and set the meta information and create the TOC as a last step.

[JimLL]

Originally Posted by Sunlite

The only way in Sigil is through search&replace using regular expressions. The Book view (WYSIWYG editor) in Sigil is a lot less developed than the Code view (HTML editor).

If you can do what you want in OO, you should do so and then save as html. I just tested it with a sample and the html produced by OO is not bad. It is not perfect, but a lot better than even the filtered version of Word's html.

You can then open the html file in Sigil and go from there.

If you prefer a WYSIWYG editor, maybe you should try to do as much as you can in OO and only use Sigil to turn the html into epub and set the meta information and create the TOC as a last step.

Thanks.

Search & replace is the first thing I tried, but I never figured how to put an h1 setting operation into the replace line. (I use only h1.) If there's a way, I'm listening.


I can't use OOo to output HTML, because it makes a separate HTML for each chapter, and that throws more complication into Sigil than I can handle. If there's a way to stop that, I don't know it.

Yeah, I stumbled across the fact that TOC needs to be last.

[Sunlite]

As I said the only way I'm aware of in Sigil would be to set <h1> tags through S&E in Code view.

If I save even a very long file in OO through 'Save as' and 'html Document', not allowing the file type to be re-set to odt, it does not get separated in different files.

Which way to save as html do you use in OO that produces more than one file?

Could you maybe give an example of the file(s) that make problems for you? A short snipped, that shows the wrong behavior, would be best.

I'll go to bed now, but I can try to help you more tomorrow.

[Hitch]

1. Go to: www.w3schools.com and take an html tutorial.
2. Go To: www.w3schools.com and take the CSS tutorial (really reference), by testing each of the live examples.
3. Buy and READ Liz Castro's "EPUB: Straight to the Point," so that you begin to have a basic understanding of what an ePUB is, how it works, what it's comprised of, and wwhy what you're doing not only isn't working, but is making your effort significantly harder than it has to be.
4. Start asking your questions over in the ePUB forum, where they belong. Your issues have nothing whatsoever to do with Sigil; you do not have the fundamental understanding to begin creating an ePUB, I am sorry to tell you.
5. If you are exporting OO and creating mutliple files in html, you're doing that incorrectly, as well.
6. Seriously consider using a tool more suited for your skillset, like Jutoh or Atlantis Word processor. If you don't understand what STYLES are, what CSS does, and don't even know how to do a simple search and replace (frankly, you don't even need regex) for Chapters, in 1-2 passes, you are using a tool for which you are not ready. Your comprehension of Jutoh or AWP for "commercial" users is flatly mistaken; they are tools for amateur producers, just like you, which is why they cost about $40--you don't need to know regex, you don't need to know CSS, or anything else; you don't even need html. Both work like "Word Processing ePUB makers," which is clearly what you need.

Flailing around here, using an ePUB-editing and creation tool, which is specifically designed for people who already have an understanding of html, xhtml, CSS and regex is just going to frustrate you further. Having seen this post, it explains, (but does not excuse) a lot of your behavior over on the other thread (although I've yet to see the "disaster thread" you mentioned). You are attempting to run a marathon before you have learned to walk, and, moreover, you fundamentally misunderstand what Sigil does; what an ePUB is; how it works or what you should be using before you even get to Sigil. You've been asked repeatedly what html editor you're using, or asked why you're not using one, and I don't think you understand that you NEED one.

To put this as simply as I can: Sigil is not a Word Processing ePUB maker. It's not an authorial tool. Nor is it really a tool for amateurs who don't have the patience to learn the fundamentals. I am not trying to be rude--but you are honestly in way over your head, if you don't know what a class style is. I strenuously recommend that you reconsider using a tool more suited for your current skill level, to achieve your current goal, rather than trying to force Sigil to adapt to you. It's obvious you are on a budget,

In the alternative, try the Calibre forum. There are a lot of people over there who shortcut by using Calibre to create ePUBs (somehow--I honestly don't know the method) from what are essentially word-processing files, I think from OO or from OO-exported html or rtf--and maybe that will give you a leg up. And, yes, OO can bastardize header styles upon export, BUT, if you were using a proper html editor, you could easily regex (search and replace) all of them in a snap in either an html editor OR, for that matter, Sigil. You might consider an investment in "Regex Buddy," which is actually a SUPER learning tool, OR read the regex wiki sources here at MR.

I hope something there helped you. I'm not trying to be mean, but really--you're driving yourself nuts because you don't yet know what you don't know.

