Very few users of Mellel are aware that hidden among Mellel's treasures is an indexing facility. I have made an index for my Tutorial which, as far as I can tell, creates a reliable and highly customizable index for your manuscript and places the index at the end, although it is simple to locate it elsewhere if you so prefer (unlikely as that might seem!). Included is also a chapter on how to create such an index.
The entire Tutorial (for Mellel 3.0.2) including its index is somewhat over 18 megabytes big (uncompressed). Since my indexing system is still at beta stage, I would like those of you who have the time, the desire, and the opportunity to test it out, to email me directly and we can work out the easiest way to get it to you — using DropBox or some other such system.
Don Broadribb
Making an Index with Mellel
Moderators: Eyal Redler, redlers, Ori Redler
Re: Making an Index with Mellel
I need to point out that in order to send this tutorial+index from my drop box to yours, you need to send me your email address, so that I can ask the drop box people to send you a message with the appropriate code reference for accessing my drop box.
Don Broadribb
Don Broadribb
Re: Making an Index with Mellel
Several people have asked me for copies of my indexing idea.
Essentially, it makes use of the Reference system which has been in Mellel for some years now. Whenever you put in a Bookmark or an auto title, Mellel asks you to fill in a Target ID. What you fill in as the Target ID turns up in the Existing Targets list, nicely alphabetized. You will notice that when you decide to insert a reference into your text, Manuel automatically fills in the current page number of the referenced item.
If you consistently fill in the Targets ID's, you bit by bit construct a latent complete index for your manuscript. You can easily put in more than one reference or bookmark for any item, by using a very slight (or, for that matter, major) Target ID each time. When you have finished your manuscript, all you need to do is start an index page, and then systematically click on each of the Existing Targets items in turn, which results in a complete alphabetized index of your work.
One particular benefit of this system is that Mellel automatically keeps track of page numbers when ever your manuscript is changed in any way, so that the page numbers in the Existing Targets list are automatically kept up to date.
Because in the Target ID lines you can add any other words or text you wish, this makes it possible to tailor your index item as you wish: for example
Character styles, changing: page
And Mellel will type in for you the appropriate number. By playing around with the many variations of wording which you can make, you can have as detailed or as specialized an index as you wish. You can also alter character or word styles etc. as you like.
This short summary gives the essence of the method. If you download my current form of the tutorial, from my drop box, you can see the entire system as well as a very detailed chapter on precisely how to make and include the index. Since my current updated tutorial runs to just under 18 MB, the only easy way to get hold of it is via the drop box method.
I spent several months working out the indexing system, learning how to avoid errors. testing it in considerable detail. One particular advantage of the indexing system is that once you find a page number reference in the manuscript, by double-clicking on the page number you are taken immediately to the referenced material.
It is far easier to see the whole system then to describe that in words. For that reason, I hope that a number of you will take the trouble to download my indexed tutorial, try out the index at the end of the tutorial, and perhaps find even more useful ways to embellish the indexing.
Don Broadribb
Essentially, it makes use of the Reference system which has been in Mellel for some years now. Whenever you put in a Bookmark or an auto title, Mellel asks you to fill in a Target ID. What you fill in as the Target ID turns up in the Existing Targets list, nicely alphabetized. You will notice that when you decide to insert a reference into your text, Manuel automatically fills in the current page number of the referenced item.
If you consistently fill in the Targets ID's, you bit by bit construct a latent complete index for your manuscript. You can easily put in more than one reference or bookmark for any item, by using a very slight (or, for that matter, major) Target ID each time. When you have finished your manuscript, all you need to do is start an index page, and then systematically click on each of the Existing Targets items in turn, which results in a complete alphabetized index of your work.
One particular benefit of this system is that Mellel automatically keeps track of page numbers when ever your manuscript is changed in any way, so that the page numbers in the Existing Targets list are automatically kept up to date.
Because in the Target ID lines you can add any other words or text you wish, this makes it possible to tailor your index item as you wish: for example
Character styles, changing: page
And Mellel will type in for you the appropriate number. By playing around with the many variations of wording which you can make, you can have as detailed or as specialized an index as you wish. You can also alter character or word styles etc. as you like.
This short summary gives the essence of the method. If you download my current form of the tutorial, from my drop box, you can see the entire system as well as a very detailed chapter on precisely how to make and include the index. Since my current updated tutorial runs to just under 18 MB, the only easy way to get hold of it is via the drop box method.
I spent several months working out the indexing system, learning how to avoid errors. testing it in considerable detail. One particular advantage of the indexing system is that once you find a page number reference in the manuscript, by double-clicking on the page number you are taken immediately to the referenced material.
It is far easier to see the whole system then to describe that in words. For that reason, I hope that a number of you will take the trouble to download my indexed tutorial, try out the index at the end of the tutorial, and perhaps find even more useful ways to embellish the indexing.
Don Broadribb
Re: Making an Index with Mellel
I should also point out that the tutorial+indexing chapter+index is now easily available from the URL: http://d.pr/f/ozCJ
Don Broadribb
Don Broadribb
Re: Making an Index with Mellel
Thanks a lot! I was not aware of that : )
Re: Making an Index with Mellel
Can i please have your information so you can allow me to see your indexing information on dropbox! I need it ASAP Thanks
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Re: Making an Index with Mellel
Unfortunately, that won't be possible. Don Broadribb passed back in 2012. Mellel's website may have a link to it, though.jsnow wrote:Can i please have your information so you can allow me to see your indexing information on dropbox! I need it ASAP Thanks
— Robert Cameron