Links to URLs work, internal links don't?

NewDay · 10-19-2010, 11:24 AM

I have a ton of hyperlinks in a single doc that all refer to different locations within the doc. Upon uploading to iBooks (via my own desktop, iTunes) I see that these don't work, though they look as if they should. Epub validator brings back the dreaded Error message referencing the anchors, "fragment identifier is not defined." Hyperlinks connecting to URLs work just fine. What gives and how can I fix it?

charleski · 10-19-2010, 11:51 AM

A whole load of things could have happened, impossible to be sure as you don't show us any code. My guess is your epub has been split into separate files and the links fail to specify the relevant file as well as the fragment id.

NewDay · 10-19-2010, 12:25 PM

Be back with the code in a couple of hours. Really appreciate your help.

NewDay · 10-19-2010, 04:19 PM

OK, here's the error message, followed by the code in the xhtml file it refers to:
'abalone-chowder-anchor': fragment identifier is not defined in 'OEBPS/Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-48.xhtml'

They make an excellent<a href="#abalone-chowder-anchor"> Abalone Chowder</a>.)

NewDay · 10-19-2010, 04:31 PM

Another example:
error message: 'dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor': fragment identifier is not defined in 'OEBPS/Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-48.xhtml'
code in 48.xhtml: 1 cup dried chanterelle mushrooms (see <a href="#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor">Resources</a>)

charleski · 10-19-2010, 09:47 PM

href="#abalone-chowder-anchor"
href="#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor"

These aren't specifying a file before the fragment id. From the spurious lang attribute I'm guessing you've exported this from InDesign and run into InDesign's link bug. Try exporting it without checking the box which splits it at first-level headings, though that means you'll need to use Sigil to do the ToC.

NewDay · 10-20-2010, 12:27 AM

Had a hunch it was an InDesign bug. More than a few I've encountered in CS5. And then there are the iBook bugs. Anybody got a good can of bug spray?
Thanks, charleski. Appreciate the input.

Adjust · 10-20-2010, 06:09 AM

Yeah Charleski is correct.
Is isn't an iBooks bug though, it a CS5 issue
All the links will work going there, but the return trip back all the links will be broken.
you can run a search and replace on the xhtml files to fix this though, it only take a few minutes.

For example I had one with hundreds and hundreds of footnote/endnotes. all the links from the text to the "notes" worked but the going from the "notes" file back to main text were broken...

you just need to insert the correct xhtml file before the #

href="filename.xhtml#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor"

Valloric · 10-20-2010, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charleski

href="#abalone-chowder-anchor"
href="#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor"

These aren't specifying a file before the fragment id. From the spurious lang attribute I'm guessing you've exported this from InDesign and run into InDesign's link bug. Try exporting it without checking the box which splits it at first-level headings, though that means you'll need to use Sigil to do the ToC.

Wait, you're telling me that InDesign will split files without updating links? That's absolutely insane. It makes any file-splitting feature completely and utterly useless.

charleski · 10-20-2010, 10:10 AM

The shameful fact is that InDesign CS5 has received 3 patches since it was launched and this bug still isn't fixed - it's still there in 7.0.3. Adobe was informed of the bug back in May, so you get the feeling that they don't really care about InDesign's epub export facilities.

Then again, InDesign really is focussed on print production - there are far better tools for creating reflowable formats and publishers need to get out of the habit of correcting galley proofs.

NewDay · 10-20-2010, 11:37 AM

That's not the only CS5 bug, and I agree with you, charleski, it's absolutely shameful and irresponsible of Adobe not to have this software up to the task of correctly outputting epub files. Why should we have to chase our tails fixing code they should have gotten right in the first place? Epub book designers have better things to do.

NewDay · 10-20-2010, 11:42 AM

Adjust, thank you very much. I'm gonna go try that right now. Sure glad you guys are out there to ask.

NewDay · 10-20-2010, 01:17 PM

Adjust, I tried inserting the correct xhtml file as you expressed it and as my files gave it, but it's still not connecting. I must have missed something. What am I doing wrong here?

<a href="Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-48.xhtml#short-ribs-of-beef-anchor">Short Ribs of Beef</a>

<a href="Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-53.xhtml#mountain-bread-33-anchor">Mountain Bread</a>

Jellby · 10-20-2010, 01:34 PM

Having filenames with spaces is possible, but it's asking for trouble (as is having non-ASCII characters). It might be that the files use "%20" instead of a space or something like that.

NewDay · 10-20-2010, 01:43 PM

Jelby, I took the file designation literally, stroke by stroke, from the xhtml files as they are expressed in the OEBPS. Should I add hyphens between words in the file name?

