Newbie needs help with line spacing

mikeinstlouis · 09-12-2019, 04:12 PM

Hi all

I have a textbook pdf that I want to convert to an epub so I can put it in my google books and highlight important points. (I can't highlight with the pdf document)

I did the conversion process with Calibre and it looks pretty good except there is weird spacing. For instance some of the chapter titles has one word on each page.

My big issue is that there is a space added to the end of every line of the pdf..something like this:

"The man walked to the store and was able to by all kinds of things. He bought a lot of
meat and

chicken. He was hoping to buy some steak but he could not afford the prices that
the grocery

store was asking."

My question is...can I eliminate these lines with Calibre but still retain the paragraph spacing?

"The man walked to the store and was able to by all kinds of things. He bought a lot of meat and chicken. He was hoping to buy some steak but he could not afford the prices that the grocery store was asking."

I am reading this on my Samsung phone and tablet.

Mike

PeterT · 09-12-2019, 05:48 PM

Take a look at the sticky post in this forum entitled "Read this before Posting PDF Questions"

I think you might find some answers

BetterRed · 09-12-2019, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeinstlouis

Hi all

I have a textbook pdf that I want to convert to an epub so I can put it in my google books and highlight important points. (I can't highlight with the pdf document)

My question is...can I eliminate these lines with Calibre but still retain the paragraph spacing?

I don't use Google Books, but if you're implying it doesn't allow users to put PDFs into it then that seems to me to be another good reason not use it

But to answer your substantive question - no you probably can't eliminate all PDF conversion issues, but you can probably improve things by tweaking the line-unwrapping factor down (or up) a fraction in the PDF Input options.

BR

theducks · 09-12-2019, 08:03 PM

What you show is a 'broken line' as BR described.

Personally, I use Sigil (just because that was what I started with) and I have a series of saved REGEX 'JOINS' that I run. ONLY 2 of these do I give free (replace ALL) reign. The rest I step thru individually and decide

to Replace or Find (skip) next. In a few cases I drag out a few more, but those are only needed if your goal is near 100% perfection

I find this simpler than fussing with the conversion settings, besides, you may spot some other bad places that conversion will NOT ever do correctly.

JSWolf · 09-12-2019, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Take a look at the sticky post in this forum entitled "Read this before Posting PDF Questions"

I think you might find some answers

There is only one answer. That answer is DON'T TRY TO CONVERT THE PDF AS IT WILL BE CHOCK FULL OF ERRORS.

theducks · 09-12-2019, 11:12 PM

I think Jon's advice is mostly right.
If your conversion is bad. You need some HTML skills to fix it. There is no Magic solution. Each fix (for that document) will be unique and there is no guarantee that the whole document will even get fixed wit a single solution.

PDF is a 'paste up' here format. You can past things in any order, but the converter reads the text linear (without the position placement stuff: very difficult )

BetterRed · 09-13-2019, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeinstlouis

Hi all

I have a textbook pdf that I want to convert to an epub so I can put it in my google books and highlight important points. (I can't highlight with the pdf document)

There plenty of Android PDF Reader apps that feature highlighting, annotating etc ==>> The 5 Best PDF Reading, Editing, and Annotation Apps for Android

As others have responded - the best solution is don't convert - anything - especially PDFs. And don't let the behemoth walled garden merchants paint you into a corner.

BR

mikeinstlouis · 09-13-2019, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

There plenty of Android PDF Reader apps that feature highlighting, annotating etc ==>> The 5 Best PDF Reading, Editing, and Annotation Apps for Android

As others have responded - the best solution is don't convert - anything - especially PDFs. And don't let the behemoth walled garden merchants paint you into a corner.

BR

I am a physician and I need this text on multiple devices. I can't share those other PDF readers on multiple devices like I can with Google Books. (you can easily ready pdfs on Google Books, for some reason I can't make highlights on this particular pdf, hence the reason for me wanting to convert to an epub.

Thanks.

BetterRed · 09-13-2019, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeinstlouis

I am a physician and I need this text on multiple devices. I can't share those other PDF readers on multiple devices like I can with Google Books. (you can easily ready pdfs on Google Books, for some reason I can't make highlights on this particular pdf, hence the reason for me wanting to convert to an epub.

OK, the day when you guys can cure peripheral neuropathy with a pill will be the day when there's a one size fits all solution for converting PDF's to EPUB

Have you asked Google why you can't highlight in this particular PDF, or was it them who suggested converting it to EPUB. If the book is available in another format, e.g. EPUB, or one of the Kindle formats from Amazon (but not their PDF in a wrapper format) you should consider buying it - converting PDFs to anything is a PITA - and that's an incurable condition

.

