Add Guide Items to Link Table of Contents and Go to Begining

This Task comes mid-way in the process of building our Kindle Format File with Mobipocket Creator.

We must first let Mobipocket build our new HTML file. (We did that in the step titled "Using Mobipocket Creator".)

Then we add the Guide items to this new HTML file that Mobipocket just built for us.

NOTE: We are now working with a *new* HTML file... the file that Mobipocket just built, not the file that we imported into Mobipocket.

Mobipocket will put this new file in a different location, so it's easy to tell the difference between them.

This fact... that we now have two HTML versions of the same file, causes a lot of confusion and wasted time for those who don't notice the difference. I may annoy you with repeating the same thing over and over, but I do that because it is so easy to miss this vital fact.

At this point, it doesn't matter whether you started with MS Word 2003 and a Word file, or an HTML editor and an HTML file, we care only about the HTML file that Mobipocket built.

Ok, let's go:

In this Task, we will add Guide items to link to the "Table of Contents" and the "Beginning of File".

This completes the action needed to link the anchors that enable the Kindle to jump to "Table of Contents" or "Go to Beginning", when the Kindle user selects those items from the Menu.

For this to work, we must have already inserted "toc" and "start" anchors into our original file.

MS Word 2003 users inserted anchors "toc" and "start" into their file in an earlier step, described at "Insert Anchors for MS Word Table of Contents".

Those working with a different HTML editor must have already inserted anchors into their original HTML file. Joshua Tallent describes how in his book "Kindle Formatting".

When you import your file into Mobipocket, Mobipocket will build an HTML file and save it at your default location. If you have not changed it, your default will be My Documents\My Publications.

If you check your default location after you have imported your book, you will see a new folder with the same name as the file you just imported. (we will call it YourKindleBook) If you open the YourKindleBook folder, you will see a new file named YourKindleBook.html.

After you have let Mobipocket create your file, look at the top left of corner of your screen for a red book. Beside that red book, on a dark blue ribbon, is "Base Folder" and the file location and file that Mobipocket just created.

Look at the left of your screen, under the red book, for a light blue panel with a list of items under the title "View".

If no list is visible, click the little down-arrow after the word "View" to make it appear.

[Guide] is the last item on the list.

Click [Guide]

A new panel appears in the center of your screen, with the title: Guide Properties. It contains a button named [New Guide Item]

Click [New Guide Item]

The display changes to show empty boxes named Title, Type, Filename, and onclick.

At first you may think you are being asked to enter a Title into the first box... but no, it's easier than that... just click the little down arrow on the second box.

A list will appear with names of a large number of Guide Items. Since Mobipocket creates files for a lot of different eBook readers, it provides a lot of choices here.

We are interested in only two... "toc" for Table of Contents, and "start" for "Beginning of File".

When you choose "toc", the Title box is automatically filled in with "Table of Contents".

Next, you want your new HTML file to show in the Filename box. Click the [Browse] to your default location... or to the location shown at the top of your screen... and get the new HTML version of your file that Mobipocket just built.

What we want to do now, is to type "#toc" smack up against the end of our file name. We don't want any space or other character between them.

With your cursor in the Filename box, go to the end your filename.

An easy way to do that is, with your cursor in the Filename box containing your filename, press the END key on your keyboard. That sends your cursor to the very end of your filename.

Then, without a space or any other keystroke, type "#toc".

Like this:

YourKindleBook.html#toc

To add your"start" item, click [Add New Item] again, and this time, choose "start".

The Title box is automatically filled with "Start of File". That's what Kindle calls "Beginning of File".

Browse to find your filename again, and add "#start" to the end of your filename.

Like this:

YourKindleBook.html#start

Click the [Update] button when finished.

Now you are ready to complete your Mobipocket Creator Build process, described in "Using Mobipocket Creator to Build the Kindle File".

If you should make changes to your file and build it again with Mobipocket Creator, you will always have to come back here to add your Guide Items just as you did this time.

57 comments:

  1. Hello

    Very well done for your work here. Impressive. 2 Questions:

    Can I use MPC to create a TOC for my book?

