Convert 37 Files into 1 epub

[Solo1959]

I am hoping that there is a simple way to do this using Calibre.

I have 37 separate word processor files in .odt format created in LibreOffice. They are basically sections of a book. For ease in managing them, I simply named them by their order: 01.odt, 02.odt, etc.

They are pretty much all text with one or two pictures in only one or two of the files.

I'd like to make one epub ebook from these all of these files combined together. Is this a task that I can do using Calibre? Or must I make a new file and copy and paste the 37 files together into it?

Thank you for your help.

[eschwartz]

The EPUBMerge calibre plugin can combine them together, but you'd have to convert them to EPUB first.

I would suggest, though, that you explore the benefits of using LibreOffice Master Documents.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by Solo1959

I am hoping that there is a simple way to do this using Calibre.

I have 37 separate word processor files in .odt format created in LibreOffice. They are basically sections of a book. For ease in managing them, I simply named them by their order: 01.odt, 02.odt, etc.

They are pretty much all text with one or two pictures in only one or two of the files.

I'd like to make one epub ebook from these all of these files combined together. Is this a task that I can do using Calibre? Or must I make a new file and copy and paste the 37 files together into it?

Thank you for your help.

IibreOffice help see:
Master Documents and Subdocuments
Working with Master Documents and Subdocuments

Spoiler:

A master document lets you manage large documents, such as a book with many chapters. The master document can be seen as a container for individual LibreOffice Writer files. The individual files are called subdocuments.
To Create a Master Document
1. Do one of the following:
Choose File - New - Master Document.
Open an existing document and choose File - Send - Create Master Document.
2. If you are creating a new master document, the first entry in the Navigator should be a Text entry. Type an introduction or enter some text. This ensures that after having edited an existing style in the master document, you see the changed style when viewing the subdocuments.
3. In the Navigator for master documents (should open automatically, else press F5 to open), click and hold the Insert icon, and do one of the following:
To insert an existing file as a subdocument, choose File, locate the file that you want to include, and then click OK.
To create a new subdocument, choose New Document, type a name for the file, and then click Save.
To insert some text between subdocuments, choose Text. Then type the text. You cannot insert text next to an existing text entry in the Navigator.
4. Choose File - Save.

luck
bernie

[Solo1959]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

The EPUBMerge calibre plugin can combine them together, but you'd have to convert them to EPUB first.

I would suggest, though, that you explore the benefits of using LibreOffice Master Documents.

The EPUBMerge calibre plugin looks like the easiest way to do it for now. As long as it "looks pretty" I'll probably just do this.

Originally Posted by gbm

IibreOffice help see:
Master Documents and Subdocuments
Working with Master Documents and Subdocuments

THIS! Is the best. I've used OpenOffice.org/LibreOffice for many years and I have never seen "Master Document" until you and eschwartz pointed it out. I'm no power-user by any stretch, but the more I learn about the program, the more things I find I can do with it. It's probably the answer for my next time. If eschwartz' suggestion works, I won't need to do it for this book, but I will use it for the next one.

Thank you both very much.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by Solo1959

The EPUBMerge calibre plugin looks like the easiest way to do it for now. As long as it "looks pretty" I'll probably just do this.


THIS! Is the best. I've used OpenOffice.org/LibreOffice for many years and I have never seen "Master Document" until you and eschwartz pointed it out. I'm no power-user by any stretch, but the more I learn about the program, the more things I find I can do with it. It's probably the answer for my next time. If eschwartz' suggestion works, I won't need to do it for this book, but I will use it for the next one.

Thank you both very much.

A suggestion export/save your documents for conversion as *.docx, the calibre converter for *.docx is better then the one for odt.

bernie

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by gbm

A suggestion export/save your documents for conversion as *.docx, the calibre converter for *.docx is better then the one for odt.

bernie

or you can import the DOCX directly into the calibre ebook editor without doing a conversion.

Re master documents - I wonder why this feature is as well hidden in Writer, as it is in Word :roll: Good tool for authoring large documents especially if multiple authors, or curating anthologies, collections etc.