Hitch

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JimLL

Thanks.

Search & replace is the first thing I tried, but I never figured how to put an h1 setting operation into the replace line. (I use only h1.) If there's a way, I'm listening.


I can't use OOo to output HTML, because it makes a separate HTML for each chapter, and that throws more complication into Sigil than I can handle. If there's a way to stop that, I don't know it.

Yeah, I stumbled across the fact that TOC needs to be last.

You do it in code view (Where you will also see a class='blahblah' in some/all tags.

Search (the tag might look like): <p class="chapno">(Chapter \d+)</p>
The paren is the 'capture' area, the \d+ matches any amount of consecutive digits.

Replace (using REGEX) <h1 class="mychapterheadclass">\1</h1>

the \1 puts what was captured (includes the digits) in this place (between tags)

[JimLL]

Originally Posted by Sunlite

If I save even a very long file in OO through 'Save as' and 'html Document', not allowing the file type to be re-set to odt, it does not get separated in different files.

Which way to save as html do you use in OO that produces more than one file?

Aha. I asked someone at OOo forum and they said to use File -> Send -> Create HTML.

Save as is much better. I'll see if I can get headings set in OO and keep them.

Thanks.

[JimLL]

Originally Posted by Hitch

[LIST=1][*]Seriously consider using a tool more suited for your skillset, like Jutoh or Atlantis Word processor.

Hmmm, Referring to Atlantis I assume you're talking about hand coding HTML, because it does not do HTML via WYSIWYG. The Atlantis people told me that in so many words. Altho it can apparently convert docs to HTML, I don't know how that helps edit anything.

You are attempting to run a marathon before you have learned to walk,

Can't disagree with that a whole lot.

you fundamentally misunderstand what Sigil does; what an ePUB is; how it works or what you should be using before you even get to Sigil.

Well, it seemed to be the first free (I donated) thing out to do ebooks. I made epubs and converted them to mobis. I know basically that epub is essentially a zipped HTML, and that it is sort on features compared to other standards.

You've been asked repeatedly what html editor you're using, or asked why you're not using one, and I don't think you understand that you NEED one.

I used to code HTML before it got hugely complicated. I haven't found a free WYSIWYG HTML writer.

To put this as simply as I can: Sigil is not a Word Processing ePUB maker. It's not an authorial tool. Nor is it really a tool for amateurs who don't have the patience to learn the fundamentals.

Too much work to take the time for? There you go with the "lazy" hints.

I strenuously recommend that you reconsider using a tool more suited for your current skill level, to achieve your current goal, rather than trying to force Sigil to adapt to you. It's obvious you are on a budget,

I've tried several. But it's really too bad that the people around Sigil actually, deliberately want to keep it only for experts. That's really, really sad, if not terribly uncommon. Lots of programmers program for other programmers, not for people.

In the alternative, try the Calibre forum. There are a lot of people over there who shortcut by using Calibre to create ePUBs (somehow--I honestly don't know the method) from what are essentially word-processing files, I think from OO or from OO-exported html or rtf--and maybe that will give you a leg up.

I use Calibre. Altho like Sigil, it has no primer. Like Sigil it's all tech details.

I hope something there helped you. I'm not trying to be mean, but really--you're driving yourself nuts because you don't yet know what you don't know.

Hitch

I don't know yet if it will help. And apparently I'm not as thin skinned as most, unless people start suggesting I'm lazy or stupid. Ignorant about something and stupid are very different things. (I'm totally ignorant about doing heart surgery.) Epub is a side stop for me, not the destination. You're right, I was given the wrong idea about Sigil, just as a guy at OOo forum told me the wrong way to produce HTML from a document. Someone on a completely different forum told me the best way to do it.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by JimLL

Hmmm, Referring to Atlantis I assume you're talking about hand coding HTML, because it does not do HTML via WYSIWYG. The Atlantis people told me that in so many words. Altho it can apparently convert docs to HTML, I don't know how that helps edit anything.

Atlantis Word Processor does nothing with HTML (well, maybe importing), but it is essentially a Word processor which can also export to ePUB directly. It does a nice enough job when I tested it.

Originally Posted by JimLL

I know basically that epub is essentially a zipped HTML, and that it is sort on features compared to other standards.

I think you meant 'short on features'. That is not exactly true. It has much more features than the outdated mobi for instance. However, not all readers implement all available features. Not the fault of the format.
It is more than a zipped HTML. It can also contains stylesheets, images, fonts and more. Also, it is nor restricted to one HTML fortunatly.

