PDF photographed books to iBooks

jakimo · 04-18-2010, 11:35 AM

Is there a simple way to convert large books that have been photographed into an ePub format that the iPad will be able to flip through?

I'd like to convert these books without creating text out of them, as the folks that photographed used OCR to try to create ePub / text files from the same source and they didn't turn out well. Unless there's a VERY accurate OCR program that will do a better job than the folks at Archive.org can accomplish?

For now the only way I've been able to read through, is by using GoodReader. I had to take the file and resave them in Preview to make them friendly to the iPad. (Apparently these photograph / scans of the book save in JPEG2000, which the iPad doesn't recognize at this time. Resaving them fixes the issue.)

thanks for any tips or leads

Jacques

scottjl · 04-18-2010, 11:37 AM

you basically posted the same question twice. see my answer here

jswinden · 04-18-2010, 11:48 AM

I think there is a program that allows you to save a series of images into a book. I cannot remember the name of the program or the formats it uses to save books.

If the book is rather long, say a couple hundred pages or more in length, then you might have to break the book into multiple eBooks. Images cause an eBook file to be large, and hundreds of images can make for a huge eBook file which makes for slow loading times and sluggish behavior even on a fast desktop computer.

I'm sure there are easier programs to use, but if all else fails you can use MS Word to create a book from all the images and then save it to a PDF. This will be a painfully slow and tedious process, so see what else is available. But if you do create your owns PDF from MS Word or another program, be sure to use small margins to get rid of excess white space and use a page size appropriate for the iPad. A typical PDF is saved as a 8.5 x 11 inch page. That is too big for the iPad and most other reading devices. Decrease the page size so that it fits your screen without decreasing the font sizes.

jakimo · 04-18-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

I think there is a program that allows you to save a series of images into a book. I cannot remember the name of the program or the formats it uses to save books.

If the book is rather long, say a couple hundred pages or more in length, then you might have to break the book into multiple eBooks. Images cause an eBook file to be large, and hundreds of images can make for a huge eBook file which makes for slow loading times and sluggish behavior even on a fast desktop computer.

I'm sure there are easier programs to use, but if all else fails you can use MS Word to create a book from all the images and then save it to a PDF. This will be a painfully slow and tedious process, so see what else is available. But if you do create your owns PDF from MS Word or another program, be sure to use small margins to get rid of excess white space and use a page size appropriate for the iPad. A typical PDF is saved as a 8.5 x 11 inch page. That is too big for the iPad and most other reading devices. Decrease the page size so that it fits your screen without decreasing the font sizes.

I have the original PDF file, which was then converted into an iPad friendly PDF file. It works in GoodReader, but I prefer iBooks. So I'm trying to convert the PDF (which again is not text, but each page photographed) into an ePub file for iBooks.

It seems Calibre and other ePub converters are really meant for text primarily and not images. However if the Pooh story (the book that came with iBooks) has images, I don't see why this can't be done.

thanks

tyche · 04-18-2010, 12:39 PM

Maybe save the images as a cbz and use a comic reader.

scottjl · 04-18-2010, 12:46 PM

the cbz is probably the best idea. but again you're looking at the same scanned images. only the container format (pdf, epub, cbz) is changing. it isn't going to make the images any better (and could be worse if there is additional compression going on). most cbz readers have tools for easily enlarging and panning around an image as many comic books are simply scanned into jpg and png files.

lilman · 04-18-2010, 01:27 PM

-Edit-
Nvm, I misunderstood what you were looking for. You want OCR, I thought you wanted photos.

sachinwalia · 04-18-2010, 01:31 PM

If OCR doesn't give you good result then convert your PDF into individual image files. Use software like Sigil to create ePub out of these image files. You can easily import this ePub into iBooks. I have done it for some of my PDF. Your results will wary. Better is to use GoodReader.

jswinden · 04-18-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakimo

I have the original PDF file, which was then converted into an iPad friendly PDF file. It works in GoodReader, but I prefer iBooks. So I'm trying to convert the PDF (which again is not text, but each page photographed) into an ePub file for iBooks.

It seems Calibre and other ePub converters are really meant for text primarily and not images. However if the Pooh story (the book that came with iBooks) has images, I don't see why this can't be done.

thanks

If you are trying to convert this to an ePub because you like iBooks' ability to reflow text, then you are barking up the wrong tree, as others here mentioned. An image in any eBook format is still an image. If you zoom in or out on the image it will lose clarity. If you can somehow manage to use an OCR program to convert the images to text, then you can make it reflow in an ePub. But images in any eBook format, ePub or any others, will still not be reflowable and still will look like an image.

jakimo · 04-18-2010, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

If you are trying to convert this to an ePub because you like iBooks' ability to reflow text, then you are barking up the wrong tree, as others here mentioned. An image in any eBook format is still an image. If you zoom in or out on the image it will lose clarity. If you can somehow manage to use an OCR program to convert the images to text, then you can make it reflow in an ePub. But images in any eBook format, ePub or any others, will still not be reflowable and still will look like an image.

This I understood. This leads me back to the original question and to a new one: how can I change this PDF of scanned (they are probably photographs technically) pages to an ePub of scanned pages? I would definitely prefer going through this material with iBooks as the reader.

Using either Mac (preferred) or Windows, what's a good recommendation for an OCR program that does well with old typeset books of 1600s English? Is there one that specializes?

