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A
asp37829366efl0
Participant
July 11, 2024
Question

Blue footnote numbers in epub file from v19 InDesign

  • July 11, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 288 views

Hi

I am trying to create epub file from InDesign v 19 (new one)

and my footnote numbers are links with blue color (not as designed)

but

when I generate epub file from InDesign version 18, everything looks almost ok

instead of page numbers!

(living page name works, and it is on the same master page with page number)

 

there are 2 language versions with the same problem

any idea how to fix that?

I am so close to the final.

: )

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
July 11, 2024

I am not 100% clear on what the problem is here — do you want the hyperlinks between the reference and note, or not?

 

Let me back up to a few basic points.

 

First, it looks as if you're exporting to fixed-page EPUB, FXL. This is not a recommended option. FXL is a limited and obsolete format, especially for flowing text content such as yours (it has a place for "picture-page" books, though). I'd recommend you recast your project for the more flexible and reliable reflowable EPUB output.

 

Second, what EPUB reader are you using to view your exported result? They vary widely and many create a distorted or nonstandard rendering of pages. I'd recommend you use Calibre Reader as your primary EPUB viewing tool, for proofing at least, so as to create a result that is compatible with the widest range of EPUB readers.

 

I am not sure why you are seeing variations in the footnote links between v18 and v19, but many changes were made with v19.2 and 19.4 to add greater accessibility compatibility for EPUB documents, and this changed a number of things related to footnotes and endnotes. I am not sure the links can be added or removed without exceptional effort; I also believe they may be somewhat reader-dependent, meaning you can't absolutely control what a user might see.

 

Changing to reflowable EPUB will give more options in how footnotes are handled, though. FXL has basically none — you get what you get.

 

 

A
asp37829366efl0Author
Participant
July 12, 2024

Hi : )

first of all my goal is to achieve file without blue footnote number.

Older version has no problem with it, but has problem with page number,

they are invisible.

 

Epub with reflowable layout is not aceptable,

project has to look acactly as printed version, one color "black",

no matter of what.

 

I am useing to preview epub files mac application "book",
as my coworkers, no way to ask them to change habbits.

 

The only thing I need to eliminate is blue color and underline style.
Instead of blue I need to have black as designed.

I am not asking for any other advices

Thank You

: )

 

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
July 12, 2024

Okay. Well, a large part of the problem is that you've boxed yourself in with a specific solution that may not meet all your goals.

 

FXL EPUB is not a good choice for text-based documents. It becomes a burden of working around layout, export, and reader issues to get what seems as if it should be the simple, obvious way to replicate a document in digital form. However, it's "fixed" in more than one way, including most abilities to tweak or modify it when something nonstandard is needed. But if it's your requirement, so be it — I'm not trying to tell you otherwise, only that you are bound to a difficult road for this project goal and don't necessarily have to be.

 

For future consideration, when an exact image of a printed page is needed, PDF is the solution. That's exactly what it was designed for, it's dead simple to use and it's even more universally readable than EPUB. (Also, other than minor issues about advanced features like multimedia and forms, all PDF readers will display basic documents exactly the same, without issues of how each reader, reader developer and subculture — as in the "wild west" that is EPUB — thinks it should be rendered. But PDF seems to be off the table for this project.

 

The specific problem you have is that EPUB export automatically creates footnote and end note structure as a link between the reference number and the note. This means there is link code involved. This means each EPUB reader will handle the links differently. You did not say which reader you are using to proof/view the document, and you need to be aware that every reader of the document may be using some different reader that handles things differently. Some readers may highlight the links using the standard blue/underline; others may not. This is not something you can set or control in the document export or formatting, which is one of the big drawbacks of EPUB overall.

 

But the only solution that will meet your absolute needs is to remove the links from all the footnote so that both the reference and the note are "dead text" like the rest of the document. That is, export nothing but static text to the FXL EPUB, so that no reader of any kind can find and choose to highlight what it thinks is a link.

 

It may be possible to use a script to "kill" the live links in your document so that the EPUB exports as completely static. (I'm not a script guy, so I can't help there.)

 

But again, all these issues stem from choosing a troublesome, difficult, obsolete e-doc format in the first place — just so you know that.

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