Table of Contents command is acting weird (InDesign 5.5)

Question

My question has to do with the Table of Contents command in InDesign 5.5. I'm creating a boating magazine with style sheets. I've done this for many years, and I've never had any problem creating a table of contents. In this case, there are two styles that I use. One is "Models," the other is "Model Years." The result for each TOC entry looks something like, "Bertram 28 Cruiser, 1995-98." Anyway, when I attempt to create the TOC using these two styles the curser loads as it usually does and I can see that the data looks as it should in the loaded curser tool. But when I enter the data by clicking on where I want the text to flow I get a series of boat pictures. WTF! So I go back and try again, but deleting the "Model Years" style. And this time the text flows okay, but of course it's only the "Model" text so the model years are missing for each entry. Then I go back and create a TOC using only the "Model Years" style and, even though the loaded curser icon shows that I have the correct text loaded, all I get are the same boat pictures when I click to place the text. How can this happen? Pictures are not text, and if I can see that the curser is loaded with the text I need why won't it place it properly?

Answer 1

Hmmm... that wouldn't be Skinny Hull, would it?     (I'm a proa_file lurker... just guessing from your username, if I've guessed wrong, never mind, I'll still try to help you with your TOC)
Sounds to me like there are a few different possible problems here:
1) Are your boat pictures inline anchored images and marked with the same paragraph style as your entries? That's why you'd have a picture in your loaded place-gun; the TOC tool only harvests things set in your specified paragraph styles.
2) Currently the boat name and the model years are in separate paragraphs? Because the TOC tool only picks up paragraph styles.
3) Do you have both the Models and the Model Years styles in your TOC definition?
Actually, if you really are Ed from Skinny Hull then just send me a PM by clicking on my name - I will happily help you produce your entire magazine for free because I am completely obsessed with your subject matter. If not, I'll do the usual thing and take screenshots of what I think your TOC Styles dialog should look like.