columns for dummys? I need help

NASCARaddicted · 02-19-2013, 08:06 PM

Hello

I need your help with an epub file and columns. I know, columns only work with ADE, but even though there are some websites about columns, I still don't get it to work.

Here is what I have got so far:

at first, I got the page-template.xpgt from another epub file. I added it to the manifest of my content file

Code:

<item id="page-template" href="page-template.xpgt" media-type="application/vnd.adobe-page-template+xml" />

This is how my main text file looks:

Code:

<head>
	<title>Test</title>

	<meta name="Author" content="NASCARaddicted"/>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" />

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>
  <link href="default.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/>
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="application/vnd.adobe-page-template+xml" href="page-template.xpgt"/>
</head>

The default.css is my normal css file. In this css-file, there is one line:

Code:

.column {oeb-column-number: 2;}

And then, in my main file, I have this section:

Code:

<div class="column"><p>lots of text</p>
<p>more text</p>
...
...
</div>

After that, I packed everything and tried it with different readers. At first I tried it with my Pocketbook Touch and my old Bebook One (both use ADE). But none of them shows 2 columns, they both use one. Then I tried it with the ebook viewer from Calibre and an epub-Reader add-on for Firefox. It always showed up with just 1 column.

So what am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for your help

jbacelar · 02-20-2013, 04:22 AM

Uses float.

Text:

Haec disserens qua de re agatur et in quo causa consistat non videt...

causas naturales et antecedentes, idciro etiam nostrarum voluntatum...

nam nihil esset in nostra potestate si res ita se haberet...

CSS:

.column1 {float: left; width: 33%;}
.column2 {float: left; width: 33%;}
.column3 {float: left; width: 33%;}

And played with width and margin.

NASCARaddicted · 02-20-2013, 05:20 AM

thanks so far, but that is not what I had in mind.

In your example, there are 3 different columns. There is no reflow. If one of the columns is longer then the screen, it would continue on the next page, right? (Correct me if I am wrong)

What I need is a reflowable solution. The breakup should go automatically.

Maybe I should tell you more about my ebook:

I have this long list with short words. It is like:

aaaaaaaa - bbbbb
ccccc - ddddd
eee - ffff
ggggg - hhhhhhh

and so on. Usually, there are only 2 words per line and so about 50% or more of a page would be blank. In the paper version of this book, they use 3 columns (that might be too much, so I would love to go with just 2). But since I can't say where to start a 2nd column, the ebook should do it autoamtically with reflow.

I think it can be done with Adobe Columns, but I can't get it to work.

thanks again for all your help

jbacelar · 02-20-2013, 11:40 AM

You're right, with float no breakup automatically.
AFAIK, in epub cannot do what you want.

Jellby · 02-20-2013, 12:25 PM

I have never tried columns with ADE, but aren't you mixing standard ePub columns (oeb-column-number, which probably doesn't work anywhere) with custom Adobe extensions (page templates, which only work in Adobe-based readers)?

This might help: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/XPGT
or this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=100625

The page templates do not let you choose the layout mode through CSS, but rather select the layout mode based on, in this case, the screen/window width. Take the template in the latter thread and make it read:

Code:

    <fo:page-sequence-master>
        <fo:repeatable-page-master-alternatives>
            <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="three_column_head" page-position="first" ade:min-page-width="80em"/>
            <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="three_column" ade:min-page-width="80em"/>
            <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="two_column_head" page-position="first" ade:min-page-width="50em"/>
            <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="two_column"/>
        </fo:repeatable-page-master-alternatives>
    </fo:page-sequence-master>

(i.e., remove the single-column option, make two-column the default), and it might work as you want.

jbacelar · 02-20-2013, 01:52 PM

Indeed, I was totally wrong.
In ADE works well:

