Uploading epub to Kobo and Nook

[dgatwood]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well, if I had to guess, that would be it. I doubt that NookPress is set up to deal with SVG. What happens to your books, though, on the B&N Preview pages, if you can't see them in the Preview pre-publication?

I mean...just viewing the ePUB in the Preview mode doesn't change it; the client/publisher has to make an actual change, for the CSS modification to occur.

So: what happens when they go to display your book for their version of "Look Inside?"

For B&N, the preview feature works just fine (at least in Firefox; their "Look Inside" doesn't appear to support Safari at all, but I digress). It's only the Nook Press editor that says something to the effect of "We can't import your book, but you can still upload the original file" or something.

Kobo's web-based reader fails to render any SVG even in browsers that fully support it. I guess I should probably put in fallback HTML content, but I've encountered weird problems with readers showing two copies of the content when I've attempted that in the past, so I'm wary of doing so.

[Notjohn]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well, if I had to guess, that would be it. I doubt that NookPress is set up to deal with SVG. What happens to your books, though, on the B&N Preview pages, if you can't see them in the Preview pre-publication?

I mean...just viewing the ePUB in the Preview mode doesn't change it; the client/publisher has to make an actual change, for the CSS modification to occur.

So: what happens when they go to display your book for their version of "Look Inside?"

HItch

This may relate to a problem I have with B&N. I use the standard Sigil insert-cover tool with its SVG division. I upload to Draft2Digital, and they send it to B&N and elsewhere.

When I look at my book on the online preview, the cover image is just a corner of the actual cover (upper left, I think it is). But if I buy the book and download it, it looks just fine.

[dgatwood]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

This may relate to a problem I have with B&N. I use the standard Sigil insert-cover tool with its SVG division. I upload to Draft2Digital, and they send it to B&N and elsewhere.

When I look at my book on the online preview, the cover image is just a corner of the actual cover (upper left, I think it is). But if I buy the book and download it, it looks just fine.

My cover looks okay in the B&N look inside, so there's probably some subtle difference between the SVG code I put together and whatever Sigil is doing. You might take a quick look at one of my EPUB samples (http://www.patriotsbooks.com/?pane=books_pane), compare the code, and see if there are any obvious differences that you can work around.

[Notjohn]

Thanks for the pointer!

(Later: nice website!)

[shimmering]

Originally Posted by goodmorningjulie

Any updates on this issue?
Thanks SO MUCH for mentioning that this worked for you!!

Glad it was some use.

I have no real updates but I am glad others are posting their insights.

I have actually added all the locations (the xhtml files) to the TOC.NCX's for my epubs now --- i reasoned that the TOC.NCX doesn't have exactly the same function as a table of contents in a book --- a table of contents just tells the reader where something is, whereas the TOC.NCX not only tells you where something is it takes you there. So while things that are in very obvious locations (e.g. the front cover) have no place in a table of contents, a case could be made for putting them into the TOC.NCX. And I bought it.

But I still do not use the previewers for either nook or kobo. goodness knows what else they may change. I had sold ebooks on both nook and kobo via smashwords before I went direct, and then they didn't modify the files.

[Notjohn]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

My epubs are universal, with the single exception that I don't include a cover in the version uploaded to the KDP.

In another thread (I can't find it now), Hitch pointed out that the double-cover problem no longer should occur in the KDP publishing process. I uploaded a revised edition day before yesterday, with included cover, and sure enough -- no double cover in the book as downloaded to my Fire HD!

Not only that, but the Start Reading Location worked. I have long labeled my title page as text, and Amazon has long ignored it in favor of opening the book in the middle of the TOC. But in this revision, it's Go To / title page, hurrah!