Best format for the future?

corroonb · 07-30-2009, 04:08 PM

Anyone know what file format would be best for archiving my ebooks?

I have a large collection and I don't want that to be useless if I switch to a device that does not support .lrf (my current format of choice). I know .lrf is not a good format to convert from. I'll keep converting to .lrf but I want an additional non-proprietary format.

I'm thinking either HTML or EPub. I'm unfamiliar with EPub however.

ilovejedd · 07-30-2009, 04:18 PM

Myself, plain (X)HTML files with accompanying OPF file for metadata. It's the simplest format to use for conversion via Calibre.

pdurrant · 07-30-2009, 04:20 PM

ePUB. It just a variant of XHTML with metadata and a wrapper. It's also an open standard, so converters should be available no matter what.

I don't see LRF surviving long.

Quote:

Originally Posted by corroonb

Anyone know what file format would be best for archiving my ebooks?

I have a large collection and I don't want that to be useless if I switch to a device that does not support .lrf (my current format of choice). I know .lrf is not a good format to convert from. I'll keep converting to .lrf but I want an additional non-proprietary format.

I'm thinking either HTML or EPub. I'm unfamiliar with EPub however.

corroonb · 07-30-2009, 04:30 PM

Thanks. EPub looks the likeliest option.

Amalthia · 07-30-2009, 07:28 PM

I save everything as html. I'm not a fan of epub as it stands now because of the page numbers on the side margins instead of at the bottom and there is no way to turn it off.

pepak · 07-31-2009, 12:11 AM

I prefer HTML, too. Mostly because I can keep all text in one file (unlike EPUB which splits the text into multiple parts) and it is easier to edit and test than EPUB (e.g. run it through a validator or a search-and-replace tool). I am not concerned whether it is directly supported by my reader - I will always convert it (one command to convert all books) to the best format of each device, anyway...

rogue_ronin · 07-31-2009, 12:43 AM

Gotta go with Pepak and Amalthia. Single-file (X)HTML is future-proof, and a great archive format. ePub is still evolving.

Add excellent metadata to your <head>, think about good tag-structure, and you are good to go. You could even use the Dublin Core stuff for meta if you want to nod to ePub, and you'd find conversion a snap.

XHTML is simple to edit and update. ePub is not, split as it is between lots of files, including several metadata files. (ePub doesn't demand splitting files into chunks, but because of limitations of hardware readers, it is becoming the standard.)

'course I just spent a couple of months working out an XHTML spec, so I'm probably nutty over it.

m a r

Jellby · 07-31-2009, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amalthia

I save everything as html. I'm not a fan of epub as it stands now because of the page numbers on the side margins instead of at the bottom and there is no way to turn it off.

That's a problem of the ADE reader, not of the format.

gwynevans · 07-31-2009, 06:07 AM

EPub's a possible, but I'd go with either a single (X)HTML file or a zip of the single file with any associated images, which Calibre should be able to use directly as an input format.

corroonb · 07-31-2009, 08:12 AM

Thanks for all the answers. It looks like HTML is the best choice.

Amalthia · 07-31-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

That's a problem of the ADE reader, not of the format.

But the numbers also show up on my PRS-505???

AnemicOak · 07-31-2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amalthia

But the numbers also show up on my PRS-505???

Probably because Adobe wrote the software for Sony.

Amalthia · 07-31-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Probably because Adobe wrote the software for Sony.

Do you think there may be a way to edit out the page numbers in an epub file? I assumed all epubs had the numbers built into it.

Nate the great · 07-31-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amalthia

Do you think there may be a way to edit out the page numbers in an epub file? I assumed all epubs had the numbers built into it.

It doesn't sound like the page numbers are in the file; they're in the reading software.

Amalthia · 07-31-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

It doesn't sound like the page numbers are in the file; they're in the reading software.

Okay if that's the case then Adobe really sucks. Why would they implement an annoying feature that you can't turn off???

I highly doubt most ebook readers are reading textbooks and all the ebook devices have their own numbering system?

Hmm yeah it looks like I'll be using LRF for a long time or until something is done about the numbers on the side margins. (seriously I would have understood top of the page, bottom of the page but the side?) That's not even pleasent in a paper book.

Um sorry venting...

07-30-2009, 04:08 PM	#1
corroonb Addict Posts: 317 Karma: 1232685 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura, Nexus 9	Best format for the future? Anyone know what file format would be best for archiving my ebooks? I have a large collection and I don't want that to be useless if I switch to a device that does not support .lrf (my current format of choice). I know .lrf is not a good format to convert from. I'll keep converting to .lrf but I want an additional non-proprietary format. I'm thinking either HTML or EPub. I'm unfamiliar with EPub however.

07-31-2009, 12:43 AM	#7
rogue_ronin Banned Posts: 475 Karma: 796 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Honolulu Device: Nokia 770 (fbreader)	Keep it simple. Gotta go with Pepak and Amalthia. Single-file (X)HTML is future-proof, and a great archive format. ePub is still evolving. Add excellent metadata to your <head>, think about good tag-structure, and you are good to go. You could even use the Dublin Core stuff for meta if you want to nod to ePub, and you'd find conversion a snap. XHTML is simple to edit and update. ePub is not, split as it is between lots of files, including several metadata files. (ePub doesn't demand splitting files into chunks, but because of limitations of hardware readers, it is becoming the standard.) 'course I just spent a couple of months working out an XHTML spec, so I'm probably nutty over it. m a r

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07-30-2009, 04:18 PM	#2
ilovejedd hopeless n00b Posts: 5,110 Karma: 19597086 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: in the middle of nowhere Device: PW4, PW3, Libra H2O, iPad 10.5, iPad 11, iPad 12.9	Myself, plain (X)HTML files with accompanying OPF file for metadata. It's the simplest format to use for conversion via Calibre.

07-30-2009, 04:30 PM	#4
corroonb Addict Posts: 317 Karma: 1232685 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura, Nexus 9	Thanks. EPub looks the likeliest option.

07-30-2009, 07:28 PM	#5
Amalthia Wizard Posts: 1,184 Karma: 32196 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Anchorage, AK Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, PRS-650, PRS-T3, Pocketbook HD2	I save everything as html. I'm not a fan of epub as it stands now because of the page numbers on the side margins instead of at the bottom and there is no way to turn it off.

07-31-2009, 12:11 AM	#6
pepak Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 4150 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T3, Kobo Libra H2O	I prefer HTML, too. Mostly because I can keep all text in one file (unlike EPUB which splits the text into multiple parts) and it is easier to edit and test than EPUB (e.g. run it through a validator or a search-and-replace tool). I am not concerned whether it is directly supported by my reader - I will always convert it (one command to convert all books) to the best format of each device, anyway...

07-31-2009, 06:07 AM	#9
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	EPub's a possible, but I'd go with either a single (X)HTML file or a zip of the single file with any associated images, which Calibre should be able to use directly as an input format.

07-31-2009, 08:12 AM	#10
corroonb Addict Posts: 317 Karma: 1232685 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura, Nexus 9	Thanks for all the answers. It looks like HTML is the best choice.

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