Any point in getting Linux-savvy?

BobK99 · 03-16-2015, 01:06 PM

I have a fairly large reference book, produced with Sigil on Windows 7. I have the .epub file saved on a flash drive. It could do with a maintenance release.

I know Sigil has versions that run on both Windows and Linux - but this would be true (in a rather limited sense) if it was possible only to originate a book on either platform. But is it possible also to read sources, initially produced on one platform, with the other version of Sigil? Will the file formats need any kind of tweaking?

I'd prefer in the long run to work on Linux, but will it be necesssary- for purposes of maintaining sources initially produced on Window - to maintain a Windows machine (or partition on a dual-boot machine) just for that?

(I was going to just try it and see; when I used Sigil two years ago [on 0.2.0] it looked easy. I went to the download site and there were links for Windows, Linux, and Apple. But it doesn't look so straightforward now - and I wonder if a significant learning curve is going to be worth the effort.)

Thanks for any advice.

b

KevinH · 03-16-2015, 01:23 PM

Hi,

Sigil's native file format is a an epub. So any platform that runs Sigil will be able to read and open and modify that epub file. I regularly build and test on all 3 platforms: Linux, Windows, and Mac with no problems. If you do decide to go with Sigil, then make sure you download the very latest version Sigil 0.8.4 as it has many serious bug fixes in it that workaround issues in Qt 5.

So no need to worry about mixing platforms or needing to learn another, Sigil runs virtually identically on all 3.

KevinH

theducks · 03-16-2015, 03:14 PM

If it were not for the differences in the desktop, you probably could not tell which OS you were running Sigil on.

OK, I lie

You only need half as much hardware power (CPU and RAM) on Linux for equal performance.

The (multi-OS) caution with Calibre is mostly about how the filesystem does file names

Gregg Bell · 03-16-2015, 03:21 PM

I can't answer your technical questions but as a non-techie I have used Sigil on Linux (I don't have any MS) for years with no issues whatsoever. (And I have used Sigil previously on MS.) As far as I can tell there is no difference whatsoever.

Toxaris · 03-16-2015, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK99

(I was going to just try it and see; when I used Sigil two years ago [on 0.2.0] it looked easy.

Wait, you used version 0.2.0 two years ago? Even then that version was old... I can't really remember, but didn't Sigil had originally also its own fileformat in the early days?
Anyway, there are huge differences between 0.2.0 and the later versions. However, the learning curve has not increased. You can use the newer functions (and I recommend that), but HTML/CSS is still the core knowledge.

There is no difference between the Windows, Linux and Mac version.

BobK99 · 03-27-2015, 11:56 AM

Thanks very much everyone ;-). I've haven't logged in for a couple of weeks and assumed I'd be subscribed (and get automatic mails) by default.

My sources are .epub, which answers Toxaris's question.

One follow-up question: at https://github.com/user-none/Sigil/releases there's no mention of Linux. I want to run Sigil on Linux, rather than upgrade my W7 machine. Where can I find the Linux release for 0.8.4?

Thanks again.

b

theducks · 03-27-2015, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK99

Thanks very much everyone ;-). I've haven't logged in for a couple of weeks and assumed I'd be subscribed (and get automatic mails) by default.

My sources are .epub, which answers Toxaris's question.

One follow-up question: at https://github.com/user-none/Sigil/releases there's no mention of Linux. I want to run Sigil on Linux, rather than upgrade my W7 machine. Where can I find the Linux release for 0.8.4?

Thanks again.

b

Slightly above these posts has the links
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=211754

Extreme variations in Linux distributions made releasing ready-to-go Sigil (and others) a nightmare for the developers.

Thankfully our more knowledgeable users came to a rescue for us that just USE computers.

eschwartz · 03-27-2015, 12:30 PM

Through your distro, hopefully.

Sigil does not directly support linux, but it does provide build instructions and everything *should* work.
In fact, linux is a bit of a sore spot for the maintainer, who has had numerous issues with specific distros e.g. The Usual Suspects: Debian, Fedora/RedHat.

Although... linux distros often stink about providing timely updates. Some, e.g. Gentoo, Arch Linux, are rolling-release and do.

As stated above, you can find unofficial debian-based packages hosted here as well -- those are usually up to date,

KevinH · 03-27-2015, 02:50 PM

I would NOT get it from the distribution maintainers as many linux distributions are stuck at Qt 4.7 or 5.1 and are not using Qt 5.4. Some changes in Qt 5.3 or 5.4 are needed to both prevent crashes and to actually operate properly. For example, in Qt 5.3 or Qt 5.4 toStdString and fromStdString now automatically use and assume utf-8 for the encoding. In earlier Qt version this changed with locale and other things.

