MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Sigil-1.2.0 Released

Notjohn · 07-11-2020, 04:50 PM

I find it useful to have three panels open: a narrow one on the left showing all files and folders, then a wide one showing Code View, where I do my work, and on the right the Preview panel, which effectively makes Sigil WYSIWYG. I'm using 0.9.8, which was released last August. It does everything I need, and does it well.

First I clean Word's awful html using an online tool. There are also plug-ins that do the same thing. I then open the clean html file in Sigil and add my style sheet, which you are at liberty to borrow from notjohnkdp dot blogspot dot com, and link to it on the html file. I add the book title etc etc and commence splitting the main file into sections and chapters, typically winding up with forty or fifty individual files. I edit each section as I go, tweaking the paragraph tags wherever <p> does not suffice, and applying a heading class where appropriate. I have a rudimentary TOC already in place, so all I need do is link each entry to its appropriate individual file. At intervals during the working session I save the file and also save-a-copy of it to Dropbox (Sigil is the rare software with a command specifically for this purpose). At least once before I'm done I use the menu to edit html / prettify it, and to run the excellent Flight Crew validator plug-in.

IMHO Sigil is the only tool worth considering for building an ebook. It has the option of creating epub3, but I am happy with 2.

I'm sure you'll love it. Have fun!

07-11-2020, 04:50 PM	#70
Notjohn mostly an observer Posts: 1,519 Karma: 987654 Join Date: Dec 2012 Device: Kindle	I find it useful to have three panels open: a narrow one on the left showing all files and folders, then a wide one showing Code View, where I do my work, and on the right the Preview panel, which effectively makes Sigil WYSIWYG. I'm using 0.9.8, which was released last August. It does everything I need, and does it well. First I clean Word's awful html using an online tool. There are also plug-ins that do the same thing. I then open the clean html file in Sigil and add my style sheet, which you are at liberty to borrow from notjohnkdp dot blogspot dot com, and link to it on the html file. I add the book title etc etc and commence splitting the main file into sections and chapters, typically winding up with forty or fifty individual files. I edit each section as I go, tweaking the paragraph tags wherever <p> does not suffice, and applying a heading class where appropriate. I have a rudimentary TOC already in place, so all I need do is link each entry to its appropriate individual file. At intervals during the working session I save the file and also save-a-copy of it to Dropbox (Sigil is the rare software with a command specifically for this purpose). At least once before I'm done I use the menu to edit html / prettify it, and to run the excellent Flight Crew validator plug-in. IMHO Sigil is the only tool worth considering for building an ebook. It has the option of creating epub3, but I am happy with 2. I'm sure you'll love it. Have fun!