Thanks.

scottjl · 04-18-2010, 04:07 PM

Calibre should change your PDF to an ePub. Have you tried it?

jakimo · 04-18-2010, 05:27 PM

It seems to just hang. I tried it on two files. Both of which were converted to be iPad friendly, which turned them into huge files. The B&W version is over two gigs and the color version is nearly seven!

Maybe it's just too much for Calibre?

Has anyone had success with large files?

scottjl · 04-18-2010, 07:09 PM

Might want to post over in the Calibre forums. The developer is pretty active over there.

pagansoul · 04-21-2010, 06:36 PM

Can't you simply use a PDF reader? There are several PDF readers for the iPad. I don't know which is the best but many are free or at a very low price. I have iPDF, ReaddleDocs ($5), PDF reader ($1), GoodReader ($1). There is also one called PDF Reader Pro @ $3.99. Shop the iTunes store to look at Screenshots and support pages.

gingerbeardman · 04-22-2010, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakimo

It seems to just hang. I tried it on two files. Both of which were converted to be iPad friendly, which turned them into huge files. The B&W version is over two gigs and the color version is nearly seven!

Maybe it's just too much for Calibre?

Has anyone had success with large files?

It takes a long time - click the spinner/jobs button to see more detailed progress.

04-18-2010, 11:35 AM	#1
jakimo Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NYC Device: iPad	PDF photographed books to iBooks Is there a simple way to convert large books that have been photographed into an ePub format that the iPad will be able to flip through? I'd like to convert these books without creating text out of them, as the folks that photographed used OCR to try to create ePub / text files from the same source and they didn't turn out well. Unless there's a VERY accurate OCR program that will do a better job than the folks at Archive.org can accomplish? For now the only way I've been able to read through, is by using GoodReader. I had to take the file and resave them in Preview to make them friendly to the iPad. (Apparently these photograph / scans of the book save in JPEG2000, which the iPad doesn't recognize at this time. Resaving them fixes the issue.) thanks for any tips or leads Jacques

04-18-2010, 11:48 AM	#3
jswinden Nameless Being	I think there is a program that allows you to save a series of images into a book. I cannot remember the name of the program or the formats it uses to save books. If the book is rather long, say a couple hundred pages or more in length, then you might have to break the book into multiple eBooks. Images cause an eBook file to be large, and hundreds of images can make for a huge eBook file which makes for slow loading times and sluggish behavior even on a fast desktop computer. I'm sure there are easier programs to use, but if all else fails you can use MS Word to create a book from all the images and then save it to a PDF. This will be a painfully slow and tedious process, so see what else is available. But if you do create your owns PDF from MS Word or another program, be sure to use small margins to get rid of excess white space and use a page size appropriate for the iPad. A typical PDF is saved as a 8.5 x 11 inch page. That is too big for the iPad and most other reading devices. Decrease the page size so that it fits your screen without decreasing the font sizes. Last edited by jswinden; 04-18-2010 at 11:51 AM.

04-18-2010, 01:27 PM	#7
lilman Addict Posts: 326 Karma: 960 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Florida, US Device: Kindle DX, iPad	-Edit- Nvm, I misunderstood what you were looking for. You want OCR, I thought you wanted photos. Last edited by lilman; 04-18-2010 at 04:39 PM.

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04-18-2010, 11:37 AM	#2
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	you basically posted the same question twice. see my answer here

04-18-2010, 12:39 PM	#5
tyche Addict Posts: 227 Karma: 2530 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, iPad	Maybe save the images as a cbz and use a comic reader.

04-18-2010, 12:46 PM	#6
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	the cbz is probably the best idea. but again you're looking at the same scanned images. only the container format (pdf, epub, cbz) is changing. it isn't going to make the images any better (and could be worse if there is additional compression going on). most cbz readers have tools for easily enlarging and panning around an image as many comic books are simply scanned into jpg and png files.

04-18-2010, 01:31 PM	#8
sachinwalia Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 26 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Device: iPhone 4, iPad, Kindle Fire, Kindle SO	If OCR doesn't give you good result then convert your PDF into individual image files. Use software like Sigil to create ePub out of these image files. You can easily import this ePub into iBooks. I have done it for some of my PDF. Your results will wary. Better is to use GoodReader.

04-18-2010, 04:07 PM	#11
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Calibre should change your PDF to an ePub. Have you tried it?

04-18-2010, 05:27 PM	#12
jakimo Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NYC Device: iPad	It seems to just hang. I tried it on two files. Both of which were converted to be iPad friendly, which turned them into huge files. The B&W version is over two gigs and the color version is nearly seven! Maybe it's just too much for Calibre? Has anyone had success with large files?

04-18-2010, 07:09 PM	#13
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Might want to post over in the Calibre forums. The developer is pretty active over there.

04-21-2010, 06:36 PM	#14
pagansoul Fanatic Posts: 509 Karma: 1098204 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Earth Device: iPhone5, iPad Gen3, Kobo, Kindle Fire, Kobo Vox. Samsung Galaxy Tab 7	Can't you simply use a PDF reader? There are several PDF readers for the iPad. I don't know which is the best but many are free or at a very low price. I have iPDF, ReaddleDocs ($5), PDF reader ($1), GoodReader ($1). There is also one called PDF Reader Pro @ $3.99. Shop the iTunes store to look at Screenshots and support pages.

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