Formatting problems from HTM (ZIP) to RTF

[ElMiko]

I generally do proofing and formatting corrections in RTF, but have run into a snag recently in HTM-to-RTF. I'm hoping one of the resident geniuses can sort me out.

It boils down to this: converting from HTM to RTF, an extra line is added between paragraphs.

<p>some text.</p>
<p>some more text. </p>

yields:
some text.

some more text.

instead of:
some text.
some more text.

I checked off the "Remove spacing between paragraphs" box in the Conversion dialog, but that didn't make a darn bit of difference one way or another.

I have that perfectly dangerous level of computer savvy: not enough to achieve what I want to, but just enough to make real hash of things. Any help here would be appreciated.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by ElMiko

I generally do proofing and formatting corrections in RTF,

RTF is simple, and offers a few more formatting options than TXT, but it's not used much and not supported well. I used to use it, too, but I'd suggest that you might want to switch to using EPUB or HTML directly.

It boils down to this: converting from HTM to RTF, an extra line is added between paragraphs.

<p>some text.</p>
<p>some more text. </p>

That code is HTML, not RTF, and it has no "extra line" so you're not actually getting an extra line. You are probably seeing a formatting line spacing issue in CSS or in your reader's display settings. Where do you see this extra line?

[ElMiko]

Originally Posted by Starson17

That code is HTML, not RTF, and it has no "extra line" so you're not actually getting an extra line. You are probably seeing a formatting line spacing issue in CSS or in your reader's display settings. Where do you see this extra line?

Thanks for the response.

Yes, I know it's HTM -- the code I gave was the input. Which is why I'm trying to figure out why that input is inserting a line break into the RTF document (the output) that isn't indicated by the input. And I can assure you, there is an extra line being inserted during the conversion process. However, it is gratifying to know that you agree: based on that code, it should not be adding additional lines between paragraphs. The question is: why is Calibre doing it, and how can I make it stop?

As to editing ebooks in EPUB format, I haven't found a program that is intuitive enough for me to grasp it. As to editing the HTM directly (in a text editor, I presume), there are some formatting operations that I could conceivably perform, but again, my comfort level is such that I would vastly prefer to do the bulk of the editing in RTF.

Again, thanks in advance for any insight you guys may be able to add.

[susan_cassidy]

When you have a paragraph tag, it is supposed to add a line in between. That's how you tell paragraphs apart.

Maybe you really wanted a br tag, instead?

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by ElMiko

Thanks for the response.
Yes, I know it's HTM -- the code I gave was the input.

OK, if that's the input then Susan has your answer. The HTM->RTF conversion will treat a <p> tag as defining a block of paragraph text and the standard is to put two returns at the end of each paragraph. If only one is used, you would need some other way to see where the paragraph breaks (initial indent, etc.).

The conversion code is working as intended.