<body style="oeb-column-number: 2;">

02-19-2013, 08:06 PM	#1
NASCARaddicted Addict Posts: 340 Karma: 43106 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Germany Device: BeBook One, Pocketbook Touch, Pocketbook Touch HD	columns for dummys? I need help Hello I need your help with an epub file and columns. I know, columns only work with ADE, but even though there are some websites about columns, I still don't get it to work. Here is what I have got so far: at first, I got the page-template.xpgt from another epub file. I added it to the manifest of my content file Code: <item id="page-template" href="page-template.xpgt" media-type="application/vnd.adobe-page-template+xml" /> This is how my main text file looks: Code: <head> <title>Test</title> <meta name="Author" content="NASCARaddicted"/> <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <link href="default.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="application/vnd.adobe-page-template+xml" href="page-template.xpgt"/> </head> The default.css is my normal css file. In this css-file, there is one line: Code: .column {oeb-column-number: 2;} And then, in my main file, I have this section: Code: <div class="column"><p>lots of text</p> <p>more text</p> ... ... </div> After that, I packed everything and tried it with different readers. At first I tried it with my Pocketbook Touch and my old Bebook One (both use ADE). But none of them shows 2 columns, they both use one. Then I tried it with the ebook viewer from Calibre and an epub-Reader add-on for Firefox. It always showed up with just 1 column. So what am I doing wrong? Thanks in advance for your help

02-20-2013, 04:22 AM	#2
jbacelar Interested in the matter Posts: 421 Karma: 426094 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Spain, south coast Device: Pocketbook InkPad 3	Uses float. Text: <p class="column1">Haec disserens qua de re agatur et in quo causa consistat non videt...</p> <p class="column2">causas naturales et antecedentes, idciro etiam nostrarum voluntatum...</p> <p class="column3">nam nihil esset in nostra potestate si res ita se haberet...</p> CSS: .column1 {float: left; width: 33%;} .column2 {float: left; width: 33%;} .column3 {float: left; width: 33%;} And played with width and margin.

02-20-2013, 12:25 PM	#5
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I have never tried columns with ADE, but aren't you mixing standard ePub columns (oeb-column-number, which probably doesn't work anywhere) with custom Adobe extensions (page templates, which only work in Adobe-based readers)? This might help: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/XPGT or this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=100625 The page templates do not let you choose the layout mode through CSS, but rather select the layout mode based on, in this case, the screen/window width. Take the template in the latter thread and make it read: Code: <fo:page-sequence-master> <fo:repeatable-page-master-alternatives> <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="three_column_head" page-position="first" ade:min-page-width="80em"/> <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="three_column" ade:min-page-width="80em"/> <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="two_column_head" page-position="first" ade:min-page-width="50em"/> <fo:conditional-page-master-reference master-reference="two_column"/> </fo:repeatable-page-master-alternatives> </fo:page-sequence-master> (i.e., remove the single-column option, make two-column the default), and it might work as you want.

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02-20-2013, 05:20 AM	#3
NASCARaddicted Addict Posts: 340 Karma: 43106 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Germany Device: BeBook One, Pocketbook Touch, Pocketbook Touch HD	thanks so far, but that is not what I had in mind. In your example, there are 3 different columns. There is no reflow. If one of the columns is longer then the screen, it would continue on the next page, right? (Correct me if I am wrong) What I need is a reflowable solution. The breakup should go automatically. Maybe I should tell you more about my ebook: I have this long list with short words. It is like: aaaaaaaa - bbbbb ccccc - ddddd eee - ffff ggggg - hhhhhhh and so on. Usually, there are only 2 words per line and so about 50% or more of a page would be blank. In the paper version of this book, they use 3 columns (that might be too much, so I would love to go with just 2). But since I can't say where to start a 2nd column, the ebook should do it autoamtically with reflow. I think it can be done with Adobe Columns, but I can't get it to work. thanks again for all your help

02-20-2013, 11:40 AM	#4
jbacelar Interested in the matter Posts: 421 Karma: 426094 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Spain, south coast Device: Pocketbook InkPad 3	You're right, with float no breakup automatically. AFAIK, in epub cannot do what you want.

02-20-2013, 01:52 PM	#6
jbacelar Interested in the matter Posts: 421 Karma: 426094 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Spain, south coast Device: Pocketbook InkPad 3	Indeed, I was totally wrong. In ADE works well: <body style="oeb-column-number: 2;">

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