Re: [eLyXer-users] split document: 1st and last page navigation

[Axel Jacobs]

Dear all,

> > > When using the --splitpart option, the first page (TOC) contains an Up:
> > > link to itself. This is a bit confusing and could be removed, leaving
> > > only Next: on this page.
> >
> > Maybe the UP: link in the first page should go by default to ".",
> > so it could send the user to the container directory where the file
> > resides. And a new command line option (--uplink) could be added
> > to insert another different url for the up link in the first page.
>
> I think it's OK to disable the up: link in the main page.
>
> There are already a ton of options, many of which probably do not see
> much use. I would like to limit them if at all possible. For example,
> when we modified the CSS handling code, I reused the option --css to
> load a CSS and to be used many times, instead of having --css and
> --addcss. I think it is part of my role as maintainer to ask: how many
> people will use this option, and is it worth it?

I have been pondering over how I would integrate an Elyxer-generated 
multi-page document with the rest of my web site. My plan is to turn 
three PDF into multi-page HTML documents, totalling several dozen pages.

I see each Elyxer document as the equivalent to a PDF -- completely 
stand-alone. This is irrespective of whether it is a single page 
document, or a mulit-page one. The links in the navigation bar (prev, 
up, next) are there to allow for quick navigation WITHIN the document, 
akin to using the page-up, page-down keys or scroll wheel in a PDF 
reader. I would not see the navigation bar as a means of integrating the 
document with other parts of the web site, at least this is not what it 
is at the moment.

Let's assume a visitor to my site decides that the document is of 
interest to him, and that he starts reading. After having read through 
1. Intro, he might go straight to 2. Some Chapter, only to find himself 
in 2.3.6 Some Weird SubSubChapter a couple of clicks later. Once he 
loses interest, then how does he go back to the index page listing all 
the stuff that is available on my site? He didn't pay attention (nobody 
told him to) to the Up: link on the first page. Even if he did notice, 
he would have had to hove the mouse over the link and look at the text 
in the status bar to realise that this is the only way back to the main 
site. Even if he had done all this, he'd still need to click Up: Up: Up: 
Up: to get from 2.3.6 back to the main site. This is clunky at best.

My own conclusion is therefore that, at least for now, one would have to 
squeeze the Elyxer output into a template that takes care of all the 
site integration. This template would then have a get-me-out-of-here 
link, or a more elaborate form of site integration.

Having said all this, José Ramón's suggestion of the --uplink would 
actually make sense. However, instead of redefining the Up: link on the 
first page, it could be a little header (or footer) in it's own right, 
sitting above the page nav header and below the page nav footer of ALL 
pages. --uplink would require two string args: the visible text, and the 
url:

--uplink "Go back to documentation index" "../../docs/index.html"

Just my two cents

Axel