BR

meeera · 09-13-2019, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeinstlouis

I am a physician and I need this text on multiple devices. I can't share those other PDF readers on multiple devices like I can with Google Books. (you can easily ready pdfs on Google Books, for some reason I can't make highlights on this particular pdf, hence the reason for me wanting to convert to an epub.

Which devices, and do you also need to also sync the annotations? Have you asked Google Books why you are unable to annotate this PDF?

Since your first solution is not working, the best bet is to go back to the actual root of the problem and trouble-shoot from there, developing alternative solutions. Which book is it?

mikeinstlouis · 09-17-2019, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

Which devices, and do you also need to also sync the annotations? Have you asked Google Books why you are unable to annotate this PDF?

Since your first solution is not working, the best bet is to go back to the actual root of the problem and trouble-shoot from there, developing alternative solutions. Which book is it?

It is a medical textbook. I will live with the epub that I have. I don't know why I can't annotate this particular PDF.

Thanks all

deback · 09-23-2019, 03:20 PM

There is a way to convert PDF to ePub and have many less spacing problems with the paragraphs. In the Convert settings, open Heuristic Processing and check the Enable Heuristic Processing box. Then check the Unwrap Lines box and enter 0.22 in the Line un_wrap factor box. Run the conversion and you should see a major difference. You might still want to do some editing, but there should be a lot less editing to do with the paragraph spacing.

spirithealer · 10-05-2019, 04:38 AM

hi guys ...iam really grateful for this thread ,i had so many spaces in between the sentences converting from PDF to Mobi for kindle. when i did change the default unwrapping in calibre from 0.45 to 0.25(i had read this input from an old thread in mobileread) and it perfected the book perfectly! thanks all

09-12-2019, 04:12 PM	#1
mikeinstlouis Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2019 Device: Samsung tablet	Newbie needs help with line spacing Hi all I have a textbook pdf that I want to convert to an epub so I can put it in my google books and highlight important points. (I can't highlight with the pdf document) I did the conversion process with Calibre and it looks pretty good except there is weird spacing. For instance some of the chapter titles has one word on each page. My big issue is that there is a space added to the end of every line of the pdf..something like this: "The man walked to the store and was able to by all kinds of things. He bought a lot of meat and chicken. He was hoping to buy some steak but he could not afford the prices that the grocery store was asking." My question is...can I eliminate these lines with Calibre but still retain the paragraph spacing? "The man walked to the store and was able to by all kinds of things. He bought a lot of meat and chicken. He was hoping to buy some steak but he could not afford the prices that the grocery store was asking." I am reading this on my Samsung phone and tablet. Mike Last edited by mikeinstlouis; 09-12-2019 at 04:16 PM.

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09-12-2019, 05:48 PM	#2
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,527 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Take a look at the sticky post in this forum entitled "Read this before Posting PDF Questions" I think you might find some answers

09-12-2019, 08:03 PM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,062 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	What you show is a 'broken line' as BR described. Personally, I use Sigil (just because that was what I started with) and I have a series of saved REGEX 'JOINS' that I run. ONLY 2 of these do I give free (replace ALL) reign. The rest I step thru individually and decide to Replace or Find (skip) next. In a few cases I drag out a few more, but those are only needed if your goal is near 100% perfection I find this simpler than fussing with the conversion settings, besides, you may spot some other bad places that conversion will NOT ever do correctly.

09-12-2019, 11:12 PM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,062 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I think Jon's advice is mostly right. If your conversion is bad. You need some HTML skills to fix it. There is no Magic solution. Each fix (for that document) will be unique and there is no guarantee that the whole document will even get fixed wit a single solution. PDF is a 'paste up' here format. You can past things in any order, but the converter reads the text linear (without the position placement stuff: very difficult )

09-23-2019, 03:20 PM	#12
deback Book E d i t o r Posts: 432 Karma: 288184 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Laptop	There is a way to convert PDF to ePub and have many less spacing problems with the paragraphs. In the Convert settings, open Heuristic Processing and check the Enable Heuristic Processing box. Then check the Unwrap Lines box and enter 0.22 in the Line un_wrap factor box. Run the conversion and you should see a major difference. You might still want to do some editing, but there should be a lot less editing to do with the paragraph spacing.

10-05-2019, 04:38 AM	#13
spirithealer Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2018 Device: kindle paperwhte	hi guys ...iam really grateful for this thread ,i had so many spaces in between the sentences converting from PDF to Mobi for kindle. when i did change the default unwrapping in calibre from 0.45 to 0.25(i had read this input from an old thread in mobileread) and it perfected the book perfectly! thanks all