TOC issues

fading · 07-20-2009, 08:55 AM

Hi,

I am trying to produce my first ever PRC file - so that I can get it working on the Kindle.

What I have is a PDF file.

It has been suggested I separate the pages of this PDF file and convert them to JPGs which I have done.

So, I've got the mobipocket software and uploaded all of the JPGs.

What I can't seem to figure out is how to create a table of contents.

All of the help sections I've seen are talking about html files, but I don't have the knowledge to do this, and I figure there must be another way of doing this. I just want to manually program the TOC to go to the various chapters in my book.

Can this be done?

Ideally I just need a sample/template TOC that I can work from.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Sam

HarryT · 07-20-2009, 11:48 AM

No, you cannot have a TOC if your book consists purely of JPEG files. A hyperlink in a TOC needs to jump to a location in an HTML file.

Sorry!

pdurrant · 07-20-2009, 12:38 PM

Unless the PDF itself is really a collection of images, it would be better to extract the text (preferably to HTML) and then work from that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fading

Hi,

I am trying to produce my first ever PRC file - so that I can get it working on the Kindle.

What I have is a PDF file.

It has been suggested I separate the pages of this PDF file and convert them to JPGs which I have done.

HarryT · 07-20-2009, 12:42 PM

Mobi Creator generally does a quite reasonable job of conversion on PDFs. Have you tried simply letting Mobi convert it?

fading · 07-22-2009, 05:12 AM

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies here.

Harry - I have tried get Mobi to convert my PDF, but the issue is that all of the formatting goes out of the window, the fonts are lost, and everything (including the pictures in the book) seems to get aligned to the left.

I think it was suggested that I use JPGs as nothing can possibly get changed or shifted around.

However - saying that, the issue I've had with JPGs is that the text becomes very grainy once I've created the ebook from the JPGs, and by zooming idn even by one quota the text becomes almost illegible!

I guess I can live without having a table of contents, but is there going to be a way of me importing JPGs (or other image formats) into the Mobi creator without incurring a massive loss in quality.

I have attached an example of how it looks - I have included just a front cover (fine) and one sample page from the book (very grainy).

Thanks,

Sam

HarryT · 07-22-2009, 09:16 AM

JPEG is a very poor choice of format for images that contain text or images. JPEG achieves its small file size by "throwing away" information from the image, and "blurring out" the details. This works great for "real world" photographs (which is why digital cameras use JPEG images), but for text it's horrible - lines blur and lose definition - it's like looking at your text through a pair of out-of-focus glasses.

Use a file format like TIFF of GIF, not JPEG. It doesn't do this.

Jellby · 07-22-2009, 09:33 AM

PNG would be a better choice... if mobipocket supported PNG.

wallcraft · 07-22-2009, 09:36 AM

I suggest using PDFRead, it does the PDF to JPG conversion for you and has options like making each PDF page into several images. I don't think it adds a TOC, although in principle it could if there was one in the PDF.

There isn't unfortunately a really satisfactory PDF to MOBI (or any reflowable ebook format) utility at present. You could try calibre 0.6 beta, because at least if this does not center the images you can file a bug report and it will get fixed (MOBI does not center images by default). Calibre uses a different PDF to HTML utility under the hood than MobiPocket Creator does, so the result may be different (although in general not better).

HarryT · 07-22-2009, 10:45 AM

I've personally found the best PDF converter to be BD.

fading · 07-22-2009, 10:54 AM

Due to the nature of the book I'm working on, it's too complex to use the original PDF really, or it would involved a lot of manual work to put everything back into the right places.

I'm actually thinking about not bothering with a TOC, it's not the end of the world.

The issue I'm having now is getting the images that I'm using as the pages of the book to look good. We've established that JPGs are no good. I've just tried GIFs and they're considerably better, but still very grainy when it comes to zooming in on small-ish text.

I haven't tried PNGs yet, but will do so now. Does anyone know an optimal resolution to save PNG files at so that they will look as best as they can in Mobi?

Thanks,

Sam

Jellby · 07-22-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fading

I haven't tried PNGs yet, but will do so now. Does anyone know an optimal resolution to save PNG files at so that they will look as best as they can in Mobi?

As I said, the mobipocket format does not support PNG. Maybe the creator can convert PNG to GIF or JPG, but you won't get anything new.

