MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Need help on PRS-505

jaffab · 10-08-2008, 09:56 AM

For me, PDFs are never very good for the same reason. The problem comes down to who created the PDF. I find it annoying when the original PDF page numbers and file URL (path) appears in the text of the book. Also, the PRS-505 does only a so-so job of working out the text flow.

I ended up creating my own Word template with an embeded VBA script which sorts it out for me. It has intelligent logic for word flow. I then change the font (Time Roman 15pt is the best for me), and saving into an RFT. All my books are now in RTF format. The books are then a joy to read. Fast to load, fast to page turn, easy on the eye at both small and medium size, and the text flow works.

With PDFs, the problem is that whilst a viewed PDF seems to have blocks of text, there can be a carrage return at the end of every line. So, taking a Richard Laymon book I have just finished converting (took 10 minutes), a paragraph which should read...

"Barney is the first to make the shocking discovery that the mummy's coffin has been broken open. But he doesn't have a chance to do anything about it. Amara is once again freed from the cramped confines of her coffin, free to walk the earth, free to stalk her prey. Free to kill. Nothing can satisfy her bloodlust. And no one can stop her. You cannot kill what is already dead."

Has extra CR's in the PDF, so actually appears as follows:

Barney is the first to make the shocking discovery that the mummy's
coffin has been broken open. But he doesn't have a chance to do anything
about it. Amara is once again freed from the cramped confines of her
coffin, free to walk the earth, free to stalk her prey. Free to kill.
Nothing can satisfy her bloodlust. And no one can stop her. You cannot
kill what is already dead.

The line breaks at the end of each sentence sometimes does not wrap to the next line when resized, or the 505 adds extra CRs where they are not required. this then makes for messy text which is hard to read. My word template macro looks for these extra CR's and removes them as required, which means that the text flows correctly.

10-08-2008, 09:56 AM	#5
jaffab Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 70 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: Sony PR505	For me, PDFs are never very good for the same reason. The problem comes down to who created the PDF. I find it annoying when the original PDF page numbers and file URL (path) appears in the text of the book. Also, the PRS-505 does only a so-so job of working out the text flow. I ended up creating my own Word template with an embeded VBA script which sorts it out for me. It has intelligent logic for word flow. I then change the font (Time Roman 15pt is the best for me), and saving into an RFT. All my books are now in RTF format. The books are then a joy to read. Fast to load, fast to page turn, easy on the eye at both small and medium size, and the text flow works. With PDFs, the problem is that whilst a viewed PDF seems to have blocks of text, there can be a carrage return at the end of every line. So, taking a Richard Laymon book I have just finished converting (took 10 minutes), a paragraph which should read... "Barney is the first to make the shocking discovery that the mummy's coffin has been broken open. But he doesn't have a chance to do anything about it. Amara is once again freed from the cramped confines of her coffin, free to walk the earth, free to stalk her prey. Free to kill. Nothing can satisfy her bloodlust. And no one can stop her. You cannot kill what is already dead." Has extra CR's in the PDF, so actually appears as follows: Barney is the first to make the shocking discovery that the mummy's coffin has been broken open. But he doesn't have a chance to do anything about it. Amara is once again freed from the cramped confines of her coffin, free to walk the earth, free to stalk her prey. Free to kill. Nothing can satisfy her bloodlust. And no one can stop her. You cannot kill what is already dead. The line breaks at the end of each sentence sometimes does not wrap to the next line when resized, or the 505 adds extra CRs where they are not required. this then makes for messy text which is hard to read. My word template macro looks for these extra CR's and removes them as required, which means that the text flows correctly. Last edited by jaffab; 10-08-2008 at 09:59 AM. Reason: A couple of typos