Why can't convert ...

[Elsi]

I'm wondering why it is that Calibre can render an LRF file, but cannot then convert the file into the ePub format. Seems like once the file is rendered that the text, TOC, images, etc. would be accessible.

What is it that I've missed or don't understand?

[kovidgoyal]

I just haven't gotten around to it.

[llasram]

Originally Posted by Elsi

What is it that I've missed or don't understand?

To expand on Kovid's point -- Kovid and calibre contributors only have so much time to work on calibre, and obviously enough must prioritize features. I myself haven't been terribly interested in conversion from LRF because books available in LRF are almost always also available in easier-to-convert formats.

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I just haven't gotten around to it.

Kovid, I'm very much aware that you and the other contributors to Calibre have a long backlog of enhancements and the occasional bug that keep you busy. I'm not even particularly *asking* for this function, but was trying to understand.

Several times, people have posted questions asking how to convert LRF to some other format. The answer often is "ABC Amber", to which someone replies, "but it does a crummy job of it". It just dawned on me as I have been playing more with Calibre trying to get ePub books in a format that pleases me, that the viewer has done a lot of the work in taking apart the LRF file and therefore that could be the basis of a converted book in ePub format. And once in ePub, to anything else.

Thanks for Calibre. It's a marvel, and looks like it is getting even better.

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by llasram

To expand on Kovid's point -- Kovid and calibre contributors only have so much time to work on calibre, and obviously enough must prioritize features. I myself haven't been terribly interested in conversion from LRF because books available in LRF are almost always also available in easier-to-convert formats.

With the exception of several hundred books in LRF format uploaded to the library here at MobileRead by Dr. Drib and some others. Some of those are available from Feedbooks or Manybooks in other formats, but the quality just isn't the same. One book I'm looking at is Five Children and It which has over 40 illustrations. It will take quite a bit of time to start from the text at Project Gutenberg and work up the MobiPocket and ePub versions of the book. If Calibre were able to spit out an ePub version, even if it weren't a perfect rendition, you'd have HTML + images and a basic CSS to use as a starting point in building a more polished product.

As I said, I'm not necessarily *asking* for this function, just thinking about how useful it would be now that Calibre is able to produce a final format other than LRF.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Kovid, I'm very much aware that you and the other contributors to Calibre have a long backlog of enhancements and the occasional bug that keep you busy. I'm not even particularly *asking* for this function, but was trying to understand.

Several times, people have posted questions asking how to convert LRF to some other format. The answer often is "ABC Amber", to which someone replies, "but it does a crummy job of it". It just dawned on me as I have been playing more with Calibre trying to get ePub books in a format that pleases me, that the viewer has done a lot of the work in taking apart the LRF file and therefore that could be the basis of a converted book in ePub format. And once in ePub, to anything else.

Thanks for Calibre. It's a marvel, and looks like it is getting even better.

The viewer parses the LRf into a in memory object model, what's needed is code to transform that object model to HTML

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The viewer parses the LRf into a in memory object model, what's needed is code to transform that object model to HTML

Ah! The old SMOP solution.

[crutledge]

Originally Posted by Elsi

With the exception of several hundred books in LRF format uploaded to the library here at MobileRead by Dr. Drib and some others. Some of those are available from Feedbooks or Manybooks in other formats, but the quality just isn't the same. One book I'm looking at is Five Children and It which has over 40 illustrations. It will take quite a bit of time to start from the text at Project Gutenberg and work up the MobiPocket and ePub versions of the book. If Calibre were able to spit out an ePub version, even if it weren't a perfect rendition, you'd have HTML + images and a basic CSS to use as a starting point in building a more polished product.

As I said, I'm not necessarily *asking* for this function, just thinking about how useful it would be now that Calibre is able to produce a final format other than LRF.

Here's your book. Let me know of any problems and I'll fix them.
Charlie

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by crutledge

Here's your book. Let me know of any problems and I'll fix them.
Charlie

Charlie -- that's very kind of you. Thanks.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Elsi

With the exception of several hundred books in LRF format uploaded to the library here at MobileRead by Dr. Drib and some others. Some of those are available from Feedbooks or Manybooks in other formats, but the quality just isn't the same. One book I'm looking at is Five Children and It which has over 40 illustrations. It will take quite a bit of time to start from the text at Project Gutenberg and work up the MobiPocket and ePub versions of the book. If Calibre were able to spit out an ePub version, even if it weren't a perfect rendition, you'd have HTML + images and a basic CSS to use as a starting point in building a more polished product.

As I said, I'm not necessarily *asking* for this function, just thinking about how useful it would be now that Calibre is able to produce a final format other than LRF.

That'll be a priority of mine, to make the books available in mobi/prc format. I know there are a number of people who like these hard-boiled/noir paperbacks as much as I do. In fact, I just assembled an Ed Lacy title in lrf and I'm now working on the mobi/prc version.

Don