How do I start?

LadyLou · 12-31-2010, 05:18 PM

This has probably got to be the silliest question ever, I have had Calibre and my Sony for 12 months now, and done some research to find why the 'converted layouts' are not always 'true'.

Have downloaded Sigil as it appears this is what I need to load my epub converted books into to sort this problem out.

Now all my book files are spread out all over my computer and hard drives, but are all nicely converted and resident in my Calibre Library in perfect order.

Some are in many formats, but all are Epub.

My question is, how do I get my book(s) in Epub only, and how do I transfer them to Sigil to start working on them.

I cannot find a way to do this as 'importing' from computer files does not appear to allow me to choose the files from within Calibre.

Any advice would be greatfully received. I am not a techi just a lady pensioner so simple speak would be an advantage

DaleDe · 12-31-2010, 06:29 PM

Save the files in Calibre in ePUB format. start Sigil and then open the file by traversing to it using the open command in Sigil. The other choice is to open a browsing window that shows the file you want. (There is an option to do that in Calibre if you can't find the file) and then drag the file to the Sigil icon on your desktop.

theducks · 12-31-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyLou

This has probably got to be the silliest question ever, I have had Calibre and my Sony for 12 months now, and done some research to find why the 'converted layouts' are not always 'true'.

Have downloaded Sigil as it appears this is what I need to load my epub converted books into to sort this problem out.

Now all my book files are spread out all over my computer and hard drives, but are all nicely converted and resident in my Calibre Library in perfect order.

Some are in many formats, but all are Epub.

My question is, how do I get my book(s) in Epub only, and how do I transfer them to Sigil to start working on them.

I cannot find a way to do this as 'importing' from computer files does not appear to allow me to choose the files from within Calibre.

Any advice would be greatfully received. I am not a techi just a lady pensioner so simple speak would be an advantage

Since you use Calibre

Install the plugin found in this message (frequentl revised in same message)
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=33
Once the Installation instructions have bee completed exactly

select the book.
Press Alt-E
Presto. book (EPUB) opens in Sigil

Obviously: have a backup of your book in a safe place.

BTW
Selecting a Book i Calibre and hitting the "O" key(sometimes it takes a second hit), opens the folder.

kiwidude · 12-31-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Since you use Calibre

Install the plugin found in this message (frequentl revised in same message)
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=33
Once the Installation instructions have bee completed exactly

select the book.
Press Alt-E
Presto. book (EPUB) opens in Sigil

Just a slight correction to the above - while the "Open ePub in Editor" plugin link that theducks pointed you to above does indeed allow you to add a context menu to right-click and open the EPUB in Sigil, it does not have keyboard shortcut capabilities. These were added in the more generic "Open with" plugin located later in the same thread at:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=119

It is mentioned in red within the post theducks pointed you at but thought it worth repeating here in case your eyes glazed over it

. The "Open With" plugin I linked to does everything the other does and a lot more, such as the ability to assign keyboard shortcuts like the default of Alt+E it comes with for Sigil.

LadyLou · 01-01-2011, 09:32 AM

Thank you all, off to try this now - will definitely let you know how I get on.

LL

cybmole · 01-02-2011, 01:14 PM

i did not know about the calibre plug in but what I do is find the book in calibre library, then click where it says path: click to open ( under the book picture). I have made sigil the default program for epub so when I thes double click the .epub file, it opens in sigil.

I also keep a backup of the calibre library so if I mess up the book with sigial I can restore a previous copy.

if you want to do even more, ther's a free app called microspell which works with sigil as a spell checker - that helps with finding typos but it takes a bit of getting used to. serach forums for sell checker for more info.

my current preference is to keep a notepad handy when reading an ebook & jot down any particularly annoying typos, , unwanted linefeeds etc. so that I can fix up the epub later without breaking up the reading experience.

If there are lots & lots of them, I used to convert the book to .rtf format & fix it up in Word, then convert back to epub afterwards , with calibre.
that's maybe an overkill method but it needs no programming skills!
I try now to do everything with sigil & microspell, & learn those programs better as I go.

CaroB · 01-08-2011, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

If there are lots & lots of them, I used to convert the book to .rtf format & fix it up in Word, then convert back to epub afterwards , with calibre.
that's maybe an overkill method but it needs no programming skills!
I try now to do everything with sigil & microspell, & learn those programs better as I go.

