058 - Suggestions for TOC, anchored links and collapsed sections handling

[AlbertR 704]

EN10.85.2 started to support of anchored links and creation of TOC (Table Of Content) sections. EN10.80.3 added support to collapse/uncollapse sections below headlines and list items.
 

Together these are great features but need (and I'm sure will get) some enhancement to get really usable. Here are some of my ideas:
 

• Anchored link should display headline text automatically (including color)
  • If you create and paste an anchored link, it shows the title of the note
    • This might be OK if you paste link to an other note
  • But normal case will be to paste the link inside the current to allow a reader to jump around note sections
  • If an headline text changes, text of anchored links should change also (automatically)
  • Within notes an anchored link text should be displayed in the same color of the headline it points to
     
• If the destination of an anchored link is collapsed, the section should be un-collapsed automatically
  • For the moment the user has no glue what's happening because the cursor is lost ☹ 
     
• If note is displayed in a separate window, clicking on an anchored link displays the note in EN's main window
  • Annoying - a user surely does not want to leave the current window 😤 
     
• Jumping to an anchored link from outside EN should open a new note window
  • This was possible in former EN versions and should be implemented in EN10 also to avoid disturbing the current EN display
     
• There are no keystrokes available to collapse and uncollapse sections
  • Writers would like to use their keyboard without mouse as long as possible
  • For the moment you can collapse and uncollapse sections only by clicking [>] and [v] icons with the mouse...
  • I'd like to get Alt-Right-Arrow and Alt-Left-Arrow to uncollapse and collapse a section below a headline or list item
    • Some would like to use Shift-Right-Arrow or Shift-Left-Arrow like Windows Explorer uses to open/close subfolder - but these keystrokes are used to select text within note editing windows. This behaviour should not be changed.
    • Ctrl-Right-Arrow and Ctrl-Left Arrow are also not a good choice because they're used to move the cursor to the next or previous word.
  • And: I (and others) would like to get a possibility to collapse/uncollapse all sections with one keystroke or other command
     
• /-Command to insert a TOC should create TOCs only from current position to end of the note
  • Often a document (note) starts with a headline like "Content" just at the beginning - followed by the table itself.
  • For the moment all inserted TOC start with "Content" as a first line - can be removed easily but might be  inhibited by EN itself😉
     
• Internal links should be displayed in green color
  • ... as it was the case until anytime within the last patches😉
  • Anchored links (as base of the TsOC) are used for navigation inside EN which should be clearly separated from links to outside
     
• Anchored links (and TsOC) should work in publicly shared note view, HTML and PDF exports also
  • If you click on an internal link within a share note (like https://tinyurl.com/missing-in-EN10), an EN account will be opened instead of simply jumping around inside the web page.
  • At least with HTML and PDF exports, the problem might be easy to solve: EN has to change internal link addresses to point relative to the document (do not use evernote:///... syntax in address)
  • In case of publicly shared note views, solution is the same - but conversion has to take place with every download of the page from server because the note view should show the actual state of a note...
     
• TOCs should show life titles of headlines
  • If you create a TOC, EN inserts the current headline text in TOC
  • If you change the headline text later, text in TOC remains unchanged 😞 TOCs should be dynamic with automatic updates...
    • if headlines' text changes
    • if headlines are added
    • if headlines (with sections below) are moved
    • if headlines are deleted
  • Best solution would be: Insert a TOC placeholder with some additional properties whether:
    • TOC lines should use text decoration from headlines (bold, italic, underline, colour)
    • URL format should be configurable (no underlining, no fix colour, ...)
  • I know that this can't be done with the current implementation because the /-command simply generates a "TOC" by inserting approriate anchored links to the current editing position. I wonder why EN used this poor methodology - seeing that other editing systems (incl. competitive apps) use special TOC-blocks with configurable properties:
    • A TOC block is a placeholder that might be moved around the note (or even to other notes)
    • Because it is known as a TOC, the system is able to change it's content on request (i.e. if headlines change)
    • Within a single TOC block, it might be possible to attach special display properties this this block instead of using global TOC settins (font, list type, coloures, ...)

 

• ... (will be extended as more ideas come up...)

[righteousdork 203]

Quote

• If note is displayed in a separate window, clicking on an anchored link displays the note in EN's main window
  • Annoying - a user surely does not want to leave the current window 😤 

I get why this happens, but I really hope they can find a way to work around it.  If it was a link to another note, I get opening the note in the main window.  It's almost like the link should be evaluated before going straight to the content.  If the NoteID of the link is the same NoteID you're currently in, then stay in the same window.