    Can i upload the HTML from word to Kindle(can I skip running it through MPC) as they are both HTML.

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, you can go directly from HTML to the Amazon Kindle Publishing Platform... but it's a lot easier to go through Mobipocket.

    Same about building your TOC... it's possible to do a limited one in Mobipocket, but easier to build it in Word.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi
    Thank you for such explicit information. I added it easily but - when I try to update the Mobi Guide entries - I get a pop up error message: an unexpected java script error occurred.Mobipocket Creator Publisher v 4.2 build 41

    Microsoft Internet Explorer
    4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; Trident/5.0; SLCC2; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; Media Center PC 6.0; MDDC; .NET4.0C; BRI/2)0

    Line: 149
    Character: 3
    Code: 0
    Message: Object doesn't support this action
    Url: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Mobipocket.com/Mobipocket%20Creator/rsrc/html/guide.html

    Do you have any suggestion?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, Victoriav,

    That error message is being seen more and more lately.

    It must have to do with the fact that Windows has been updated, and Mobipocket has not... thereby creating a conflict.

    Other people have solved the problem by changing to Internet Explorer 8... see my recent post about it:

    Internet Explorer – Kindle - Mobipocket, Compatibility Issues

    http://www.cjs-easy-as-pie.com/2011/05/kindle-tips-internet-explorer-kindle.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Has this been fixed yet? I have IE9 on Win7 and reverting to IE8 is not possible.

      Delete
    2. Yes, I believe it HAS been fixed.

      I have Windows 7, Professional, and that error does not happen.

      CJ

      Delete
  5. Hi - thank you for replying. I made a bit of progress but still not right. I used MOBI on my laptop with XP and it worked. Kindle "menu go to" is highlighted - but when I click it - it takes me to the book cover. Kindle is seeing a TOC but not my bookmark. I'm going to go over your instructions again. Meantime - I'm having a problem Importing the HTML file into Mobi. It inserts into the Browse box but when I click IMPORT, it just stays there as if it's frozen and won't import the html folder. Import worked on Win 7 but not on XP for me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. CJ It worked !! I just tried all of your instructions again using Mobi on XP and I have a TOC and Beginning ! I couldn't have done this without your help. Thank you so much !

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. Thanks, Victoriav!

    That is almost always the solution... just go back through the steps.

    They are so tedious to get right... but once you get them right they work perfectly.

    Mobipocket will just sit there if there is something wrong with the file you are trying to feed it... most of the time, it won't give you an error message... but I've never yet seen it fail when it wasn't operator error... so if it does fail, I've learned to just look elsewhere for the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've been able to use your guide and the April Hamilton guide (http://www.aprillhamilton.com/resources/HowToUseAmazonDTP_v3.pdf)to finally get TOC, NCX, and Links working in my PRC file.

    But now my eBook (in Kindle Preview) always opens to my last chapter. I'm pretty baffled over that. Any suggestions on what to look for?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Max,

    Yes... almost every time someone has a problem like that, it is solved by simply going back through the steps to insert your anchors (bookmarks) into the Word file, then add the Guide Items with Mobipocket Creator.

    It's very easy... but very tedious to do... and very easy to make a mistake.

    Mobipocket is an old program and doesn't have all the bells and whistles we would like, but what it does do, it does very well.

    I'm betting that is all you need to do... just go back through and re-do each of those steps...

    OR...

    If you overlooked them, and didn't do them in the first place... just consult the CJ's Easy As Pie Search Box under the Birds on a Tight-Rope for such terms as "insert anchors" or "bookmarks" or "Guide Items" to read how to do it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi CJ
    Thanks for all these great tips... I'm wondering if you can help me with more problems on this same topic.

    I created my file from HTML rather than Word, then used Mobipocket to build the TOC, which generates a separate HTML file for the TOC. I also used the Mobipocket Guides to create menu links to the TOC as well as Start/Beginning, Glossary, etc.

