EPUB or AZW to PDF, Problem with text search

pcrewlok · 07-15-2013, 10:57 PM

Hi, I'm trying to convert both AZW and epub files with no DRM to PDF in Calibre and the output pdf text is in vector format and therefore cannot be searched or copied. I have tried to run OCR on it in Bluebeam but of course it's vector text so it will not work.

I know that Calibre is supposed to pretty much match the previous format if you only press the convert button. I have tried many other things in the convert categories but to not prevail. Please help.

Elfwreck · 07-15-2013, 11:32 PM

I don't think there's much Calibre can do with vector text. Have you tried unzipping the epub to see whether there's real text in the original?

kovidgoyal · 07-15-2013, 11:55 PM

Use a decent PDF reader with support for cmaps (a feature that was added to pdf in 2005) and you will be able to copy and search text in the pdf just fine.

pcrewlok · 07-18-2013, 10:51 PM

Thanks Kovidgoyal! So I was able to get it to recognize the text in Adobe Acrobat Pro xl and Google Chrome and I realized that i could save the pdf again in Acrobat and then other programs like apple preview and bluebeam had searchable text which did not previously from the Calibre PDF, for your reference.

I have one last problem. When I copy the text in any of the programs it separates the text lines. A whole paragraph will be broken up into each line. How do I fix this?

kovidgoyal · 07-18-2013, 11:11 PM

There's no way to fix that.

07-15-2013, 10:57 PM	#1
pcrewlok Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2013 Device: ipad 2	EPUB or AZW to PDF, Problem with text search Hi, I'm trying to convert both AZW and epub files with no DRM to PDF in Calibre and the output pdf text is in vector format and therefore cannot be searched or copied. I have tried to run OCR on it in Bluebeam but of course it's vector text so it will not work. I know that Calibre is supposed to pretty much match the previous format if you only press the convert button. I have tried many other things in the convert categories but to not prevail. Please help.

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07-15-2013, 11:32 PM	#2
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I don't think there's much Calibre can do with vector text. Have you tried unzipping the epub to see whether there's real text in the original?

07-15-2013, 11:55 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,198 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Use a decent PDF reader with support for cmaps (a feature that was added to pdf in 2005) and you will be able to copy and search text in the pdf just fine.

07-18-2013, 10:51 PM	#4
pcrewlok Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2013 Device: ipad 2	Thanks Kovidgoyal! So I was able to get it to recognize the text in Adobe Acrobat Pro xl and Google Chrome and I realized that i could save the pdf again in Acrobat and then other programs like apple preview and bluebeam had searchable text which did not previously from the Calibre PDF, for your reference. I have one last problem. When I copy the text in any of the programs it separates the text lines. A whole paragraph will be broken up into each line. How do I fix this?

07-18-2013, 11:11 PM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,198 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	There's no way to fix that.