So I would simply build my own after downloading the very very latest Qt 5.4.1 or use one of DiapDealer's very nicely provided and up to date Linux builds.

exaltedwombat · 04-03-2015, 06:49 AM

The only reason for running Sigil under Linux would be that you really WANTED to use Linux.

eschwartz · 04-03-2015, 11:10 AM

... or your computer runs Windows XP, the processor supports SSE2, and you don't want to buy a new computer...

Then again, those are potential reasons for running linux generally.

BetterRed · 04-03-2015, 07:10 PM

If you wait a while you might be able to stick a Windows 8.1 PC dongle into your 4K TV

BR

03-16-2015, 01:06 PM	#1
BobK99 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: Kindle	Any point in getting Linux-savvy? I have a fairly large reference book, produced with Sigil on Windows 7. I have the .epub file saved on a flash drive. It could do with a maintenance release. I know Sigil has versions that run on both Windows and Linux - but this would be true (in a rather limited sense) if it was possible only to originate a book on either platform. But is it possible also to read sources, initially produced on one platform, with the other version of Sigil? Will the file formats need any kind of tweaking? I'd prefer in the long run to work on Linux, but will it be necesssary- for purposes of maintaining sources initially produced on Window - to maintain a Windows machine (or partition on a dual-boot machine) just for that? (I was going to just try it and see; when I used Sigil two years ago [on 0.2.0] it looked easy. I went to the download site and there were links for Windows, Linux, and Apple. But it doesn't look so straightforward now - and I wonder if a significant learning curve is going to be worth the effort.) Thanks for any advice. b

03-27-2015, 12:30 PM	#8
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Through your distro, hopefully. Sigil does not directly support linux, but it does provide build instructions and everything should work. In fact, linux is a bit of a sore spot for the maintainer, who has had numerous issues with specific distros e.g. The Usual Suspects: Debian, Fedora/RedHat. Although... linux distros often stink about providing timely updates. Some, e.g. Gentoo, Arch Linux, are rolling-release and do. As stated above, you can find unofficial debian-based packages hosted here as well -- those are usually up to date, Last edited by eschwartz; 03-27-2015 at 12:39 PM. Reason: edit: I was beaten...

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03-16-2015, 01:23 PM	#2
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,651 Karma: 5433388 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	Hi, Sigil's native file format is a an epub. So any platform that runs Sigil will be able to read and open and modify that epub file. I regularly build and test on all 3 platforms: Linux, Windows, and Mac with no problems. If you do decide to go with Sigil, then make sure you download the very latest version Sigil 0.8.4 as it has many serious bug fixes in it that workaround issues in Qt 5. So no need to worry about mixing platforms or needing to learn another, Sigil runs virtually identically on all 3. KevinH

03-16-2015, 03:14 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,812 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	If it were not for the differences in the desktop, you probably could not tell which OS you were running Sigil on. OK, I lie You only need half as much hardware power (CPU and RAM) on Linux for equal performance. The (multi-OS) caution with Calibre is mostly about how the filesystem does file names

03-16-2015, 03:21 PM	#4
Gregg Bell Gregg Bell Posts: 2,264 Karma: 3917588 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Itasca, Illinois Device: Kindle Touch 7, Sony PRS300, Fire HD8 Tablet	I can't answer your technical questions but as a non-techie I have used Sigil on Linux (I don't have any MS) for years with no issues whatsoever. (And I have used Sigil previously on MS.) As far as I can tell there is no difference whatsoever.

03-27-2015, 11:56 AM	#6
BobK99 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: Kindle	Thanks very much everyone ;-). I've haven't logged in for a couple of weeks and assumed I'd be subscribed (and get automatic mails) by default. My sources are .epub, which answers Toxaris's question. One follow-up question: at https://github.com/user-none/Sigil/releases there's no mention of Linux. I want to run Sigil on Linux, rather than upgrade my W7 machine. Where can I find the Linux release for 0.8.4? Thanks again. b

03-27-2015, 02:50 PM	#9
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,651 Karma: 5433388 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	I would NOT get it from the distribution maintainers as many linux distributions are stuck at Qt 4.7 or 5.1 and are not using Qt 5.4. Some changes in Qt 5.3 or 5.4 are needed to both prevent crashes and to actually operate properly. For example, in Qt 5.3 or Qt 5.4 toStdString and fromStdString now automatically use and assume utf-8 for the encoding. In earlier Qt version this changed with locale and other things. So I would simply build my own after downloading the very very latest Qt 5.4.1 or use one of DiapDealer's very nicely provided and up to date Linux builds.

04-03-2015, 06:49 AM	#10
exaltedwombat Guru Posts: 878 Karma: 2457540 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: none	The only reason for running Sigil under Linux would be that you really WANTED to use Linux.

04-03-2015, 11:10 AM	#11
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	... or your computer runs Windows XP, the processor supports SSE2, and you don't want to buy a new computer... Then again, those are potential reasons for running linux generally.

04-03-2015, 07:10 PM	#12
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,583 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	If you wait a while you might be able to stick a Windows 8.1 PC dongle into your 4K TV BR

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