1st time poster: Converting Word'S in & pt to ems

[Farmer_Jonas]

Hi fam, first-time poster here so I apologize in advance.

How are you guys going about converting inches and points into the much more accurate CSS relative EM measurements?

I created all my paragraph styles in Word and bring my document over into Calibre using filtered HTML. I'm in the editing phase of my manuscript so I'm constantly converting and checking things. I'm wondering what everyone's workflow is on this:

• Are you converting to ems at all or am I crazy?

• If so, when does your conversion happen in your workflow?

• How do you gauge conversions? Is there a rule of thumb or a chart I haven't seen?

Thanks in advance for any CSS and Calibre insights gang!

[BetterRed]

@Farmer_Jonas - first thing I would suggest is if you're using Word 2007 or later, save and convert DOCX. See What are the best source formats to convert?

If you're using Word 2003, or earlier, and you don't want to pay to upgrade to a later version, consider changing over to Libre Office (what was Open Office) but once again save as DOCX and convert that.

BR

[BetterRed]

A quick glance at one of my recent calibre DOCX to EPUB conversion has CSS font sizes in ems, whereas the equivalent Word Styles have font size in points.

BR

[lumpynose]

I don't know if this helps or not but if you don't know about Sigil you might look at it; it's specifically for editing EPUB. Yesterday I was looking at its list of plugins and #6, ConvertAbs2RelCSSValues, does the conversion that you're talking about.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=247431

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@Farmer_Jonas - first thing I would suggest is if you're using Word 2007 or later, save and convert DOCX. See What are the best source formats to convert?

If you're using Word 2003, or earlier, and you don't want to pay to upgrade to a later version, consider changing over to Libre Office (what was Open Office) but once again save as DOCX and convert that.

BR

Which of the two DOCX formats that LibreOffice can output is best to use?
I changed from Word to LibreOffice Writer (on Windows) about 3 years ago, then a couple of years ago changed to Linux Mint which meant that though LibreOffice Writer could saveAs .doc, that Calibre wouldn't convert it. I changed to importing ODT into Calibre but had problems with first image sometimes being replaced by cover, kepub first line indent wrong (but epub fine) and line spacing sometimes being locked on ereader.

While em is logically a better choice for HTML and ebooks, I never had any trouble with "inches" or "points" on any ereader except Kobo using kepubs (epubs OK),

However Koval recommended to use docx to solve cover image problem. It doesn't seem to matter if I use MS docx or Open docx? Though I suppose for uploads to publisher I should use the MS docx? I have till now used MS 97-2003 .doc format from LibreOffice Writer for uploads.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

Which of the two DOCX formats that LibreOffice can output is best to use?

I didn't know it supported two variants - care to explain, I dont have latest Libre Writer.

An outline of the differences between the XML Office Open standards' variants can be found here Office Open XML - Wikipedia

I have used three methods to convert Word/Writer sourced DOCX files to EPUB, calibre conversion, calibre editor import, and Mammoth (usually via the wrapper plugin for Sigil). The decision on which tool to use is based on the extent I want to preserve the the Word/Writer template styles in the output CSS - not on whether it came from Writer or Word.

In theory publishers shouldn't care about which WP package produced a DOCX, providing it conforms to the relevant ISO/ECMA standard. I am not aware of any publishers that mandate a specific variant edition of the standard, but you might want to ask in the Writer's Corner or Ebook Formats Workshop forum.

BR

[Quoth]

The first DOCX on the file type list is called Microsoft Word 2007 - 2013 XML (.docx), it's the fifth option. The last file option is Open Office XML (.docx), there are other XML based file save options, but none of them end in .docx, they have various endings.

I'm not using LibreOffice 6.2 (possibly the latest). I do have that, I think, on a Windows Gaming PC. I may also have seen 6.0? on Linux Mint 19.x; however I use Linux Mint 18.3 with Mate and the stock LibreOffice for that which is 5.1.6.2, Windows cured me of wanting the "newest" version of anything. Besides if it works and browsing is protected mostly by auto-updated Waterfox + uMatrix javascript blocking, there is no need to update.
I hated all the versions of Word after 2003 and went back to Word 2002 before changing full time to LibreOffice on Windows and then later on Linux. It's improved immensely since I first used Star Office, whereas MS Office and Windows improved from NT 3.1, Windows 3.0, Word 2.0a to the peak of Word 2003 & XP SP3 and Server 2003 and has gone downhill since. Windows 10 reminds me of Windows 2.x on a Hercules card, except it's less reliable and settings are worse organised.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

The first DOCX on the file type list is called Microsoft Word 2007 - 2013 XML (.docx), it's the fifth option. The last file option is Open Office XML (.docx), there are other XML based file save options, but none of them end in .docx, they have various endings.

I'm not using LibreOffice 6.2 (possibly the latest). I do have that, I think, on a Windows Gaming PC. I may also have seen 6.0? on Linux Mint 19.x; however I use Linux Mint 18.3 with Mate and the stock LibreOffice for that which is 5.1.6.2, Windows cured me of wanting the "newest" version of anything. Besides if it works and browsing is protected mostly by auto-updated Waterfox + uMatrix javascript blocking, there is no need to update.
I hated all the versions of Word after 2003 and went back to Word 2002 before changing full time to LibreOffice on Windows and then later on Linux. It's improved immensely since I first used Star Office, whereas MS Office and Windows improved from NT 3.1, Windows 3.0, Word 2.0a to the peak of Word 2003 & XP SP3 and Server 2003 and has gone downhill since. Windows 10 reminds me of Windows 2.x on a Hercules card, except it's less reliable and settings are worse organised.

That might be a question about Mate on Mint, in which case it might be better asked in a Mate support forum. If its just another anti-MS trope take it to the Technology Vent and Rant thread in MR's Lounge or elsewhere.

BR

[Quoth]

No, it's a question about Calibre. Nothing to do with Mate on Mint. Nor is it an anti-MS rant. LibreOffice is free and works fine on Windows. MS now wants people to subscribe to Office 365.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

No, it's a question about Calibre. Nothing to do with Mate on Mint. Nor is it an anti-MS rant. LibreOffice is free and works fine on Windows. MS now wants people to subscribe to Office 365.

Based on Kovid's responses to problems with conversions from DOCX, it is referring to the MS Word version. But, the FAQ question on conversion formats includes:

DOCX files from Microsoft Word 2007 and newer are supported.