MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - help. how do i convert my paperback novel to use on reader

rvdparis · 10-09-2009, 04:29 AM

If you have a Mac: You could try to just scan book pages with a regular scanner, and then OCR with Devonthink Pro Office (convert to pdf). It turns your PDF file into one that is indexed (you can select text, copy, paste, etc.). Then turn it into an RTF file to then be converted to ePub or whatever for your reader (pdf also can be put into epub format with Calibre). It is so easy, it's unbelievable. I have thousands of pdf files (some old articles) that I just churned through DTPro, then into epub. The results astonished me...I used OmniPage way back when, and had to do so much correction etc. Things have evolved since then. There are so few errors I found with DTPro, that I am sticking with it for now. DTPro Office uses an ABBY plugin to do the work.

If you've only got 6 books, then I would do the scan thing, OCR with DTPro Office and then epub them. Cutting up the books sounds like a good idea (will certainly make your job easier) but maybe not necessary if you're careful.

10-09-2009, 04:29 AM	#13
rvdparis Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 140 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kindle Touch + iPad 1 + iPhone 4	If you have a Mac: You could try to just scan book pages with a regular scanner, and then OCR with Devonthink Pro Office (convert to pdf). It turns your PDF file into one that is indexed (you can select text, copy, paste, etc.). Then turn it into an RTF file to then be converted to ePub or whatever for your reader (pdf also can be put into epub format with Calibre). It is so easy, it's unbelievable. I have thousands of pdf files (some old articles) that I just churned through DTPro, then into epub. The results astonished me...I used OmniPage way back when, and had to do so much correction etc. Things have evolved since then. There are so few errors I found with DTPro, that I am sticking with it for now. DTPro Office uses an ABBY plugin to do the work. If you've only got 6 books, then I would do the scan thing, OCR with DTPro Office and then epub them. Cutting up the books sounds like a good idea (will certainly make your job easier) but maybe not necessary if you're careful.