Why so complicated?

foosion · Today, 01:36 PM

I found this at the top of chapter 1 of a book and I'm wondering why all of this is needed. Wouldn't it be simpler to just label everything that is to go into the TOC with h#s? Sect1 could be a higher h# so it wouldn't get put into the TOC.

If the page should have a few lines, but the TOC only one line per chapter, use the title attribute.

Text:
Chapter One
Words words
Some more words

TOC:
Chapter One: Words words "Some more words"

Code:

<section aria-labelledby="hd-chapter001" epub:type="bodymatter chapter" id="chapter001" role="doc-chapter">

      <h1 class="chapter-number" id="hd-chapter001"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page12" role="doc-pagebreak" title="12"></span><a href="toc.xhtml#toc-chapter001"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page13" role="doc-pagebreak" title="13"></span>CHAPTER ONE</a></h1>

      <h1 class="chapter-title"><a href="toc.xhtml#toc-chapter001">Words words</a></h1>

      <h2 class="chapter-subtitle"><a href="toc.xhtml#toc-chapter001">“SOME MORE WORDS.”</a></h2>

      <h1 class="sect1" id="a001">1.</h1>

Also, what does the "section" part accomplish?

Given no index and the ability to generate a TOC from major Hs, what does "id" accomplish?

Why an href to the TOC in an epub?

Finally, why epub:type="pagebreak" or ="bodymatter chapter" or role="doc-pagebreak"?

DNSB · Today, 08:26 PM

Section is similar to a div but used to group related content. You will notice that the section in your quoted text has no classes but does include identifiers, roles, epub-type, etc.

The ID is likely used in the ToC instead of pointing to the chapter file, you would get href="part0007.html#hd-chapter001". Add further ids for subchapter entries.

The href to the ToC allows you to go back to the ToC by tapping on that entry. A vestige of old practices. Remember when you would see Last:Next:ToC at the top and bottom of chapters?

An epub-type is part of ePub3 attributes allowing improved semantics. Originally, it was hoped/hyped that epub-type would improve accessibility but other than some limited success with footnotes, this did not happen.

OTOH, a role is an ARIA attribute used to expose information to assistive technology. There is a lot of overlap which is why it was originally hoped to use epub-type but support never materialized.

See the EPUB Type to ARIA Role Authoring Guide for more information.

foosion · Today, 09:35 PM

That's very helpful. Thank you!

It appears that if I'm editing a commercial work for personal use, want to make the appearance more pleasing to me and don't use assistive technology, I could just enclose each part of the text in bare h# tags, style those as desired in the CSS and delete the rest. I could then generate a ToC from the h# tags, using a title attribute if desired, without needing any href or id.

Deleting the "excess" would make things simpler and easier to understand for me.

Today, 01:36 PM	#1
foosion Addict Posts: 391 Karma: 41524 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Kobo Libra 2 & Clara BW	Why so complicated? I found this at the top of chapter 1 of a book and I'm wondering why all of this is needed. Wouldn't it be simpler to just label everything that is to go into the TOC with h#s? Sect1 could be a higher h# so it wouldn't get put into the TOC. If the page should have a few lines, but the TOC only one line per chapter, use the title attribute. Text: Chapter One Words words Some more words TOC: Chapter One: Words words "Some more words" Code: <section aria-labelledby="hd-chapter001" epub:type="bodymatter chapter" id="chapter001" role="doc-chapter"> <h1 class="chapter-number" id="hd-chapter001"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page12" role="doc-pagebreak" title="12"></span><a href="toc.xhtml#toc-chapter001"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page13" role="doc-pagebreak" title="13"></span>CHAPTER ONE</a></h1> <h1 class="chapter-title"><a href="toc.xhtml#toc-chapter001">Words words</a></h1> <h2 class="chapter-subtitle"><a href="toc.xhtml#toc-chapter001">“SOME MORE WORDS.”</a></h2> <h1 class="sect1" id="a001">1.</h1> Also, what does the "section" part accomplish? Given no index and the ability to generate a TOC from major Hs, what does "id" accomplish? Why an href to the TOC in an epub? Finally, why epub:type="pagebreak" or ="bodymatter chapter" or role="doc-pagebreak"? Last edited by foosion; Today at 01:41 PM.

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Today, 08:26 PM	#2
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 39,732 Karma: 154147706 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Section is similar to a div but used to group related content. You will notice that the section in your quoted text has no classes but does include identifiers, roles, epub-type, etc. The ID is likely used in the ToC instead of pointing to the chapter file, you would get href="part0007.html#hd-chapter001". Add further ids for subchapter entries. The href to the ToC allows you to go back to the ToC by tapping on that entry. A vestige of old practices. Remember when you would see Last:Next:ToC at the top and bottom of chapters? An epub-type is part of ePub3 attributes allowing improved semantics. Originally, it was hoped/hyped that epub-type would improve accessibility but other than some limited success with footnotes, this did not happen. OTOH, a role is an ARIA attribute used to expose information to assistive technology. There is a lot of overlap which is why it was originally hoped to use epub-type but support never materialized. See the EPUB Type to ARIA Role Authoring Guide for more information.

Today, 09:35 PM	#3
foosion Addict Posts: 391 Karma: 41524 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Kobo Libra 2 & Clara BW	That's very helpful. Thank you! It appears that if I'm editing a commercial work for personal use, want to make the appearance more pleasing to me and don't use assistive technology, I could just enclose each part of the text in bare h# tags, style those as desired in the CSS and delete the rest. I could then generate a ToC from the h# tags, using a title attribute if desired, without needing any href or id. Deleting the "excess" would make things simpler and easier to understand for me.

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