(Unique?) conversion challenge

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Once again you are correct. The calibre conversion was not a happy camper when it came to epubcheck. Not to mention that all the images were inserted as background images. The KindleUnpack epub conversion at least left the images as images but again epubcheck was severely unhappy. That was when I went to using KindleUnpack to unpack the file so I could get at the images.

Hey, David:

To me, at this point, that would be reinventing the wheel for the submitter/poster. He apparently already has pages that are effectively images. I think it would be easier for him to simply create an ePUB with it--a regular, reflowable ePUB, with each "page" in its own HTML file--and call it a day. I don't see any massive advantage, and in fact, many disadvantages, to him trying to reinvent Kindle Create or KKBC, for an ePUB environment when there is not any easy-peasy drag-drop-your-PDF-here option for that. iAuthor has been d/ced, so that option is out.

And even then, the iAuthor cruft output was unusable at B&N, anyway. So, the only real option, to my mind, is a simple, regular, reflowable ePUB with each "page" a jpg, preferably higher-resolution to facilitate easy zooming and reading.

Offered FWIW.

Hitch

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Okay, gang:
So, none of those are options. Not PagePerfect, not NookKids, not FXL ePUB3.0.

The only way forward that I see here is to do this ePUB file manually.

I don't know the other pros and cons of going through ebookpartneship or any idea of what the cost would be, but why wouldn't that be a PagePerfect option?

Your suggestion of a simple, regular, reflowable ePUB with each "page" a jpg also seems reasonable. that is what I thought a calibre conversion or kindleunpack would give.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Hey, David:

To me, at this point, that would be reinventing the wheel for the submitter/poster. He apparently already has pages that are effectively images. I think it would be easier for him to simply create an ePUB with it--a regular, reflowable ePUB, with each "page" in its own HTML file--and call it a day. I don't see any massive advantage, and in fact, many disadvantages, to him trying to reinvent Kindle Create or KKBC, for an ePUB environment when there is not any easy-peasy drag-drop-your-PDF-here option for that. iAuthor has been d/ced, so that option is out.

And even then, the iAuthor cruft output was unusable at B&N, anyway. So, the only real option, to my mind, is a simple, regular, reflowable ePUB with each "page" a jpg, preferably higher-resolution to facilitate easy zooming and reading.

Offered FWIW.

Hitch

From one of the OP's posts, I gather he is going to recreate the page images with smaller margins and then try creating an epub. I gather one issue is that Finale "prints" the scores as a PDF wrapper around the page images. The epub I created is not a EPUB3 FLO but reflowable is not really applicable to an image per page.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I don't know the other pros and cons of going through ebookpartneship or any idea of what the cost would be, but why wouldn't that be a PagePerfect option?

Your suggestion of a simple, regular, reflowable ePUB with each "page" a jpg also seems reasonable. that is what I thought a calibre conversion or kindleunpack would give.

Sure, if s/he doesn't object to being linked up with them--I mean, once you commit to a format like that, that can only be delivered through a special portal...then I don't see a problem. I don't know what they charge for Print Replica, or their distro fees, so I can't speak to it. But sure, why not, if the costs are appropriate?

I run into this often, with illustrated kids' books. Highly frustrating. I just wasted (spent) a week with a customer, email after email with her ideas as to how she was going to get around the fact that she can't upload at NookPress directly. (As if, over the last 10+ years, we'd never given it tany thought, or done any research, or tried to solve this problem, right?????)

Then she was on about Pageperfect and NookKids and I said "same problem, different day. Can't upload at NookPress." Let's face it, B&N went out of their way to make this hard. I don't blame them, in one way--they don't have to provide all the tech assistance resources and CSRs, etc. that Amazon does, but that's also the downside, amirite?

Hitch

[BrianHayesMusic]

Thank you very much, Hitch and DNSB,

Still working away on this.

Hitch, just to be clear, you suggested me using Kindle Create for this? I just downloaded it and am trying it, now. I also called KDP and they informed me that KC will be replacing KKBC and that I should not longer us KKBC since there will be no more updates for this software. This KC looks like it's quite user friendly.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by BrianHayesMusic

Thank you very much, Hitch and DNSB,

Still working away on this.