Originally Posted by JimLL

I used to code HTML before it got hugely complicated. I haven't found a free WYSIWYG HTML writer.

Then you are in luck. The ePUB2 standard only uses simple HTML with stylesheets. None of that pesky javascript and so on. In general it is plain simple HTML. Only a few quirks, mostly due to being XHTML, but those are easily spotted by the validation.

Originally Posted by JimLL

But it's really too bad that the people around Sigil actually, deliberately want to keep it only for experts.

Not true, sorry. It has a leaning curve, as has any program. If you have basic knowledge about HTML/CSS it is a ball in the park to do most stuff. Use CodeView and find the basic HTML/CSS by Pablo in the ePUB forum. Keep that besides your desk for referral if you can't remember certain things.
If you want more complex stuff of advanced Search&Replace, you have to learn more. Not Sigil's fault, since this cannot be made a lot easier.

Originally Posted by JimLL

I use Calibre. Altho like Sigil, it has no primer. Like Sigil it's all tech details.

Calibre is pretty simple to use for most things. If you want it to use as a library, it is good to go. Simple conversions, good to go. There are tech details, but most people don't need/use them. Personally I only use the library function because I dislike the code it produces while converting.

Originally Posted by JimLL

And apparently I'm not as thin skinned as most, unless people start suggesting I'm lazy or stupid. Ignorant about something and stupid are very different things.

Nobody said anything about lazy or stupid. However, you really tend to ignore all good advice. It is not that if someone mentions that you need to study the format or learn basic HTML/CSS you are described as lazy or stupid.

The tutorial is here.

[Thalia Helikon]

I'm still learning Sigil, and I don't know HTML or CSS.
Here are the steps that I use to assign <h1> class to all chapters. Please note the key secret-- you don't need to fix the closing HTML. Sigil will find your opening mark-up code, and automatically re-assign the correct closing code!!!!

• Work in Code View.
• Open the Find/Replace Dialog box.
• Under the Replace Field, there is a Selection down arrow for "This File" or "All HTML Files." Choose "All HTML Files."
• For the "Up Down All" radio buttons, select "All"
• Select "case sensitive"
• Scroll down the document until you find a Chapter.
• Carefully select the existing mark-up BEFORE "chapter" as well as the word "chapter."
• Paste into the Find field of the Find/Replace Dialog box, and then paste into the Replace Field also.
• In the Replace Field, change the mark-up to <h1>. Leave the word Chapter in place. You may want to press the space bar one time at the end of the word Chapter.
• Click "Find Next." Don't replace anything yet. Make sure you can bounce from Chapter to Chapter using your search text. You may need to tinker with the Find selection to narrow it down. Visually Check the closing code on the chapter, to make sure it does not run into the following text.
• If your selection text is valid, you can start Replacing. Don't choose "Replace All," just replace one at a time. If it seems to be clean, select "Replace All."
• Make note of the number of replacements.
• THIS IS IMPORTANT. Switch from Code View to Split View, or Page View. This will trigger the validation function of Sigil. Wherever you changed the opening code to <h1>, Sigil will fix the closing code to </h1>.
• Check your TOC.

[Serpentine]

Originally Posted by Thalia Helikon

Please note the key secret-- you don't need to fix the closing HTML. Sigil will find your opening mark-up code, and automatically re-assign the correct closing code!!!!

Another secret : Ignore the quoted content. Never trust automagic, especially when closing tags are very easy to match with regex (unless they are nested, but in that case your solution is even worse).

If you want to do bulk chapter headings and such, I would really suggest extracting the epub and doing the work in something like RegexBuddy (use the grep function to run it on all files). The test area is a good place to get to grips with regex and getting it right.

Personally, the way I do chapters is usually to merge the entire book into a single html file (so that editing the <head>er and such will be applied correctly), then using regex, strip the existing markup and place header tags around the headings, as well as a sigil chapter marker before the header. Once that's done, throw it back into Sigil and break split the file at the chapter markers.

[Suffolk Punch]

I found the following introductory guide by Guido Henkel very clear, and recommend it:

http://guidohenkel.com/2010/12/take-...ook-formatting


Martin

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Punch

I found the following introductory guide by Guido Henkel very clear, and recommend it:

http://guidohenkel.com/2010/12/take-...ook-formatting


Martin

But he still has paragraph spaces. What else does he does wrong?