    When I preview my file in Kindle Previewer, all my Guide links are there - not just Start, TOC, Glossary, etc.
    Then I upload to Amazon, and when I download the sample book to my Kindle for PC (I don't own a Kindle device), the 'Go' menu will take me to the Cover or Beginning, but TOC is greyed out, and none of the other menu items (Glossary etc.) display at all. Now, I don't know how much of this is because Kindle for PC is different from Kindle...?

    Now, I'm assuming/guessing that the reason TOC is greyed out this time is because the TOC is in a different HTML file. You mentioned placing a #toc anchor in my HTML file and then from the Mobopocket Guides pointing to it, BUT my TOC is not in the main HTML file, it is in a separate one, and curerntly the guide points to this: mbp_toc.html
    The TOC itself works, but any idea how I fill in the missing step and get that greyed-out menu item to work?

    Also, will all the other Guide items (glossary etc.) show in a Kindle device?

    thanks in advance for your help!
    Jody

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Jody,

    I'm sorry, but I don't know how to make it all work when starting with HTML instead of Word.

    That's why I use Word... it's just so much easier!

    The only question I can answer is your last question...

    The other Guide Items, such as Glossary, don't work with Kindle... sure wish they did!

    Remember, Mobipocket is an old program and was designed to work with a lot of different ebooks, before the Kindle even existed.

    Now that Amazon has started talking about Mobipocket again, I have hopes that they will update it... but that's just a hope, I have heard nothing to suggest that.

    Sorry I couldn't help!

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
  13. CJ, you are a star. I have been grappling with how to create a TOC and get it to work all day. I was about to give up when I found your site and that last extra step that you do in Mobipocket. I'm linking to this post from my blog. It will be a godsend to so many people!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for posting, Jodie... I'm glad it worked for you!

    Please post a link to your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi CJ!

    Your blog has been a lifesaver! Unfortunately, in this step i'm stuck...

    I don't see [Guide] as an item on the view list in the Mobipocket creator.

    Here's a screen shot of my Mobipocket:
    http://screencast.com/t/zLePsUUXWGf

    I noticed the last post was less than 2 weeks ago & it worked for her so i'm pretty stumped!

    I would be very grateful for your help.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hmmmm....

    I bet you have the "Home" version of Mobipocket Creator, rather than the "Publisher" version.

    I'm not sure about the exact terms, but you will see it at download.

    That's one of the things I caution to be careful about... to be sure to get the right version.

    I didn't know the difference before... I was just quoting Mobipocket, but this must be it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. CJ thank you, thank you, thank you! I have spent hours and hours and tedious, painful hours trying to get the go to toc to work. Like others, I was just about to give up (and wail, cry and scream) when I found your post. May you be blessed in a million wonderful ways! Thanks a million. Donna.x

    ReplyDelete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Donnaonthebeach,

    I just tried to send you a GREAT BIG SMILE, but I somehow deleted my own message.

    So here is a GREAT BIG SMILE of appreciation!

    Thanks for reporting your success!

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
  20. All I get under "View" are: "Publication Files", "Cover Image" and "Table of Contents".

    No "Guide".

    Help.

    ReplyDelete
  21. nikman,

    I think you must have the "home" version, rather than the "professional" or "publishers" version of Mobipocket Creator.

    I'm not sure of the exact names, but do know it's necessary to watch carefully when you download to be sure you get the complete package.

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
  22. Like several others, I spent a LOT of time trying to figure out why my TOC & start guides weren't working. Thanks to your blog and the comments of others, I figured out I had to use an older PC we have w/IE 8. Both guides now work! However I have one other question - the Kindle Previewer has a button for "NCX View". When I click on that, I get this message:
    =========================
    Missing NCX file

    Your book is currently missing a NCX file, which defines the sequence and organization of your book. The NCX file allows readers to skip between chapters or sections of a Kindle book.
    Please refer to the Kindle Publishing Guidelines, available from the Kindle Previewer Help Menu, to learn how to create and define a NCX file.
    =========================

    Is this something I need to correct? If so, can you point me to some info explaining what I need to do?

    THANKS for sharing your knowledge with us!

    Debbie K.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello from London CJ,

    Apologies if I've posted this already (yes, some people can't even get commenting right!).

