Going nuts with conversion... losing "No indent"

samcole · 04-27-2016, 11:37 AM

Hi - I'm not very computer savy but I am not computer illiterate either. This is driving me nuts. In my word doc, I use the styles and don't use tab or any other thing that screws up the conversion to my knowledge. When I convert from doc to epub, mobi, or AWZ3, I lose the no indent for the first paragraph after the chapter title. This has happened in several books but not all of them yet I am using the same styles for each book. I have searched all over the kindle community since I first thought it was an Amazon thing but then I noticed it was happening in Calibre. Again not for every book, just some of them yet I don't do anything different in Word that I can figure out. I've tried converting to HTML (which I honestly don't know much about) and pdf before converting but it doesn't help. Why is it doing it in some and not all and how do I fix it!!!???

HarryT · 04-27-2016, 11:45 AM

You need to look at the CSS in the converted book and see why it's happening. Understanding CSS is critical if you're creating ebooks.

eschwartz · 04-27-2016, 11:45 AM

Make sure to check the conversion options.

By default it will normalize paragraph first-line-indent and other spacing issues, but you can turn that off.

If this is for production, you might prefer to convert with Toxaris' MS Word addin, or import the DOCX directly in calibre's Ebook Editor. Either one will avoid the typical conversion side-effects of CSS flattening and CSS conformity training.

samcole · 04-27-2016, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Make sure to check the conversion options.

By default it will normalize paragraph first-line-indent and other spacing issues, but you can turn that off.

If this is for production, you might prefer to convert with Toxaris' MS Word addin, or import the DOCX directly in calibre's Ebook Editor. Either one will avoid the typical conversion side-effects of CSS flattening and CSS conformity training.

Okay - where do I turn off the normalize paragraph? And I've been uploading the DOCX into Calibre. I've never heard of Toxaris but going to check that now!

eschwartz · 04-27-2016, 12:04 PM

Toxaris' addin can be found in his dedicated thread here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213372

samcole · 04-27-2016, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You need to look at the CSS in the converted book and see why it's happening. Understanding CSS is critical if you're creating ebooks.

That's just it...I opened both the book that converted right and the one that didn't and it's the same CSS.

Not working on this one -
<span class="text_">
</span><span id="id_Toc447913162" class="text_">Chapter 1</span></h1>
<p class="block_13">Across the backyard, Marco ‘Polo’

Working on this one -
</head>
<body class="calibre">
<h1 class="block_12" id="id_Toc440142508">Chapter 1</h1>
<p class="block_13">Nick Sawyer flipped on the lights and closed the door to his hotel

HarryT · 04-27-2016, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samcole

That's just it...I opened both the book that converted right and the one that didn't and it's the same CSS.

Not working on this one -
<span class="text_">
</span><span id="id_Toc447913162" class="text_">Chapter 1</span></h1>
<p class="block_13">Across the backyard, Marco ‘Polo’

Working on this one -
</head>
<body class="calibre">
<h1 class="block_12" id="id_Toc440142508">Chapter 1</h1>
<p class="block_13">Nick Sawyer flipped on the lights and closed the door to his hotel

Yes, but what indent is specified in the definition of the "block_13" class in each of those two cases? That's almost certainly what's differing. Look in the CSS file in the book and see.

theducks · 04-27-2016, 01:00 PM

Just because both books have a style called block_13 does NOT guarantee they are even close to the same unless the book was CREATED with the same stylesheet
A lot of stylesheets (with sequence style numbering) are simply First Use of that style
Calibre# assigned in conversions are that way. A lot of times, similar input, results in similar style names. It just happens. Don't Borrow a stylesheet from another books conversion (

I do open the other sheet to see what was done for the style I wish to emulate in the book being edited

)

samcole · 04-27-2016, 01:57 PM

Okay - the good news is I figured out where the issue is with the code for the no indent (yeah me!) but how do I enter a new code? I saw there was an add CSS style sheet earlier but now I can't find it!

samcole · 04-27-2016, 02:38 PM

Never mind! Found it!

theducks · 04-27-2016, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samcole

Okay - the good news is I figured out where the issue is with the code for the no indent (yeah me!) but how do I enter a new code? I saw there was an add CSS style sheet earlier but now I can't find it!

Personally, I use the editor

That way, not only is it easy to insert or change the CSS (OR HTML), but you get to see if it is close to working.

The final proof, is still THE TARGET device

(works great in the editor/viewer, and bombs on my old PEz

. The viewer is way too tolerant

)

BetterRed · 04-27-2016, 04:44 PM

@samcole - If you are going to be doing frequent DOCX to EPUB conversions then I suggest you would make your life easier if you find out why your DOCX First Paragraph style is not getting converted.

If you change the coding of an EPUB that was created by conversion (from anything, by anything) you might as well throw the conversion input away.

I convert 10-20 relatively simple DOCX's every day (with calibre) and I have no problem with it at all. Here's the essentials of my FirstPara style

Click image for larger version

Name: Capture.JPG
Views: 358
Size: 104.7 KB
ID: 148276

BR

samcole · 04-27-2016, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@samcole - If you are going to be doing frequent DOCX to EPUB conversions then I suggest you would make your life easier if you find out why your DOCX First Paragraph style is not getting converted.

