TOC for hierarchical book using child book TOCs?

@Arnis,

Thanks.

I believe the parent book meets both of those conditions: child books updated first, and the first parent file has all tags.

Moving the first child book to be the first "file" in the parent book does not change the result.

It's as if the parent TOC cannot find a non-TOC paratag in the child TOC.

@Arnis,

Thanks.

The FrontCover file is the first in the parent book. It precedes the parent-book TOC, and that parent-book TOC immediately precedes the first child book. I've imported paratags from the child-book TOC files and child-book content files into FrontCover and into the parent-book TOC.

The parent-book TOC correctly includes the paratag for the index title from the parent-book index file. Both of those files are generated, though at the same hierarchical level in the parent book, the top level.

The parent-book TOC correctly includes the paratag for its own title "Contents"

The parent-book TOC correctly includes paratags for content from the chapter files of the child books.

So the remaining anomaly is that the parent-book TOC isn't capturing paratag content from a child-book TOC.

I'll look at those links that you posted.

Latest news:

I switched from using a child book to using the Folder feature.

As the "template" file for the folder, I re-used the chapter TOC file that was part of the old child book.

So the book looks like this:

1. FrontCover
2. ParentBookTOC
3. Folder
   1. ChapterFile
4. ParentBookIX

Results are:

• ParentBookTOC now contains the chapter name that was missing from the book-of-books design attempt higher on this thread. The name is flowing in from Folder. Good.
• In Folder, <$chaptertitlename> correctly produces the text that I typed in in the folder's Container Properties > Title. Good.
• Folder is, in fact, the chapterTOC file from the previous architecture. So when I open ChapterFile and generate a separate TOC file, it appears as content of Folder. Good.
• The chapter running header variable in ChapterFile produces a blank result. Not good.
• When I attempt to use <$chaptertitlename> in the running header variable in ChapterFile, it produces the file name, even after I regen the book. Not good.

Adobe's blog entry leaves a logical gap in its coverage. The important sentence is: " For all other documents which are neither Folder template file nor part of the FM book, variable will reflect the filename of the file in which it is used." (emphasis added)

The file in this case is not a Folder template and is part of the book. In this case, the variable is producing the name of the file, not the Title from the Folder's Container Properties, even after I regen the book.

Again, I don't have a book-of-books now. I have a single book with a Folder.

So how do I type the chapter name in one place, say as the Folder name, and have that available in ChapterFile?

@Arnis,

Thanks.

Yes, I looked at that video.

It shows effects on the book TOC and folder files from changing the Title property of folder files, but not the effects (if any) on the "chapter" files such as resourceOne or concernOne.

The chapter file is where the behavior is not as I desire.

@Arnis,

Interesting idea!  That might be part of the answer.

The more I look at all of this stuff, the more I think structured FM / XML is part of my future.