MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - base font size ? What unit should I use ?

NASCARaddicted · 05-10-2010, 01:25 PM

by the way, just to keep you updated, here are some things that I noticed - and basically solve my problem.

Some time ago, I downloaded a german epub ebook (Robinson Crusoe) from MR. I started to read it, but due to lack of time I didn't come far. Also, there have been other ebooks that I also wanted to read prior to this ebook.

Recently, I continued on this ebook. The font size on it was really good (I just checked and I get between 58-68 characters per line), so I unpacked the epub and looked at the css and the html files for something related to base size. And to my surprise, I didn't find anything ...

Well, before I continue, I have to start at the beginning: As I mentioned, standard epubs (that means without any change in fontsize) on the Bebook are awfully small. So when I convert from html to epub with calibre, I told calibre to change the font size to something around 20-24 pt. Since I was new into ebook readers I also tried the zoom button, but I noticed that only the first 2-3 zoom levels are useful, the other zoom levels were like: 2 lines per page (meaning 3 characters per line, not even a full word) - so deep did the Bebook zoom in.
So the whole zoom stuff was useless, since reading like 2 lines per page is rubbish.

Back to Robinson Crusoe. Out of boredom, I tried the zoom button and to my surprise, the zoom levels there were totally different. Even at the highest zoom level, the zoom was still useful (for half blind people, I have to admit). And the biggest surprise was yet to come.

I guess the zoom button is similar on many ebook readers. At least this is how it is on the Bebook: It goes only in 1 direction. So you zoom in and in and in, and once you are at the maximum zoom, the next level is back to the smallest again. And guess what: the smallest zoom level (or so to say: no zoom at all) is awfully small. Zooming in once got me back to the point, where the ideal 66 characters per line ...

So, when I use Zoom 1, the epub looks perfect, with the standard font size. But without zoom, the epubs are too small on the Bebook ...

So from now on, I will do my epubs without a base fontsize and just zoom in once ...

05-10-2010, 01:25 PM	#31
NASCARaddicted Addict Posts: 340 Karma: 43106 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Germany Device: BeBook One, Pocketbook Touch, Pocketbook Touch HD	by the way, just to keep you updated, here are some things that I noticed - and basically solve my problem. Some time ago, I downloaded a german epub ebook (Robinson Crusoe) from MR. I started to read it, but due to lack of time I didn't come far. Also, there have been other ebooks that I also wanted to read prior to this ebook. Recently, I continued on this ebook. The font size on it was really good (I just checked and I get between 58-68 characters per line), so I unpacked the epub and looked at the css and the html files for something related to base size. And to my surprise, I didn't find anything ... Well, before I continue, I have to start at the beginning: As I mentioned, standard epubs (that means without any change in fontsize) on the Bebook are awfully small. So when I convert from html to epub with calibre, I told calibre to change the font size to something around 20-24 pt. Since I was new into ebook readers I also tried the zoom button, but I noticed that only the first 2-3 zoom levels are useful, the other zoom levels were like: 2 lines per page (meaning 3 characters per line, not even a full word) - so deep did the Bebook zoom in. So the whole zoom stuff was useless, since reading like 2 lines per page is rubbish. Back to Robinson Crusoe. Out of boredom, I tried the zoom button and to my surprise, the zoom levels there were totally different. Even at the highest zoom level, the zoom was still useful (for half blind people, I have to admit). And the biggest surprise was yet to come. I guess the zoom button is similar on many ebook readers. At least this is how it is on the Bebook: It goes only in 1 direction. So you zoom in and in and in, and once you are at the maximum zoom, the next level is back to the smallest again. And guess what: the smallest zoom level (or so to say: no zoom at all) is awfully small. Zooming in once got me back to the point, where the ideal 66 characters per line ... So, when I use Zoom 1, the epub looks perfect, with the standard font size. But without zoom, the epubs are too small on the Bebook ... So from now on, I will do my epubs without a base fontsize and just zoom in once ...