PDF to epub: Does this work for you?

birkmaggs · 06-20-2018, 08:06 PM

I have tried numerous times to convert from to PDF to Epub, but I get more or less the same results:

Print one full line of text ->
Print one line about 80% of that size ->
Print newline.
Repeat.

The entire books looks like one giant book poetry couplets.

I have tired fiddling with the settings (not systematically) but it always looks the same.

Any ideas?

DNSB · 06-20-2018, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birkmaggs

I have tried numerous times to convert from to PDF to Epub, but I get more or less the same results:

Print one full line of text ->
Print one line about 80% of that size ->
Print newline.
Repeat.

The entire books looks like one giant book poetry couplets.

I have tired fiddling with the settings (not systematically) but it always looks the same.

Any ideas?

You can play with the conversion settings (enable heuristics and play with the line unwrap factor value) but my personal choice is to edit the converted epub using Sigil (calibre's builtin editor also works) and using regex to join lines using a saved search&replace. This clears up most of the odd lines and a quick skim locates the rest.

Basically, PDF is a lousy input format for conversion being oriented to displaying text in a very specific manner, on a specific page size and without text reflow.

DoctorOhh · 06-21-2018, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birkmaggs

I have tried numerous times to convert from to PDF to Epub, but I get more or less the same results

Here is calbre's official statement on converting PDF documents.

Also at the top of this forum is a sticky post titled, "Read this before Posting PDF Questions"

Good Luck.

Tarana · 06-21-2018, 08:44 AM

You will have much better luck buying ABBY Transformer (can often get from their site for about $35). Does a wonderful job on my OCR scans to convert to pub. Then, you can use Calibre to do a spell check and any formatting issues.

birkmaggs · 06-21-2018, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarana

You will have much better luck buying ABBY Transformer (can often get from their site for about $35). Does a wonderful job on my OCR scans to convert to pub. Then, you can use Calibre to do a spell check and any formatting issues.

I was using ABBYY, but I made the switch to Ubuntu and it's not available.

deback · 06-21-2018, 05:28 PM

Enable heuristics and change the line unwrap factor to .22. The result should be much better.

Divingduck · 06-22-2018, 04:20 AM

unwrap factor is the key.

For a first conversion I always switch off all kind of automated cleanups like heuristic because of too much side effects for analyze possible conversion problems. I only add those if I have a identified specific problem.

birkmaggs · 06-24-2018, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deback

Enable heuristics and change the line unwrap factor to .22. The result should be much better.

This worked pretty well

06-20-2018, 08:06 PM	#1
birkmaggs Connoisseur Posts: 79 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2014 Device: galaxy 2	PDF to epub: Does this work for you? I have tried numerous times to convert from to PDF to Epub, but I get more or less the same results: Print one full line of text -> Print one line about 80% of that size -> Print newline. Repeat. The entire books looks like one giant book poetry couplets. I have tired fiddling with the settings (not systematically) but it always looks the same. Any ideas?

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06-21-2018, 08:44 AM	#4
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,038 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	You will have much better luck buying ABBY Transformer (can often get from their site for about $35). Does a wonderful job on my OCR scans to convert to pub. Then, you can use Calibre to do a spell check and any formatting issues.

06-21-2018, 05:28 PM	#6
deback Book E d i t o r Posts: 432 Karma: 288184 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Laptop	Enable heuristics and change the line unwrap factor to .22. The result should be much better.

06-22-2018, 04:20 AM	#7
Divingduck Wizard Posts: 1,166 Karma: 1410083 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Germany Device: Sony PRS-650	unwrap factor is the key. For a first conversion I always switch off all kind of automated cleanups like heuristic because of too much side effects for analyze possible conversion problems. I only add those if I have a identified specific problem.

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