Hitch, just to be clear, you suggested me using Kindle Create for this? I just downloaded it and am trying it, now. I also called KDP and they informed me that KC will be replacing KKBC and that I should not longer us KKBC since there will be no more updates for this software. This KC looks like it's quite user friendly.

Assuming that you don't want to dack around with writing code, yes, I absolutely suggest that you use KC for it. Don't use KKBC. As much as I innately prefer KKBC, because it exports MOBI, not .kpf, the reality is that you can't pinch-zoom KKBC output and you can pinch-zoom .kpf. You won't get panel pop-ups, but in your specific circumstance, I can't see that being viable for you, anyway.

That doesn't address your Nook FXL issue, of course, but for Amazon, yes, I absolutely recommend KC over KKBC and as you said, it's pretty dirt simple.

Hitch

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by BrianHayesMusic

I also called KDP and they informed me that KC will be replacing KKBC and that I should not longer us KKBC since there will be no more updates for this software.

That is interesting. Amazon currently accepts MOBI as a publishing format only for fixed layout books. Having KC produce fixed layout children’s books with text popups would mean that a KPF/KFX alternative is available. That could be followed by them no longer accepting MOBI at all.

[BrianHayesMusic]

jhowell,

Yeah, it's interesting. I've had not one, but two KDP reps verify this so I'm even more confident that this is what's in their plans.

Originally Posted by Hitch

Assuming that you don't want to dack around with writing code, yes, I absolutely suggest that you use KC for it...

That doesn't address your Nook FXL issue, of course, but for Amazon, yes, I absolutely recommend KC over KKBC and as you said, it's pretty dirt simple.

Hitch

Hitch,

OK, this is useful and the KDP rep I just spoke with verified what you said about the pinch zoom. I will actually reupload all of my KDP stuff, now, using KC.

I did not understand, though, that this was not your indented solution for my B&N issue? (As a side note, I did, in fact, try to convert my Mobi file to an ePub and it did not work, as you suspected.) So as far as my B&N issue, you think my only option is to write out all of the html code as turtle91 suggested? Or would I have an easier time working with a .kpf file and converting that, somehow? Converting .kpf to ePub?

[BrianHayesMusic]

Hitch,

I just saw your second post and I think I understand you, clearly, that my only option is to go with turtle91's suggestion and write out the html code, page by page. He also indicated that I could use the Sigil "InsertImageSVG" plugin to make the job easier? The only thing I was unclear on was what you were saying about IngramSpark? I don't know what that is but it is an option?

[BrianHayesMusic]

That buddy of mine I had mentioned successfully converted my PDF to HTML (a file type B&N is supposed to accept) and it looked fantastic. Nonetheless, B&N rejected it on the upload.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by BrianHayesMusic

That buddy of mine I had mentioned successfully converted my PDF to HTML (a file type B&N is supposed to accept) and it looked fantastic. Nonetheless, B&N rejected it on the upload.

Well...yes. Just because something looks good, on the surface doesn't mean it's remotely compliant with the standards and devices that B&N (etc.) need for their customers. I mean...for example, I have would-be customers that come to me ALL the time, with faux-Word files that they made by opening a PDF and using "save as Word." When they see the result, OH HAPPY DAY!, it looks fantastic, right? Like exactly what they want.

But underneath, it's steaming pile of crap. MAYBE it can be used, again, exporting to PDF to make a new paperback, but if you want to use that cursed thing for an eBook, you'll get junk. GIGO. Without getting into the actual guts, you don't know what you do, or don't, have. I suspect that the HTML that your "buddy" made was like that faux-Word file; just garbage below the surface. Or hell, not garbage, but not clean enough to pass muster.

I don't know how your buddy made that file, so I don't want to disrespect his work. Might be fine for some other purpose. But if it was made by converting ANYTHING that was done for Kindle, based on your descriptions, using Calibre, it was a big waste of time. That dog, as they say in the south, won't hunt.

Hitch

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by Hitch

When they see the result, OH HAPPY DAY!, it looks fantastic, right? Like exactly what they want.

But underneath, it's steaming pile of crap.

That reminds me of this kind of thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKfpYVK_r0E