Classic Nook and Thai PDF - I found suitable format

[bthoven]

Hi,

Just to share this information after several tries on producing a readabile Thai ebook for Nook (we all know that Nook doesn't support Asian language).

My software
- Atlantis: for editing and creating document
- Cutepdf: free version
- BeCyPDFMetaEdit: freeware to edit book Title and author (and several more)

When creating a document,
- set page size = 9.5cm x 11.4cm
- Left and Right margin = 0.1cm
- Top and Bottom margin = 0cm
- any Thai font (I like FreesiaUPC) with font size 12
- print to Cutepdf
- then edit Meta data of the output pdf by using BeCyPDFMetaEdit

That's all you have to do.

When viewing in Nook, choose Small font size, you will have perfect reading.

There are some reservations from this process:

1. Atlantis cannot autowrap Thai sentence correctly. Actually, I intend to use MS Word because of its autowrap Thai feature; but I have problem with using free Cutepdf because it always produces A4-size pdf, even I set it to a custom size (Anyone can share how to solve this problem? or I need the paid version?). With the same Cutepdf, Atlantis produces PDF in the intended size without any setting!

2. When viewing on my Nook, the top sentence is fine, just next below the upper line, but the bottom sentence still have around 1cm space, which should have accommodated another line easily. I'll try to adjust my format whether I could use up all viewing area.

But, for now, I'm very happy with this format. Sorry, the attached photo is from my cellphone, quite blurry, but can give you some idea.

Another reason I use Atlantis because it has an option to save document as an embedded font Thai ebook (ePUB). I can really create one and can read it, but the problem is it won't reflow when viewing on my Nook. When viewing on Nook, changing font size will display Thai without problem, but the right part of the sentence will be overflowed out of my Nook screen!

[bthoven]

Update: I can now set Cutepdf to produce custom page size by MS Word.

For same document saved as epub by Atlantis (with embeded Thai font), you can see it wont' wrap the sentences and (so from 10 pdf page, become only 2 epub pages). The photo is the display from my desktop Adobe ADE reader; on my Nook, it presents the same issue.

I don't know what to do next with Thai epub!

[stangri]

Originally Posted by bthoven

(we all know that Nook doesn't support Asian language).

Uhm, yes it does support asian languages, I've posted a photo of a nook displaying a Japanese PDF back in December.

[keng2000]

Use Microsoft Word 2010 with proper margin and it has ability to create PDF with correct wrapping&Alignment.
Reflow problem with Asian language in EPUB can't fixed until device viewer can make hyphenation options.

[bthoven]

Originally Posted by stangri

Uhm, yes it does support asian languages, I've posted a photo of a nook displaying a Japanese PDF back in December.

PDF is fine because it has embedded font. I'm talking about problem with epub with embedded Thai font which cannot reflow. Epub with English (embed font or not) work flawlessly.

[stangri]

You need to be more specific then. Considering nook has no problem with the epubs with embedded fonts for cyrillic, maybe you're not producing correct epubs with the embedded fonts?

[bthoven]

Hi Stangri

I use Atlantis software to create a word document and save as epub ebook with embedded fonts. See my second post above, it display Thai characters correctly, but it won't wrap sentence. I use th same process with embedded English text (though I don't need to), it display reflow text perfectly.

[bthoven]

Originally Posted by keng2000

Use Microsoft Word 2010 with proper margin and it has ability to create PDF with correct wrapping&Alignment.
Reflow problem with Asian language in EPUB can't fixed until device viewer can make hyphenation options.

thanks for your explanation. Can you pm me your phone no. , if you don't mind. I really want to discuss in more details about Thai limitation on most ereader, e.g. Hyphenation. Thanks

[bthoven]

Now I'm very happy with the following format:

size 9.5x11.4cm
margin: left/right/top = 0.1cm, bottom= 0 cm
font: FreesiaUPC size 10 bold (or size 12, if not bold)
On OpenOffice:
Line Space = 0.45cm (default = 0.5cm) in order to accommodate more lines per PDF page, and is still easy to your eyes, well at least for mine 8-).
On MS Word: use line spacing fixed to 13 points

I also attach 3 documents for future reference: each one has different line spacing: 0.5cm, 0.45cm, and 0.4cm

Though 0.4cm is still readable, it's a bit too "crowded"; 0.45cm spacing seems to be a good compromise.

[bthoven]

After experimenting with Thai PDF format for a while, I've updated my preference in the previous post.

The advantage of the above format setting are:

1. you can read it at original format (full page per screen display) at "small" font setting on Nook

2. when set font size to "Large" or "Extra Large", Nook will reflow the document and the text are still readable without losing any vowels; but it may not wrap the sentence correctly, which is still fine with me. Some Thai PDF I got from others, when reflowed, it will lose vowels and thus difficult to read. I don't know why.

3. Don't set font size to "medium", Nook will reflow as usual; but, strangely, the text are smaller than when set at "small" font.

Font size 12 is appropriate for my eyesight whilst others may find it too small; then it is your choice to use other font size when creating your own pdf.

One last thing, I use open source OpenOffice Write to save as pdf. It is better than using MS Word with print-to-pdf software (e.g. Cutepdf) because with OO, it will also build chapters for you automatically (if you format your document with heading1,2,3....or title); and hyperlinks also work!; whilst MSWord+Cutepdf will not generate those chapters/hyperlinks for you.