k2pdfopt: optimizes PDFs for viewing on e-readers

[willus]

Originally Posted by educruz

Missing characters in converted PDFs, Kindle Paperwhite


Hi,
First at all, congratulations for your software... It is really amazing!
However, this last time I am experiencing problems with the pdfs in my kindle paperwhite.

I convert pdf files to read them in the kindle.
I had done it before without problems, but there is a book (it looks very normal) in wich I can not see some characters in the kindle after the conversion.

If I open the converted file in my PC it works fine, but after sending the file I can not read some letters or other characters in the reader, for example there are missing letters in some words (in place of the letter is nothing, I mean the space is empty), or for example some numbers in the index, etc.

I tryied opening the files directly in my android device, using the kindle app, but it happens exactly the same.

Do you know what can I do?

I really need to read that book.

Tanks a lot!

Edu

There are multiple reasons why certain characters may not display correctly. See this post, for example. In that case it was an apparent JBIG decoder bug in Amazon's firmware. If you are converting a JBIG PDF using native mode, this could be happening. Or it may just be a different font issue. Can you post a screen shot of your k2pdfopt settings? Also, can you post or PM me the source PDF file? That would help the most.

[capink]

Hi willus

Thanks for your great program. I have problem with some files where some of the rows have smaller magnification. This is mentioned in your faqs and also addressed in a post here in the forum. I tried following the instructions and played around with -gtr settings but to no avail. Strangely enough, I tried converting the file using evince (Gnome pdf reader) print to file dialog and the problem disappeared without the need to tamper with the -gtr settings. But since it is tedious to convert the files one by one using a GUI program I tried other command line tools to convert the files (like pdftk, gs, lpr) but none of the seem to work. I don't know what evince "print to file" does but I would like to batch process my files. Do you have any solution for this?

And speaking of batch processing, is there a way to suppress k2pdfopt interactive menu so that it can be used in bash scripts (k2pdfopt batch mode does not descend into subfolders).

Thank you for you help.

[willus]

Originally Posted by capink

Hi willus

Thanks for your great program. I have problem with some files where some of the rows have smaller magnification. This is mentioned in your faqs and also addressed in a post here in the forum. I tried following the instructions and played around with -gtr settings but to no avail. Strangely enough, I tried converting the file using evince (Gnome pdf reader) print to file dialog and the problem disappeared without the need to tamper with the -gtr settings. But since it is tedious to convert the files one by one using a GUI program I tried other command line tools to convert the files (like pdftk, gs, lpr) but none of the seem to work. I don't know what evince "print to file" does but I would like to batch process my files. Do you have any solution for this?

And speaking of batch processing, is there a way to suppress k2pdfopt interactive menu so that it can be used in bash scripts (k2pdfopt batch mode does not descend into subfolders).

Thank you for you help.

I'd really need to see your PDF files to better diagnose your issue--both the source PDF and the one processed by evince. Can you either post them or send me a link in a private message? You can just extract a page or two if that helps. You can turn off the interactive menu with

-ui-

.

[capink]

here is the link
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/81965089/pdf.zip

[loviedovie]

Hi

I have some books that have 2 pages in single page. What is the sanest ui or cmd options to split them into proper pages pdf?

thanks

[loviedovie]

Btw it would be so awesome if there was an Android version of this tool I know this tool is integrated into Koreader, but let me tell you this. Koreader on Android sucks donkey balls ;( It is the best reader on my Kobos but not on Android unfortunately.

Maybe the author can provide an Arm build as well?

thanks

[willus]

Originally Posted by loviedovie

Hi

I have some books that have 2 pages in single page. What is the sanest ui or cmd options to split them into proper pages pdf?

thanks

If the two pages are side by side:

-cbox 0,0,.5s,1s -cbox .5s,0,.5s,1s

(Creates two crop-box regions for each half of the source page.)
There used to be a mobileread user (refuser) who compiled k2pdfopt to arm, but not many people downloaded it and it got to be out of date, so I disabled the download. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of extra time these days. The source is available.