HarryT · 07-22-2009, 12:07 PM

Mobi Creator accepts PNG files as input but, as you say, all it does is convert them to JPEG, so you're no better off.

fading · 07-23-2009, 07:30 AM

This is true - it does only accept PNGs as inputs and converts them to JPG, but that is also true for GIFs. It converts GIFs to JPGs as well, and yet somehow the result is noticeably better than starting off with JPGs.

Odd....

I've been using this PDFRead software to put the PDF in, which is a better solution, but I'm still getting grainy text - anyone have any useful info about how to optimize the settings in your favour using PDFRead?

Thanks,

Sam

Jellby · 07-23-2009, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fading

This is true - it does only accept PNGs as inputs and converts them to JPG, but that is also true for GIFs. It converts GIFs to JPGs as well, and yet somehow the result is noticeably better than starting off with JPGs.

MobiPerl, at least, includes GIF files without conversion.

07-20-2009, 08:55 AM	#1
fading Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle	TOC issues Hi, I am trying to produce my first ever PRC file - so that I can get it working on the Kindle. What I have is a PDF file. It has been suggested I separate the pages of this PDF file and convert them to JPGs which I have done. So, I've got the mobipocket software and uploaded all of the JPGs. What I can't seem to figure out is how to create a table of contents. All of the help sections I've seen are talking about html files, but I don't have the knowledge to do this, and I figure there must be another way of doing this. I just want to manually program the TOC to go to the various chapters in my book. Can this be done? Ideally I just need a sample/template TOC that I can work from. Can anyone help? Thanks, Sam

07-23-2009, 07:30 AM	#13
fading Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle	True This is true - it does only accept PNGs as inputs and converts them to JPG, but that is also true for GIFs. It converts GIFs to JPGs as well, and yet somehow the result is noticeably better than starting off with JPGs. Odd.... I've been using this PDFRead software to put the PDF in, which is a better solution, but I'm still getting grainy text - anyone have any useful info about how to optimize the settings in your favour using PDFRead? Thanks, Sam

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07-20-2009, 11:48 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	No, you cannot have a TOC if your book consists purely of JPEG files. A hyperlink in a TOC needs to jump to a location in an HTML file. Sorry!

07-20-2009, 12:42 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Mobi Creator generally does a quite reasonable job of conversion on PDFs. Have you tried simply letting Mobi convert it?

07-22-2009, 09:16 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	JPEG is a very poor choice of format for images that contain text or images. JPEG achieves its small file size by "throwing away" information from the image, and "blurring out" the details. This works great for "real world" photographs (which is why digital cameras use JPEG images), but for text it's horrible - lines blur and lose definition - it's like looking at your text through a pair of out-of-focus glasses. Use a file format like TIFF of GIF, not JPEG. It doesn't do this.

07-22-2009, 09:33 AM	#7
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,516 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	PNG would be a better choice... if mobipocket supported PNG.

07-22-2009, 09:36 AM	#8
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I suggest using PDFRead, it does the PDF to JPG conversion for you and has options like making each PDF page into several images. I don't think it adds a TOC, although in principle it could if there was one in the PDF. There isn't unfortunately a really satisfactory PDF to MOBI (or any reflowable ebook format) utility at present. You could try calibre 0.6 beta, because at least if this does not center the images you can file a bug report and it will get fixed (MOBI does not center images by default). Calibre uses a different PDF to HTML utility under the hood than MobiPocket Creator does, so the result may be different (although in general not better).

07-22-2009, 10:45 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I've personally found the best PDF converter to be BD.

07-22-2009, 10:54 AM	#10
fading Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle	Due to the nature of the book I'm working on, it's too complex to use the original PDF really, or it would involved a lot of manual work to put everything back into the right places. I'm actually thinking about not bothering with a TOC, it's not the end of the world. The issue I'm having now is getting the images that I'm using as the pages of the book to look good. We've established that JPGs are no good. I've just tried GIFs and they're considerably better, but still very grainy when it comes to zooming in on small-ish text. I haven't tried PNGs yet, but will do so now. Does anyone know an optimal resolution to save PNG files at so that they will look as best as they can in Mobi? Thanks, Sam

07-22-2009, 12:07 PM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Mobi Creator accepts PNG files as input but, as you say, all it does is convert them to JPEG, so you're no better off.

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