A4 PDF

kleykenb · 11-07-2007, 08:17 AM

I'd like to start a new thread on the topic of reading A4 PDF's on an A5 device (like the Cybook Gen3).

Im disappointed with what the Cybook Gen3 can do for me when it comes to A4 PDFs. I don't blame the device, I've read enough to understand that it's only logical that an A5 device can't display A4 Pdfs very well. Everything seems to depend on the font size within the PDF...

But Ive also read about many tools that people use to make the experience more pleasureable so Im hopeing to get a nice thread that can be used as some sort of FAQ on the topic.

Furthermore Im going to try to find new methods of making things more pleasurable with PDFs, two things I have not read about so far but that can be of interest :
1) there are tools to convert PDF to TXT, I think these would help depending on the graphicallity (so to speak) of the PDF involved
2) another tool : pdftops can be used to convert PDFs to PostScript and there should be a tool called 'psresize' which allows for a reformat from A4 to A5 but I could not find it yesterday.
3) Isnt there a way to use a binary editor to change the font size ?

Pdftotxt is free on linux; and there is also a website from Acrobat where you can upload your file and have it pdf to txt for you.
Also, since I can convert PDF to PS, isnt it possible to use software, e.g. OpenOffice to then read that PS and convert it to A5 - and then you could just export it as PDF or even some other format like RTF ... ?

bob_ninja · 11-07-2007, 08:32 AM

Hey Sony onwers,
Do some/all of your tools and techniques apply here as well? Or do you convert PDF to Sony's format only.
This should be a sticky.

BuSab · 11-07-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kleykenb

I'd like to start a new thread on the topic of reading A4 PDF's on an A5 device (like the Cybook Gen3).

Cybook is more an A6 device than A5. The Iliad (10") is A5.

for a ps2pdf filter, every linux distro have a package with this name, or you can use this one (not tested) :
http://orion.math.iastate.edu/burkar...ps/pdf2ps.html

Changing the font size with a binary editor seams very difficult, but IIRC, next version of openoffice will be able to import pdf.

tompe · 11-07-2007, 08:55 AM

psresize seems to resize the whole document and cannot be used to remove margins.

dalai · 11-07-2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuSab

Cybook is more an A6 device than A5. The Iliad (10") is A5.

A5 is 10.1" and A6 is about 7.1" so the Cybook is a little less than A6 and Iliad (8.1") is a little more. The Jinke V9 is going to be A5.

HarryT · 11-07-2007, 09:38 AM

The "PDFLRF" tool in the Sony Reader forum can be used to generate a ZIP file of PNG page images, which can be recombined into a PDF file for use on the Gen3. Works well, although the resulting files are pretty large.

As we all know, no device with a 6" screen is going to do a good job of displaying an A4 PDF. This is one task for which the iLiad is far, far better suited.

dalai · 11-07-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kleykenb

3) Isnt there a way to use a binary editor to change the font size ?

If I'm not mistaken both ps and pdf formats are page description formats. Even if you do change the font size, you'll probably need to do a lot of manipulation to make the text reflow to other pages. Unless the document has been properly prepared (reflowable pdfs) automatic conversion can be tricky.

delphidb96 · 11-07-2007, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kleykenb

I'd like to start a new thread on the topic of reading A4 PDF's on an A5 device (like the Cybook Gen3).

Im disappointed with what the Cybook Gen3 can do for me when it comes to A4 PDFs. I don't blame the device, I've read enough to understand that it's only logical that an A5 device can't display A4 Pdfs very well. Everything seems to depend on the font size within the PDF...

But Ive also read about many tools that people use to make the experience more pleasureable so Im hopeing to get a nice thread that can be used as some sort of FAQ on the topic.

Furthermore Im going to try to find new methods of making things more pleasurable with PDFs, two things I have not read about so far but that can be of interest :
1) there are tools to convert PDF to TXT, I think these would help depending on the graphicallity (so to speak) of the PDF involved
2) another tool : pdftops can be used to convert PDFs to PostScript and there should be a tool called 'psresize' which allows for a reformat from A4 to A5 but I could not find it yesterday.
3) Isnt there a way to use a binary editor to change the font size ?

Pdftotxt is free on linux; and there is also a website from Acrobat where you can upload your file and have it pdf to txt for you.
Also, since I can convert PDF to PS, isnt it possible to use software, e.g. OpenOffice to then read that PS and convert it to A5 - and then you could just export it as PDF or even some other format like RTF ... ?

Do you have a nice, small, Windows system around? If so, and if the PDF document is mostly text, why not just run it through BookDesigner? That does a bang-up job of converting to all the major ebook formats, including Mobipocket.

