Gregg's Nearly Interminable Adventures in Linux Land

[Gregg Bell]

I was wanting to use Libreoffice to do my composing for the ebooks this time (I usually use MS Word). But I have LO 4.1.3.2 on my desktop and only 3.5.7.2 on my laptop (where I do the composing). The versions look pretty similar, except for the fact that the laptop LO does not have Times New Roman for a font. Its default font is Liberation Serif. I just don't want to get into problems working between the two different versions, esp. considering that I'll be converting the .odt format into .html (in LO).

Libreoffice says use the version of LO in the Ubuntu Software Center (I was going to try to get the same version for both computers but the laptop has very small memory and small capacity overall.) so that's what I did.

And then there's the introducing the Liberation Serif into Sigil and blah blah blah.

Any thoughts if I'm headed for trouble using the two different versions? Thanks.

[Dngrsone]

Can you not import Times New Roman into the older version of LO?

[avantman42]

The file formats are the same, so no issues there. I have a similar version discrepancy between my work computer and home laptop, and work on documents on both without any issues.

The laptop doesn't have the Times New Roman font installed, which is why you're not seeing it in LibreOffice. I believe this is due to licensing issues.

I don't think there will be problems with Sigil, but I always remove any reference to specific fonts in my ebooks. I prefer to let the reader use whatever font they've selected on their ereader.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

Can you not import Times New Roman into the older version of LO?

Thanks Dngrsone. Great idea. (Seems so obvious in hindsight.) So now my quest it how to import TNR into my LO on the laptop. Thanks.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by avantman42

The file formats are the same, so no issues there. I have a similar version discrepancy between my work computer and home laptop, and work on documents on both without any issues.

The laptop doesn't have the Times New Roman font installed, which is why you're not seeing it in LibreOffice. I believe this is due to licensing issues.

I don't think there will be problems with Sigil, but I always remove any reference to specific fonts in my ebooks. I prefer to let the reader use whatever font they've selected on their ereader.

Thanks Russ. Not sure what you mean by "the file formats are the same." You mean the TNR and LiberationSerif are the same? So I can work on the laptop in the LiberationSerif and then put that in my desktop and work on it in TNR?

And I never specify fonts in Sigil. Is that what you mean by removing any reference to specific fonts in your ebooks?

And lastly, unless I misunderstood you (a very real possibility lol), why not import TNR into my laptop like Dngrsone suggested?

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks Russ. Not sure what you mean by "the file formats are the same." You mean the TNR and LiberationSerif are the same? So I can work on the laptop in the LiberationSerif and then put that in my desktop and work on it in TNR?

I meant that the files saved by the two versions of LibreOffice are the same, so you won't lose information switching between versions (like you might if you switched between Word & LibreOffice, for instance)

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

And I never specify fonts in Sigil. Is that what you mean by removing any reference to specific fonts in your ebooks?

Yes

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

And lastly, unless I misunderstood you (a very real possibility lol), why not import TNR into my laptop like Dngrsone suggested?

There may be licensing issues (you probably have a licence to use it on Windows, but not on Linux), but there's probably no practical reason. Whoever owns the licence is very unlikely to sue

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks Dngrsone. Great idea. (Seems so obvious in hindsight.) So now my quest it how to import TNR into my LO on the laptop. Thanks.

I don't know how to get the font file off Windows, but once you have it, put it in a folder named ".fonts" on in your home directory (/home/gregory if I remember correctly). That folder may or may not already exist, but it's a hidden folder so won't show up by default. Your file manager will have a menu option to show hidden folders, though.

[cromag]

How to add Times New Roman (and do you need to) at ask.Libreoffice.org:

http://ask.libreoffice.org/en/questi...ew-roman-font/

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by avantman42

There may be licensing issues (you probably have a licence to use it on Windows, but not on Linux), but there's probably no practical reason. Whoever owns the licence is very unlikely to sue

Thanks Russ. I'm a little confused though because the default font on my LO v.4.1.3.2 is Times New Roman. (The default font on the laptop is Liberation Serif.)

Originally Posted by avantman42

I don't know how to get the font file off Windows, but once you have it, put it in a folder named ".fonts" on in your home directory (/home/gregory if I remember correctly). That folder may or may not already exist, but it's a hidden folder so won't show up by default. Your file manager will have a menu option to show hidden folders, though.

Thanks.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by cromag

How to add Times New Roman (and do you need to) at ask.Libreoffice.org:

http://ask.libreoffice.org/en/questi...ew-roman-font/

Thanks cromag. I was aware of the MS core fonts (but not the link you gave me) and was on the verge of installing it but then held off.

I like Liberation Serif. I can't tell the difference between that and TNR. I just don't want there to be compatibility problems somehow and somewhere down the road.

Like once I turn either an .odt or a .doc into an .html does the font I started with matter?

Or like opening the file in Sigil. Will the starting font matter?

