Perfect CHM to epub?

Artha · 07-17-2011, 07:10 AM

CHM is a compiled HTML. epub is a zipped collection of HTML with a few extra files. Now is it possible to have a perfect conversion from CHM to epub? Or are there some problems?

Toxaris · 07-17-2011, 12:43 PM

It will never be perfect automatically. I believe Calibre does a reasonable job. It all depends on the source of course. Tables are always cumbersome.

Artha · 07-21-2011, 03:10 PM

So CHM isn't exactly HTML?

Jim Lester · 07-21-2011, 07:59 PM

ePub contains XHTML not HTML, so if the HTML in your CHM is not well formed there will be problems.

Toxaris · 07-22-2011, 03:19 AM

And don't forget, CHM is not ePUB. Some formatting which is possible with CHM is not so doable in ePUB. Large tables is a known problem in ePUB.

pooja r · 07-27-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artha

CHM is a compiled HTML. epub is a zipped collection of HTML with a few extra files. Now is it possible to have a perfect conversion from CHM to epub? Or are there some problems?

hi artha,
I have problem converting chm to epub using calibre,i get only preface contributors,cover of the book but not the chapters,can u help me in this matter

Artha · 07-31-2011, 04:16 AM

Pooja: this is what I am also looking for.

Toxaris · 07-31-2011, 07:41 AM

What you can do is transform the CHM back to HTML and create the ePUB by hand.

Artha · 08-05-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

What you can do is transform the CHM back to HTML and create the ePUB by hand.

Good point.

R&W · 08-10-2011, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

What you can do is transform the CHM back to HTML and create the ePUB by hand.

OK, but how to do this, what tools to use?

I try to do this by extracting files from chm, than take "page.htm" file (small one) and put it in Calibre and convert it to ePUB. As a result I get a relatively large file (12mb) with many-many blank pages (except preface and authors). But this result was better than from original .CHM file, when I get only 3 pages ePUB.

When debugging - I find one interesting thing: when converting .chm -"processed" (maybe also "parsed" and "structure") folder was very small comparing with "input" folder so I get 3 pages epub, while converting "page.htm" (<300kb)- "processed", "structure" and "parsed" folders had the same size as "input" folder (all were ~50mb). So if 50mb is processed why I get a 12mb book without content? Is there a problem with output plugin?

P.S. in all cases I use "linearize tables" option in the last - v.0.8.13 Calibre.
Is there something better for conversions?

Toxaris · 08-11-2011, 02:04 AM

There are several tools that can extract the HTML from CHM. There are also tools that can read the CHM (for editing) and than save it as HTML.
Don't run the HTML through Calibre, since it will not help you. Calibre follows this procedure and apparently there is some code in the HTML/CHM which is causing your issue.
Then you either clean it up manually in a text-editor or you can try loading it into Sigil to see what happens there.

07-17-2011, 07:10 AM	#1
Artha ----- Posts: 114 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Samsung SNE65	Perfect CHM to epub? CHM is a compiled HTML. epub is a zipped collection of HTML with a few extra files. Now is it possible to have a perfect conversion from CHM to epub? Or are there some problems?

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07-17-2011, 12:43 PM	#2
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	It will never be perfect automatically. I believe Calibre does a reasonable job. It all depends on the source of course. Tables are always cumbersome.

07-21-2011, 03:10 PM	#3
Artha ----- Posts: 114 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Samsung SNE65	So CHM isn't exactly HTML?

07-21-2011, 07:59 PM	#4
Jim Lester Evangelist Posts: 416 Karma: 14682 Join Date: May 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Device: Nook HD, Nook for Windows 8	ePub contains XHTML not HTML, so if the HTML in your CHM is not well formed there will be problems.

07-22-2011, 03:19 AM	#5
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	And don't forget, CHM is not ePUB. Some formatting which is possible with CHM is not so doable in ePUB. Large tables is a known problem in ePUB.

07-31-2011, 04:16 AM	#7
Artha ----- Posts: 114 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Samsung SNE65	Pooja: this is what I am also looking for.

07-31-2011, 07:41 AM	#8
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	What you can do is transform the CHM back to HTML and create the ePUB by hand.

08-11-2011, 02:04 AM	#11
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	There are several tools that can extract the HTML from CHM. There are also tools that can read the CHM (for editing) and than save it as HTML. Don't run the HTML through Calibre, since it will not help you. Calibre follows this procedure and apparently there is some code in the HTML/CHM which is causing your issue. Then you either clean it up manually in a text-editor or you can try loading it into Sigil to see what happens there.

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