ePub format

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:26 am

I am trying to get my first book in ebook reader format for the iPhone but need to have the document in ePub format. Can Atlantis do this somehow? And I believe before formating it into ePub, they advice to get rid of unwanted characters by saving it as UTF-8 first.

André

Post by **Robert** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:36 am

Hi André,
Atlantis can save documents as Web pages. You could load the resulting HTML file in a software that can output ePub files. You could use a free application called Book Glutton. Have a look at the following Web pages:

http://www.jedisaber.com/eBooks/tutorial.asp
http://www.web-books.com/Publishing/epub.htm
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Robert

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:49 pm

I can't get the whole document coverted. It only does the first page. Ivtried stanza desktop but it gives a very messy output. Is it possible to include this export format in Atlantis? After all, ebooks are the future...

Post by **Robert** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:23 am

Hi André,
Have a look at these pages:

http://www.lexcycle.com/faq/how_to_create_epub
http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/
http://www.web-books.com/Publishing/Word2EPUB.htm

HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:29 am

I know these pages already and are using Stanza and Calibri for some days. The problem is that the result gives a lots of strange symbols that has to be changed by hand. I did this in my novel now. The next problem is that it seems to be impossible to center titles, chapters etc. Everything stay left outlined. Not sure yet how to get this fixed. I am able to see my novel now on my iPhone in Stanza. So it's a start.

I would love to have more control over the output. I wonder how professional ebook creators for the iPhone are doing this. The Classics app for iPhone for example looks beautiful.

André

Post by **Robert** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:32 pm

Hi André,
I have found a better method for you. It might sound a bit complicated, but it isn’t really. You only need to follow these steps:

A. Download and install a virtual PDF Printer on your system if you haven’t already done so. You’ll find related Web links in the "Free Third-party Tools" section of the Atlantis Downloads page at http://www.atlantiswordprocessor.com/en/downloads.htm. Also have a look at the corresponding Atlantis help topic (http://atlantiswordprocessor.com/en/help/html/pdf.htm).

B. Download and install the Sun Java Runtime Environment on your system if you haven’t already done so. It is available from http://sdlc-esd.sun.com/ESD7/JSCDL/jdk/ ... dl.sun.com (this is the direct download link).

C. Download and install the “lrf-epub-tools” on your system if you haven’t already done so. These “tools” are available from http://code.google.com/p/lrf-epub-tools/ The direct download link is http://lrf-epub-tools.googlecode.com/fi ... .9.204.jar Place the downloaded file (“LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar”) in any suitable folder. In my example, I have chosen to place it in the “J:\TEMPZ” folder. Note that these “lrf-epub-tools” are frequently updated. Future updates are likely to produce even better results.

D. Open one of your RTF books in Atlantis. Click “File | Print…” In the “Print” dialog, pull down the “Printers” list and choose the PDF Printer that you installed in A. above. OK out of the dialog and give the PDF file any suitable name. Place that PDF file in the “J:\TEMPZ” folder.

E. Press the “Windows Key+R” to run a command-line under Windows. Click in the “Run” box, and enter (type or paste) the following command-line:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe -Xms200M -Xmx300M -jar J:\TEMPZ\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar convertPDF J:\TEMPZ -d J:\TEMPZ

Of course, you can change the file locations. The first “J:\TEMPZ” after “convertPDF” is the folder where the PDF file is located. “-d J:\TEMPZ” represents the output folder (aka output “directory”). “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” can also be placed in any folder. Be careful though. There is a limit to the length of a Windows command-line. Avoid using folders with longish names.

I have found that it is preferable to remove the page numbers from the original RTF file, hence from the resulting PDF. These “ePub” tools don’t quite know how to deal with page numbers. Actually, I am not quite sure if page numbers are wanted in an “ePub” file. These are displayed as a continuous flow on the iPhone, aren’t they?

HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

Post by **admin** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:52 pm

Andremusic wrote:Is it possible to include this export format in Atlantis?

One of the future releases of Atlantis Word Processor will possibly offer direct export to the EPUB format.

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:08 am

Thanks, Robert for all the info. It would be great if Atlantis would have an export to epub.

I did everything you said and the command run what I can see normally. But I don't see any epub file. One step that I couldn't do was the install of the Irf-epub-tools because nothing happens when I open it. It seems it wants to use the Java file and I choose that one to open it but nothing is happening. Any suggestions for this?

Thanks,
André

Post by **Robert** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:32 am

Hi André,
I suspect that “the Java file” “it wants to use” might very well be the Java file by default under Windows, that is the Windows Java Environment, which is a completely different thing from the Sun Java Runtime Environment. You have to install and run the Sun Java Runtime Environment for this to work. The appropriate executable is (by default) “C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe”. Please check that it is present on your system.

