Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnRJohnson
I downloaded the Sigil ePUBOptimizer and it put a file on my desktop that was full of code with no instructions on how to install it.
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OK:
I'm sorry, but you are
seriously trying to learn to downhill ski before you can walk. Learning INDD is one thing--and it has a fairly steep learning curve--but deciding that you're going to learn INDD, AND learn how to make a FF ePUB at the same time--the hardest format there is to do correctly and well--is just madness.
First, stop with the FF file. Learn some basics about INDD. Then, learn to make a SIMPLE ePUB file. Do this by buying and reading Liz Castro's "ePUB:Straight to the Point," which focuses on precisely what you're doing: INDD and ePUB. There are also perfectly excellent tutorials on Lynda.com. Not free, but not back-breaking, either.
Start with a simple fiction or fiction-like book/ePUB. You will--this isn't optional--need to learn how to write some code, understand some HTML/CSS--if you are going to work on ePUB files. While INDD has come a long way, we still have to do quite a lot of tweaking to get an ePUB file from the output end of the process. You do that tweaking in either an editor like Sigil (or Calibre's ePUB editor), or an HTML editor.
After you've learned to make simple books, you can work up to making FF. FF has other requirements--that you have to learn how to make things not move around, unlike a regular ePUB--without using commands that can't be used in ePUB (like, setting absolute vertical- or horizontal-alignment).
The idea of a "slideshow" on each page--I can only assume that this is for the iPad, as no slideshow will work on any other device. You should learn to make ePUBS that will work on the vast majority of devices, rather than one only, at least, to get started. While I realize that this doesn't apply to you, based upon your description, there are a highly unfortunate number of folks out there learning to "make ePUBs" using the fairly dreadful iAuthor program, creating junk code left and right. As you are at the learning stage, using a professional-quality program like INDD, you have the opportunity to learn how to do it correctly. There are also some freebie YT tutorials you may find useful.
I hope this helps.
Hitch