Missing table of contents in ePub to Kindle conversion

Question

Level 1

9 points

Missing table of contents in ePub to Kindle conversion

I am using iWork Pages to export an ePub file which I am converting to Kindle format using Kindlegen. Everything works pretty much fine, except the table of contents.

In the Kindle Previewer, the ToC shows up when I click NCX View, but if I click the ToC button, I get an error message saying that the ToC is missing.

I have been bashing my brain out all day trying to solve this problem. I have read dozens of posts about it. Most solutions seem to suggest editing the ePub file with Sigil to insert a named anchor "in the HTML file". Unfortunately, Pages creates a separate html file for each chapter, so I can't see where I should insert the named anchor.

I have used Sigil to look at toc.ncx and content.opf. Both files seem to contain everything they should. I have verified the ePub file and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it.

I am familiar with HTML, and editing isn't a problem.

I have an older version of Microsoft Word that cannot create a filtered HTML file, so this is not an option for me.

I have even tried using Calibre to make the conversion from epub to mobi. While this works, and creates the ToC, it results in bizarre word breaks when I upload the file to Amazon.

Any ideas? This is driving me nuts.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Feb 15, 2012 3:06 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 15, 2012 3:13 PM in response to Merkin

If you don't get a reply here, I would try asking #eprdctn on Twitter. They discuss this sort of thing all day long.

If you don't use Twitter, you might try searching the archives here:

http://www.pigsgourdsandwikis.com/

You could ask Liz Castro directly, but I she's more into ID than Pages, so she might not know either.

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Answer 2

Merkin Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 20, 2012 1:13 AM in response to Barbara Brundage

Hi Barbara

Thanks for this suggestion. In the end I resolved the problem myself by using Calibre to convert the file.

Bye now, Richard

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Answer 3

Apr 26, 2012 7:29 PM in response to Merkin

Hi Merkin, I'm experiencing the exact same problem as you. I have Calibre, did you use it to add the table of contents?

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Answer 4

Merkin Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 30, 2012 12:28 AM in response to Vicis LLC

Hi Vicis

This is how I got it to work...

Create book in ePub
Set all text to justified (don’t ask) even headings
Export as ePub
Check in Amazon Previewer. Table of contents won’t work.
Load onto Calibre
Select Mobi as destination format for convert
Make sure box is ticked for “Place table of contents at the start”
Convert
Check in Amazon Previewer. Table of contents should work now.
Upload to KDP
Download preview file
Check in Amazon Previewer.
Make corrections then go to step 3
Repeat until everything is as you want it, then publish.

Hope this works for you.

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Answer 5

Dikoro

Level 1

5 points

Nov 13, 2012 11:01 AM in response to Merkin

What about page break in epub? I heard it won't work when converted to kindle. yours work?

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Answer 6

HCSelf71

Level 1

8 points

Dec 24, 2012 5:58 AM in response to Dikoro

Dikoro --

I realize you're getting a reply that's a bit late, but I only just came across this post last night because of my issue with the table of contents.

You may have sorted this out, but I thought I'd leave a reply anyway. That's correct. Page breaks do not work for epub when converting from a Pages document. You have to use chapters. They'll but up against your work so it looks like this--

CHAPTER 12

-- but it will sit on a new page when you opein it in iBooks or in the Kindle previewer.

-- Heather

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Answer 7

Makelda

Level 1

0 points

Jun 9, 2013 12:37 AM in response to Merkin

Here is a free ebook tool for you.

You can easily convert your ebook from epub to pdf,epub to mobi, epub to kindle, etc.

Free Online Converter / EPUB Converter

http://www.epubconverter.com/

It provides you with the best mobi to epub converting experience.

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Answer 8

Jun 22, 2013 4:44 AM in response to Merkin

You can convert virtually any text containing document to EPUB format, which is the preferred format for reading on many ebook readers, including the Barnes & Noble Nook, Android, and the Apple iOS iBooks.

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Answer 9

Mar 31, 2014 10:37 AM in response to Merkin

Where can I get Calibre? It isn't avaialbe on the App store so it may not be able to be used on a laptop or desktop? Am I right or wrong?

Also, and strangely, I authored in Pages - exported to EPUB and uploaded to Amazon for the Kindle. The TOC does NOT show up on the Kindle for iPad but does in fact work in the Kindle for Mac software (my laptop). This mean the TOC/NCX is actually there, but for some rason, Kindle won't see it on the IPad. No one seems to know why either.

I do not want to start over and buy and learn Word which is where the publsihing industry is stuck using. Pages support also gives a template for exporting to EPUB but it may not work on the Kindle. The template is for Pages 09 and I'm not at all sure if Pages 5.1 uses the same template if if that works or not. Conumdrum for sure.

Anyone else know how to get a TOC to show up on the Kindle?

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Answer 10

HCSelf71

Level 1

8 points

Mar 31, 2014 10:44 AM in response to Merkin

I got Cailibre here: http://calibre-ebook.com/

I found that the Amazon converter by itself just wasn't doing it, and Calibre was great for that. There is also (I forget where I got it, however,) a Kindle previewer you can download (I think through Amazon....) so you can see what your book will look like in all Kindle formats.

The TOC can be forced to the front in one of the Calibre settings. I don't have it here with me, so I can't point you to the exact place. Yes, it's a matter of eporting and then a second export, but I found no issues with any information getting lost in the two transfers.

.epub does not work in Kindle. The format for Kindle is .mobi, and Calibre takes care of that, too

As a note -- I am at a loss for choosing what folder Calibre saves to. I could before an update they provided, and now I can't figure it out. Or maybe I just haven't poked around enough to figure it out. I love the program, but when it comes time to finding their files, I always have to do a search. They put it in a folder that does kind of make sense (I think in the documents folder), so you can also create a shortcut to it in Finder, which is what I finally did.

-- Heather

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Answer 11

Oct 26, 2015 8:44 AM in response to Merkin

Man! Bless you for your simple, effective advice.

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