TOC in sidebar
Asked by Administrateur SI:

*This question is in reference to Atlassian Documentation: [Table of Contents Macro](https://confluence.atlassian.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=182682099)*

Hi,

As explained in the Table of Contents Macro documentation, I tried to configure a TOC in the sidebar using this :

{toc:printable=false\|style=none\|indent=20px\|type=list\|outline=true\|absoluteURL=true}

It creates a great TOC but when I want to access a link of this TOC, I get a "page not found" error...

I'm using Confluence 5.10.1


Answers:
author: Administrateur SI
body: Hi,

This issue has been recognised and accepted by Atlassian team : it is tracked by the ticket [CONF-43090](https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONF-43090)

Thanks to all for your concern and your answers


author: Sharon Metzger
body: This process used to work for me, but now doesn't. I didn't notice if it was at a particular version upgrade. We're on 6.6.1 now.  

On the page itself, I have anchors for every section, and then added references to each anchor in the sidebar (Space tools \> Look and Feel \> Sidebar, header and footer). In the Sidebar, I used this format:  

\[#first-anchor\]  
\[#second-anchor\]

and so on. Now that I think about it, it seems insufficient because there's no page name (there's only one page in this space), but this used to work to jump to a specific spot on the page. Now I get a Page Not Found error.


author: Michael Yang - Shinetech Software
body: Here is a floating TOC free plugin you can use (for server).

<https://marketplace.atlassian.com/1221271>


author: Andra Vasiliu
body: If you wish to have a floating TOC (that scrolls with the page) you can use a CSS class to define it.

First define the CSS in Space Tools \> Look and Feel \> Stylesheet and then cite it in the TOC macro in the sections "CSS Class Name".

[Like in these answers](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Questions-for-Confluence/Floating-TOC-in-the-right-column/qaq-p/106867)


author: Rodney Hughes
body: Putting it in the sidebar makes no real sense to me. The side bar is for navigating TO a page.

The TOC macro is supposed to be put in the main body of the page as it is only relevant to THAT page, i.e. for jumping to headings within the page.

comments: author: Administrateur SI
body: Thanks for your answer. I understand your point of view but it's not mine : I found no easy way to have an always visible TOC whatever the position in the page. The easiest way I found is to put it in the sidebar.

Moreover, as it is described in a confluence documentation page (<https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/table-of-contents-macro-182682099.html>), it seems not that ridiculous to me to use it as it is described.


author: Rodney Hughes
body: Well, what I am saying is I don't think the functionality of the TOC macro would work properly in the side pane as it is intended as an "on page" thing - if you try to use a screwdriver as a hammer you end up with difficulties because you are using the wrong tool

What you might want to investigate is putting the TOC macro into the page header and then make that the default or selectable page template (I have a standard header and footer in my pages <https://ideology.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AgBv> ) ... but obviously that would make the header gets bigger and bigger as more and more headings are added in the page... so you could put an Expand macro in the header and put the TOC inside the Expand so it normally looks like a single line :smile:


author: Administrateur SI
body: Thanks a lot for your quick answer.

The problem with the TOC macro into the page header is that when the page is scrolled, the TOC disapear, when the sidebar is still available.

The thing is that we use Confluence to create technical docs (like specification docs). Thus, pages can be very long and we really need to have a TOC always available...

Are you telling me that there is no way to make toc macro work in the sidebar ?


author: Rodney Hughes
body: Our Industry Association also uses Confluence for drafting long reference documents. The TOC of course only works in view mode. But you can also add an Anchor at the top of the TOC and then in each section heading, include a link back to the Anchor - still not perfect but does help

I am not saying "definitively" - but it seems counter intuitive to the way the side pane works.

I suspect there may be some way to "lock" the header from scrolling but you may need to be a full on Administrator - check their version of documentation for configuring the Space appearance


author: Nate M
body: Struggling with the same issue now that we upgraded to 6.3.4. The TOC has to use ABSOLUTE links, which when placed in the sidebar, forces a full reload of the page every time you click on any of the links which should just be "bookmark" type links?


author: Rodney Hughes
body: Hi Nate .... it seems TOC in sidebar just doesn't work ..

Eric Foucher posted a link on 23 Jan 2017 above to the issue register where you can vote for a fix ... although in my experience that process doesn't guarantee any fix any time soon .... with only a handful of votes I dare say don't expect anything for several years!!!


author: Nate M
body: If you look I posted and voted there as well. So many annoying little things in confluence when all you really want is direct access to the code to do it right! :)


Tags: table-of-contents