Does Kindle automatically Justify alignment?

[Woodssi]

Hello peeps,

Have received gift of a new Kindle Paperwhite, and a flash drive with a load of EPUBs on.
Have been reading posts (not on here) from people saying that the displayed text will be Justify by default, with no option on the Kindle itself to change this.

I'd prefer to read in left-aligned format.

As such, is there a straightforward .css template that I could link to the EPUB files, or is there an easier way of doing it?

Thanks in advance.

[DiapDealer]

A Kindle does not read epubs. You'd be better off asking in a kindle (or epub) forum if this is possible. It's not really a Sigil-specific question. The behavior of Epubs converted to Kindlebooks are not really our forte/concern. Our concern is making spec-compliant epubs.

[Woodssi]

Ok...

My current Kindle reads EPUBs just fine.

My question (or the possible solution) is about the .css file. Does that not come under a Sigil topic? (as it'll be Sigil I would use to amend the file)

If not, then I apologise and this thread can be closed.

[KevinH]

Actually your current kindle does not read epubs directly, instead it converts them to either a kf8 or kfx native kindle format. It is this conversion that is specific to Kindle that we are not experts on. Especially how it converts and injects its own css and how it interprets styling issues. That is why it is better to ask your question in our Kindle forum here on MobileRead to see how best to modify your existing css stylesheet to do what you want.

[KevinH]

You can create a new css file with css code to style the body to use justify left and link it after all existing css files in each xhtml file but I am not sure if a kindle conversion would respect that at all.

But people on the Kindle forum would know.

[Woodssi]

Ahh, I understand now.

I'll pop over to the Kindle forum and ask the question there.

[Notjohn]

I don't see your question in the Kindle Formats forum, so I'll post my tuppence-worth here:

My every paragraph style contains the line:

text-align:justify;

If you substitute "left" for "justify", your text will be as ugly (IMHO) as you want it to be.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

I don't see your question in the Kindle Formats forum, so I'll post my tuppence-worth here:

My every paragraph style contains the line:

text-align:justify;

If you substitute "left" for "justify", your text will be as ugly (IMHO) as you want it to be.

That's excess code. You only need to set the alignment once in body.

[DiapDealer]

I'm fairly certain that the Kindle Publishing Guidelines frown on forcing any kind of justification (full or left) for general body text. It's OK for a special stylized section of text, but forcing a justification value for ALL text can interfere with the reader's ability to make up their own mind (through device/app preferences) about what is "ugly" or not. Any attempts at forcing the user's choice in this regard is why Amazon might choose to ignore any such heavy-handed efforts to do so.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm fairly certain that the Kindle Publishing Guidelines frown on forcing any kind of justification (full or left) for general body text. It's OK for a special stylized section of text, but forcing a justification value for ALL text can interfere with the reader's ability to make up their own mind (through device/app preferences) about what is "ugly" or not. Any attempts at forcing the user's choice in this regard is why Amazon might choose to ignore any such heavy-handed efforts to do so.

Yet I've seen plenty of Kindle eBooks with justification set to full.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yet I've seen plenty of Kindle eBooks with justification set to full.

Just because some people do it incorrectly doesn't make it right....

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Just because some people do it incorrectly doesn't make it right....

Thing is, Amazon allows it so it happens.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm fairly certain that the Kindle Publishing Guidelines frown on forcing any kind of justification (full or left) for general body text. It's OK for a special stylized section of text, but forcing a justification value for ALL text can interfere with the reader's ability to make up their own mind (through device/app preferences) about what is "ugly" or not. Any attempts at forcing the user's choice in this regard is why Amazon might choose to ignore any such heavy-handed efforts to do so.

...and usually just rip it the hell out and then justify the text anyway.

Any efforts--to do any type of justification--justified, left-aligned, right-aligned--over the "body" text (body tag) or anything like that (e.g., the main paragraph style) are typically just ripped right the hell out in the final conversion.

IF you leave your file alone, no mandated alignment anywhere (except for small blocks like blockquote and the like, of course) and you have a more-recent eInk, you should be able to choose your own justification. If you have an older device, it will simply default to justified. Them's the breaks.

There is NO reason on God's green earth, in 2023 or frankly, since about 2015, for alignment to be on every paragraph formatting codes. Just...isn't.

Hitch

[DiapDealer]

I thought that was what happened, but I wasn't certain. Thanks for clarifying.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I thought that was what happened, but I wasn't certain. Thanks for clarifying.

Hell, that's because KDP is remarkably inconsistent with HOW they apply those rules. I've seen files where everything is ripped out and some where they aren't. Sometimes, it has to do with the source material too. Files submitted in similar timeframes...there aren't really good guides or guidelines, as we all know.

It's still the Wild West, in the backrooms of KDP, to be honest. You can spend a lot of time throwing darts at the wall back there and just...well, hope for the best. I remember 15 years ago trying to be all cutting edge, doing the "cool stuff" (like sidebars) and all that. NOW, I just want the damned things to be consistent, lol.

I find that we tend to be a lot more conservative now with what we do, for that reason. You just can't rely on them to do the same thing every. single. time. Not IME.

hitch