    Mark Twain said, "If I had more time, I'd write a shorter letter". I think that's a nod towards the difficulty in making complicated stuff, simple. You do it very well.

    I wonder if you could shed some simple light on this dark mystery?

    I've added a table of contents, and linked it all up so it works. However, if I click on an item from the contents, even though it takes me right there, the heading of that section changes formatting. It goes from a large title font, to something smaller. Strangely, if from there I skip back a page, then go forwards, it corrects itself.

    Any ideas?

    I'm using Word 2010, Internet Explorer 8, and I've observed this effect in the Kindle for PC app, as well as the Kindle Previewer (using various device settings, including the iPad and the DX, which also generate this odd change).

    Sincerely appreciate your time in general.

    Warm regards,

    Venice A Fulton,
    London, England

    p.s. As a cat lover, I also appreciate how you sneak cats (and birds) into a technical site!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Venice,

    Thanks for the kind words... and appreciation of cats and birds. I figure anything as scary as publishing can use a little lighthearted variety.

    The "apparent" change of font size and style as you page through your finished Kindle is a result of the "fluid" text flow of digital text... not anything you did wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Ah ha!

    Simple as that. You're right. Thank you sir.

    Now I think that the only way around that, if you don't want certain bits of text to change, is to insert them as pictures, and link just below them. Can I be bothered? Answers on a postcard!

    Thank you again.

    I look forward to showing you how much you've helped.

    All the best,

    Venice

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi VAF,

    Yes, I've seen some books that use images in that manner... but, since the fluid text is common, I don't know that it would be worth the time to create all those images.

    Also, remember that images increase your file size... and, if you opt for the 70% royalty, it will increase your cost of download and reduce your income.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wisconsin Hiker,

    About how to Create an NCX file... look at that title in the row of articles just under the Headline Banner of this website.

    Thanks for the good words!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow, thank you for this. It's taken me two days to figure out WHAT I'm doing wrong. And I'm normally the one who doesn't face problems! I was following the Kindle formatting procedure perfectly, but it would not say that I had the TOC or start. haha Thank you for posting this!
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anyone knows where I can find the professional version of Mobipocket Creator? On their web I can only find the version I have: Home Edition v4.2

    Thanks for a useful site!
    Johanna

    ReplyDelete
  30. Johanna,

    Had you already downloaded the Home version before you discovered you needed the Professional version instead?

    Someone else had this same problem recently.

    He decided the problem was that Mobipocket was just showing him the same program he already had.

    When he removed the Mobipocket Home version, then he went back to exactly the same place, and then it showed him both versions, and he was able to download the Professional or Publishers version.

    Please try it... I hope it works for you!

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi and thanks! Now it works! It seems when you install Mobipocket there are two alternatives and I had chosen the Home version the first time and not the professional.

    ReplyDelete
  32. After I add #toc and #start to the end of the html file in the Guide Properties / Filename windows ("Table of Contents" and "Startup Page") I get this message:

    ----------------

    Mobipocket Creator Publisher v 4.2 build 41

    Microsoft Internet Explorer
    4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; Trident/5.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; OfficeLiveConnector.1.5; OfficeLivePatch.1.3; .NET4.0C; BRI/2; AskTbGLSV5/5.11.3.15590)0

    Line: 149
    Character: 3
    Code: 0
    Message: Object doesn't support this action
    Url: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Mobipocket.com/Mobipocket%20Creator/rsrc/html/guide.html

    ---------------------

    Question: Is there some easier way to deal with this than to go to the Mobipocket support forum?

    ReplyDelete
  33. CORRECTION:

    After I add #toc and #start to the end of the html file in the Guide Properties / Filename windows ("Table of Contents" and "Startup Page") AND CLICK "UPDATE" I get this message:

    ----------------

    Mobipocket Creator Publisher v 4.2 build 41

    Microsoft Internet Explorer
    4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; Trident/5.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; OfficeLiveConnector.1.5; OfficeLivePatch.1.3; .NET4.0C; BRI/2; AskTbGLSV5/5.11.3.15590)0

    Line: 149
    Character: 3
    Code: 0
    Message: Object doesn't support this action
    Url: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Mobipocket.com/Mobipocket%20Creator/rsrc/html/guide.html

    ---------------------

    Question: Is there some easier way to deal with this than to go to the Mobipocket support forum?