[willus]

Originally Posted by capink

I have problem with some files where some of the rows have smaller magnification. This is mentioned in your faqs and also addressed in a post here in the forum. I tried following the instructions and played around with -gtr settings but to no avail. Strangely enough, I tried converting the file using evince (Gnome pdf reader) print to file dialog and the problem disappeared without the need to tamper with the -gtr settings. But since it is tedious to convert the files one by one using a GUI program I tried other command line tools to convert the files (like pdftk, gs, lpr) but none of the seem to work. I don't know what evince "print to file" does but I would like to batch process my files. Do you have any solution for this?

The issue is that the paper size in your source file is very large -- 36 x 33 inches. Use the -ds option to get k2pdfopt to treat your document as if it were smaller, e.g.

-ds 0.33

... will treat the source document as if it is 12 x 11 inches, and this will likely solve your problem.

[capink]

It worked. Thank you very much for your help and time. Much appreciated.

[bookp]

I just tried your program and I was disappointed not to see Sony devices in the dropdown list. Are they supported?
What kind of device do I have to choose for Sony PRS-T1 and Sony PRS-T2 (both 600x800), and Sony PRS-T3 (768x1024)?
Or even older models?
Thanks.

[willus]

Originally Posted by bookp

I just tried your program and I was disappointed not to see Sony devices in the dropdown list. Are they supported?
What kind of device do I have to choose for Sony PRS-T1 and Sony PRS-T2 (both 600x800), and Sony PRS-T3 (768x1024)?
Or even older models?
Thanks.

Any e-reader that can display a PDF file is supported. If the e-reader is not in the drop-down list, just enter its display pixel width, pixel height, and pixel density into the fields right below the drop-down list. The drop-down list simply auto-populates those fields. K2pdfopt will then remember those settings for future conversions, or you can store the conversion settings using the custom preset buttons.

[bookp]

In the meantime, using grid images embedded in PDFs, I think I found the true PDF resolution for the Sony PRS-T3.
It's 738x964.
Tomorrow I can make sunlight photos.
It's a big difference compared to 768x1024.

[willus]

Originally Posted by bookp

In the meantime, using grid images embedded in PDFs, I think I found the true PDF resolution ...

There's a thread about that which I started.

[Shrimply]

Hi Guys,

I've been using k2pdfopt for a while now and it's brilliant and has been a lifesaver. But every now and again is does get things wrong, or rather I probably tell it to do things wrong. I am trying to learn a bit more about the settings but I'm really struggling with problems like this.

http://picpaste.com/Capture-sDYfDg5n.PNG

I need to limit how much white space comes after text in a region I think, or something, but I can't figure out what settings are needed.

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

[willus]

Originally Posted by Shrimply

Hi Guys,

I've been using k2pdfopt for a while now and it's brilliant and has been a lifesaver. But every now and again is does get things wrong, or rather I probably tell it to do things wrong. I am trying to learn a bit more about the settings but I'm really struggling with problems like this.

http://picpaste.com/Capture-sDYfDg5n.PNG

I need to limit how much white space comes after text in a region I think, or something, but I can't figure out what settings are needed.

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

This one is tricky but there are some controls that can help. Try the following:

k2pdfopt -crgh .15 -ch 1 -cgmax 3

The -crgh setting is the least obvious. It prevents k2pdfopt from switching the column break point between regions 3 and 5 in your diagram. There is a small gap between regions 3 and 5. The -crgh value tells k2pdfopt that the gap between 3 and 5 in your example must be larger than the specified value (0.15 inches in my example above) in order to change where it is breaking the columns, so that prevents it from doing what it did in your example.

The -ch and -cgmax options get k2pdfopt to treat region 2 as a separate column, otherwise it will connect it to region 3 because it is such a short region and so far from region 3. See my command-line usage page.