CONNECT software chokes on big RTF file

TadW · 12-15-2006, 05:17 AM

First I converted a PDF to RTF (using Abbyys PDF Transformer) - the resulting RTF was around 45MB.

I then imported the RTF into the CONNECT software (w/o a problem) and tried to transfer it to my Reader. This didn't work. The CONNECT software became unresponsive, CPU usage was 99%, memory usage was between 350-580MB... only a kill through the Windows Taskmanager solved the problem.

Looks like a huge bug to me. Luckily the Reader did not suffer from this.

HarryT · 12-15-2006, 05:24 AM

It has been reported before that the maximum size RTF file that Reader is able to handle seems to be around 12-13MB. I'm sure if you split the file up into 4 pieces it'll be OK.

TadW · 12-15-2006, 05:27 AM

I'll try this, thanks Harry.

HarryT · 12-15-2006, 05:45 AM

If the file is so huge I'm guessing it's got pictures in it. RTF, as an "ASCII" file format, stores pictures in an astonishingly inefficient way; a 100kb picture can increase the size of the file by many MB. Since Reader doesn't show pictures in an RTF file, if the file has pictures you'll be able to make the file dramatically smaller by deleting them.

NatCh · 12-15-2006, 12:31 PM

You also might try opening the file in WordPad and saving it -- that seems to decrease my files' sizes by around 30% ... of course it also strips off all the Meta Data.

diabloNL · 12-15-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

You also might try opening the file in WordPad and saving it -- that seems to decrease my files' sizes by around 30% ... of course it also strips off all the Meta Data.

Or save it as Word6.0/95 .doc and then save it back to RTF.

airlik · 12-15-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

You also might try opening the file in WordPad and saving it -- that seems to decrease my files' sizes by around 30% ... of course it also strips off all the Meta Data.

I was converting Gutenberg texts to RTF using a Word macro someone posted here (works great, btw - though I had to use my office PC for it... I'd tried an OpenOffice macro I could use on my home PC with more mixed results - why can't OO do a simple search/replace for the equivalent of ^p???). I'd routinely get output for, say, a 700kb text of over 1.7MB - crazy increase! That's more than double! Went for the "save using WordPad" and it would often be less than the original Gutenberg file (since it removed a tonne of line break characters). I'd have to put the metadata back in manually, but that wasn't much of a pain.

NatCh · 12-15-2006, 01:46 PM

I haven't messed with the HTML versions of the PG texts, I've just been grabbing the RTF/TXT ones -- is there an advantage to the HTML versions that I've missed ('cause I haven't looked)?

igorsk · 12-15-2006, 01:54 PM

For Gutenberg files FangornUK's converter should work better, I think.

HarryT · 12-15-2006, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I haven't messed with the HTML versions of the PG texts, I've just been grabbing the RTF/TXT ones -- is there an advantage to the HTML versions that I've missed ('cause I haven't looked)?

They tend to be much more nicely formatted than the plain text versions, with bold and, italic text where appropriate, centred titles, etc. I always download HTML versions of PG books where they are available, then load into Word and convert to RTF in the usual way.

NatCh · 12-15-2006, 02:31 PM

Well butter my backside and call me a biscuit! The italics and bold alone are worth messing with it for.

12-15-2006, 05:17 AM	#1
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,467 Karma: 8144 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	CONNECT software chokes on big RTF file First I converted a PDF to RTF (using Abbyys PDF Transformer) - the resulting RTF was around 45MB. I then imported the RTF into the CONNECT software (w/o a problem) and tried to transfer it to my Reader. This didn't work. The CONNECT software became unresponsive, CPU usage was 99%, memory usage was between 350-580MB... only a kill through the Windows Taskmanager solved the problem. Looks like a huge bug to me. Luckily the Reader did not suffer from this.

12-15-2006, 05:24 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 22,342 Karma: 39165 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Gen3, Opus, iRex DR1000S, iPod Touch, HTC Touch, PRS-600, Kindle 2	It has been reported before that the maximum size RTF file that Reader is able to handle seems to be around 12-13MB. I'm sure if you split the file up into 4 pieces it'll be OK. __________________ Harry

12-15-2006, 05:45 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 22,342 Karma: 39165 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Gen3, Opus, iRex DR1000S, iPod Touch, HTC Touch, PRS-600, Kindle 2	If the file is so huge I'm guessing it's got pictures in it. RTF, as an "ASCII" file format, stores pictures in an astonishingly inefficient way; a 100kb picture can increase the size of the file by many MB. Since Reader doesn't show pictures in an RTF file, if the file has pictures you'll be able to make the file dramatically smaller by deleting them. __________________ Harry

12-15-2006, 12:31 PM	#5
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,417 Karma: 29262 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: PRS600	You also might try opening the file in WordPad and saving it -- that seems to decrease my files' sizes by around 30% ... of course it also strips off all the Meta Data. __________________ ΨΦ! "Torg, why do you have emergency pants?" -- Riff

12-15-2006, 01:46 PM	#8
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,417 Karma: 29262 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: PRS600	I haven't messed with the HTML versions of the PG texts, I've just been grabbing the RTF/TXT ones -- is there an advantage to the HTML versions that I've missed ('cause I haven't looked)? __________________ ΨΦ! "Torg, why do you have emergency pants?" -- Riff

12-15-2006, 05:27 AM	#3
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,467 Karma: 8144 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	I'll try this, thanks Harry.

12-15-2006, 01:54 PM	#9
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,021 Karma: 16050 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	For Gutenberg files FangornUK's converter should work better, I think.

12-15-2006, 02:31 PM	#11
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,417 Karma: 29262 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: PRS600	Well butter my backside and call me a biscuit! The italics and bold alone are worth messing with it for. __________________ ΨΦ! "Torg, why do you have emergency pants?" -- Riff

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