Now I must apologize for expressing myself wrongly. I said that you should “download and install the lrf-epub-tools on your system”. The word “install” was inappropriate. You should download the corresponding “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file and simply PLACE IT AS IS in any suitable folder (I placed mine in the “J:\TEMPZ” folder on my system).

You should not try to extract or run the “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file. Simply PLACE IT AS IT IS in any suitable folder. The extraction and the running will be done by the Sun Java Runtime Environment executable (“C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe”). If you look at the following command-line, you’ll notice the “-jar” switch. This tells Sun Java to extract the “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file. You do not have to worry about this yourself. It will be done automatically and internally:

Code: Select all

C&#58;\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe -Xms200M -Xmx300M -jar J&#58;\TEMPZ\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar convertPDF J&#58;\TEMPZ -d J&#58;\TEMPZ

If you run the above command-line from a DOS Console that stays on screen after completion (sometimes they automatically shut themselves down after completion), you’ll be able to read the following messages as the command-line is executed:

“Loading 'ePubTest2.pdf' 14 pages -/ sorting...End.”

“ePubTest2.pdf” was the name of the PDF file I had created from Atlantis, and which I had placed in the “J:\TEMPZ” folder. As expected, the above command-line output a file named “ePubTest2.epub” in the “J:\TEMPZ” folder.

Please make sure that you specify appropriate directories in the command-line. You don’t have to use any “J:\TEMPZ” folder as such. But you do have to specify both a source and an output directory. Note that you can place several PDF files in the source directory. Each will be processed successively by the same (above) Java command-line. Also the “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file has to be located in a folder specified on the Java command-line (“J:\TEMPZ\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” in my example).

Finally note that the Java command-line includes the “-jar J:\TEMPZ\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” switch in my example. If the “.jar” file you downloaded is of a different version, -hence has a different name-, you should of course use the correct name.

The output ePub file I got looked fine in the “Calibre” ePub Viewer. The headings remained centered. Note that you might need to use bigger inter-paragraph spacing in the original RTF documents. The ePub output tends to squash inter-paragraph spacing. Maybe the simplest method is to add empty paragraphs to separate “real paragraphs”. Have a go at it, and be patient. In such cases, trial and error is of the essence.

HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:54 am

Thanks again, Robert.
I checked things and tried the line you gave. I get the message back: Unable the acces the jar file. All the files are in place and the file names are correct though.

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:07 am

I changed some spaces in the command line and it worked. Although the epub file has a lot of text mistakes and everything is left outlined. Maybe it needs the .txt format instead like they always talk about. I got a result after doing a lot of testing with stanza and Nisus writer that can produce a .txt UTF-8 file. The result doesn't give any strange symbols and doesn't change the text, but of course everything is very basic and left outlined. A better control in this would be great.

Post by **Robert** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:32 am

Hi André,
Could you please tell us which exact command-line you have used? Please select that command-line, copy it (Ctrl+C), then paste it (Ctrl+V) in a new message posting here on the Atlantis Forum.

Also give us the following details:

How did you run the Java command-line? Did you press “Windows Key+R” or did you run “C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe” (Windows Console)? Did you type the command-line manually, or did you paste it (Ctrl+V)? It is always best to copy-paste such elaborate command-lines. Typing errors are very frequent in such cases.

In which folder did you put the “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file? Was the “.jar” file named exactly like this (“LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar”)?

Please try to open that “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file if you have an application that can do this. If at all possible run a test to make sure the file is not corrupted. Or extract it into any “test” folder again to make sure it isn’t corrupted. If it proves to be corrupt, simply re-download it.

In which folder did you put the PDF file you want to convert?

Cheers,
Robert

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:07 am

Hi Robert, the first time that didn't work I used this:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe -Xms200M -Xmx300M -jar C:\Raoulepub\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar convertPDF C:\Raoulepub-d C:\Raoulepub

That results in a lot of infoin the command screen but no epub file.

Next I used this:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe -Xms200M -Xmx300M -jar C:\Raoulepub \LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar convertPDF C:\Raoulepub-d C:\Raoulepub

result:no access to the jar file.

I made some changes after that but am not able to figure out what I did. I did something with taking out a space somewhere or putting one, not sure. But that resulted in a epub file with lot's of text that wasdn't complete and everything left outlined.

I opened the command window by hand, and copy and paste the command line.

I put the file called LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar in the Raoulepub folder together with the pdf file. The file's name is LRFTools-v0.9.204

I cannot open that file, when I try, nothing happends.

André

Post by **Robert** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:25 am

Hi André,

This is the second command-line you used:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe -Xms200M -Xmx300M -jar C:\Raoulepub \LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar convertPDF C:\Raoulepub-d C:\Raoulepub

It had an extra space character after the folder name where the “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” file was located. It should be “C:\Raoulepub\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” and not “C:\Raoulepub \LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar”.

