New Epub Conversion Behavior with Calibre 1.39

[cromag]

I've used Calibre for several years. I don't delve into the internals, but I can tweak the options when I need to. I have just encountered new behavior (not sure I can call it a "bug") with Calibre 1.39.

First, my set-up. I run Calibre on an XP box, with appropriate Tools, mostly for Amazon (Kindle) downloads. I also run Calibre, with appropriate Tools, on my netbook running Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (with Cinnamon desktop replacing Unity) -- this works fine for Barnes & Noble (Nook) downloads. My preferred ereader is my Jetbook Lite, which works best with EPUB files.

I always convert to EPUB, even if I start with an EPUB file. The "stock" set-up for "Jetbook 5 inch" doesn't take page numbers into account and I move the right margin in from 5.0 pt. to 15.0 pt. I use the default settings for everything else. Up until now, that has worked perfectly.

Since upgrading to 1.39 I have had a problem that has occurred in three of the four conversions I've done. Two were AZW3 to EPUB (both encountered problems converting to EPUB, but converted to MOBI just fine), and two were EPUB to EPUB conversions (one worked fine, one encountered problems). Both EPUBs were DRM-free from the start. One EPUB was from Smashwords, and it converted as I expected -- the othe EPUB was from B&N (the current issue of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, DRM-free) and it DID have the new problem. It has me scratching my head.

The problem, when it occurs, is that the lines "overprint" each other. This shows up both on my Jetbook Lite and in the integrated E-Book Viewer.

After some thought, I found two ways to fix the problem, both in the "Look and Feel" section. The default value for "Minimum line height" is "120.0 %" -- if I increase that value it gets progressively better, and looks fine if I set it at 140 %.

I can also fix it by keeping "Minimum line height" at 120 % and increasing the "Line height" value from the default of 4.0 to a value of 12.0.

Interestingly, conversion to MOBI using the default values still works as it always did. I only have to tweak the values for EPUB conversions.


As I said, I have found a way to get the result I need, but I'm wondering if anyone else has encountered this.

Thanks, and I'm a first-timer to this part of MR, so please let me know if I've missed anything.

[theducks]

cromag
you might be running into the % of a % issue

The book had a 'tight' line spacing specified (might be compensating for a system font)
You don't have that over-spaced font font now, so things get smooshed and 120% is not enough to overcome the base.

Personally: I have a 'clip' of my default 'body (class)' css that I replace in the CSS using an editor

line-height: 1.2;

is one of the lines