Is 85 MB pdf book too big to convert?

skoy64 · 01-20-2016, 09:14 AM

Hi everybody;

I am using the latest version of Calibre. I've never encountered this problem.
I am trying to convert this huge file ( an encyclopedia) to different formats. Epub and AZW3.
The little circle at the bottom right keeps spinning and spinning. It never stops. I closed Calibre several times. Nothing works.
Is there anything I can do? I was able to convert smaller pdf files in the past.

Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

Best regards from snowy Kentucky.

phossler · 01-20-2016, 09:16 AM

Let it run over night

skoy64 · 01-20-2016, 09:20 AM

Thanks Phossler. That circle is still going hard!!! Almost 20 minutes.

theducks · 01-20-2016, 09:27 AM

I would allow more than just overnight.

Lots of Words n' Pictures
Oh My!

IMHO
If you Ency' is multi-column ...
Forget converting. It will be mangled

Read it as a native PDF (on a tablet)
AZW4 is Amazons PDF (wrapper, but not a Calibre output option)

PeterT · 01-20-2016, 12:20 PM

Remember PDFs are not the best input source. You'd probably do better using a tool more suited to converting a PDF to a format such as DOC or ODT and then converting that to epub.

Additionally calibre is not well suited to certain conversions. I know that both bibles and dictionaries are not good choices; I'm not sure about encyclopedias.

eschwartz · 01-20-2016, 12:23 PM

Some conversions have been known to take upwards of 48 hours, particularly dictionaries which have pathologically complex markup.

The fact that it is 85 MB and a PDF doesn't help at all.

Given enough time and RAM, calibre can probably convert it, but I would be prepared to wait... a lot!

BetterRed · 01-20-2016, 02:44 PM

all of the above and then some.

Your Fire can read PDF's, as has been said an AZW4 is a PDF wrapped in a proprietary wrapper, someone at MR will know how to remove the wrapper.

This tool k2pdfopt optimises PDFs for viewing on e-readers, I've used it on occasions to cast 2 column layouts into single column to read on an el-cheapo android tablet.

BR

Divingduck · 01-20-2016, 03:02 PM

I use different ways to work with complex PDF files. One is to open this files with MS Word 2013. This version have an integrated PDF-Reflow converter that sometimes have better results then an export with Acrobat DC to docx. It is maybe an optional workflow.

skoy64 · 01-22-2016, 07:34 AM

Thanks a lot to everybody who took his/her time for suggestions.

Calibre did what it does best!

It took about 40-45 minutes to convert to epub and azw3.

I will keep the original pdf file just in case the kindle doesn't work properly.

Take care everybody.

Katsunami · 01-24-2016, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skoy64

Thanks Phossler. That circle is still going hard!!! Almost 20 minutes.

Njahahaha.... twenty minutes is nothing. Delphi Classics has omnibus books that convert for over an hour, especially on somewhat older computers. Just leave it running.

However, use the 64-bit version of Calibre on a computer that has at least 8 GB of RAM available. If you don't, Calibre can run out of memory and the conversion will fail.

Sabardeyn · 01-26-2016, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skoy64

I will keep the original pdf file just in case the kindle doesn't work properly.

Definitely keep the original PDF, permanently, if you can afford the HDD/CD/DVD space. Personally, I suggest doing so forever, just in case. But at least until you read each and every word in the converted ebook to make sure that everything has converted over okay. Sometimes things look fine at first glance but farther into the text things go

!

01-20-2016, 09:14 AM	#1
skoy64 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Georgetown, KY Device: kindle fire	Is 85 MB pdf book too big to convert? Hi everybody; I am using the latest version of Calibre. I've never encountered this problem. I am trying to convert this huge file ( an encyclopedia) to different formats. Epub and AZW3. The little circle at the bottom right keeps spinning and spinning. It never stops. I closed Calibre several times. Nothing works. Is there anything I can do? I was able to convert smaller pdf files in the past. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated. Best regards from snowy Kentucky.

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01-20-2016, 09:16 AM	#2
phossler Wizard Posts: 1,087 Karma: 447222 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Valley Forge, PA, USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Let it run over night

01-20-2016, 09:20 AM	#3
skoy64 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Georgetown, KY Device: kindle fire	Thanks Phossler. That circle is still going hard!!! Almost 20 minutes.

01-20-2016, 09:27 AM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,047 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I would allow more than just overnight. Lots of Words n' Pictures Oh My! IMHO If you Ency' is multi-column ... Forget converting. It will be mangled Read it as a native PDF (on a tablet) AZW4 is Amazons PDF (wrapper, but not a Calibre output option)

01-20-2016, 12:20 PM	#5
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,507 Karma: 78910112 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Remember PDFs are not the best input source. You'd probably do better using a tool more suited to converting a PDF to a format such as DOC or ODT and then converting that to epub. Additionally calibre is not well suited to certain conversions. I know that both bibles and dictionaries are not good choices; I'm not sure about encyclopedias.

01-20-2016, 12:23 PM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Some conversions have been known to take upwards of 48 hours, particularly dictionaries which have pathologically complex markup. The fact that it is 85 MB and a PDF doesn't help at all. Given enough time and RAM, calibre can probably convert it, but I would be prepared to wait... a lot!

01-20-2016, 02:44 PM	#7
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,718 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	all of the above and then some. Your Fire can read PDF's, as has been said an AZW4 is a PDF wrapped in a proprietary wrapper, someone at MR will know how to remove the wrapper. This tool k2pdfopt optimises PDFs for viewing on e-readers, I've used it on occasions to cast 2 column layouts into single column to read on an el-cheapo android tablet. BR

01-20-2016, 03:02 PM	#8
Divingduck Wizard Posts: 1,166 Karma: 1410083 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Germany Device: Sony PRS-650	I use different ways to work with complex PDF files. One is to open this files with MS Word 2013. This version have an integrated PDF-Reflow converter that sometimes have better results then an export with Acrobat DC to docx. It is maybe an optional workflow.

01-22-2016, 07:34 AM	#9
skoy64 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Georgetown, KY Device: kindle fire	Thanks a lot to everybody who took his/her time for suggestions. Calibre did what it does best! It took about 40-45 minutes to convert to epub and azw3. I will keep the original pdf file just in case the kindle doesn't work properly. Take care everybody.

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