If you change the coding of an EPUB that was created by conversion (from anything, by anything) you might as well throw the conversion input away.

I convert 10-20 relatively simple DOCX's every day (with calibre) and I have no problem with it at all. Here's the essentials of my FirstPara style

Attachment 148276

BR

That's exactly what I have. I've even deleted all my first paragraph styles and started from scratch. I've opened up new docs and done the same. I even opened the doc where it was working, deleted the text, saved under new name, cut/paste text only (no styles) and applied the style that was working less than five minutes ago with the original text and nada..... still doesn't convert properly in Calibre or KDP - Previewer and upload to my kindle from amazon.

I just compared yours and mine side by side and they are exactly the same settings. I've also tried saving it as an html, opening that in notepad and checked the codes there and they are what they are supposed to be according to this article - https://chrismcmullen.wordpress.com/...e-look-inside/

jackie_w · 04-27-2016, 09:16 PM

If you're getting indents where the source has noindents try looking at your calibre conversion settings for Look&Feel - Layout. Do you have 'Remove spacing between paragraphs' checked with a forced indent?

BetterRed · 04-28-2016, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackie_w

If you're getting indents where the source has noindents try looking at your calibre conversion settings for Look&Feel - Layout. Do you have 'Remove spacing between paragraphs' checked with a forced indent?

- for the record this is what I have in L&F->Layout,

Click image for larger version

Name: Capture.JPG
Views: 260
Size: 37.2 KB
ID: 148285

I think I'm right in saying they're the default values.

FWIW : I'm using Word 2010, I normally attach one of 3 Templates to calibre bound documents. They all have the same FirstPara style.

BR

04-27-2016, 11:37 AM	#1
samcole Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2016 Device: Kindle	Going nuts with conversion... losing "No indent" Hi - I'm not very computer savy but I am not computer illiterate either. This is driving me nuts. In my word doc, I use the styles and don't use tab or any other thing that screws up the conversion to my knowledge. When I convert from doc to epub, mobi, or AWZ3, I lose the no indent for the first paragraph after the chapter title. This has happened in several books but not all of them yet I am using the same styles for each book. I have searched all over the kindle community since I first thought it was an Amazon thing but then I noticed it was happening in Calibre. Again not for every book, just some of them yet I don't do anything different in Word that I can figure out. I've tried converting to HTML (which I honestly don't know much about) and pdf before converting but it doesn't help. Why is it doing it in some and not all and how do I fix it!!!???

04-27-2016, 04:44 PM	#12
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@samcole - If you are going to be doing frequent DOCX to EPUB conversions then I suggest you would make your life easier if you find out why your DOCX First Paragraph style is not getting converted. If you change the coding of an EPUB that was created by conversion (from anything, by anything) you might as well throw the conversion input away. I convert 10-20 relatively simple DOCX's every day (with calibre) and I have no problem with it at all. Here's the essentials of my FirstPara style BR Last edited by BetterRed; 04-27-2016 at 04:46 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Remove "Personal Document" tag WITHOUT losing annotations?	koudis226	Amazon Kindle	9	05-14-2014 05:38 PM
Aluratek Libre Pro Is Suddenly "Losing" Words	Byrdie	Ectaco jetBook	8	08-30-2013 10:07 AM
epub "padding left" to mobi "block quote" conversion issue	1611mac	Conversion	3	01-11-2012 02:10 PM
Identified "losing books" behavior with Save To Disk	unboggling	Library Management	11	09-30-2011 12:40 PM

04-27-2016, 11:45 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You need to look at the CSS in the converted book and see why it's happening. Understanding CSS is critical if you're creating ebooks.

04-27-2016, 11:45 AM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Make sure to check the conversion options. By default it will normalize paragraph first-line-indent and other spacing issues, but you can turn that off. If this is for production, you might prefer to convert with Toxaris' MS Word addin, or import the DOCX directly in calibre's Ebook Editor. Either one will avoid the typical conversion side-effects of CSS flattening and CSS conformity training.

04-27-2016, 12:04 PM	#5
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Toxaris' addin can be found in his dedicated thread here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213372

04-27-2016, 01:00 PM	#8
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,056 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Just because both books have a style called block_13 does NOT guarantee they are even close to the same unless the book was CREATED with the same stylesheet A lot of stylesheets (with sequence style numbering) are simply First Use of that style Calibre# assigned in conversions are that way. A lot of times, similar input, results in similar style names. It just happens. Don't Borrow a stylesheet from another books conversion ( I do open the other sheet to see what was done for the style I wish to emulate in the book being edited )

04-27-2016, 01:57 PM	#9
samcole Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2016 Device: Kindle	Okay - the good news is I figured out where the issue is with the code for the no indent (yeah me!) but how do I enter a new code? I saw there was an add CSS style sheet earlier but now I can't find it!

04-27-2016, 02:38 PM	#10
samcole Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2016 Device: Kindle	Never mind! Found it!

04-27-2016, 09:16 PM	#14
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,251 Karma: 16539642 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E, LibraCol, PBTouchHD3	If you're getting indents where the source has noindents try looking at your calibre conversion settings for Look&Feel - Layout. Do you have 'Remove spacing between paragraphs' checked with a forced indent?