Markdown: Anchor inconsistency on Kindle & Sony

[Snorkledorf]

This is less a calibre problem than just not knowing how to do this correctly.

I've been successfully using Markdown-formatted text to create Mobi files for my Kindle, but converting the same source into ePub for my new Sony T1 is giving me a little trouble. Specifically link anchors. People who know more than me, please help.

If I want to link to the beginning of a header, I've been doing this:

# Chapter 4
	
Blablabla...
	
<a name="anchorForChapter5"></a>

# Chapter 5

Blablabla...

On the Kindle this works because the Kindle displays the page so that the link is at the screen top, leaving the <h1> tag just below it. I know it's kind of faking it, and there really should be a page break at the <h1>, but on the Kindle it looks pretty much like a normal chapter would when jumped-to from the table of contents. I've been using this for e.g. endnotes.

But. The Sony seems to jump to links by going to the page that contains the link, and then just displaying that page as though I'd paged to it manually. So if a link happens to wind up at the bottom of the page, then so be it. Unfortunately for my method, that means that the Markdown source above takes us to the end of Chapter 4, with Chapter 5 hidden behind the next page break. Oops. Well that is indeed what I'm explicitly telling it to do (pesky computers, taking me literally ), but the Kindle was polite enough to pretend not to notice.

What would be a process to link directly to/near headers that would work on both machines?

[kovidgoyal]

Use explicit markup for chapter titles

<h1 id="anchorForChapter5">Chapter 5</h1>

Though you can just use the table of contents directive to have calibre autogenerate your toc in markdown documents.

[Agama]

Kovid's solution should work, or what about trying:

# Chapter 4
	
Blablabla...
	
# Chapter 5

<a name="anchorForChapter5"></a>

Blablabla...

So that the anchor is actually in chapter 5? This sort of anchor can be used more generally than just TOC entries.

If this skips the chapter header you could try:

# Chapter 4
	
Blablabla...
	
# <a name="anchorForChapter5"></a>Chapter 5

Blablabla...

I use calibre to convert markdown to ePub for a Sony reader and find that it does jump to the correct position of anchors within a page.

[Snorkledorf]

Okay it looks like embedding the anchor into the header is the way to go for cross-platform compatibility. Putting the link before the header makes the Sony display the previous section. Putting the link after the header makes the Kindle fail to display the header text.

I think I've got it now. Thanks for the help!


Here's my test Markdown code, for anybody who wants to see it for themselves:

Spoiler:

# Anchor-placement tests for Kindle & Sony Reader

&nbsp;

### Anchor precedes target header
> [Type 1](#type1) (Sony FAIL) (Kindle WIN)

&nbsp;

### Anchor follows target header
> [Type 2](#type2) (Sony WIN) (Kindle FAIL)

&nbsp;

### Anchor embedded in target header
> [Type 3](#type3) (Sony WIN) (Kindle WIN)

&nbsp;

### HTML ID embedded in target header
> [Type 4](#type4) (Sony WIN) (Kindle WIN)


# Type 1 Fail!

You shouldn't see this...

<a name="type1"></a>

# Type 1 Success!

This is the correct text...can you see the header too?






# Type 2 Fail!

You shouldn't see this...

# Type 2 Success!

<a name="type2"></a>

This is the correct text...can you see the header too?






# Type 3 Fail!

You shouldn't see this...

# <a name="type3"></a>Type 3 Success!

This is the correct text...can you see the header too?




# Type 4 Fail!

You shouldn't see this...

<h1 id="type4">Type 4 Success!</h1>

This is the correct text...can you see the header too?