Is there a way to export .xhtml files from Sigil?

[Derek R]

Apologies if this has been covered before, or if I'm being a bit dense, but is there any easy way of exporting xhtml files from Sigil into a folder, or to copy and paste them all?

[Derek R]

Sorry, I've just figured this one out - simply highlight them all, right click and select "save as", then choose the folder you want to save them to.

[exaltedwombat]

Or, outside Sigil, change the epub file extention to zip. All the internal files will be revealed.

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

Or, outside Sigil, change the epub file extention to zip. All the internal files will be revealed.

A .epub is pretty much just a .zip file that is compressed a certain way. You should be able to UNcompress it using your typical zip program. I personally use 7-zip and just extract everything into a folder of the same name as the EPUB.

You could also use Calibre's "Tweak Book" option. If you load the book into Calibre, right click it, and press "Tweak Book". You should then be able to "Explode" and "Rebuild" the book.

[exaltedwombat]

If you've constructed a cleanly-coded epub there should be no need to take it anywhere near Calibre, except for its (excellent) library and transfer-to-device functions. If you want a Kindle version, drop the epub into Kindle Previewer.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

If you've constructed a cleanly-coded epub there should be no need to take it anywhere near Calibre, except for its (excellent) library and transfer-to-device functions. If you want a Kindle version, drop the epub into Kindle Previewer.

I get what your saying (and I don't use calibre to convert epubs to KindleBooks either), but the Tweak Book feature of calibre doesn't alter any code on its own. There's no conversion of any kind going on. It just explodes the ePub to a temporary directory where you can then edit the files manually (with an editor of your choice), and the rebuilds the archive (properly) when you're done. Nothing altered that you yourself didn't alter. Quite handy for those few (and often tiny) things that Sigil won't let you do (or let you do the way you want to do it).

No warning signs needed for the Tweak Book feature as it was being used/described.

[exaltedwombat]

I'm fascinated! What code can Tweak create that can't be entered in Sigil?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

I'm fascinated! What code can Tweak create that can't be entered in Sigil?

Oh, you know... stuff you probably wouldn't be interested in. Like adding the special xml file that allows iBooks to display embedded fonts. Or it could allow you to make simple changes to an ePub that has an alternative archive directory structure which Sigil would automatically rearrange (including altering links) to suit its own structural requirements.

And again ... Tweak Book doesn't "create" anything. It extracts the contents of an existing ePub to a temporary directory and then rebuilds the ePub when you're done doing whatever edits/deletions/additions you deem necessary.

[exaltedwombat]

Well, it sounds like it might 'create' this extra XML file. Can you point me to an epub archive that contains one?

[PeterT]

See https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/IBooks#Tips

Embedded fonts will not be used by iBooks unless a special file is included in the ePub with special content. The file is: META-INF/com.apple.ibooks.display-options.xml and must contain:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  <display_options>
  <platform name="*">
    <option name="specified-fonts">true</option>
  </platform>
</display_options>

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

Well, it sounds like it might 'create' this extra XML file. Can you point me to an epub archive that contains one?

No, it doesn't create the file. You create the file. In an editor of your choosing. Or you copy an existing version of the file. You just use Tweak Book to add the file to the ePub archive. You can't add or create the file using Sigil. Sigil will pretend the file is in the MISC folder if it already exists in the ePub, but it actually resides in the META-INF folder (alongside the container.xml file) which you can't access with Sigil. Is there a particular reason that you don't believe me when I tell you that Tweak Book doesn't "create" anything? I assure you, I'm not lying. It extracts and rebuilds the epub archive (rebuilds it the special way an epub archive needs to be created). The rest is up to you.

As to pointing you to an epub that contains one, you'll find that many commercial epubs contain that file nowadays (even though it's only required for iBooks). People that publish through iBooks/iTunes have to include the file if they want embedded fonts to display.

[exaltedwombat]

OK. Thanks for the explanation.
Sounds like a good reason to stick to standard fonts if you want a portable eBook.

[DiapDealer]

Sounds like a good reason to stick to standard fonts if you want a portable eBook.

Well I told you from the beginning it was likely to be stuff you wouldn't be interested in.

But just the same ... it really has nothing to do with portability. The embedded fonts will either render or they won't depending on the reading system encountered--but that's not usually a deal-breaker when it comes to basic readability.

[exaltedwombat]

Oh, I'm always interested. Sometimes you can't educate a client and have to attempt what they want!

I have a horrible feeling I'm going to be making a book with body text in comic sans next week. MAYBE she'll listen to reason...