The tables of contents are inserted, that is, you must indicate in the document where you want to create that table of contents, which can be located at the beginning for reports or documentation that is used very frequently, although you can also place it at the end of it. You can also create tables of contents for the sections of the same if the document is very long and complex. The table of contents insert options are in the Insert menu with a dropdown menu that includes three options:
- Document: Collects entries from the entire document.
- Section: Collects entries only from the section in which you are inserting the table of contents.
- Until the next appearance: Collects entries between this table of contents and the next if, for example, the document includes a table of contents for each section.
Tables of contents are based on style sheets so whenever you create a title for a chapter or section within the document and use one of the style sheets you’ve chosen for that part of the document, Pages will immediately recognize that usage if the style sheet is activated in the table of contents options and will automatically create the corresponding entry.
Choose your style sheets wisely
As we have already said, you are going to have to choose the style sheets. Once the table of contents is added, which is the first step, when you select it in the document it will be displayed in the right sidebar. While you have the format button selected, a list of available style sheets will appear with several check boxes to the left: as soon as you check one of those boxes, any content with that associated style sheet will become part of the table of contents . If you have created specific and custom style sheets for the headings of the sections or chapters of the document, you only have to check the box for them to appear in the table of contents.
If you notice, below the style sheet selection palette there is a drop-down menu that has three options, which define the behavior of the table of contents:
- Complete document: select entries from the entire document.
- This section: collects entries only from the section in which you are inserting the table of contents.
- Up to the following table: selects entries between this table of contents and stops collecting when there is a subsequent table of contents.
In fact, these are the same options as when you create the table of contents, but if you have created the table with a parameter for the entire document and you want to modify its scope later, you will only have to choose the option that interests you in this drop-down menu. It is a very simple and comfortable way to be able to modify the parameters according to your needs.