[darrenbuttoniow 23]

On 4/17/2024 at 3:40 PM, AlbertR said:

EN10.85.2 started to support of anchored links and creation of TOC (Table Of Content) sections. EN10.80.3 added support to collapse/uncollapse sections below headlines and list items.
 

Together these are great features but need (and I'm sure will get) some enhancement to get really usable. Here are some of my ideas:
 

• Anchored link should display headline text automatically (including color)
  • If you create and paste an anchored link, it shows the title of the note
    • This might be OK if you paste link to an other note
  • But normal case will be to paste the link inside the current to allow a reader to jump around note sections
  • If an headline text changes, text of anchored links should change also (automatically)
  • Within notes an anchored link text should be displayed in the same color of the headline it points to
     
• If the destination of an achored link is collapsed, the section should be un-collapsed automatically
  • For the moment the user has no glue what's happening because the cursor is lost ☹ 

 

• If note is displayed in a separate window, clicking on an anchored link displays the note in EN's main window
  • Annoying - a user surely does not want to leave the current window 😤 

 

• Jumping to an anchored link from outside EN should open a new note window
  • This was possible in former EN versions and should be implemented in EN10 also to avoid disturbing the current EN display
     
• There are no keystrokes available to collapse and uncollapse sections
  • Writers would like to use their keyboard without mouse as long as possible
  • For the moment you can collapse and uncollapse sections only by clicking [>] and [v] icons with the mouse...
  • I'd like to get Alt-Right-Arrow and Alt-Left-Arrow to uncollapse and collapse a section below a headline or list item
    • Some would like to use Shift-Right-Arrow or Shift-Left-Arrow like Windows Explorer uses to open/close subfolder - but these keystrokes are used to select text within note editing windows. This behaviour should not be changed.
    • Ctrl-Right-Arrow and Ctrl-Left Arrow are also not a good choice because they're used to move the cursor to the next or previous word.
       
• /-Command to insert a TOC should create TOCs only from current position to end of the note
  • Often a document (note) starts with a headline like "Content" just at the beginning - followed by the table itself.
  • For the moment all inserted TOC start with "Content" as a first line - can be removed easily but might be  inhibited by EN itself😉
     
• Internal links should be displayed in green color
  • ... as it was the case until anytime within the last patches😉
  • Anchored links (as base of the TsOC) are used for navigation inside EN which should be clearly separated from links to outside
     
• Anchored links (and TsOC) should work in publicly shared note view, HTML and PDF exports also
  • If you click on an internal link within a share note (like https://tinyurl.com/missing-in-EN10), an EN account will be opened instead of simply jumping around inside the web page.
  • At least with HTML and PDF exports, the problem might be easy to solve: EN has to change internal link addresses to point relative to the document (do not use evernote:///... syntax in address)
  • In case of publicly shared note views, solution is the same - but conversion has to take place with every download of the page from server because the note view should show the actual state of a note...
     
• ... (will be extended as more ideas come up...)

Is there a way to get TOCs to work in shared notes on the web?  When I click on a note I have shared to the web for my team, and click on a TOC link, it asks them to open an Evernote Account which they don't have.

My version in EN just jumps to the part of the note I require so works fine in the app. 

 

[Mike P 2,971]

1 hour ago, darrenbuttoniow said:

Is there a way to get TOCs to work in shared notes on the web?

Probably not. If you look at the structure of the link it is a full EN link with a bit for the appropriate section.

[AlbertR 704]

11 minutes ago, Mike P said:

1 hour ago, darrenbuttoniow said:

Is there a way to get TOCs to work in shared notes on the web?

Probably not. If you look at the structure of the link it is a full EN link with a bit for the appropriate section.

Yep - unfortunately true also for exported notes to HTML or PDF. It's not that hard to implement (in-document) links in HTML and PDF. I think EN devs need some support 😉

[Mike P 2,971]

Just add it to the list of new V10 features that do not work in the shared web view. e.g. 

• Embeded YouTube videos
• Checklists (checkboxes still work)
• Inline code

Surprisingly tasks are OK

[AlbertR 704]

Added "TOCs should show life titles of headlines" triggered by Ability to refresh the Table of Contents

 

[AlbertR 704]

FYI: automatic updates are implemented with EN-10.101.3 👍
But (sorry - cannot resist 😉)

• Content of the (new) TOC box cannot be modified (in contains a numbered list - you cannot change it to bullets)
• TOC are not displayed in prints (but a message tells us "not in this version of EN" 😉)
• TOC boxes cannot be moved to other notes (OK, the box can be move - but it contains only headlines of the destination note 😉)

But TOC is really life and therefore great!