I love the idea of converting to RTF and using Word! Brilliant for non-techies like me. I have recently bought myself a CSS Web Design for Dummies and was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the information when all I want is to re-format. Thatnks so much for the tip cybmole! Just a brief question though: I was under the impression that it was converting from pdf to epubs (in calibre) that had wonked out the formatting in the newly created epub files. Would this be likely to happen from rtf back to epub?

cybmole · 01-08-2011, 06:09 AM

rtf to epub is usually a good conversion. so is rtf to mobi.

but if you find there is too much white space between paragraphs, tick the relevent boxes on look and feel page.

also, keep preprocess box ticked as that should identify chapters and build a good TOC.

some folks advocate an extra step: open the .rtf in word, select save as - other formats & save as filtered html ( somewhere on your hard drive) then add that html to calibre ( it will appear as .zip) & convert it to .epub.
the logic is that filtered. html format removes a lot of un-necessary style data, which word has added.
I don't think it necessary though. - I would only do that if my source was in .doc or docx format.

CaroB · 01-08-2011, 07:20 AM

Will do, thanks heaps for the help cybmole!!
Sometimes I feel like I'm spending more time getting my library to look and function "just right" than I have been spending reading :-) All these tips are great!

LadyLou · 01-10-2011, 10:09 AM

Sorry not to reply for a few days, still to try all the above as have had the dreaded 'flu - give me a simple head cold any day!!

Sure I will have lots of (silly) questions as I work my way through!

12-31-2010, 05:18 PM	#1
LadyLou Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 100 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony Touch	How do I start? This has probably got to be the silliest question ever, I have had Calibre and my Sony for 12 months now, and done some research to find why the 'converted layouts' are not always 'true'. Have downloaded Sigil as it appears this is what I need to load my epub converted books into to sort this problem out. Now all my book files are spread out all over my computer and hard drives, but are all nicely converted and resident in my Calibre Library in perfect order. Some are in many formats, but all are Epub. My question is, how do I get my book(s) in Epub only, and how do I transfer them to Sigil to start working on them. I cannot find a way to do this as 'importing' from computer files does not appear to allow me to choose the files from within Calibre. Any advice would be greatfully received. I am not a techi just a lady pensioner so simple speak would be an advantage

01-02-2011, 01:14 PM	#6
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	i did not know about the calibre plug in but what I do is find the book in calibre library, then click where it says path: click to open ( under the book picture). I have made sigil the default program for epub so when I thes double click the .epub file, it opens in sigil. I also keep a backup of the calibre library so if I mess up the book with sigial I can restore a previous copy. if you want to do even more, ther's a free app called microspell which works with sigil as a spell checker - that helps with finding typos but it takes a bit of getting used to. serach forums for sell checker for more info. my current preference is to keep a notepad handy when reading an ebook & jot down any particularly annoying typos, , unwanted linefeeds etc. so that I can fix up the epub later without breaking up the reading experience. If there are lots & lots of them, I used to convert the book to .rtf format & fix it up in Word, then convert back to epub afterwards , with calibre. that's maybe an overkill method but it needs no programming skills! I try now to do everything with sigil & microspell, & learn those programs better as I go. Last edited by cybmole; 01-02-2011 at 01:22 PM.

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12-31-2010, 06:29 PM	#2
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	Save the files in Calibre in ePUB format. start Sigil and then open the file by traversing to it using the open command in Sigil. The other choice is to open a browsing window that shows the file you want. (There is an option to do that in Calibre if you can't find the file) and then drag the file to the Sigil icon on your desktop.

01-01-2011, 09:32 AM	#5
LadyLou Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 100 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony Touch	Thank you all, off to try this now - will definitely let you know how I get on. LL

01-08-2011, 06:09 AM	#8
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	rtf to epub is usually a good conversion. so is rtf to mobi. but if you find there is too much white space between paragraphs, tick the relevent boxes on look and feel page. also, keep preprocess box ticked as that should identify chapters and build a good TOC. some folks advocate an extra step: open the .rtf in word, select save as - other formats & save as filtered html ( somewhere on your hard drive) then add that html to calibre ( it will appear as .zip) & convert it to .epub. the logic is that filtered. html format removes a lot of un-necessary style data, which word has added. I don't think it necessary though. - I would only do that if my source was in .doc or docx format.

01-08-2011, 07:20 AM	#9
CaroB Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: QLD, Australia Device: Kobo, Kindle	Will do, thanks heaps for the help cybmole!! Sometimes I feel like I'm spending more time getting my library to look and function "just right" than I have been spending reading :-) All these tips are great!

01-10-2011, 10:09 AM	#10
LadyLou Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 100 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony Touch	Sorry not to reply for a few days, still to try all the above as have had the dreaded 'flu - give me a simple head cold any day!! Sure I will have lots of (silly) questions as I work my way through!

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