Best Calibre settings for converting ePub to KF8/AZW3

[pfwy]

Hi, I'm new to this game and trying to figure out the best conversion settings - how much do the "Page Setup" settings affect conversion from ePub to AZW3/Mobi? I have Kindle PW2, however Amazon state that the screen size is 768x1024 pixels however the Kindle PW1&2 settings in Calibre say 658x940 pixels - help!

Also is it better to convert to Mobi or AZW3 when including a new "dyslexic" font?

[eschwartz]

MOBI does not support embedded custom fonts at all.
AZW3 is always the better format, as long as your device supports it. Which is all of them except the K1/K2/DX(G) and non-updated K3.

Page setup only affects the maximum resolution for images -- calibre will downsize images to save space when converting. AFAIK calibre's settings are fine.

[pfwy]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

MOBI does not support embedded custom fonts at all.
AZW3 is always the better format, as long as your device supports it. Which is all of them except the K1/K2/DX(G) and non-updated K3.

Page setup only affects the maximum resolution for images -- calibre will downsize images to save space when converting. AFAIK calibre's settings are fine.

Thank you! As "Part 2" of the question (which is a follow on) in terms of font scaling, it's quite confusing, Calibre says it should be 16pt however it appears small on screen and if I go up one size it is far too big - any suggestions?

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by pfwy

Thank you! As "Part 2" of the question (which is a follow on) in terms of font scaling, it's quite confusing, Calibre says it should be 16pt however it appears small on screen and if I go up one size it is far too big - any suggestions?

If you're using AZW3 as the output format, you should disable font size rescaling altogether and resize the fonts via the PW2 font menu.

BTW, one of the latest PW2 firmware updates added OpenDyslexic to the font menu. I.e. you'll no longer have to embed a dyslecic font, unless you prefer a different font.
If your PW2 still has the old 5.6.5 firmware (or an even older firmware), you might want to install the 5.6.5 jailbreak before installing the latest firmware since later firmware versions can't be (easily) jailbroken.

[pfwy]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

If you're using AZW3 as the output format, you should disable font size rescaling altogether and resize the fonts via the PW2 font menu.

BTW, one of the latest PW2 firmware updates added OpenDyslexic to the font menu. I.e. you'll no longer have to embed a dyslecic font, unless you prefer a different font.
If your PW2 still has the old 5.6.5 firmware (or an even older firmware), you might want to install the 5.6.5 jailbreak before installing the latest firmware since later firmware versions can't be (easily) jailbroken.

Hello Doitsu,
Sorry for the delay in replying. I have 5.7.4 installed on the PW2. What does jailbreaking do? As for the new dyslexia font - it is horrible very hard ofr me to read. I will try the no scaling and see how I go.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by pfwy

I have 5.7.4 installed on the PW2.

In that case you're out of luck, because the jailbreak only works with the 5.6.5 firmware.

Originally Posted by pfwy

What does jailbreaking do?

Among other things, it'll allow you to install a font hack that you can use to override any of the default Kindle fonts.

BTW, you easily embed fonts in AZW3 books with Calibre.

[JSWolf]

The topic makes it sound like converting ePub to some format specific to the PW2. It should be changed.

Maybe something like...Best Calibre settings for converting ePub to KF8

[pfwy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The topic makes it sound like converting ePub to some format specific to the PW2. It should be changed.

Maybe something like...Best Calibre settings for converting ePub to KF8

Hello, I don't know how to change the heading on a post: I'm still a novice.

Is there a way to force ebook conversion in calibre to change all font sizes to 1em? It seems that Calibre is fond of em sizes.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by pfwy

Hello, I don't know how to change the heading on a post: I'm still a novice.

Is there a way to force ebook conversion in calibre to change all font sizes to 1em? It seems that Calibre is fond of em sizes.

EM is a base relative size that scales

If you don't want Calibre to resize, remove the tick in Preferences: Common Options

Remember Books that Have been converted remember the settings used. Make the same change on the conversion (starting) screen or use the control to forget the previously used settings

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by pfwy

Hello, I don't know how to change the heading on a post: I'm still a novice.

Click the Report Post icon to the right of your post (the first in the thread):

Then submit a moderator request to have the title changed to "___whatever___".

[pfwy]

Originally Posted by theducks

EM is a base relative size that scales

If you don't want Calibre to resize, remove the tick in Preferences: Common Options

Remember Books that Have been converted remember the settings used. Make the same change on the conversion (starting) screen or use the control to forget the previously used settings

Hello TheDucks, actually I want to remove all scaling so that the PW2 font size smaller/larger buttons work properly. When "turning off scales" in Calibre and putting the dyslexic font on as replacement sometimes it converts text too small / big. So I thought if there is a way to normalise to 1em then i can just use the PW2's internal scaling using the buttons for larger/smaller. That way it doesn't matter the book I am reading, i know i can read properly. Is it possible to do that?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by pfwy

Hello TheDucks, actually I want to remove all scaling so that the PW2 font size smaller/larger buttons work properly. When "turning off scales" in Calibre and putting the dyslexic font on as replacement sometimes it converts text too small / big. So I thought if there is a way to normalise to 1em then i can just use the PW2's internal scaling using the buttons for larger/smaller. That way it doesn't matter the book I am reading, i know i can read properly. Is it possible to do that?

Automatically, I don't think so.

The publisher used absolute font sizing pt, px. You can resize (scale) during a convert, but not change (nor do you in every case, just most).

Return the book with a complaint. That will get their attention

If you don't want to rattle cages , you could use the editor to edit the CSS

I have a set of saved searches that replace named font sizes with MY values without touching other things a conversion does

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pfwy

Hello, I don't know how to change the heading on a post: I'm still a novice.

Is there a way to force ebook conversion in calibre to change all font sizes to 1em? It seems that Calibre is fond of em sizes.

Do you really want all font sizes to be 1em? That would mean that even chapter titles and if the title page is done in text (not just a graphic) would also be 1em.

[pfwy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do you really want all font sizes to be 1em? That would mean that even chapter titles and if the title page is done in text (not just a graphic) would also be 1em.

Most ebooks don't have the easiest style sheet in the world to use. Often with 5+ styles. If I knew of a way to identify easily what one is for what that is one thing, but it appears that Calibre renames these upon conversion... It's really the base font that I want to be standardised so that all of my books have the same settings, but even using font key and base font it appears to differ book to book even when using the same dyslexic font.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pfwy

Most ebooks don't have the easiest style sheet in the world to use. Often with 5+ styles. If I knew of a way to identify easily what one is for what that is one thing, but it appears that Calibre renames these upon conversion... It's really the base font that I want to be standardised so that all of my books have the same settings, but even using font key and base font it appears to differ book to book even when using the same dyslexic font.

The best way to handle this is once the conversion to KF8 is done, use the eBook editor to go in and fix the CSs to remove any font size commands in the CSS that apply to the base font size and you'll be good to go.