Content Resize Fonts in Extra Large Print eBooks

Tuba · 09-16-2010, 05:42 AM

If I buy A Canticle for Leibowitz in Extra Large Print, Kindle compatible, can I resize the font in Calibre to match a normal eBook on my DXG?

seagull · 09-16-2010, 06:06 AM

All you need to do is a straight convert and it will be fine, you don't even need to adjust the settings.

Tuba · 09-16-2010, 07:22 AM

But it says it is "Kindle compatible". So if I just send it from Calibre to my Kindle won't the font still be huge?

wallcraft · 09-16-2010, 09:52 AM

On a Kindle 1, the original ebook only allows font sizes 5 and 6 plus a font size 7 that isn't normally available, see Extra Large Print Kindle ebooks. Under Kindle for PC, the original ebook allows selection of all font sizes.

As seagull says, a MOBI to MOBI conversion in Calibre will rescale all the fonts. This might be enough to get a smaller font size, or you may have to explicitly select a --base-font-size (e.g. 8 or 12 points) to get a reasonable size via Calibre.

Tuba · 09-16-2010, 11:46 AM

Thanks wallcraft.
I saw your original post when I was researching this issue. To be honest I didn’t really understand it - although it looked like it had a lot of good info in there for people that know eBooks well.

I’m still a newbie when it comes to eBooks and this will be my first non-Amazon eBook purchase. It will be great (i.e., save me $) if I can buy eBooks from somewhere other than Amazon. But I’m still not clear on all the formatting issues and wonder if I will be saving a few bucks only to spend a few hours of trial-and-error trying to get the book converted for my DXG.

seagull · 09-16-2010, 04:24 PM

1. Buy and download the book
2. Boot up Calibre and import it
3. Right-click it then Convert E-books > Convert Individually
4. Under Look & Feel the base font size should be 0.0pt
5. Convert from mobi to mobi
6. Transfer to Kindle

Tuba · 09-16-2010, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seagull

1. Buy and download the book
2. Boot up Calibre and import it
3. Right-click it then Convert E-books > Convert Individually
4. Under Look & Feel the base font size should be 0.0pt
5. Convert from mobi to mobi
6. Transfer to Kindle

Didn't work. Maybe the problem is that it's a .prc file, not a mobi file?

Tuba · 09-16-2010, 07:44 PM

Tried converting twice, from .prc to mobi and then from mobi to mobi. No luck.

Then tried playing with font sizes in Calibre. Still NG.

Lesson learned - only buy eBooks from Amazon for the DXG. At least Good thing I only wasted $3.50.

susan_cassidy · 09-16-2010, 07:46 PM

If you know someone proficient in HTML, it is easy to convert to HTML, edit the font tags, then convert back to .mobi.

Edited to add: come to think of it, the html involved is so simple, you should be able to do it yourself.

I got that book a long time ago, during a free giveaway, and edited mine. I'm a programmer, and I'm used to HTML, but it was a simple fix.

Tuba · 09-16-2010, 08:09 PM

Thanks for the HTML suggestion. I actually have a few websites for which I do the HTML myself using NoteTab Light so I'd be fine editing the font tags but actually I think I got it to work with Calibre!

Maybe this will save the next person a few hours worth of work. In Calibre conversion I clicked the Wizard button and picked these settings:

SensualPoet · 09-19-2010, 08:27 PM

This thread raised a number of interesting questions for me.

A Canticle for Leibowitz is clearly a classic of science fiction (and thought fiction) -- and a common element of university academic experience. The author, Walter M. Miller, Jr., died 13 years ago; the title was first published in 1959; it won a Hugo in 1961and has been a "classic" ever since. This is not PD, but it's essentially not in print as an e-book. A paperback is in print -- in Canada for a modest $16.25 at Chapters/Indigo (!).

This thread is all about a consumer desperately trying to find a legal e-edition copy and ended up with one choice -- a large print edition for $3.50, then hoops and hoops to get it rejigged for normal use.

Yet a simple search at Google turns up a perfectly good copy in .rtf and .pdf which can be ingested by Calibre and exported to ePub and mobi for consumption on your e-reader ... free. Lots and lots of titles are NOT easily available: but here's an example of a highly celebrated work, which has no business being out of print, and it's not being sold legitimately as an e-book.

This is the a damning indictment, in my opinion, of how publishers simply don't "get it". They are leaving money on the table. How many high school, college and university courses this fall will assign this seminal work? Why on earth is it not available at a reasonable price (or at all) as an ebook?

SensualPoet · 09-19-2010, 08:50 PM

I'm sorry, I also meant to mention the book is available as a "daisy edition", free, at archive.org -- http://www.archive.org/details/canticleforleibo00mill

Tuba · 09-23-2010, 09:59 AM

Sad but true.
I still don’t have the font size quite right. Tried a few revisions to the settings above but they all come out the same size which is slightly too small, ironically. So I have to increase the font size via the Kindle’s settings. But then the dictionary font looks huge when I need to look up a word.

I try to avoid the darknet for books that are available for purchase but sometimes being good is hard work.