Stuff like that. (I don't want to write a whole book and then realize that some sort of systemic error stops me from making an ebook with it (at some stage of the process.))

I'll go with the Liberation Serif on the laptop and keep it that on the Desktop LO and be happy if it has no complications.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks cromag. I was aware of the MS core fonts (but not the link you gave me) and was on the verge of installing it but then held off.

I like Liberation Serif. I can't tell the difference between that and TNR. I just don't want there to be compatibility problems somehow and somewhere down the road.

Like once I turn either an .odt or a .doc into an .html does the font I started with matter?

Or like opening the file in Sigil. Will the starting font matter?

Stuff like that. (I don't want to write a whole book and then realize that some sort of systemic error stops me from making an ebook with it (at some stage of the process.))

I'll go with the Liberation Serif on the laptop and keep it that on the Desktop LO and be happy if it has no complications.

It shouldn't be a problem. Ideally you would strip the font from the book and let the ereader set the font, but even if you declare TNR and the ereader doesn't have it, the worst that happens is the device should fall back on it's own default. Or you'd have the font automatically embedded. (Which isn't ideal, because it adds useless kilo/megabytes to your book file.

Either way, the ebook will still be readable. The only issue is how much choice you give the reader in terms of font usage.

And in minimizing the size in order to let you readers hold more books. (Each book with an embedded font adds up.) But that isn't necessary except as an added courtesy, so you don't have to bother if it seems too complicated. Or we can guide you through the world of ebook optimization, until you become an ebook-making guru!

[Gregg Bell]

I'll go with the Liberation Serif on the laptop and keep it that on the Desktop LO and be happy if it has no complications.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

It shouldn't be a problem. Ideally you would strip the font from the book and let the ereader set the font, but even if you declare TNR and the ereader doesn't have it, the worst that happens is the device should fall back on it's own default. Or you'd have the font automatically embedded. (Which isn't ideal, because it adds useless kilo/megabytes to your book file.

Thanks eschwartz. I'm still not sure if I get this though. First of all, are you saying it's cool to stay with Liberation Serif? You talk about ereaders perhaps not having TNR, well, how much more likely is it that they don't have Liberation Serif?

Secondly, I used to just take my html (from a Word .doc) to Sigil and that was that. Declaring fonts--this is the first I've heard of it. Embedding fonts--I've heard of that, but I've never done it. And I just assumed (the way I was doing it) the ereader would have complete latitude as to what font it displays.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Either way, the ebook will still be readable. The only issue is how much choice you give the reader in terms of font usage.

"Still be readable." Doesn't sound too thrilling. lol And yeah, as I said, I thought I was giving the reader total latitude in choice of font usage.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

And in minimizing the size in order to let you readers hold more books. (Each book with an embedded font adds up.) But that isn't necessary except as an added courtesy, so you don't have to bother if it seems too complicated.

Since I'm not embedding any fonts this is pretty much non-applicable.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Or we can guide you through the world of ebook optimization, until you become an ebook-making guru!

Thanks for the laugh! (Yes, want to become an ebook-making guru!)

[PeterT]

Maybe I'm missing something. Surely the font used in LO is totally separate from ANY font you intend to use in the actual book itself; I'd hope that you are using LO just to compose the basic book along with named styles, and then, the masterpiece would be tailored / perfected in an tool more designed for eBook creation, which would include editing the CSS that has been created from the named styles to attach whatever font(s) WERE desired.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Maybe I'm missing something. Surely the font used in LO is totally separate from ANY font you intend to use in the actual book itself; I'd hope that you are using LO just to compose the basic book along with named styles, and then, the masterpiece would be tailored / perfected in an tool more designed for eBook creation, which would include editing the CSS that has been created from the named styles to attach whatever font(s) WERE desired.

Hey Peter. I don't think you're missing anything. I think it's going to work just the way you say. I'm just a little gunshy around computers and especially using LO and Linux for the first time. I'll calm down once my masterpiece gets to Sigil and I see there aren't hieroglyphics in it. Thanks.

[PeterT]

Just was curious and went spelunking around... If you install ttf-mscorefonts-installer on Ubuntu it includes

• Andale Mono
• Arial Black
• Arial (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Comic Sans MS (Bold)
• Courier New (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Georgia (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Impact
• Times New Roman (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Trebuchet (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Verdana (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Webdings

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Just was curious and went spelunking around... If you install ttf-mscorefonts-installer on Ubuntu it includes

• Andale Mono
• Arial Black
• Arial (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Comic Sans MS (Bold)
• Courier New (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Georgia (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Impact
• Times New Roman (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Trebuchet (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Verdana (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Webdings

Thanks Peter. That's exactly what I ended up doing today. And before that I downloaded and installed the latest version of LO onto the laptop and now I'll download and install the same versions onto my two desktop Xubuntus. That way I have compatibility with all three. And yes, will install the ttf-mscorefonts on the two desktops as well. Thanks buddy.