BR

[eschwartz]

It's hidden because most people don't need it.

They (GUI-makers) always cater to the lowest common denominator.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

It's hidden because most people don't need it.

I suggest it's hidden because Writer is reverse engineered Word circa 1997.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

They (GUI-makers) always cater to the lowest common denominator.

Oh really - have you looked at the Gimp or Photoshop or InDesign or Quark Express... recently. They all have more buttons, bows, ribbons, dockable panels, and other widgety grubs than I've had hot dinners this year

BR

[eschwartz]

That would be the lowest common denominator when it comes to those programs.

I really do believe that GUI-makers design their products to immediately present to the user the things that most users of that program will be using.

[BetterRed]

Au contraire - many are more like highest common factor But fortunately these days most of the glitz and glamour can be swept under the carpet with a bit of reconfiguring.

Interesting - American spelling for past participle of sweep is swept, why isn't it sweeped like spelled and leaned, or why aren't they spelt and leant.

BR

[Solo1959]

I can't answer the common denominator question. The Master Document feature looks like an extremely powerful tool.

My story is probably typical of many LibreOffice / MS Word users. I am retired. I went through college using a portable manual typewriter, and a good portion of my professional life using an IBM Selectric. I even used a slide rule in college. Word Processing came late in the game. I took no courses. I learned different tips and tricks from some of the secretaries and have managed to get the job done. I would expect and hope that students today are taught advanced word processing either in high school or college freshman year.

I have fudged my way through many documents and did work the long, wrong and hard way because I was never taught some of the tools that are included as part of these office suites. I even wrote in my previous response that as long as it looks pretty, I'm happy. How I would have loved to use some of these tools when I was just getting started!

The Master Document tool looks like a good feature, but it's not something I will be able to pick up right away. I've been looking at it since it was mentioned here. It is powerful, but it's work to learn it. And I will. But I think that if students are taught how to use these amazing office suites, they will truly be blessed.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Au contraire - many are more like highest common factor

BR

Being as I am generally considered one of those weird people who actually get math, you'd think I could keep my terminology straight. Clearly it's been a while -- that is indeed what I meant.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Solo1959

I can't answer the common denominator question. The Master Document feature looks like an extremely powerful tool.

My story is probably typical of many LibreOffice / MS Word users. I am retired. I went through college using a portable manual typewriter, and a good portion of my professional life using an IBM Selectric. I even used a slide rule in college. Word Processing came late in the game. I took no courses. I learned different tips and tricks from some of the secretaries and have managed to get the job done. I would expect and hope that students today are taught advanced word processing either in high school or college freshman year.

I have fudged my way through many documents and did work the long, wrong and hard way because I was never taught some of the tools that are included as part of these office suites. I even wrote in my previous response that as long as it looks pretty, I'm happy. How I would have loved to use some of these tools when I was just getting started!

The Master Document tool looks like a good feature, but it's not something I will be able to pick up right away. I've been looking at it since it was mentioned here. It is powerful, but it's work to learn it. And I will. But I think that if students are taught how to use these amazing office suites, they will truly be blessed.

They will indeed be blessed, which reminds me sometime this week I am going t have to teach a friend of mine how to use page breaks, headers with pagenumber fields, and several other tricks that will make his next essay not look quite so embarrassing.

Because the sad little secret is, they aren't being taught.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Being as I am generally considered one of those weird people who actually get math, you'd think I could keep my terminology straight. Clearly it's been a while -- that is indeed what I meant.

A clear case of :

I know you believe you understood what you think I wrote, but I am not sure you realise what you read is not what I meant.

---Robert McCloskey

BTW you're not the first I've seen make the mistake. Probably because LCD is often used by people who don't know the source of the term. HCF hasn't entered into the news writers lexicon of hackneyed phrases (that's why they're called 'hacks').

They also use decimate when they mean annihilate.

BR

[eschwartz]

I got accustomed to the term "greatest common factor".
I suppose the hacks have indeed corrupted my brain, hence my mistake.

And ohhhhhhh, the decimate thing!!!!
People think I am crazy when I point out that one in ten success is not a very good record for attempted destruction.