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FloridaGal
Inspiring
October 10, 2024
Answered

Table of Contents Entries Disappear After Updating in InDesign 19.5

  • October 10, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 2012 views

When I add new content to a document and then attempt to update the Table of Contents as normal (layout > Update Table of Contents), the title remains but all the entries disappear. After a good long while trying to figure this new unwelcome development out, I've discovered the Table of Contents menu isn't saving the entries for the "included paragraph styles" and their related entry style. I have to add them back in every single time I want to update the TOC. After so many years using INDD, this is a real PITA. 

Using INDD 19.5 Windows 10 x64.

 

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Correct answer Barb Binder

I wouldn't call this a hidden feature per se—though it may not be obvious to a new user—when I teach how to create a TOC in InDesign, I stress the importance of saving the TOC settings.

 

This makes updates easy and also allows you to generate more than one TOC per file. As an example, I might need a traditional TOC, but also need a list of just the titles without the page numbers. I also routinely generate a list of headings on the pasteboard to check all the numbered heads. None is that is an option without saving each TOC as an individual preset. 

~Barb

2 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 11, 2024

I wouldn't call this a hidden feature per se—though it may not be obvious to a new user—when I teach how to create a TOC in InDesign, I stress the importance of saving the TOC settings.

 

This makes updates easy and also allows you to generate more than one TOC per file. As an example, I might need a traditional TOC, but also need a list of just the titles without the page numbers. I also routinely generate a list of headings on the pasteboard to check all the numbered heads. None is that is an option without saving each TOC as an individual preset. 

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
F
FloridaGalAuthor
Inspiring
October 11, 2024

Thanks Barb. I've used INDD since PageMaker and this is the first time I've ever run into this issue in any of my kazillions of documents, most of which have a TOC.

 

My TOC is as basic as it gets, Page Titles are the entries and I created a style to apply to those entries. But I still have to reset those every time I want to update the document's TOC. So your tip is very helpful. Many thanks for that.

 

I still don't understand why the document itself doesn't save the TOC settings, that should be a given. IMHO.

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Legend
    October 11, 2024

    @FloridaGal

     

    Make sure no CharStyle - other than "[None]" - is active / selected on the Character Styles pallet.

     

      James Gifford—NitroPress
      James Gifford—NitroPress
      Legend
      October 10, 2024

      Your TOC entries most likely have bad keep settings.

       

      Generate a new TOC. Place the cursor in the frame and select-all (Ctrl-A). Apply something like your Body paragraph style. Bet your TOC appears. 🙂

       

      Change your TOC styles so that they don't have improper "break to next page" or keep-with-next rules.

       

      Also, it's a hidden feature that the TOC setup panel does not save changes automatically, not even within a session. If you make changes, you must Save the "style" before you even hit OK to generate or update the TOC. If you make a change and hit OK, the changes will be applied that one time and revertt the next time you open the menu.

        F
        FloridaGalAuthor
        Inspiring
        October 11, 2024

        Thanks, but I don't have any "keep-with-rules" associated with any styles, I rarely use that but I double checked the document in question just to make sure I wasn't having a senior moment. (No character styles used at all either for that matter.)

        I love it, "hidden feature". Annoying glitch, more like. Although I never thought of/had a need for more than one TOC, I can see how this enters the equation.

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

        We've seen variations of this problem several times recently, and it seems to always be an unintended side effect of trying to 'keep' the TOC content in ways the single text frame doesn't like. So back to a basic: when you create and place the new TOC, does the frame have an overset text indicator (red +)? If so, something is making the text refuse to flow properly, and it may be the other UI confusion I mentioned.

         

        If you have overset text, post the Keep Options panel for your TOC line style.

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