MobileRead Forums - View Single Post

frabjous · 06-05-2009, 02:34 AM

I'm currently working on a project of trying to create a quality version of Bertrand Russell's Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy, a public domain title published in 1919, a classic in the philosophy of mathematics.

Beginning with a scan, I then created an HTML version, and have been trying to convert into a number of different formats. I really want to create one that will work on a Kindle.

See my personal project page here and the HTML version here.

But I seem to have reached some stumbling blocks with trying to convert it to .mobi format. There are two problems. Making matters worse is that I don't own a Kindle or other device capable of dealing with .mobi files personally (--though I can use the viewer in calibre--), so I rely on feedback from others.

The first involves the Hebrew letter aleph, which is used in post-Cantorian set theory for various infinite cardinal numbers. To create these in the HTML version, I use the HTML 4.0 Unicode code &alefsym; or &# 8501;, which works fine in the HTML version:

Converting the file to .mobi (using calibre) does seem to preserve this in the file. (If I then convert the .mobi to an .epub and stick it in my Sony, the alephs show up.) But it doesn't actually seem to work on a Kindle, at least not the first generation Kindle an acquaintance uses. He took this screenshot:

I guess this stems from the Kindle not providing full Unicode support.

Another problem, in a way more serious has to do with some overlining that gets used in the text. Here's an example passage from the HTML version:

This is done using the code <span style="text-decoration: overline;">blah blah</span> in the HTML.

Obviously, this is crucial to the meaning of the passage. But it's lost on the Kindle:

So my question is: what are my options here? I doubt I can expect firmware updates from Amazon to help, and I want the file to be useable without hacks or the link to people with 1st generation Kindles. (I'm not doing this for my own sake. I don't even have one.)

Would I get better results with another converter or tool?

Or do I have to do something more radical like replace the codes with small inline images or something similar? I can imagine this working so-so with the aleph, but with the overbar, getting a good quality look, especially if the font size is changeable, seems unlikely.

Any suggestions?

06-05-2009, 02:34 AM	#1
frabjous Wizard Posts: 1,213 Karma: 12890 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	Hebrew aleph and overlining problems I'm currently working on a project of trying to create a quality version of Bertrand Russell's Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy, a public domain title published in 1919, a classic in the philosophy of mathematics. Beginning with a scan, I then created an HTML version, and have been trying to convert into a number of different formats. I really want to create one that will work on a Kindle. See my personal project page here and the HTML version here. But I seem to have reached some stumbling blocks with trying to convert it to .mobi format. There are two problems. Making matters worse is that I don't own a Kindle or other device capable of dealing with .mobi files personally (--though I can use the viewer in calibre--), so I rely on feedback from others. The first involves the Hebrew letter aleph, which is used in post-Cantorian set theory for various infinite cardinal numbers. To create these in the HTML version, I use the HTML 4.0 Unicode code &alefsym; or &# 8501;, which works fine in the HTML version: Converting the file to .mobi (using calibre) does seem to preserve this in the file. (If I then convert the .mobi to an .epub and stick it in my Sony, the alephs show up.) But it doesn't actually seem to work on a Kindle, at least not the first generation Kindle an acquaintance uses. He took this screenshot: I guess this stems from the Kindle not providing full Unicode support. Another problem, in a way more serious has to do with some overlining that gets used in the text. Here's an example passage from the HTML version: This is done using the code <span style="text-decoration: overline;">blah blah</span> in the HTML. Obviously, this is crucial to the meaning of the passage. But it's lost on the Kindle: So my question is: what are my options here? I doubt I can expect firmware updates from Amazon to help, and I want the file to be useable without hacks or the link to people with 1st generation Kindles. (I'm not doing this for my own sake. I don't even have one.) Would I get better results with another converter or tool? Or do I have to do something more radical like replace the codes with small inline images or something similar? I can imagine this working so-so with the aleph, but with the overbar, getting a good quality look, especially if the font size is changeable, seems unlikely. Any suggestions?