Print from eViewer

[phossler]

I was looking for a way to print a PDF from an ePub

1. Converting to PDF with all defaults generates an unreadable file with huge font (ePub2PDF Conversion.pdf). The [PDF Conversion] settings use 20px and 16px (PDF Conversion.jpg) and I really don't think that's done correctly.

2. Also recommended was to use the [Print] capability in the Calibre viewer and print to a 'PDF Printer'. Again with all viewer defaults and printing to the CutePDF pseudo-printer, only the first 2 pages come out and the 3-18 are blank (Print to CutePDF from Viewer.pdf)

The viewer shows "54.0 / 54" pages, but I assume that's really screens, but I don't know why it has a decimal value in the current page (i.e. the 54.0)

Any recommendations or setting changes will be much appreciated.

Thanks

[kovidgoyal]

http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/conv...verting-to-pdf

[BetterRed]

@phossler - I thought option 2 worked for me (with Bullzip PDF printer). But that was a long time ago. But now it doesn't - same symptoms as you.

Nor does printing to xps, but I don't know that it ever did.

I have most things as DOCX, so if needs be I could print to PDF from there. If I don't have it as DOCX, its odds on that all I have is a PDF original -- 'cause its too darn complicated to convert.

BR

[phossler]

@kovidgoyal -- Thanks. After I changed the Preferences - Output - PDF, I forgot that I had to [Restore Defaults] on my test document (since I had new defaults)


I confess I completely missed this part in the manual

The first, most important, setting to decide on when converting to PDF is the page size. By default, calibre uses a page size defined by the current Output profile. So if your output profile is set to Kindle, calibre will create a PDF with page size suitable for viewing on the small kindle screen. However, if you view this PDF file on a computer screen, then it will appear to have too large fonts. To create “normal” sized PDFs, use the Override page size option under PDF Output in the conversion dialog.

To set page margins, do I have to do it on each individual document? I believe I do since the [Page Setup] and [Look and Feel] seem to be [Common Options] and not specific to a format. I was thinking of adding CSS for margins to the Extra CSS field in [Look and Feel], but again that's in [Common Options]

Q1: Would it be possible to add Margins at least to the [Output] - PDF part of Preferences since PDF is the format that is least useful to an ereader and most often intended for paper output?

Q2: Instead of selecting from the list of installed Fonts, could there be an option to use the font in the epub? I find I almost always embed a font in the epub that I find readable on the Kindle (after AZW3 conversion of course) to select Publisher Font on the Kindle?

[phossler]

@BR -- I like using CutePDF Printer, mostly because I'm used to it.

I tried printing from the Print Preview part of viewer also - no joy

One PDF from the Viewer had 20-30 blank pages and then some text and then more blank pages

[kovidgoyal]

1) No not really. Page margins are useful regardless of format. They can be used to control the margins in the reading application for digital formats as well.

2) All fonts referenced int he input document are used automatically, unless they are not found on your computer, in which case the fallback fonts in that section are used. THe only exception is the CFF fonts on windows because of limitations in Qt.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by phossler

@BR -- I like using CutePDF Printer, mostly because I'm used to it.

me and Bullzip - I suspect most of these PDF printer gadgets use the same core libraries.

But - I just tried printing a very simple EPUB to my Samsung ML1860 monochrome laser printer - same result, 1st page was OK and the next 18 pages were blank.

However, the same EPUB loaded into ebook-viewer from calibre version 1.48 prints OK to PDF, XPS and Samsung.

Added : I'm not suggesting the error is a result of moving to Qt5 - I have 1.48 portable installed because a couple of xp diehard friends use it, so I use it as the base point for regression type tests.

I've reported this as a bug ==>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/calibre/+bug/1448330

BR

[phossler]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

1) No not really. Page margins are useful regardless of format. They can be used to control the margins in the reading application for digital formats as well.

1. Perhaps under [Common Options] - [Page Setup] you could add PDF as an 'Output Profile' with the page size; the existing margin selections would work just fine

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

2) All fonts referenced in the input document are used automatically, unless they are not found on your computer, in which case the fallback fonts in that section are used. The only exception is the CFF fonts on windows because of limitations in Qt.

2. So if the CSS specifies font-face and font-size then those are used in the PDF, not my options? I tried to eyeball the resulting PDF and that's what I thought was happening.


3. Out of curousity, why are the font sizes for PDF in pixels, and not points. I would think that points are more common for a 'paper oriented' output since pixels are more ereader screen oriented.


Thanks again for taking the time to explain things

[phossler]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

But - I just tried printing a very simple EPUB to my Samsung ML1860 monochrome laser printer - same result, 1st page was OK and the next 18 pages were blank.

You beat me to it -- I was going to see if it was a CutePDF 'pseudo-printer' issue, or some kind of eviewer print issue

[kovidgoyal]

1. I dont see how that makes sense. What page size would be assigned to the "PDF" output profile?
2. yes
3. because that's what webkit requires (webkit is what is used to render the HTML)

[phossler]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

1. I dont see how that makes sense. What page size would be assigned to the "PDF" output profile?

1. I was thinking that just the way the user can specify an 8.5x11 page size with 72pt margins. Then any PDF conversion would default to those. It just seems (OK, to me at least) that PDF is a valid output profile, the same as the Nook or Kindle etc. My experience that that most people seem to expect most PDF files to look like paper. (Bold, Underline on the My)

2. Thanks

3. Thanks

[phossler]

@BetterRed ---

Brief update --

Calibre PDF conversion works OK, if

1. I change margins in [Page Setup] to 72pt all around each time, and

2. Make the [PDF Output] paper size = 8.5 x 11, and

3. Experiment with the Default Font Size -- 16px seems to work. I'm guessing that that's the definition of 1em used by the CSS

The resulting PDF is very usable

4. I also experimented with ADE for printing an epub directly. If the epub is added to the Library, then Print works (I was trying to Print w/o adding). The ADE text size is 'honored' somewhat, but I didn't find any options (margins, etc.)


Bottom line for me at least right now -- It seems that the Calibre ePub-PDF conversion is the best way to go, although there's a lot to remember to configure:

1. Gives me Headers/Footer per User Manual examples

2. The Adobe Reader TOC view is click-able and works nice with my H1 tags. Have not experimented with multi-level Hx tags

3. The Adobe Reader Print options allow CutePDF to regenerate another PDF but using the Reader print options, Booklet, Multiple, etc.

[eschwartz]

Briefer update: ebook-viewer Print feature has been fixed, see: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...a65e16a4ddd51d

[phossler]

I was tracking BR's bug report and saw the fix

I was mostly just describing the configuration settings I ended up going through to get a PDF that I thought looked good.

Absolutely do-able with Calibre, but I did spend a lot of fiddling about with settings

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Briefer update: ebook-viewer Print feature has been fixed, see: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...a65e16a4ddd51d

@eschwartz - well, to be precise it wasn't fixed, it was changed... from print to any 'installed' printer, to print to a PDF file. This doesn't bother me, I can print the PDF to Paper or XPS easy enough.

Kovid's print to PDF provides margin calls settings, none of the pdf printer drivers I've seen have that

The advantages of Printing to PDF over Converting to PDF are : a) for most situations its simpler - less options to worry about; and b) doesn't clutter library with the PDF

@Kovid some minor things

1. preserve last used location, currently always defaults to home directory
2. use margin units specified in OS (eg mine is Metric)
3. provide & preserve option for opening pdf file in reader, currently always opens it, I for one would rarely want to open it immediately.
4. add a keyboard shortcut for Print

BR