pdf conversion problems.. Help!

demilich · 02-14-2010, 05:52 AM

Hello. Im using an iPhone 2g with stanza v2.1 and calibre v 6.40 to manage my library. Now, most of my books are in pdf format. As much as i would like to retain the file type (and formatting), i've found that stanza does not detect the pdf which i've added to Calibre. Which has led me to convert the files to ePub. However, i have been experiencing some problems with the pdf to ePub conversion namely missing text, continuous paragraphs and no index. I've even tried converting the pdf to .htm using mobipocket converter and then subsequently converting the file to ePub with calibre. This process has yielded the best result so to speak, but the index of the book is lost and some absence in spacing between sentences. Is it possible to transfer the pdf file to the iphone/stanza? Or should i change my reader instead?

Thanks

itimpi · 02-14-2010, 06:59 AM

Stanza does not support PDF files directly - as you surmised you need to convert to Epub. PDF to Epub conversion is always a bit hit-and-miss. Calibre is meant to soon have a better PDF conversion engine - that might help with some of your issues.

As to changing your reader - I have found that PDF files on the iPhone are never that good. This is because PDF is not a re-flowable format so all that can be done is zoom in/out. On the iPad (when it is available) this is likely to be a different issue because of the larger screen size.

A number of the current e-reader devices can make a tolerable display of PDF files if you are thinking of a dedicated reader device.

Starson17 · 02-14-2010, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

PDF is not a re-flowable format so all that can be done is zoom in/out.

I'm not that familiar with the details of PDF formats, but one of my PDF readers (Foxit) has a reflowable option that can be turned on, at least for some PDF files. I've seen it flowing text on some files. Do you know if that reflowable capability is built into the way the PDF file is created, or does it do it the same way that calibre does - by converting the PDF internally and reflowing the display?

02-14-2010, 05:52 AM	#1
demilich Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: iPhone	pdf conversion problems.. Help! Hello. Im using an iPhone 2g with stanza v2.1 and calibre v 6.40 to manage my library. Now, most of my books are in pdf format. As much as i would like to retain the file type (and formatting), i've found that stanza does not detect the pdf which i've added to Calibre. Which has led me to convert the files to ePub. However, i have been experiencing some problems with the pdf to ePub conversion namely missing text, continuous paragraphs and no index. I've even tried converting the pdf to .htm using mobipocket converter and then subsequently converting the file to ePub with calibre. This process has yielded the best result so to speak, but the index of the book is lost and some absence in spacing between sentences. Is it possible to transfer the pdf file to the iphone/stanza? Or should i change my reader instead? Thanks

02-14-2010, 06:59 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Stanza does not support PDF files directly - as you surmised you need to convert to Epub. PDF to Epub conversion is always a bit hit-and-miss. Calibre is meant to soon have a better PDF conversion engine - that might help with some of your issues. As to changing your reader - I have found that PDF files on the iPhone are never that good. This is because PDF is not a re-flowable format so all that can be done is zoom in/out. On the iPad (when it is available) this is likely to be a different issue because of the larger screen size. A number of the current e-reader devices can make a tolerable display of PDF files if you are thinking of a dedicated reader device. Last edited by itimpi; 02-14-2010 at 07:02 AM.

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