    ReplyDelete
  34. Nikman,

    I don't think there is a Mobipocket support forum any more, Nikman, so we will just have to deal with it ourselves.

    Mobipocket, as you know, is an old program, and it sometimes has conflicts with some later versions of MS products.

    If you look around, you'll see messages from others with the same problem.

    The easiest solution might be to switch to Calibre instead of Mobipocket.

    Just search for "Download Calibre" to download it for free.

    It's very complex, but not hard to use if you can just ignore the many different options it has.

    I haven't done a tutorial on it because of that complexity, but I'll try to give you a hand if you get stuck.

    cj

    ReplyDelete
  35. Okay, this worked for me (I didn't invent it, but it worked):

    I uninstalled IE-9 and reverted to IE-8. Presto. Now I have a complete Kindle prc file with full Start and TOC capability. The villain was IE-9 (and/or Mobipocket for failing to keep up with the times).

    Happy Days.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Nikman,

    That settles it, then!

    I had another report over the weekend, and we've had several in the past... going back to IE-8 solves that particular problem.

    There used to be another problem with IE-9... the Amazon Kindle Publishing platform would not load a Kindle file if you were using IE-9 unless you made an adjustment that had something to do with an incompatibility.

    I haven't heard anything about it in a while, so it may have been fixed, and I don't remember the details.

    I'll try to find more details and post again later.

    ReplyDelete
  37. hey,
    Your tutorials are really helping me out A LOT so thank you very much :-)
    I was wondering about the TOC creation trough the mobipocket software, is it necessary to do that when we already have created one in the word document (with a toc anchor) ?
    I haven't succeeded yet to make the guide items work, it gives the error message other people got too, you mentioned it might be IE 9 but before to downgrade to IE8 i'm gonna test it on another computer :s
    But on this matter, I was wondering about the tag you said to use (start and toc) my book is in French and so is my kindle software (for instance on the left side bar menu, it says "debut" and not "begin"), do you know if for others languages, we can still use "toc" and "start" as an international way to keep things standard and simple?

    Also I can't seem to find here if you've approached the topic of the "metadata" and "book settings" is there any specific posts about these topics or there aren't important as long as we did the others steps (importing file to create the htlm, cover, the guide items)?
    Thanks a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Heloise,

    No, you don't have to create a toc in Mobipocket... just in Word...

    Also... the other items in Mobipocket such as metadata and settings do not refer to Kindle, so just ignore them.

    I don't know the answer to whether you can still use "start" and "toc"... but here is what I think:

    When you put in your Bookmarks into Word, you type in what you want... that is, there is no list and you select "start" from the list... you type "start"... so I think it doesn't matter which language you type in... but of course you must type the same thing as Bookmarks and also as Guide Items when you are in Mobipocket.

    Now about IE 9 or IE 8... I've heard but have no way to test it myself... the conflict occurs only when you have a TOC that you created with Word's automatic TOC creator.

    And, that it does not occur when you create a TOC using Hyperlinks.

    What you might do is delete your toc and go through the guide items process and see if it works...

    It won't matter that the toc is actually not there... the guide items software is looking only for the word toc.

    If all is well, then create a new toc using hyperlinks.

    I do not have a tutorial on creating a toc that way... because it takes a lot of time and I did not think it necessary... but maybe it is.

    It's easy to do just by following MS Word's prompts... or you can look about on the Internet, where there are plenty of tutorials telling you how.

    Please let me know if it works for you!

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi CJ
    Thanks a lot for all your answers, it sure helps a lot :)
    I've just tried the trick (deleting the TOC in the word, even i tried by deleting the toc bookmark too, and re-doing the process, just trying to add the guide item "start") but it stills says:
    Mobipocket Creator Publisher v 4.2 build 41
    Microsoft Internet Explorer
    4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; Trident/5.0; SLCC2; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; Media Center PC 6.0; .NET4.0C; InfoPath.3)0
    Line: 149
    Character: 3
    Code: 0
    Message: Object doesn't support this action
    Url: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Mobipocket.com/Mobipocket%20Creator/rsrc/html/guide.html

    i will try it on another computer with another IE, hopefully :s

    thanks again!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Well, that dashes that theory!