10-19-2010, 11:24 AM	#1
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Links to URLs work, internal links don't? I have a ton of hyperlinks in a single doc that all refer to different locations within the doc. Upon uploading to iBooks (via my own desktop, iTunes) I see that these don't work, though they look as if they should. Epub validator brings back the dreaded Error message referencing the anchors, "fragment identifier is not defined." Hyperlinks connecting to URLs work just fine. What gives and how can I fix it?

10-19-2010, 04:19 PM	#4
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	OK, here's the error message, followed by the code in the xhtml file it refers to: 'abalone-chowder-anchor': fragment identifier is not defined in 'OEBPS/Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-48.xhtml' They make an excellent<span class="link-style"><a href="#abalone-chowder-anchor"> Abalone Chowder</a></span>.)</p>

10-19-2010, 04:31 PM	#5
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Another example: error message: 'dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor': fragment identifier is not defined in 'OEBPS/Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-48.xhtml' code in 48.xhtml: <p class="ingredients" xml:lang="en-us">1 cup dried chanterelle mushrooms (see <span class="link-style"><a href="#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor">Resources</a></span>)</p>

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10-19-2010, 11:51 AM	#2
charleski Wizard Posts: 1,196 Karma: 1281258 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	A whole load of things could have happened, impossible to be sure as you don't show us any code. My guess is your epub has been split into separate files and the links fail to specify the relevant file as well as the fragment id.

10-19-2010, 12:25 PM	#3
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Be back with the code in a couple of hours. Really appreciate your help.

10-19-2010, 09:47 PM	#6
charleski Wizard Posts: 1,196 Karma: 1281258 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	href="#abalone-chowder-anchor" href="#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor" These aren't specifying a file before the fragment id. From the spurious lang attribute I'm guessing you've exported this from InDesign and run into InDesign's link bug. Try exporting it without checking the box which splits it at first-level headings, though that means you'll need to use Sigil to do the ToC.

10-20-2010, 12:27 AM	#7
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Had a hunch it was an InDesign bug. More than a few I've encountered in CS5. And then there are the iBook bugs. Anybody got a good can of bug spray? Thanks, charleski. Appreciate the input.

10-20-2010, 06:09 AM	#8
Adjust Addict Posts: 351 Karma: 70000 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Australia Device: ADE, iPad	Yeah Charleski is correct. Is isn't an iBooks bug though, it a CS5 issue All the links will work going there, but the return trip back all the links will be broken. you can run a search and replace on the xhtml files to fix this though, it only take a few minutes. For example I had one with hundreds and hundreds of footnote/endnotes. all the links from the text to the "notes" worked but the going from the "notes" file back to main text were broken... you just need to insert the correct xhtml file before the # href="filename.xhtml#dried-wild-mushrooms-anchor"

10-20-2010, 10:10 AM	#10
charleski Wizard Posts: 1,196 Karma: 1281258 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	The shameful fact is that InDesign CS5 has received 3 patches since it was launched and this bug still isn't fixed - it's still there in 7.0.3. Adobe was informed of the bug back in May, so you get the feeling that they don't really care about InDesign's epub export facilities. Then again, InDesign really is focussed on print production - there are far better tools for creating reflowable formats and publishers need to get out of the habit of correcting galley proofs.

10-20-2010, 11:37 AM	#11
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	That's not the only CS5 bug, and I agree with you, charleski, it's absolutely shameful and irresponsible of Adobe not to have this software up to the task of correctly outputting epub files. Why should we have to chase our tails fixing code they should have gotten right in the first place? Epub book designers have better things to do.

10-20-2010, 11:42 AM	#12
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Adjust, thank you very much. I'm gonna go try that right now. Sure glad you guys are out there to ask.

10-20-2010, 01:17 PM	#13
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Adjust, I tried inserting the correct xhtml file as you expressed it and as my files gave it, but it's still not connecting. I must have missed something. What am I doing wrong here? <a href="Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-48.xhtml#short-ribs-of-beef-anchor">Short Ribs of Beef</a> <a href="Cast Iron Cuisine ePub-53.xhtml#mountain-bread-33-anchor">Mountain Bread</a>

10-20-2010, 01:34 PM	#14
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,537 Karma: 19000627 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Having filenames with spaces is possible, but it's asking for trouble (as is having non-ASCII characters). It might be that the files use "%20" instead of a space or something like that.

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10-20-2010, 01:43 PM	#15
NewDay Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northern California, in the redwoods by the ocean Device: iPad	Jelby, I took the file designation literally, stroke by stroke, from the xhtml files as they are expressed in the OEBPS. Should I add hyphens between words in the file name?