The Invisible Chapter: Adding a Table of Contents Entry Different from the Chapter Title

Category:Techwriter

 

Tutorials in Adobe PageMaker used to instruct writers to put a box with a paper stroke and fill to hide page numbers that shouldn't show in the final product.  Surprisingly, despite the amazing features of Adobe InDesign CS (CS2-5), users occasionally have to make use of somewhat primitive but effective techniques like the one mentioned.

 

In this fictional scenario, the first page of chapter 1 consists of a fancy number 1 and the title "FreeBSD Rocks!" 

 

 

 

Using the Paragraph style used in the text "FreeBSD Rocks," a table of contents was created.   However, the editor or the writer suddenly decides he wants to have the text "Chapter 1:" preceding the TOC entry "FreeBSD Rocks" without having to add the text "Chapter 1:" on his beautiful Chapter 1 page. 

 

 

 

The writer can just type in "Chapter 1:" manually next to "FreeBSD Rocks" on the TOC itself.  Unfortunately, each time the TOC is rebuilt, the text "Chapter 1:" has to be retyped (for each chapter too if the same design was applied to the following chapters). 

 

A quick and easy way of working around this is to create a text box with the text "Chapter 1: FreeBSD Rocks!" anywhere on the page of the first chapter.  Apply the Paragraph Style used for the TOC entry or create a paragraph style for the TOC entry.  Select the text to change the stroke to paper so it can no longer be seen on the first page of the chapter. 

 

 

 

Update the Table of Contents by using this Paragraph Style as the Chapter entry in the TOC.  Don't forget to remove or modify the entry originally used for the text "FreeBSD Rocks" or InDesign will add two entries ("FreeBSD Rocks" and "Chapter 1: FreeBSD Rocks").  Update the TOC.