    What version of IE 9 do you have? (what appears in the Help dialog box?).

    I have a new computer with what I assume is the latest version of IE 9, and I do not get that error.

    Another possibility is for you to abandon Mobipocket and use the free (donate-ware) program Calibre.

    I have posted the link somewhere around here... in response to a comment... or you can just Google for it.

    I have not written a tutorial for it and its help files are directed to programmers, not end users, but you can probably figure it out.

    Good luck... and please report back with your results!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi CJ,
    Thank You!!!
    I heard about Calibre but since it was working fine 'till now, I'm still giving it a try : ) and it does work now with IE8, as soon as IE 9 was gone, it worked...that is to add the guide items BUT they don't work when I open the ebook in my publications. I've tried a bunch of things like deleting the bookmarks, do new one, delete the TOC, etc. In the process I f*up my formating and re-did that lol, end up uninstall mobi and re-install, still nothing. I thought about building the TOC manually but I don't think it's the problem since the "start" doesn't work either. if I click on "début" in the ebook it jumps me to the first page just after the cover and not my bookmark. I verified my bookmark both in word and in the htlm file and they exist! Maybe it only works once the prc file has been uploaded on kindle?
    My toc works great though, only the bookmarks on the left navigation bar are not :(
    it's a short ebook so it's no big deal, but still it'd be better : )
    I'll keep looking this weekend! and if i find a way, i'll post it here too.
    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  42. WOOHOO it works!!!

    First off all, it'll probably sounds very obvious BUT I only realized that yesterday when I thought my new files were not updating: it is very important to delete out of the kindle reader (for pc) library the previous ebook version, otherwise it opens of course the old version and you think "nothing happened" (stupid me yes! even I had changed the name but the mobi still "remembers" the file)

    Anyway, to fix my problem, I just re-did the whole process (with deleting first everything out of mobi and kindle and the "my publications" file in "my documents") with 1/uploading the doc 2/the cover and 3/the guides (and NOT build first!) and only then 4/build. (I thought I could add the guides afterwards since I followed first your tutorial on the building the htlm file and then this post regarding the guides)

    Voila : ) it's pretty obvious now to me, we'll put that a beginner honest mistake ;-)

    I hope it'll help others who might encounter the same issue : )

    THANK YOU!!!

    ps:Now I can start my day and then figure out the Kindle process Lol

    ReplyDelete
  43. Heloise,

    Thanks so much for sticking to it... and for reporting your progress here.

    I will add this last "adventure" of yours to the tutorials to help others who come along with the same problem.

    Thanks again!

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks CJ
      I guess we all do mistakes, try & learn : )
      Have a great week!

      Delete
  44. Hi CJ,

    I had the same problem with my Start beginning at the end, and also my TOC starting at chapter 2 in one of the books. So, if I go back and redo all the bookmarks (start and TOC), should that fix the problem?

    I only have the NCX file left. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. :)

    Melika

    ReplyDelete
  45. Melika,

    Yes... that seems to be the solution that works most often... just go back through the steps.

    It's so easy to miss something... or to type an extra period... something like that.

    The NCX is an extra step that many don't do, and Amazon does not seem to be enforcing that requirement, so you might try publishing without it... then come back and do it later if you must.

    CJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cj,

      It’s me again. I don’t think I’m understanding this NCX file correctly. How do you save Notepad files as .NCX? My computer does not seem to have the ability to save as .NCX at all. Am I misunderstanding this?

      I went through some instructions on other sites that said to save the NCX file as toc.ncx in the text editor (Notepad) but that only saves it as an HTML file. I want this file in my Kindle books, but I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around how to save as an .NCX file in any of my Office programs. Am I missing something?

