Page breaks and file splitting

1v4n0 · 11-22-2013, 03:53 AM

Hello.

I was wondering wether there is a way to split an epub into more html files (so it's not too heavy to handle) without having page breaks between one file and the next one, so you don't notice anything while reading it, i.e. so it flows seamlessly from beginning to end.

Hope I made myself clear

Thanks.

SBT · 11-22-2013, 04:37 AM

Ah, I think I know the answer to this one...

No.

I don't know if it is actually a part of the EPUB specification, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but all the readers I've come across have an implicit page break on new files. There's no way to work around it, I'm afraid, apart from writing your own custom reader...

1v4n0 · 11-22-2013, 04:39 AM

Ha. Thanks.

So, you know how much an html file can weigh before the reader starts having problems processing it?

SBT · 11-22-2013, 05:16 AM

Hang on, I know that one too...

300kB

And that's according to the EPUB spec. Some readers are forgiving, and permit larger files, others (e.g. my old PRS-505) don't.

Toxaris · 11-22-2013, 06:35 AM

Actually, I do not think that the 300kB is in the actual specs. It is really depending on the reader. A lot of older readers have limited memory and processors and those really limit the size.

Also, it is actually closer around 286kB

mrmikel · 11-22-2013, 09:00 AM

Even if a large file doesn't break it, it can slow it down.

theducks · 11-22-2013, 10:20 AM

260K (calibe's default) is a safer number if Images, fonts are aso to be used.

And yes it BREAKS (as in crash) the reading ap on many MRSDK based devices.
Smaller is even better as you point out: Big (of under 260K) files do sloooow things down a whole lot.

theducks · 11-22-2013, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1v4n0

Hello.

I was wondering wether there is a way to split an epub into more html files (so it's not too heavy to handle) without having page breaks between one file and the next one, so you don't notice anything while reading it, i.e. so it flows seamlessly from beginning to end.

Hope I made myself clear

Thanks.

When did we shift our perceptions of how a book should be read, or did we come full circle back to scrolls?

(

weren't scrolls read side to side anyway?)

With dead tree books you read a real page(tm) and then either have to look to the right or Flip

with a massive delay before your eyes track and lock on to the new starting point to continue reading.

The Horrors of printed books!

mrmikel · 11-22-2013, 11:35 AM

Flowing seamlessly into eyestrain and headache I think. They could publish books (and they did) on scrolls if seamlessly was so desirable. This sounds like a programmer's idea, not a reader's.

eschwartz · 11-22-2013, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBT

Ah, I think I know the answer to this one...

No.

I don't know if it is actually a part of the EPUB specification, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but all the readers I've come across have an implicit page break on new files. There's no way to work around it, I'm afraid, apart from writing your own custom reader...

Um, what about the css

Code:

page-break-before: avoid;

Where did that go, exactly? It was created for exactly this usage situation, and I can't imagine any reader would refuse to respect that.

Put that in the top element of each new page (or alternatively, use page-break-after: avoid; at the END of each page). In fact, calibre will automatically split all files above a certain size (configurable) during every ePub conversion, for EXACTLY this reason, and takes care of adding the page-break-(whichever):avoid.

Although this shouldn't be a problem in any book that splits on each chapter...

Toxaris · 11-22-2013, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Um, what about the css

Code:

page-break-before: avoid;

Where did that go, exactly? It was created for exactly this usage situation, and I can't imagine any reader would refuse to respect that.

No reader I know will honor this... It should avoid a pagebreak before an element within the same HTML file, not between HTML files.

11-22-2013, 03:53 AM	#1
1v4n0 Groupie Posts: 173 Karma: 40000 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	Page breaks and file splitting Hello. I was wondering wether there is a way to split an epub into more html files (so it's not too heavy to handle) without having page breaks between one file and the next one, so you don't notice anything while reading it, i.e. so it flows seamlessly from beginning to end. Hope I made myself clear Thanks.

11-22-2013, 11:35 AM	#9
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	Flowing seamlessly into eyestrain and headache I think. They could publish books (and they did) on scrolls if seamlessly was so desirable. This sounds like a programmer's idea, not a reader's. Last edited by mrmikel; 11-22-2013 at 07:37 PM.

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11-22-2013, 04:37 AM	#2
SBT Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 810184 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Norway Device: prs-t1, tablet, Nook Simple, assorted kindles, iPad	Ah, I think I know the answer to this one... No. I don't know if it is actually a part of the EPUB specification, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but all the readers I've come across have an implicit page break on new files. There's no way to work around it, I'm afraid, apart from writing your own custom reader...

11-22-2013, 04:39 AM	#3
1v4n0 Groupie Posts: 173 Karma: 40000 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	Ha. Thanks. So, you know how much an html file can weigh before the reader starts having problems processing it?

11-22-2013, 05:16 AM	#4
SBT Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 810184 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Norway Device: prs-t1, tablet, Nook Simple, assorted kindles, iPad	Hang on, I know that one too... 300kB And that's according to the EPUB spec. Some readers are forgiving, and permit larger files, others (e.g. my old PRS-505) don't.

11-22-2013, 06:35 AM	#5
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Actually, I do not think that the 300kB is in the actual specs. It is really depending on the reader. A lot of older readers have limited memory and processors and those really limit the size. Also, it is actually closer around 286kB

11-22-2013, 09:00 AM	#6
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	Even if a large file doesn't break it, it can slow it down.

11-22-2013, 10:20 AM	#7
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,994 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	260K (calibe's default) is a safer number if Images, fonts are aso to be used. And yes it BREAKS (as in crash) the reading ap on many MRSDK based devices. Smaller is even better as you point out: Big (of under 260K) files do sloooow things down a whole lot.

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