Do you have to use Sigil to let your device know how to split words?

sunny1z · 01-20-2013, 05:35 AM

Hello*
When I compare the layout of the pages on the Kobo glo with a normal book I noticed that on most of the epubs I read, the device does never tries to split words at the end of a sentence. It always uses full words. In that way the layout seems wierd as it tries to match with filling it up with empty spaces or with another setting it leaves gaps at the end of a line instead of part of a word.*
The language is Dutch. Is this a Kobo fault or an ePub error. Or do I need to do something to make it work?
Is it Kobo related...the not knowing how to split a dutch word? Or do I need to change something in Sigil?

Toxaris · 01-20-2013, 07:05 AM

What you want is hyphenation. Some devices have settings for hyphenation, but not many. With hyphenation the device will try to determine where to break of the words. That does not always goes well.

kcarscadden · 01-21-2013, 12:45 PM

In HTML 4, there is a soft hyphen - What this is supposed to be is a hint that a hyphen would be OK here if required at the end of a line, but it should otherwise not be displayed.

I have no idea whether this is in the version of XHTML specified for EPUB 2, or whether any particular device would use it.

It would also be a major problem putting soft hyphens in anywhere they might be needed. They would need to go in every word that is in a paragraph that is longer than can be displayed on one line.

But you could test it for your device and if they work, put them in where ever you have particularly long words. I tried testing on my Android tablet using Mantano, but usually it does a reasonable job of hyphenation, so I would have to test for words it didn't do well before I could try them.

Keith

Toxaris · 01-21-2013, 02:33 PM

Most readers do not handle soft hyphens very well.

01-20-2013, 05:35 AM	#1
sunny1z Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 4350 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Kobo Glo	Do you have to use Sigil to let your device know how to split words? Hello* When I compare the layout of the pages on the Kobo glo with a normal book I noticed that on most of the epubs I read, the device does never tries to split words at the end of a sentence. It always uses full words. In that way the layout seems wierd as it tries to match with filling it up with empty spaces or with another setting it leaves gaps at the end of a line instead of part of a word.* The language is Dutch. Is this a Kobo fault or an ePub error. Or do I need to do something to make it work? Is it Kobo related...the not knowing how to split a dutch word? Or do I need to change something in Sigil?

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01-20-2013, 07:05 AM	#2
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	What you want is hyphenation. Some devices have settings for hyphenation, but not many. With hyphenation the device will try to determine where to break of the words. That does not always goes well.

01-21-2013, 12:45 PM	#3
kcarscadden Zealot Posts: 138 Karma: 13776 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: semi-north Ontario, Canada (N 45.41 W -79.67) Device: iPad Air 5, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE	In HTML 4, there is a soft hyphen - What this is supposed to be is a hint that a hyphen would be OK here if required at the end of a line, but it should otherwise not be displayed. I have no idea whether this is in the version of XHTML specified for EPUB 2, or whether any particular device would use it. It would also be a major problem putting soft hyphens in anywhere they might be needed. They would need to go in every word that is in a paragraph that is longer than can be displayed on one line. But you could test it for your device and if they work, put them in where ever you have particularly long words. I tried testing on my Android tablet using Mantano, but usually it does a reasonable job of hyphenation, so I would have to test for words it didn't do well before I could try them. Keith

01-21-2013, 02:33 PM	#4
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Most readers do not handle soft hyphens very well.

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