      Is there even a way to save files as .NCX? I found a site where someone had a downloadable zipped book for formatting your Kindle and one of his files showed up saved as an .NCX file, so I believe you *can* save it that way, but for some reason I just can’t seem to figure out (or find out) how.

      Any help/info would be greatly appreciated! :D

      Thank you,

      Melika

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    2. Hi CJ,

      I didn’t think this comment had posted. Well, I figured out the NCX file about twenty seconds after I wrote that comment, and was able to finalize my Kindle files! I’m almost finished with the CreateSpace process and have been getting all my articles/information up on my website, so everything should be (finally) up and ready to go within the next two weeks.

      Thanks for all of your help! :D

      Best wishes,

      Melika

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  46. Hi CJ,

    Thanks for the info! Hopefully, this is the *last* time I will have to redo the bookmarks. I had issues with the bookmarks and TOC last week that drove me batty.

    I'm a glutton for punishment, so I'll go ahead and do the NCX and get the whole thing over with in one fell swoop. Besides, if I know how to do it now, it’ll help me out in the future. Then it's on to CreateSpace and all *their* formatting rules...oh, joy! ;)

    And thank you so much for this site, once again. The knowledge I have gained here about Kindle and how to properly prepare the files has been a tremendous help and blessing. Yours is the clearest set of step-by-step instructions that I’ve come across anywhere. :D


    Melika

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  47. So can you please clarify: are your instructions at http://www.cjs-easy-as-pie.com/2010/04/add-guide-items-to-link-table-of.html correct and up to date regarding the insertion of Kindle guides?
    Thanks
    Russell Eaton

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  48. Russell,

    It was correct the last time I used it... but something may have changed.

    I'll check and get back with you as soon as I can... probably this afternoon.

    CJ

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  49. Russell,

    I guess it HAS changed... because it doesn't work for me now.

    Mobipocket is, of course, out of date and won't be updated, but it still works for some people... depending on what other software they have installed.

    However, it is now possible to upload your HTML file directly to the Amazon publishing platform.

    Why don't you try that... instructions are here somewhere... you can find the post with the search box under the picture of the birds... and let me know if it works for you.

    CJ


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  50. Yes it has changed (thanks for checking). But I've discovered the following way to make things work:
    1. it is still worth using mobipocket to prepare the book instead of uploading the html file direct to Amazon. Why? because you can use mobipocket to enter the guides.
    2. I use Windows 7 and the Chrome browser. I don't use Internet Explorer which actually prevents you from using mobipocket to prepare your book. So I have uninstalled I.E. completely.
    3. I then entered the guides as explained by you and to my surprise they worked perfectly when I previewed the book in the Amazon kindle previewer (what a relief!).
    4. Here's an important tip: when previewing your book in the Amazon kindle previewer do not browse to the html file you created with mobipocket - you need to preview the prc file you created with mobipocket.

    Since mobipocket is not being updated, it would be good to have an easy to use alternative.
    I now need to learn how to make the NCX work. Goog luck to you all. Russell Eaton, DeliveredOnline.com

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  51. I followed your instructions above in the guide for the TOC and I get this error:

    Mobipocket Creator Publisher v 4.2 build 41

    Microsoft Internet Explorer
    4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.1; Trident/6.0; SLCC2; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; Media Center PC 6.0; Tablet PC 2.0; .NET4.0C)0

    Line: 149
    Character: 3
    Code: 0
    Message: Object doesn't support this action
    Url: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Mobipocket.com/Mobipocket%20Creator/rsrc/html/guide.html

    I use Windows 7, so I don't have a choice on which IE to use. Any suggestions?

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    Replies
    1. Tammy,

      Are you the Tammy who is asking about toc on the Kindle forum right now?

      If so, this is your problem.

      The answer to your Mobipocket problem is that Mobipocket is so old it isn't being updated so it is now more trouble than it's worth.

      There are some work a-rounds right here in this thread I think, but I think you would be better off to either follow jbigtoad's advice to go with Calibre or look for one of my articles where I tell how to upload your MS Word file directly to the KDP.

      I'll look at it tomorrow and be sure that method will display the toc properly.

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