Compiling for PDF with Remove Hyperlinks leaves ToC page numbers linked

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

I was trying to make a book interior PDF with no hyperlinks, because Amazon’s ‘Look Inside’ feature for the book showed ugly underlining when they were left in. (Irrelevant, but these links are live within the ‘Look Inside’ view of the book, which seems pointless to me.)

I have attached a sample Scrivener file to illustrate, with two chapters and a table of contents. It was created using the Novel template,
Also attached is a PDF showing the result of compiling ‘for PDF’ with option Remove Hyperlinks set.
The expected result is that the whole ToC should be in plain text, with no hyperlinks.
The actual outcome is that the chapter titles are not linked, but the page numbers are still hyperlinked to their corresponding pages.

My misunderstanding of Scrivener usage, or a bug?
Hyperlinks in ToC example.pdf (94.1 KB)
Hyperlinks in ToC example.scriv.zip (398 KB)

2

As attached, “TOC Test Compile” works for me. Works for you?

Slàinte mhòr.

Hyperlinks in ToC example v2.zip (512 KB)

3

Everything works fine for me in the project you attached, but the results are different from your PDF. What Compile format are you using? Is it perhaps a custom one that is not part of the project (under “My Formats”), in which case you will need to attach it separately? Is this in Scrivener 3.1.1?

4

I am using 3.1.1 now, but I first ran into the problem when using the previous release, 3.0.something.

I have tried compiling both using the preset format Manuscript (Times), and my own format - which I exported from my actual work project: I get the same result in each case, as previously posted. I am uploading my own format “For PDF - Compile format "MGB 01g Titles in Chapters - for PDF” with this reply. N.B. In Edit Post and Post Reply, the Attachments file picker greys out the .scrformat Format file and wouldn’t let me select it for upload - so I added .txt to the end to upload it, and you will need to remove that if you want to import it into Scrivener.

In each compilation I tried, I assigned section layouts: with my own format, Text (Level 2) for Manuscript chapters and As-is for Front Matter including the ToC; when using the Manuscript (Times) format, Chapter Heading for chapters and As-Is for Front Matter.

I have also now tried additionally turning on in my format the PDF Settings option “Optimize for print-on-demand services”. And this has indeed removed the hyperlinks form the ToC page numbers. I don’t know how I didn’t spot that option earlier… I obviously didn’t read all the way down the 3.1.1. release notes! And of course it hasn’t made it into the Scrivener Manual as yet, which is what I turned to after first noticing the new option.

Nonetheless, I would have thought that my original approach should have achieved the same end… Is not the new option just a convenience to make it easy to make a correct print-on-demand PDF, using the same settings that are listed against it in the release notes? (This is relevant to my position before this option to Optimize for PoD option appeared, as well as to prevent user confusion: I note that turning on the option when editing the format does not turn on the corresponding setting “Remove all hyperlinks” in the general Compile options.)

I just downloaded and found JoRo’s hyperlink-free PDF. You used your own format “ToC Test Compile”, and I see you too utilised that new “Optimize for print-on-demand services”. That would explain why you got the result you expected and not what I had shared.

So, it seems that I am set to go, using “Optimize for print-on-demand services” - but I still query Scrivener’s behaviour when that is turned off and Compile’s “Remove Hyperlinks” is set.

PS
There doesn’t seem to be an option on the EDIT POST page to cancel/abandon editing a forum post: one must either carefully submit without changes, or rely on the browser back button or closing the browser tab/window. Feels slightly user-unfriendly.

Hope this all helps
David
For PDF - Compile format %22MGB 01g Titles in Chapters - for PDF%22.scrformat.txt (37.4 KB)

5

Thanks for the sample project. I see what you mean now, and found that the code preserves page numbering hyperlinks in PDF in order to be able to generate the page numbers from the finally-laid out PDF. For the next update, I’ve added a final pass that removes such links after that is done if “Remove all hyperlinks” is ticked, so this should be fixed. I’m glad you found a way around with “Optimise for print-on-demand”.

You should find an “EDIT” button at the top of your post, by the way, allowing you to edit it after you have submitted it.

All the best,
Keith