Glossary

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Cornerat
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Glossary

Post by Cornerat »

I am writing a book, in which I want to create a glossary. I would like have access to this glossary, by hyperlinks. I can’t see how it is possible to do that with Mellel. Moreover, if that was possible, it would be very convenient that the reader could return to the text at this point of departure : how can I do that?
Thank you for your help. Cornerat
kvmagruder
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Re: Glossary

Post by kvmagruder »

I am also writing a book that needs a glossary. The Index feature would almost support it if only the Remarks field could be set to show in the resulting index. That is, create a new Index entitled "Glossary," enter the definition/description of a term in the Remarks field, and then set up as one would an ordinary Index, configuring it to display the definition before the page numbers where the term occurs. As a feature request, surely this would not be very difficult to implement??? Many thanks for considering it.
Icelander
Knows everything, can prove it
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Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:59 pm

Re: Glossary

Post by Icelander »

Cornerat wrote: Mon May 11, 2015 1:27 pm I would like have access to this glossary, by hyperlinks. I can’t see how it is possible to do that with Mellel. Moreover, if that was possible, it would be very convenient that the reader could return to the text at this point of departure : how can I do that?
It seems you're talking about a book in a digital form, not a traditional book meant for printing. If I understand you correctly, you want to click on a glossary abbreviation in the text body and be able to jump to the term's definition in the Glossary. Then be able to jump back to the point where you left off. Is that correct?

I think there are multiple ways to do this. One way is to set up the glossary as a tab delimited text, for example, then bookmark the abbreviations while copying and pasting the definitions into the bookmark's Remarks field. This will display the definition (= the Remarks field) hierarchically under the abbreviation (the bookmark) in the Outline. Thus you can always see all abbreviations and their definitions in the Outline.

In the text body you now insert References to the bookmarked abbreviations. This is done by choosing your target from the Existing targets in the Edit Reference pane. Into the bottom field you write or paste the proper abbreviation. You may have to delete the default text in this field first. The default text by me is: (See "Auto-title title" on page Page #.) You may have a different default text.

Now, Option-click on a Reference to jump to the term in the Glossary.

Choose File –> Export –> PDF… and make sure you check Export *Outline*, Include Bookmarks, etc.
The exported PDF should now have a Table of Contents as well as the glossary terms in the Outline pane. In Apple's Preview you can click on a glossary term in the main text and that will take you directly to the definition in the Glossary at the end of the document, or wherever you choose to have it.
If you use the English or US keyboard, hit Command key + "[" (without the quotes) and that will take you directly back to the location where you left off. Use Command key + "[" and Command key + "]" (without the quotes) respectively to jump back and forth in the document.

NB
While you are in Mellel, you need to *Option*-click on a glossary term in order to jump to the Glossary. For some unfathomable reason Mellel doesn't seem to have implemented Apple's Go Back feature, so you'll have to use the Outline to jump back. If you want a Go Back feature, which all decent Mac applications now have, drop Mellel a line and ask them to implement it. Sending them an extra feature request is necessary because they are not reading the forum regularly or even, in most cases, not at all.

Another way to achieve what you want is to add a new Title flow and call it Glossary. Assign the abbreviations in the Glossary the Auto-title "Glossary." Then in the text body use Insert Reference to insert the proper Auto-title OR click on the Reference button in your toolbar, provided you have already installed that button.

Hope this helps.
Icelander
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Re: Glossary

Post by Icelander »

kvmagruder wrote: Sat Sep 22, 2018 9:27 pmThe Index feature would almost support it if only the Remarks field could be set to show in the resulting index. […] enter the definition/description of a term in the Remarks field
Instead you can do this:

1. Double-click on an Index Record.
2. Under See/See Also, click on "+ Add a Reference" and choose "Add generic reference" from the pop-up menu. Write the definition/description of the term into the field.
3. Click "Set"
4. Place the insertion point where you want the Glossary to be and choose "Insert Index…" from the Insert menu.
5. Run Find and Replace in Selection to remove ". See " between the abbreviation and the definition/description.
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