P.S. - Never heard of Daisy before. Looks like some sort of book reading for the disabled. Is it legal to convert it for use on the Kindle? Couldn't find any good info on here or on the 'net.

09-16-2010, 05:42 AM	#1
Tuba Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 592 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Resize Fonts in Extra Large Print eBooks If I buy A Canticle for Leibowitz in Extra Large Print, Kindle compatible, can I resize the font in Calibre to match a normal eBook on my DXG?

09-19-2010, 08:27 PM	#11
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	This thread raised a number of interesting questions for me. A Canticle for Leibowitz is clearly a classic of science fiction (and thought fiction) -- and a common element of university academic experience. The author, Walter M. Miller, Jr., died 13 years ago; the title was first published in 1959; it won a Hugo in 1961and has been a "classic" ever since. This is not PD, but it's essentially not in print as an e-book. A paperback is in print -- in Canada for a modest $16.25 at Chapters/Indigo (!). This thread is all about a consumer desperately trying to find a legal e-edition copy and ended up with one choice -- a large print edition for $3.50, then hoops and hoops to get it rejigged for normal use. Yet a simple search at Google turns up a perfectly good copy in .rtf and .pdf which can be ingested by Calibre and exported to ePub and mobi for consumption on your e-reader ... free. Lots and lots of titles are NOT easily available: but here's an example of a highly celebrated work, which has no business being out of print, and it's not being sold legitimately as an e-book. This is the a damning indictment, in my opinion, of how publishers simply don't "get it". They are leaving money on the table. How many high school, college and university courses this fall will assign this seminal work? Why on earth is it not available at a reasonable price (or at all) as an ebook? Last edited by SensualPoet; 09-19-2010 at 08:30 PM. Reason: typos

09-19-2010, 08:50 PM	#12
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	I'm sorry, I also meant to mention the book is available as a "daisy edition", free, at archive.org -- http://www.archive.org/details/canticleforleibo00mill Last edited by Dr. Drib; 02-22-2012 at 01:48 PM.

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09-16-2010, 06:06 AM	#2
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	All you need to do is a straight convert and it will be fine, you don't even need to adjust the settings.

09-16-2010, 07:22 AM	#3
Tuba Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 592 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	But it says it is "Kindle compatible". So if I just send it from Calibre to my Kindle won't the font still be huge?

09-16-2010, 09:52 AM	#4
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	On a Kindle 1, the original ebook only allows font sizes 5 and 6 plus a font size 7 that isn't normally available, see Extra Large Print Kindle ebooks. Under Kindle for PC, the original ebook allows selection of all font sizes. As seagull says, a MOBI to MOBI conversion in Calibre will rescale all the fonts. This might be enough to get a smaller font size, or you may have to explicitly select a --base-font-size (e.g. 8 or 12 points) to get a reasonable size via Calibre.

09-16-2010, 11:46 AM	#5
Tuba Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 592 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Thanks wallcraft. I saw your original post when I was researching this issue. To be honest I didn’t really understand it - although it looked like it had a lot of good info in there for people that know eBooks well. I’m still a newbie when it comes to eBooks and this will be my first non-Amazon eBook purchase. It will be great (i.e., save me $) if I can buy eBooks from somewhere other than Amazon. But I’m still not clear on all the formatting issues and wonder if I will be saving a few bucks only to spend a few hours of trial-and-error trying to get the book converted for my DXG.

09-16-2010, 04:24 PM	#6
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	1. Buy and download the book 2. Boot up Calibre and import it 3. Right-click it then Convert E-books > Convert Individually 4. Under Look & Feel the base font size should be 0.0pt 5. Convert from mobi to mobi 6. Transfer to Kindle

09-16-2010, 07:44 PM	#8
Tuba Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 592 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Tried converting twice, from .prc to mobi and then from mobi to mobi. No luck. Then tried playing with font sizes in Calibre. Still NG. Lesson learned - only buy eBooks from Amazon for the DXG. At least Good thing I only wasted $3.50.

09-16-2010, 07:46 PM	#9
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	If you know someone proficient in HTML, it is easy to convert to HTML, edit the font tags, then convert back to .mobi. Edited to add: come to think of it, the html involved is so simple, you should be able to do it yourself. I got that book a long time ago, during a free giveaway, and edited mine. I'm a programmer, and I'm used to HTML, but it was a simple fix.

09-16-2010, 08:09 PM	#10
Tuba Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 592 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Thanks for the HTML suggestion. I actually have a few websites for which I do the HTML myself using NoteTab Light so I'd be fine editing the font tags but actually I think I got it to work with Calibre! Maybe this will save the next person a few hours worth of work. In Calibre conversion I clicked the Wizard button and picked these settings:

09-23-2010, 09:59 AM	#13
Tuba Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 592 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Sad but true. I still don’t have the font size quite right. Tried a few revisions to the settings above but they all come out the same size which is slightly too small, ironically. So I have to increase the font size via the Kindle’s settings. But then the dictionary font looks huge when I need to look up a word. I try to avoid the darknet for books that are available for purchase but sometimes being good is hard work. P.S. - Never heard of Daisy before. Looks like some sort of book reading for the disabled. Is it legal to convert it for use on the Kindle? Couldn't find any good info on here or on the 'net.

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