05-26-2011, 03:13 AM | #1 |
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TABLES: How do you think I should do this layout?
I've got three pages of tables that didn't even fit in the paper book vertically that I need to reproduce in the eBook.
Apart from listing them: Column header Cell Data 2nd Column header 2nd cell dat 3rd Column header 3rd cell data then start all over again for the next row. Does anyone have any useful suggestions? |
05-26-2011, 08:12 AM | #2 |
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Personally I think e-books should reproduce the printed form, especially if someone might need a reference/quote from the book later on. By joining all three pages horizontally into a single page (remember, you can always zoom in), it could offset the page number for the rest of the book, thereby making the page references redundant.
PS: They're working on adding page numbers that correspond to the actual printed pages to ePUB, possibly other formats. If everything goes ok it should be enabled in the next ePUB revision. Last edited by DSpider; 05-26-2011 at 08:22 AM. |
05-26-2011, 02:09 PM | #3 |
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For complex tables, you could always include them as a graphic in the eBook; that's often the best way to do it.
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05-26-2011, 09:29 PM | #4 |
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05-26-2011, 09:42 PM | #5 |
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05-26-2011, 09:50 PM | #6 | |
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Quote:
I think it's going to be a list of some sort. However, I don't want to have to repeat the column headers for every row on the list. C'mon you geniuses pull a rabbit out of the hat for me. Where's that magic wand when you need it? |
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05-26-2011, 10:01 PM | #7 | |
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05-27-2011, 08:25 AM | #8 |
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I assumed you were going with PDF because of the sample, and it's why I suggested you stick with the original page numbers. If you wanna go with ePUB or something else, I'm not sure you can set the font size in percentage so it will reflow uniformly. Dynamic column width would be doable but the font size won't be dynamic. It's why people suggested graphics.
Actually yeah... Graphics. SVG graphics. Create the table in Inkscape and it will scale to the width (along with the text) just like a JPG/PNG will. And it will be crystal clear at any zoom level. Last edited by DSpider; 05-27-2011 at 08:36 AM. |
05-27-2011, 09:50 AM | #9 | |
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SVG is actually a good idea. But will it be too small on a 6" reader? |
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05-27-2011, 07:45 PM | #10 |
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I've done the tables with dynamic sizing and 0.9em text size and it looks reasonable as an ePub but viewed on the Kindle Previewer it's crap. It goes off the edge of the page on one device and you only see headers on another.
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05-27-2011, 08:44 PM | #11 |
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But Mobipocket and tables don't really work well together. So for the ePub you use the table and for Mobipocket, a graphic image (not SVG).
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05-27-2011, 10:26 PM | #12 |
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Personally, I think the problem arises from the original book's use of a table for verbose paragraphs of information. Attempting to follow their misstep is leading to grief.
You might consider a layout that is something more in the form of an outline or bullet list yielding copy with a linear flow. |
05-28-2011, 11:29 PM | #13 | |
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05-29-2011, 12:23 AM | #14 |
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From a reader's perspecive, tables are tough in an ebook, and worse when you try to fit too much information on one page especially if you want larger font(me) or have a small screen.
I would rather see this information in paragraphs even if you have to present it via links in the first instance. If I try to read tables without repeated headers, I often get lost and go back and forth trying to work out what bit goes with what, and those that are set in as pictures usually end up being too small for me to read effectively. (I hate putting specs on to read) I read the technical pdfs etc on my large computer screen because I find it too frustrating making sense of tables on my reader. |
05-29-2011, 04:23 PM | #15 |
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One issue with the table in the PDF. You have possible side effects after the remedy. So you have to skip a column, read the other column and move back.
But, I do think this information can be presented without having to use a table. Have a look at the spoiler to see what I mean. The information is not for everyone so I put it in a spoiler to be safe. Spoiler:
The problem is you are presenting too much information in a table format that really doesn't work unless you are talking about a fixed size space where you can hand craft the table to fit as best as possible. Last edited by JSWolf; 05-29-2011 at 04:34 PM. |
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