Formatting Issues With Ebook

insane9 · 01-15-2013, 06:49 PM

I've written an e-book and I'm using Caliber for the first time. I'm having alot of trouble. I've done hours and hours of research online but I cannot correct this problem, please see if you can help.

The 1st screenshot shows how my page looks in word. The second screenshot shows how the page looks in MOBI format.

The steps I take are simply: Save Word file as a .doc then use word to save as a .pdf then use Caliber to convert to MOBI

Why does it look different? I need it to look the same as it does in Word.

Also, page breaks don't seem to be working for me, which means all my chapters of the e-book are starting on the same page as the end of the last chapter. I want a to start my chapters on a fresh page.

I'm using Office 2010 on a Macbook Pro.

itimpi · 01-15-2013, 07:14 PM

Saving as PDF is about the worst thing to do as PDF on converts terribly in many cases. Try saving as HTMl and using that instead. Another possibility is using rtf format.

Also, since most eBook formats are HTML based seeing how the HTML looks is likely to be a good indication of how the eBook will look.

DoctorOhh · 01-16-2013, 12:44 AM

Welcome to MobileRead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by insane9

The steps I take are simply: Save Word file as a .doc then use word to save as a .pdf then use Caliber to convert to MOBI

Has itimpi as pointed out using PDF as a source for converting is not a good idea.

There is a docx plugin (scroll almost to the bottom of the list to find) that should allow you to convert from docx format to mobi. I'm unsure how well it works but is worth giving it a try.

FYI, There are sticky posts at the top of each calibre forum that are an excellent source of info for folks just starting out. One of the sticky posts for this forum is titled "Read this before Posting PDF Questions" which explains many of the pitfalls associated with converting from such a format.

Good Luck in your ebook creation process.

insane9 · 01-16-2013, 03:29 AM

Excellent stuff guys, thanks.

I ended up saving as a html file and then converting as you suggested.

I don't know why I was saving as pdf first. I think a website suggested it but obviously it's not the right way of doing it. The book looks properly formatted now.

Many thanks!

01-15-2013, 06:49 PM	#1
insane9 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: none	Formatting Issues With Ebook I've written an e-book and I'm using Caliber for the first time. I'm having alot of trouble. I've done hours and hours of research online but I cannot correct this problem, please see if you can help. The 1st screenshot shows how my page looks in word. The second screenshot shows how the page looks in MOBI format. The steps I take are simply: Save Word file as a .doc then use word to save as a .pdf then use Caliber to convert to MOBI Why does it look different? I need it to look the same as it does in Word. Also, page breaks don't seem to be working for me, which means all my chapters of the e-book are starting on the same page as the end of the last chapter. I want a to start my chapters on a fresh page. I'm using Office 2010 on a Macbook Pro. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by insane9; 01-15-2013 at 06:55 PM.

01-15-2013, 07:14 PM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 3,630 Karma: 561147 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (stanza/iBooks/QuickReader)	Saving as PDF is about the worst thing to do as PDF on converts terribly in many cases. Try saving as HTMl and using that instead. Another possibility is using rtf format. Also, since most eBook formats are HTML based seeing how the HTML looks is likely to be a good indication of how the eBook will look. __________________ Calibre2opds: Calibre library as a web site - the popular alternative to the Calibre Content Server CLOUD SERVICES: Dropbox: Use this link to sign up for a free 2GB Dropbox account and both of us get an extra 500MB free space. Megacloud: Use this link to sign up for a free 8GB MegaCloud account and both of us get an extra 500MB free space. Copy.com: Use this link to sign up for a free 15GB Copy.com account and both of us get an extra 5GB free space.

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01-16-2013, 03:29 AM	#4
insane9 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: none	Excellent stuff guys, thanks. I ended up saving as a html file and then converting as you suggested. I don't know why I was saving as pdf first. I think a website suggested it but obviously it's not the right way of doing it. The book looks properly formatted now. Many thanks!


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