Alignment of dialog - word to epub

Denwayz · 04-12-2018, 09:11 PM

Dialog in MS Word set up on a tab marker isn't recognized after Calibre conversion. What was speech vertically aligned becomes

JAQUE: How are you?
JILL: Fine.

How do I fix this?

BetterRed · 04-12-2018, 10:10 PM

If the Word document a script or transcript (as would appear), then I suggest you format it as a two column table.

BR

kovidgoyal · 04-12-2018, 10:51 PM

tabs are not supported, use tables.

Denwayz · 04-18-2018, 01:52 PM

Uggh -- there are multiple hundreds of them, big hours of work

Thanks for input.

kovidgoyal · 04-18-2018, 01:54 PM

You can probably write a word macro to automate it. But yeah, tabs are a pain, when writing the DOCX input plugin for calibre I spent a fair bit of time looking for ways to support tabs, but there really isn't any good way.

Denwayz · 04-18-2018, 03:08 PM

LOL - I am the macro!

BetterRed · 04-18-2018, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denwayz

LOL - I am the macro!

I've solved this in the past by saving the transcript/dialogue to a text file which I imported into Excel as CSV (nominating ':' as the separator), then I saved it as a two column XLS(X) file which I could import as a table into Word.

I didn't bother with automating it because I was able to convince the transcribers into doing as a table in the first instance.

BR

Denwayz · 04-18-2018, 09:11 PM

Getting transcribers to play nice in tables is a good gig if you can get it. In this case, I am/was the transcriber, so threatening to shoot myself in the kneecaps won't help -- especially since the horse of transcription is long gone (horrible mixed metaphor, but hopefully makes the point)

04-12-2018, 09:11 PM	#1
Denwayz Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: None	Alignment of dialog - word to epub Dialog in MS Word set up on a tab marker isn't recognized after Calibre conversion. What was speech vertically aligned becomes JAQUE: How are you? JILL: Fine. How do I fix this? Last edited by Denwayz; 04-12-2018 at 09:13 PM.

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04-12-2018, 10:10 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,045 Karma: 30277960 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	If the Word document a script or transcript (as would appear), then I suggest you format it as a two column table. BR

04-12-2018, 10:51 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,656 Karma: 28549046 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	tabs are not supported, use tables.

04-18-2018, 01:52 PM	#4
Denwayz Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: None	Uggh -- there are multiple hundreds of them, big hours of work Thanks for input.

04-18-2018, 01:54 PM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,656 Karma: 28549046 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You can probably write a word macro to automate it. But yeah, tabs are a pain, when writing the DOCX input plugin for calibre I spent a fair bit of time looking for ways to support tabs, but there really isn't any good way.

04-18-2018, 03:08 PM	#6
Denwayz Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: None	LOL - I am the macro!

04-18-2018, 09:11 PM	#8
Denwayz Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: None	Getting transcribers to play nice in tables is a good gig if you can get it. In this case, I am/was the transcriber, so threatening to shoot myself in the kneecaps won't help -- especially since the horse of transcription is long gone (horrible mixed metaphor, but hopefully makes the point)