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Old 11-13-2011, 04:41 AM   #1
oldbwl
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RTF to Epub, Image issues

I do all my formatting in MS Word, using lots of macros etc. Then I convert to Epub and from Epub to Mobi format.

Text is fine, I always get a faithful reproduction but there is a known issue with images. Somehow the conversion process to epub always does something wrong, they either reverse or corrupt or colour goes wrong.

My current workaround is to go from RTF to HTML then Epub. I convert many files a day, and the extra steps are a real pain. Is there any way to cure this now? I have been updating every week to see if this is finally fixed but nothing has appeared yet.

Last edited by oldbwl; 11-13-2011 at 08:53 AM.
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Old 11-13-2011, 05:17 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by oldbwl View Post
My current workaround is to go from RTF to HTML then Epub. I convert many files a day, and the extra steps are a real pain.
Go from MS Word - HTML (filtered) - ePub.

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Originally Posted by oldbwl View Post
I have been updating every week to see if this is finally fixed but nothing has appeared yet.
Things don't magically get fixed. Submit a bug report and attach a file that Kovid can use to replicate the problem. If the file is copyrighted change the bug report from public to private.

Last edited by DoctorOhh; 11-13-2011 at 05:21 AM.
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Old 11-13-2011, 05:32 AM   #3
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Thanks for the reply

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Originally Posted by dwanthny View Post
Go from MS Word - HTML (filtered) - ePub.
Ugh! I wish typed (and thought) slower, I should have said 'filtered' as that is what I use.

I was going to file a bug report, but because I searched the forum, and also posted about this before, I could see it was a known issue. I got the impression (maybe erroneously) that there was a reluctance to look at RTF conversion improvements as RTF is apparently old school and fraught with problems caused by MS.

I will do a bug report later.
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Old 11-13-2011, 05:40 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldbwl View Post
I was going to file a bug report, but because I searched the forum, and also posted about this before, I could see it was a known issue. I got the impression (maybe erroneously) that there was a reluctance to look at RTF conversion improvements as RTF is apparently old school and fraught with problems caused by MS.
I believe trouble with window images in RTF conversions is a problem that may not be fixed, since saving as html doesn't save the images in the same image format.

I have never heard of a change in text color, this needs to be looked at.

Bottom line at least you'll know the prospects by filing bug reports on both of your issues.
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Old 11-13-2011, 05:57 AM   #5
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Are you saying Word's filtered HTML is bad? RTF is a problematic format, which is why there are still outstanding issues here and there, but if I don't understand why Word's Filtered HTML isn't working for you - is the problem with Word's HTML output, or is it a problem with Calibre converting that html to ePUb?
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Old 11-13-2011, 06:07 AM   #6
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The problems only exist with images not text.

I have created a tiny RTF file with an image. The tests I have run show that conversion from RTF to Epub in Calibre does corrupt the image.

Using MS Word to save as webfiltered HTML then import to Calibre and convert the resultant zip file to epub preserves the image. Therefore Word is obviously creating an HTML file that Calibre can work with properly without any changes occurring to images.

It appears that Calibre's own conversion to HTML produces the error since I have tried the route of RTF to HTMLZ (and zip) to epub within calibre and the fault reproduces exactly everytime.

I will post the bug report as you suggest and wait in hope.

Thanks for the interest and response.
Attached Files
File Type: rtf image error - Dan.rtf (40.6 KB, 219 views)
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Old 11-13-2011, 06:13 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by ldolse View Post
Are you saying Word's filtered HTML is bad? RTF is a problematic format, which is why there are still outstanding issues here and there, but if I don't understand why Word's Filtered HTML isn't working for you - is the problem with Word's HTML output, or is it a problem with Calibre converting that html to ePUb?
Word's filtered HTML ouput works for me just fine. But at quite a time expense.

1st Process
1. Convert RTF to epub - Error occurs

2nd Process Workround
1. Save RTF from Word to Webfiltered HTML
2. Open folder add new HTML file to existing book - new zip file appears
3. Delete original HTML file and partner folder created by word
4. Convert zip file to epub - perfection

If you have to repeat 2nd process like I do 30 times a day you get to see why 1st process is to me at least more attractive - well if it worked it would be.
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Old 11-13-2011, 06:15 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by oldbwl View Post
It appears that Calibre's own conversion to HTML produces the error since I have tried the route of RTF to HTMLZ (and zip) to epub within calibre and the fault reproduces exactly everytime.
If I recall correctly the image in the rtf is in a unique windows format and calibre will not process those images, but when you save it as html filtered the image is not saved in that windows format and calibre can process the image without problem.
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Old 11-13-2011, 06:18 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwanthny View Post
If I recall correctly the image in the rtf is in a unique windows format and calibre will not process those images, but when you save it as html filtered the image is not saved in that windows format and calibre can process the image without problem.
Well that explains it nicely. I can see I might have no solution then other than to stick to the workround.
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Old 11-13-2011, 09:07 AM   #10
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Maybe you should look into OpenOffice with it's ePub output plugin. Even if you're tied to your Word macros at least you could just open the doc file in Open Office and go direct to ePub.
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Old 11-13-2011, 09:34 AM   #11
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Maybe you should look into OpenOffice with it's ePub output plugin. Even if you're tied to your Word macros at least you could just open the doc file in Open Office and go direct to ePub.
+1, I just gave this a try with the OP's test doc and the conversion went well with no flaws in the image.

I also tried my usual file massage using WordPad (open Word RTF in WordPad, touch text, and resave to strip out massive amounts of Word junk) but that failed to alter the images in any way that helped calibre convert them to JPEG during the RTF>EPUB conversion.

The image formats used in MS RTFs is nasty, to say the least. I used to be part of the Macromedia FreeHand development team and we were forever dealing with issues with these images.
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Old 11-13-2011, 10:43 AM   #12
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+1, I just gave this a try with the OP's test doc and the conversion went well with no flaws in the image.
Hmm, I use LibreOffice a lot, so will give that a go.

It would be just perfect if the macros I have recorded in Word worked in Open/Libre office easily (I tried, but failed due to lack of knowledge to fix those that wont run) as I would ditch Word completely then.

Thanks, this might make the work flow better.
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