What’s more, the “directory” switch should not be glued to the name of the source folder. It should be “C:\Raoulepub -d C:\Raoulepub” (with a space character before “-d”) and not “C:\Raoulepub-d C:\Raoulepub” (with no space character before “-d”).

Now, André, could you please follow exactly these steps:

1. Select, then copy (“Ctrl+C”) the following command-line:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe -Xms200M -Xmx300M -jar C:\Raoulepub\LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar convertPDF C:\Raoulepub -d C:\Raoulepub

2. Press “Windows Key+R” on your keyboard.

3. Click in the Run edit box.

4. Press “Ctrl+V”.

5. Press the OK button in the Run dialog.

The above command-line is working on my system (I have created the same “C:\Raoulepub” folder as you have).

My PDF file was named “ePubTest2.pdf”. As the output of the above command-line, I got an “ePubTest2.epub” file in the “C:\Raoulepub” folder. That file displayed perfectly in the Calibre Viewer. It lacked inter-paragraph spacing but this could easily be adjusted by adding appropriate empty paragraphs in the original RTF document before saving it as a PDF file.

Now an important note. You wrote “The file's name is LRFTools-v0.9.204”. I hope you did not mean the PDF file name. Of course, the PDF source file should not be named after the “.jar” file. And the name of the “.jar” file is “LRFTools-v0.9.204.jar” (with its extension), not “LRFTools-v0.9.204” alone.

Finally, you can open “.jar” compressed files only if you have got an application that can open such files. You could use 7-Zip (http://www.7-zip.org) or Zip Genius (http://www.zipgenius.com).

HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:42 am

Hi Robert,
everything works fine except that still the output file isn't that great. Same problems as before. I see that all th double o words now only have 1 o left. For example the word "Zoon" now is "Zon". Te jar file is a jar fie but the extension .jar isn't showing.

Post by **admin** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:34 am

Implementing the "Save as EPUB" feature in Atlantis Word Processor would not take much time, taking into account its current capabilities and functionality. The next minor release of Atlantis Word Processor (version 1.6.3) will introduce support for the DOCX document format of MS Word 2007. It will be soon available for betatesting. Possibly Atlantis 1.6.3 will be followed by another minor release with the EPUB export feature.

Post by **Robert** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:50 am

Hi André,
If the “.jar” extension isn’t showing, either the file is corrupt, or your file manager is set so that the extensions do not show. Or maybe to not show that particular file extension.

What do you mean by “same problems as before”? Are the title and headings not centered?

You are right that the words including a double “o” letter are changed into “single-o” words. I have no explanation for this. It is probably some bug in these LRFTools.

But if these double “o’s” are the only problem you have got, there is a simple solution. Open the source RTF book in Atlantis and use the Ctrl+H dialog to Replace All “oo” strings (double “o”) with “ooo” (triple “o”). I have tested this on my system with a RTF file containing words like “broom” and “scrooge”. After the Replace operation, “broom” had become “brooom” and “scrooge” “scroooge”. I saved that new file as PDF from the Atlantis Printer dialog and converted the PDF file with the LRFTools. The resulting ePub file displayed “broom” and “scrooge” with their correct spelling.

Beyond that, I give up. To get better results, you’ll have to wait till something more satisfactory is released. Atlantis might very well have support for the ePub format in a not too distant future. I have no doubt that Atlantis will do a much better job of all this. Before that, you could buy and use Adobe InDesign. If you can afford it!

HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:25 pm

I checked the file in stanza the whole time and it didn't look good, however in Callibri it looks very nice. It's btw not only double "oo" but a lot of double sets of aa, ee, dd etc, altough still not all the time. So I think its impossible where it happends. It must be some kind of bug, yes. An export option in Atlantis would be great! Would it be possible to give control over the layout of the epub file, like chapter-links in the toc, and pictures inserting and giving the paper a color and structure? A nice thing would be if it could be a stand alone book app... But I'm sure that's a difficult thing to do.

Thanks for the help, Robert.

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:40 am

Robert, a last question about this topic, I promise (and cross my fingers for export in Atlantis...),
I made in the rtf file of my novel a style for the chapter headings without thinking anything further of it than having a same style for this during the whole book. On my iphone now, in Stanza, I see that there is in the section bookmarks a name called Chapter. The word is not click-able. I was wondering though if there is a way to create chapters in Atlantis for the book that are click-able like I see with most books that are in Stanza.

best wishes,
André

Andremusic · Post by **Andremusic** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:00 am

Robert, I solved the problem with the missing oo, aa etc. I put the resolution in the pdf print properties paper quality higher: 3600 dpi. Now the text in the epub file is normal.