Derek

BuSab · 11-07-2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalai

A5 is 10.1" and A6 is about 7.1" so the Cybook is a little less than A6 and Iliad (8.1") is a little more. The Jinke V9 is going to be A5.

you're right, I spend too much time on the jinke website.

kovidgoyal · 11-07-2007, 02:20 PM

You'd be better off using pdftohtml as opposed to pdftotext as it will at least take care of formatting headings, etc. And its relatively easy to remove the hard line breaks from the generated html. See pdf2lrf for an example.

tompe · 11-07-2007, 04:47 PM

pdfedit described here: http://www.kdedevelopers.org/node/2657

seems to be able to change the page metric so white space is removed.

JSWolf · 11-07-2007, 04:51 PM

Moved since this is turning into more then a Gen3 discussion and is relevant to any eink device with a 6" screen such as the 500/505 and V3.

modsoul · 11-21-2007, 08:24 PM

i was wondering why rasterfarian isn't mentioned. it makes any A4 pdf usable on my sony reader. without any change to formatting.

TadW · 11-23-2007, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by modsoul

i was wondering why rasterfarian isn't mentioned. it makes any A4 pdf usable on my sony reader. without any change to formatting.

Rasterfarian is cool. Though I believe a lot of folks jumped over to PDFLRF because it's easier to install and to use.

HarryT · 11-23-2007, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TadW

Rasterfarian is cool. Though I believe a lot of folks jumped over to PDFLRF because it's easier to install and to use.

The main reason we no longer promote or host it on MR is because it made improper use of an unlicenced commercial tool.

11-07-2007, 08:17 AM	#1
kleykenb Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 99 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: DR1kS/Cy3	A4 PDF I'd like to start a new thread on the topic of reading A4 PDF's on an A5 device (like the Cybook Gen3). Im disappointed with what the Cybook Gen3 can do for me when it comes to A4 PDFs. I don't blame the device, I've read enough to understand that it's only logical that an A5 device can't display A4 Pdfs very well. Everything seems to depend on the font size within the PDF... But Ive also read about many tools that people use to make the experience more pleasureable so Im hopeing to get a nice thread that can be used as some sort of FAQ on the topic. Furthermore Im going to try to find new methods of making things more pleasurable with PDFs, two things I have not read about so far but that can be of interest : 1) there are tools to convert PDF to TXT, I think these would help depending on the graphicallity (so to speak) of the PDF involved 2) another tool : pdftops can be used to convert PDFs to PostScript and there should be a tool called 'psresize' which allows for a reformat from A4 to A5 but I could not find it yesterday. 3) Isnt there a way to use a binary editor to change the font size ? Pdftotxt is free on linux; and there is also a website from Acrobat where you can upload your file and have it pdf to txt for you. Also, since I can convert PDF to PS, isnt it possible to use software, e.g. OpenOffice to then read that PS and convert it to A5 - and then you could just export it as PDF or even some other format like RTF ... ?

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11-07-2007, 08:32 AM	#2
bob_ninja Addict Posts: 208 Karma: 582 Join Date: Aug 2006 Device: Zire71	Hey Sony onwers, Do some/all of your tools and techniques apply here as well? Or do you convert PDF to Sony's format only. This should be a sticky.

11-07-2007, 08:55 AM	#4
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	psresize seems to resize the whole document and cannot be used to remove margins.

11-07-2007, 09:38 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The "PDFLRF" tool in the Sony Reader forum can be used to generate a ZIP file of PNG page images, which can be recombined into a PDF file for use on the Gen3. Works well, although the resulting files are pretty large. As we all know, no device with a 6" screen is going to do a good job of displaying an A4 PDF. This is one task for which the iLiad is far, far better suited.

11-07-2007, 02:20 PM	#10
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,160 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You'd be better off using pdftohtml as opposed to pdftotext as it will at least take care of formatting headings, etc. And its relatively easy to remove the hard line breaks from the generated html. See pdf2lrf for an example.

11-07-2007, 04:47 PM	#11
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	pdfedit described here: http://www.kdedevelopers.org/node/2657 seems to be able to change the page metric so white space is removed.

11-07-2007, 04:51 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,985 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Moved since this is turning into more then a Gen3 discussion and is relevant to any eink device with a 6" screen such as the 500/505 and V3.

11-21-2007, 08:24 PM	#13
modsoul Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: prs-500	i was wondering why rasterfarian isn't mentioned. it makes any A4 pdf usable on my sony reader. without any change to formatting.