[Old Thread] Problems with creating epubs w/ interlinear text

Doitsu · 12-12-2010, 07:51 AM

I'm trying to create interlinear epubs for language learning purposes. I created an .xhtml file with with a special table style based on Japanese Ruby text and converted it with Calibre. The output looks OK with the Calibre viewer and the Firefox epub plugin, but Adobe Digital Editions shows only the body text and not the blue interlinear translations below it.
Also when I try to upload it to my IPhone with Stanza, the formatting is not displayed correctly.

Therefore I'm wondering if the epub standard actually supports xhtml table and/or Ruby tags?

Can someone who has an actual hardware epub reader test whether the small test epub in the attachment is displayed correctly? (You should see black Spanish text with small blue English translations below.)

Also I'd appreciate any ideas regarding alternative markups for displaying interlinear text. (I included the not very sophisticated source .xhtml file in the attachment.)

Nate the great · 12-12-2010, 08:59 AM

The difference could be caused by the fact that the calibre reader is based on the webkit browser. Calibre and Firefox are probably doing things not supported by the Epub standard.

ldolse · 12-12-2010, 09:28 AM

There is a sub-forum dedicated to epub authoring, you would get a lot more help there. I'm curious as to the answer to your question myself - I suspect that support for this type of function may not be great, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

BTW, this isn't even properly readable in Calibre on my system - I only see the spanish. It does look ok in Firefox. ADE also looks bad, and this means most of the hardware reading systems won't display either - they use ADE as their underlying engine.

user_none · 12-12-2010, 09:29 AM

Also, it will depend on how much the reader itself supports. Take FBReader for example it only supports a minimal amount of formatting afforded by the EPUB spec.

Doitsu · 12-12-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldolse

BTW, this isn't even properly readable in Calibre on my system - I only see the spanish. It does look ok in Firefox. ADE also looks bad, and this means most of the hardware reading systems won't display either - they use ADE as their underlying engine.

Thanks for testing this. I guess creating interlinear text epubs using table xhtml tags isn't possible.

Waya · 11-20-2011, 02:36 PM

Any progress?

ldolse · 11-20-2011, 07:51 PM

The advice I provided in the previous post is still valid - the Calibre forum is not an ePub authoring forum. Queries regarding achieving this are better directed to the appropriate place.

I'd also recommend querying ePub working group themselves - they're really busy adding multimedia/interactivity to ePub, I'm sure it won't hurt to remind them that a lot of basic stuff that works in printed media still needs to be solved for ebooks before we start adding movies and javascript.

12-12-2010, 09:28 AM	#3
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	There is a sub-forum dedicated to epub authoring, you would get a lot more help there. I'm curious as to the answer to your question myself - I suspect that support for this type of function may not be great, but I'd love to be proven wrong. BTW, this isn't even properly readable in Calibre on my system - I only see the spanish. It does look ok in Firefox. ADE also looks bad, and this means most of the hardware reading systems won't display either - they use ADE as their underlying engine. Last edited by ldolse; 12-12-2010 at 09:34 AM.

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12-12-2010, 08:59 AM	#2
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	The difference could be caused by the fact that the calibre reader is based on the webkit browser. Calibre and Firefox are probably doing things not supported by the Epub standard.

12-12-2010, 09:29 AM	#4
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,488 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	Also, it will depend on how much the reader itself supports. Take FBReader for example it only supports a minimal amount of formatting afforded by the EPUB spec.

11-20-2011, 02:36 PM	#6
Waya Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Georgia, US Device: Nook 1st Gen	Any progress?

11-20-2011, 07:51 PM	#7
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	The advice I provided in the previous post is still valid - the Calibre forum is not an ePub authoring forum. Queries regarding achieving this are better directed to the appropriate place. I'd also recommend querying ePub working group themselves - they're really busy adding multimedia/interactivity to ePub, I'm sure it won't hurt to remind them that a lot of basic stuff that works in printed media still needs to be solved for ebooks before we start adding movies and javascript.

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