CSS and HTML for Dummies

Sablerose · 12-30-2013, 05:37 PM

Now don't get the title wrong, I'm no dummy.

But I have ~almost~ no knowledge of CSS and HTML, and I'm trying to convert doc files to epubs, neatly.

At the moment, I'm using the Calibre editor, and the Web when I get stuck.

Can anyone recommend a beginner book? I'm only looking for clues to questions.

Katsunami · 12-30-2013, 09:00 PM

Read some beginner tutorials. There are many. HTML and CSS are very simple to learn. After you get the basics down, it's just a matter of finding the tags and properties to do what you want. If you're not looking to create some sort of highly advanced ebook layout, the basics are actually all you'll need.

What are your questions?

theducks · 12-30-2013, 09:13 PM

My first recommendation is understand 'The Box Model' aspect of HTML/CSS.

This the building blocks (pun intended

) of a book.

Build little test snippets of code to see what effect various values create.

Explore the code of things you like. Surprisingly, some complex looking effects (eg Feedbooks chapter heads) are really simple (and the inverse

is also true)

AlexBell · 12-31-2013, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sablerose

Now don't get the title wrong, I'm no dummy.

But I have ~almost~ no knowledge of CSS and HTML, and I'm trying to convert doc files to epubs, neatly.

At the moment, I'm using the Calibre editor, and the Web when I get stuck.

Can anyone recommend a beginner book? I'm only looking for clues to questions.

I recommend two books by Elizabeth Castro, both from Peachpit Press:
HTML, XHTML & CSS - this is focussed on website design, and I found easy to translate the information there to ePub design.

EPUB Straight to the Point - 'Creating ebooks for the Apple iPad and other ereaders.' It's a little dated but has some beautiful markup in the text.

Could I suggest, if I may, that 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.' I think it's well worth the time to get a working knowledge of web design, and then use these books and the internet resources mentioned above to tidy up the details. I've also found it very helpful to open up other people's ebooks from the MR library to see how to experts do it.

PS: I suggest the original post might get better responses in the ePub forum.

Sablerose · 12-31-2013, 06:07 AM

@Katsunami. Thanks, I've been trolling the forums for tutorials just today, found a couple. I'll be reading most of New Year's Eve day. My questions right now are mainly about the <span> tag

@theducks I'm trying mostly to make clean ePub copies from lit, mobi, etc. books that I have copied into docx form, mainly for edit/format reasons. So I'm working to do basic things with less-than-basic knowledge. Once I've gotten working on my edits better, I may do more exploring.

@alexbell I agree with the "little knowledge" idea. Thanks for the book suggestions. Great idea re: the MR books. And I will repost over on the ePub forums. Wasn't sure where to post for best responses.

Thanks for all the great ideas.

drjenkins · 12-31-2013, 06:26 AM

I recommend the W3Schools site. It's not a book, but it's free.
http://www.w3schools.com/

They have tutorials and references for HTML and CSS:
http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp
http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp

DrChiper · 12-31-2013, 06:51 AM

Further, you have to take into account the differences in the e-book readers themselves: what looks good in 1 particular reader/browser, may be a mess in another reader/browser despite using the same correct CSS / HTML code...

Sablerose · 12-31-2013, 06:27 PM

@drjenkins LOL, have it set as a homepage tab in Firefox already. But thanks for offering the info.

@DrChiper Fortunately, I'm only after epubs that will work for myself, on my iPod Touch. But thanks for that clue, since lots of people aren't just looking for working files for just one reader.

mrmikel · 12-31-2013, 06:38 PM

There are some things in web HTML that will not work at all in epubs, name, for instance to identify an anchor. You use id instead, so you have to be careful about those sort of things.

AlexBell · 01-01-2014, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmikel

There are some things in web HTML that will not work at all in epubs, name, for instance to identify an anchor. You use id instead, so you have to be careful about those sort of things.

Yes, I agree. But if SableRose looks for XHTML 1.1 which is common to websites and ePub he or she should be safe.

12-30-2013, 05:37 PM	#1
Sablerose Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona USA Device: iPod Touch 6G	CSS and HTML for Dummies Now don't get the title wrong, I'm no dummy. But I have ~almost~ no knowledge of CSS and HTML, and I'm trying to convert doc files to epubs, neatly. At the moment, I'm using the Calibre editor, and the Web when I get stuck. Can anyone recommend a beginner book? I'm only looking for clues to questions.

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12-30-2013, 09:00 PM	#2
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	Read some beginner tutorials. There are many. HTML and CSS are very simple to learn. After you get the basics down, it's just a matter of finding the tags and properties to do what you want. If you're not looking to create some sort of highly advanced ebook layout, the basics are actually all you'll need. What are your questions?

12-30-2013, 09:13 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,800 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	My first recommendation is understand 'The Box Model' aspect of HTML/CSS. This the building blocks (pun intended ) of a book. Build little test snippets of code to see what effect various values create. Explore the code of things you like. Surprisingly, some complex looking effects (eg Feedbooks chapter heads) are really simple (and the inverse is also true)

12-31-2013, 06:07 AM	#5
Sablerose Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona USA Device: iPod Touch 6G	@Katsunami. Thanks, I've been trolling the forums for tutorials just today, found a couple. I'll be reading most of New Year's Eve day. My questions right now are mainly about the <span> tag @theducks I'm trying mostly to make clean ePub copies from lit, mobi, etc. books that I have copied into docx form, mainly for edit/format reasons. So I'm working to do basic things with less-than-basic knowledge. Once I've gotten working on my edits better, I may do more exploring. @alexbell I agree with the "little knowledge" idea. Thanks for the book suggestions. Great idea re: the MR books. And I will repost over on the ePub forums. Wasn't sure where to post for best responses. Thanks for all the great ideas.

12-31-2013, 06:26 AM	#6
drjenkins Addict Posts: 250 Karma: 1702156 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	I recommend the W3Schools site. It's not a book, but it's free. http://www.w3schools.com/ They have tutorials and references for HTML and CSS: http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp

12-31-2013, 06:51 AM	#7
DrChiper Bookish Posts: 907 Karma: 1803094 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: PC, t1, t2, t3, aura 2 v1, clara HD, Libra 2, Nxtpaper 11	Further, you have to take into account the differences in the e-book readers themselves: what looks good in 1 particular reader/browser, may be a mess in another reader/browser despite using the same correct CSS / HTML code...

12-31-2013, 06:27 PM	#8
Sablerose Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona USA Device: iPod Touch 6G	@drjenkins LOL, have it set as a homepage tab in Firefox already. But thanks for offering the info. @DrChiper Fortunately, I'm only after epubs that will work for myself, on my iPod Touch. But thanks for that clue, since lots of people aren't just looking for working files for just one reader.

12-31-2013, 06:38 PM	#9
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	There are some things in web HTML that will not work at all in epubs, name, for instance to identify an anchor. You use id instead, so you have to be careful about those sort of things.

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