MobileRead Forums - Need Help with Sigil Formatting

MobileRead Forums (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/index.php)

- Sigil (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=203)

- - Need Help with Sigil Formatting (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=338413)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf (Post 4107679)

For example, don't use chapter headers with overly large wasted space or offset text at a smaller size. Don't use paragraph spaces in the eBook as they don't work. Also, have the text full justified. But you only need to specify that once in the <body> class. Also, the main body text should not be given a font size so it an go with the default of 1em. Also, forget line-height as that doesn't work. Don't set a L/R margin. And don't embed fonts unless you have a need. Just trying to duplicate the fonts of the pBook doesn't work.

Your edits weren't in the thread when I quoted it. I was referring to your opinions - which I have highlighted in blue - and didn't even mention the inaccuracies - highlighted in red.

I'm not going to argue about whether your opinions are right or wrong - they are your opinions and you are welcome to them. I might even agree with some of them. But you need to be careful when you are telling people that they must follow your opinions, when that is definitely not true.

You certainly have experience with certain types of devices - and people would be foolish to disregard the experience of people on these forums. But please don't push your particular style preferences as a requirement. That's why I mentioned that the OP needs to adjust their style choices based on the target device's capabilities.

Quote:

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat (Post 4107685)

You can do it @Turtle91's way if you like. Easier to just define an alternative paragraph style.

I'm not sure if it easier to define a specific style for every paragraph. It certainly makes the code more bloated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat (Post 4107685)

Your EPUB code may be compatible with more devices if you ALWAYS give a <p> tag an explicit style. So define a "p.normal" style as well as a "p.extra_space_above" one.

Which devices are you referring to that would require an explicit class for each paragraph? I certainly am not familiar with all the devices out there, but it seems to me that if a device respects the css of a paragraph class, it would respect the css rules in general. No???

Quote:

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat (Post 4107685)

I agree with @JSWolf, white space is much more effective on the printed page than on screen.

I actually agree with the "too much space in the chapter title" looks bad on a screen opinion as well...but it is still an opinion. I've seen plenty of books that have very attractive chapter heads. If that is the choice of the publisher...and the author likes it... then, OK. It doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. It's just not something I would do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat (Post 4107685)

Don't fall into the trap of trying to make an eBook a fascimile of a well-designed printed page. It ain't going to happen!

Double thumbs up here! :2thumbsup

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle91 (Post 4107681)

Just a reminder - these are Jon's opinions - they are what he likes, and doesn't like. These are NOT requirements or limitations.

Exactly. We're not here to convince others to make their ebooks meet our own overly exacting, and quite personal, standards. Make your chapter headers take up as much space as you like, and offset smaller text to your heart's content. It's your book.

I, for one, am perfectly content with teaching someone the technicalities of how to do something (from a coding perspective) I personally don't think they should be doing in ebooks. I'm not the coding-standards/style police. There's no need for us to attempt to turn everyone new we meet into our epub-coding clones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatherBWriting (Post 4107398)

Hi! I am a newbie, working on my first epub and using Sigil.

Hey. Welcome to MobileRead! Glad to have you. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatherBWriting (Post 4107398)

I need help finding a few things, [...] how to insert more blank space between paragraphs on a page which has only three short paragraphs,

Do I have the perfect thread for you:

2019: "Problem adding extra lines in text"

:D

But here's a simple answer:

You could do it Turtle91's way, or you could create individual classes:

HTML:

Code:

<p>This is an example.</p>

<p class="margintop">This will have a margin above.</p>

<p class="margintop">This will also have a margin above.</p>

<p>This will not have a margin above.</p>

CSS:

Code:

p.margintop {

        margin-top: 1em;

}

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatherBWriting (Post 4107398)

and how to insert "separators" within a chapter when a new chapter is not called for, but there is a change in scene.

This is called a "scenebreak".

And just a few months ago—in Post #8 of the same the thread—I already preemptively answered you:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans (Post 4007112)

For scene breaks, best to just Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) with centered asterisks. See my 2019 post in "Why is it so hard to preserve blank lines?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatherBWriting (Post 4107398)

how to number pages,

Depends on what you mean and what you're trying to accomplish.

Like others have said, ebooks don't really have "pages".

If you already have a Print book fully completed/designed, and you're trying to match "physical page #"<->"ebook page #", then there are plenty of topics discussing RPNs ("Real Page Numbers")... but I'd say that's a relatively advanced topic.

My goodness. Thank you all for your input! I have spent my lunch hour reading through CSS tutorials online, and totally missed that the "margin-top" setting for the second paragraph would solve my problem. I will give this a try.

I want to thank you all for the helpful advice, links and suggestions, and for the courtesy and patience which you have all shown to a newcomer.

RatherBWriting (wouldn't we all)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle91 (Post 4107688)

You certainly have experience with certain types of devices - and people would be foolish to disregard the experience of people on these forums. But please don't push your particular style preferences as a requirement. That's why I mentioned that the OP needs to adjust their style choices based on the target device's capabilities.

If there is no specific target device, what would you suggest for formatting? I'm suggesting formatting that works in most cases. It works with the most popular Readers/software in the US. Kobo, Kindle, nook, and Books.

If formatting is used to try to duplicate the pBook version, then in a some cases, it doesn't work properly in all of those cases. For example, with a Kindle, most people never see embedded fonts because they don't select Publisher Font in the Aa menu. They just use whatever font they are happy reading with.

As for a section break, I've changed how I do it. I do it with a simple HR

Code:

hr {

  margin-top: 1em;

  margin-right: 40%;

  margin-bottom: 0.9em;

  margin-left: 40%;

  border-top: 2px solid;

}

Code:

<hr/>

<p class="noindent">This paragraph is not indented and in the start of a new section.</p>

It puts in a line for a section break surrounded by space. It works, it's simple, and it looks good.

Thank you, everyone! I am very grateful for the information. I have a day job, so unfortunately, this is going to have to wait for a few days before I dive in, but I want you to know that I truly appreciate the help.

RatherBWriting