troubles with tiff files

[jedson303]

I am using Calibre to create an e-book that has quite a few images. A lot of the files were very high resolution tiffs. I ran into a problem trying to use tiff images, even when I changed them to jpgs or pngs. Sometimes they would simply not load at all. But the biggest problem is that they did not interact with frames in the normal way, which made laying them out with captions almost impossible.

[Agama]

Maybe you could provide a bit more detail, e.g. some sample code, size of image files, what format book you are creating etc. What do you mean by images not interacting with frames in the normal way? I have never used frames in an eBook so I'm not sure how you expect them to interact.

[jedson303]

I appreciate your responding. I'll try to answer your questions as briefly as possible. I don't create my own coding. I am using Calibre to create an e-book in e-pub format for a friend. I use the reader that comes with Calibre. I also use the e-book reader that is a plug-in for Foxfire, just to check how another reader will display the book. I reduce the image files to 72ppi, and use either jpg or png formats. I use Gimp (for the most part) to edit the images I use. However, I used Image Magic to change the tifs to jpgs. Also had a friend try Photoshop (thinking it might handle the change from 4 color to 3 color better.)
I have created a number of books in e-pub format, using Calibre, and they all turn out more than fine. But this is the first one that has so many images.
In Calibre, when you are using their “caption” function, it creates a frame to hold the caption. The caption is then with the image, inside the frame. With a good image, you can make slight adjustments to the size of the frame and the image to get the amount to space you want between the two etc. When it words it is very nice. You can get the image with a caption to display just where you want it to, with the appearance you want. When I try to do this using a tif file, the size of the image does not seem to be what my Gimp says it should be. The frame comes out way too big for the image. If I have a clean jpg, I do not have this problem. I seems that even having been in a tif formate creates a faulty jpg. One that does not display at all, or does quirky things in relation to the frame.
So, unless, I am just doing something wrong, it would seem either that there is something special about how Calibre uses tif files, or that the files are getting corrupted when the are changed from tif to jpg.
I am a little over my head here, which is why I am here, really. Hope this answers your questions.

[theducks]

Caption Function??

Is this in a User Plugin? It is not an obvious part of the ebook-editor if it is there.
Since Calibre is continually evolving, it is quite possible I missed a feature (that I would seldom need to use).

I think the General suggestion when folk need to insert a caption into an image, is to use a 3rd party Image editor like Gimp or Paintshop Pro

[Agama]

Originally Posted by jedson303

But the biggest problem is that they did not interact with frames in the normal way, which made laying them out with captions almost impossible.

I've not come across the caption function in calibre either. I thought that you were using <frame> tags in the xhtml file, which set my thinking in the wrong direction completely.

As theducks says, I would add captions to images via image editing in Gimp, paint.net or IrfanView. All these have no problem converting tiff to jpg or png which, in my limited experience, are more common formats than tiff in eBooks.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

Caption Function??

Is this in a User Plugin? It is not an obvious part of the ebook-editor if it is there.
Since Calibre is continually evolving, it is quite possible I missed a feature

I think SVG Warpers support Captions - maybe that's what the OP is referring to.

Sigil has an option to create an empty SVG wrapper, not sure about the calibre editor.

@jedson303 - there are a number of threads on this issue in the ePub Forum Considerable discussion amongst the bookmaker illuminati here ==>> Need Example SVG wrapper including caption


BR

[jedson303]

I'm using Calibre 1.25, out of the box, so to speak. As it came with my Mint platform. I did not access any add-ons or modify it in any way. However, I think I misunderstood where the caption option was coming from. When I go back and forth between the e-pub version, and the LibreOffice version (as Calibre is set up to do) the captions option comes up under the LibreOffice version, and is then integrated into the e-pub version. If my misunderstanding created confusion, you have my apologies. Yes, I can use Gimp to create captions built into the image, and that is probably what I will do. However, the caption option I was using was quick and easy and versatile. When I used simple png or jpg files, it seemed to work quick well. However, when the viewing level was increased, these frames would not stay in place. If such an option could be created in Calibre, one that really worked, it would be nice. I'll check out the links that BetterRed provided.

[JSWolf]

You should update your version of Calibre as what you have is old. Then try again and if you still have a problem, then post about it.

[jedson303]

Thanks JSWolf. I'll do what you suggest, and see what happens. You guys have been very helpful. I have a much clearer picture of what was happening now.

[JSWolf]

The current version of Calibre is 2.65.1.

[jedson303]

Thanks for the info. I'll download it. I am updated, and understand much better how the whole image thing works now. The project is coming along quite well.
jim