Convert RTF to epub

[Moredread]

Hi,

how can I convert rtf-files to epub? I tried calibre. It works so far, but it doesn't care about pictures, font size, pagebreaks and so on. Is there any free software that can handle it? If no, which commercial software do you recommend?

thx

JM

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Moredread

Hi,

how can I convert rtf-files to epub? I tried calibre. It works so far, but it doesn't care about pictures, font size, pagebreaks and so on. Is there any free software that can handle it? If no, which commercial software do you recommend?

thx

JM

Not freeware, but the Atlantis word processor (which I think still runs $35 to register) does create epubs directly from RTF (which is the 'native' file format of Atlantis).

Derek

[Moredread]

Thank you, I'll try it.

[jackie_w]

Hi Moredread,

Do you have an editor which will read in RTF format and SaveAs HTML format? MSWord will certainly work but, of course, is not free.

If so you can import the HTML (rather than the RTF) into Calibre for conversion to EPUB. This will give you a better result than RTF. It should certainly handle pictures, font size, pagebreaks.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Hi Moredread,

Do you have an editor which will read in RTF format and SaveAs HTML format? MSWord will certainly work but, of course, is not free.

If so you can import the HTML (rather than the RTF) into Calibre for conversion to EPUB. This will give you a better result than RTF. It should certainly handle pictures, font size, pagebreaks.

That, too, is an option - one I've used frequently from within Atlantis prior to them adding save to ePub support.

Derek

[tyche]

I've had good success with OpenOffice which is free. It doesn't have some of the more powerful features I use (or at least can't find them) but it's good for most things.

I do all my ebook conversions from html to format X. I just find it give a more accurate view at the end result. OpenOffice has a fairly clean html formatting especially compared to MS Word.

Load your file into OO and save it as html. Then open up that file and work on it (fix spacing, add headings, etc). Then import the html into Calibre and do your convert.

[Moredread]

OK, I tried Atlantis and MS Word/Calibre. Both are more or less equal. There are small differences... but nothing really important. It seems both have a problem with bigger fonts (for example for a headline) and if there is a bunch of CR LF both tend to delete 'em. At the end the difference to direct converting with calibre is relatively small. But that might be a problem of the source rtf - it's kinda quick 'n dirty. I have to try it with a text I wrote myself. Maybe it works better with that.

@tyche: Thanks. I will try OO too. Maybe that works a bit better

guys, a lot of good suggestions. I'll tinker around a bit and report about the results

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Moredread

It seems both have a problem with bigger fonts (for example for a headline)

I don't think you should be having a problem with large font-sizes.

Have you tried playing around with the "Font size key" option in Calibre [Convert] - [Look & Feel]?

If you haven't used it before you might need to read up about it in the online User Manual
http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual...html#look-feel

Also, for your info, it's a while since I tested using RTF as a source file in Calibre, but I seem to remember that Centre- and Right-align didn't convert correctly and neither did line-breaks. Converting to HTML also solved these problems.

[Moredread]

I found the problem. My ebook-reader offers several ebook-reader-programs. I always use the fbreader. After trying the AdobeViewer everything looks fine.

But there is a good point on it: Now I know several programs to create or convert epubs. I should never have problems with this again.

Thanks again.

[ernest]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

If so you can import the HTML (rather than the RTF) into Calibre for conversion to EPUB. This will give you a better result than RTF. It should certainly handle pictures, font size, pagebreaks.

I have tried html, odt and rtf in calibre but the images don't appear in the ePub... what can I be doing wrong??? I open the file, and then convert it... is there any other step I'm missing?

Thanks !!!!

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by ernest

I have tried html, odt and rtf in calibre but the images don't appear in the ePub... what can I be doing wrong??? I open the file, and then convert it... is there any other step I'm missing?

Impossible to say without knowing (and preferably seeing) more about your source file. What format is it?

If it's rtf and you're using MSWord, then when you SaveAs webpage-filtered to create an html file, it should also create a sub-directory containing the images from the document. Did this happen?

If it's not copyright attach here otherwise you could PM me a link to the source and I'll have a look.

[ernest]

Thank you jackier_w, I solved it.
I exported the pdf as html from acrobat pro, and then transformed it to ePub with calibre.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ernest

Thank you jackier_w, I solved it.
I exported the pdf as html from acrobat pro, and then transformed it to ePub with calibre.

That is one of the worst things you can do. Your ePub is now chock full of errors. Acrobat Pro cannot convert that PDF without errors. No program can. Are you getting paid to do this?

[Kognos]

OK Folks, but you all end up using Calibre to do the actual converting. Is there a good alternative?

Calibre ignores the filemane, and gives the book a title based on the first line of the text (I'm starting with rtf). You can't get it to display or use the actual filename. The converted file has this title as its name.

Also each file us in a separate folder. Not what I want.

I would like a utility that does batch convert on a batch of files, converts them to epubs with the same name as the riginal, and lets me choose which flder to put the converted files into.

Is there one? Or is there a way of tweaking Calibre to do this?

Thanks

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Kognos

Calibre ignores the filemane, and gives the book a title based on the first line of the text (I'm starting with rtf). You can't get it to display or use the actual filename. The converted file has this title as its name.

You need to look at your settings. Explore Prefs - Adding Books - Configure metadadata from filename for more options.
[Edit:] and don't forget to uncheck Read metadata from file contents on the same page.

Originally Posted by Kognos

I would like a utility that does batch convert on a batch of files, converts them to epubs with the same name as the riginal, and lets me choose which flder to put the converted files into.

Is there one? Or is there a way of tweaking Calibre to do this?

It sounds like the commandline version of calibre conversion would suit you better. You'd need to write your own batch file but the ebook-convert command should let you do what you want to do.