Write .mobi files by hand? - Page 2

_savage · 12-14-2012, 01:36 AM

Thanks pholy, that makes a lot of sense. Basically, you're saying that in the eBook implementation (the .xhtml files) I should only use semantic markup, and then style these in the stylesheets.

Is there a more concrete list of what's considered semantic versus presentational markup? I'm sure I could go through the tags and sort through them myself, but perhaps somewhere there's a "style guide" or "best practices" guide?

DaleDe · 12-14-2012, 10:41 AM

Check our wiki for lots of tips. Note that the semantic trend is nowhere more prominent than in ePub 3 which enforces semantic usage but even ePub 2 encourages it.

Dale

_savage · 12-14-2012, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Check our wiki for lots of tips. Note that the semantic trend is nowhere more prominent than in ePub 3 which enforces semantic usage but even ePub 2 encourages it.

Thanks Dale, I'm reading various Wiki pages at the moment. There are a few nice hints, but also typos in text. For my eBook typing I started to collect several sed/grep reg expressions as well.

Can I just go about and fix these typos, and add the regexps to the Wiki that talks about preparing text for books?

DaleDe · 12-14-2012, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _savage

Thanks Dale, I'm reading various Wiki pages at the moment. There are a few nice hints, but also typos in text. For my eBook typing I started to collect several sed/grep reg expressions as well.

Can I just go about and fix these typos, and add the regexps to the Wiki that talks about preparing text for books?

Of course, that is the whole idea of a wiki. It is a collective effort that constantly improves the information. You can even build new pages if you feel the need to separate out a topic like reg expressions although there are some pages on this as well.

Dale

pdurrant · 12-14-2012, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _savage

Does anybody have pointers, hints, experiences, etc as to how to go about this?

Presumably you need the mobi for upload to Amazon. In which case, you'll need to use Kindlegen. And it is possible to make an ePub that works well with Kindlegen to generate a Kindle/Mobipocket file.

You should certainly read the Amazon Kindle Publishing Guidelines which is the main documentation for kindlegen.

This will describe how to format the XHTML/CSS2 in the ePub for best results with KindleGen.

_savage · 12-14-2012, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Of course, that is the whole idea of a wiki. It is a collective effort that constantly improves the information. You can even build new pages if you feel the need to separate out a topic like reg expressions although there are some pages on this as well.

Alright, I'll do that then. I assume others will watch over such changes anyway...

_savage · 12-14-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Presumably you need the mobi for upload to Amazon. In which case, you'll need to use Kindlegen. And it is possible to make an ePub that works well with Kindlegen to generate a Kindle/Mobipocket file.

You should certainly read the Amazon Kindle Publishing Guidelines which is the main documentation for kindlegen.

This will describe how to format the XHTML/CSS2 in the ePub for best results with KindleGen.

Thank you pdurrant for the link to the .pdf! That's a read I was looking for, it'll help me to build proper EPUB files.

What triggered my initial question were repeated failed attempts to produce functioning MOBI files, but I think I'm now getting to the point to restrain the EPUB sufficiently.

_savage · 12-16-2012, 03:34 PM

Hm, so with all this discussion I now stand before a dilemma. I've got an EPUB, which is a children's book with a picture/caption on every page. I've implemented that using individual chapters per page (to make sure the pagebreak works) and using a table to center the image and place the caption below.

This I need to turn into a MOBI for kindle.

Kindlegen compiles this, but after turning two or three pages everything goes black on a Kindle.

Calibre seems to work, but considering the poor job it does with building EPUB I don't trust it at all with MOBI.

The MobiPocket Creator seems to have an option to build picture books, but that would require me to start all over and duplicate the work I've done already.

Do you have a suggestion as to how to proceed from here?

12-14-2012, 10:41 AM	#17
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,710 Karma: 3644259 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2	Check our wiki for lots of tips. Note that the semantic trend is nowhere more prominent than in ePub 3 which enforces semantic usage but even ePub 2 encourages it. Dale __________________ Dale DePriest http://pages.suddenlink.net/dalede or http://daledepriest.wikispaces.com currently using an EZ Reader or a Literati or my iPad.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Do you write your story long hand? Well, here's some useful advice	Harper Kingsley	Writers' Corner	10	02-19-2012 08:03 AM
I want to merge short mobi book files into a mega mobi file	vugtitan	Conversion	5	12-25-2011 11:04 AM
Write MetaData changes to book files	tbergman	Calibre	3	01-03-2011 06:02 PM
can't write more files on sd card?	ns66	Sony Reader	12	11-10-2008 02:34 AM

12-14-2012, 01:36 AM	#16
_savage Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Seattle, USA Device: Nook	Thanks pholy, that makes a lot of sense. Basically, you're saying that in the eBook implementation (the .xhtml files) I should only use semantic markup, and then style these in the stylesheets. Is there a more concrete list of what's considered semantic versus presentational markup? I'm sure I could go through the tags and sort through them myself, but perhaps somewhere there's a "style guide" or "best practices" guide?

12-16-2012, 03:34 PM	#23
_savage Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Seattle, USA Device: Nook	Hm, so with all this discussion I now stand before a dilemma. I've got an EPUB, which is a children's book with a picture/caption on every page. I've implemented that using individual chapters per page (to make sure the pagebreak works) and using a table to center the image and place the caption below. This I need to turn into a MOBI for kindle. Kindlegen compiles this, but after turning two or three pages everything goes black on a Kindle. Calibre seems to work, but considering the poor job it does with building EPUB I don't trust it at all with MOBI. The MobiPocket Creator seems to have an option to build picture books, but that would require me to start all over and duplicate the work I've done already. Do you have a suggestion as to how to proceed from here?


Advertisement Enthusiast