Epub to PDF: 5"x8" output

[jeffmcneill]

Hello folks,

I am trying to do an Epub to PDF, so that it is viable for print-on-demand. I just can't figure out how to specify the output as being 5"x8" with 1.5cm margins (480 x 768px content).

I'm confused with the input and output device selections, since the epub was not produced specifically for a given device (but does work precisely on Kindle paperwhite, my own test device). The output won't be for a device, per se, but be used as the PDF to create a print edition of the ebook.

Any thoughts on what settings to use to approximate the dimensions desired, are greatly appreciated.

[kovidgoyal]

Look under the PDF Output section of the conversion dialog

[jeffmcneill]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Look under the PDF Output section of the conversion dialog

I've been using the command line options, and have things mostly how I need them. Is it possible to modify line spacing (within paragraphs/lists)? I don't see an option that.

[kovidgoyal]

--extra-css

[jeffmcneill]

Fantastic. Works great. I've just tweaked the css in the ebook, but for some reason it doesn't properly execute the line-height command, so the external --extra-css body{line-height:1.0} did the job.

Here are the full options I used from the command line:

ebook-convert test.epub test.pdf --custom-size 5x8 --pdf-hyphenate --pdf-page-numbers --pdf-serif-family "Linux Libertine" --pdf-page-margin-bottom 50 --pdf-page-margin-top 35 --pdf-page-margin-left 41 --pdf-page-margin-right 41 --pdf-default-font-size 17 --extra-css body{line-height:1.0}

Inside the epub css, I added: {letter-spacing:-0.008em; word-spacing:-0.016em;} to the body.

[jeffmcneill]

I was able to combine the css as follows:

ebook-convert test.epub test.pdf --custom-size 5x8 --pdf-hyphenate --pdf-page-numbers --pdf-serif-family "Linux Libertine" --pdf-page-margin-bottom 50 --pdf-page-margin-top 35 --pdf-page-margin-left 41 --pdf-page-margin-right 41 --pdf-default-font-size 17 --extra-css "body{line-height:1.0;letter-spacing:-0.008em;word-spacing:-0.016em;}"

[roger64]

Hi

Thanks for providing your code (and to Calibre of course). I was able to produce quite a nice PDF with it (though it adds a useless "false" cover).

I am used to produce 9cm×12cm PDF for my Kindle Paperwhite 3 with Prince. The only drawback I can find with your solution would be to read the PDF using the so-so Kindle PDF viewer.

Koreader muPDF viewer, provided with Koreader provides a much better reader experience, but requires a jailbroken device. Nothing is perfect.

Also, as shown here, postprocessing the output with cpdf could reduce the size of the output file. I got 1.6MB with one instead of 2.5MB. Usually, the expected difference in size is about 10 to 20%. The other factor which could explain this size difference could be the size of the embedded font files but I am unable to prove it.