ePub margins expand if zoom!

BookCat · 10-07-2010, 12:37 PM

Please help, I'm not a techie, so be gentle with me.

I've noticed that when I put ePubs on my PRS 505 and set the font to large, I get huge margins and a narrow strip of text in a column down the middle of the reader. I've tried correcting this in Calibre, to no avail. I haven't got ADE, because for some odd reason, it won't work and has just given me more problems.

Is there a way round this, if so, please explain in language I don't have to google or phone a techie, non ereader, friend to translate to BookCat speak.

Thanks

troymc · 10-07-2010, 07:16 PM

This is most likely due to the margins being specified in 'em's. The unit 'em' is based on the current font size - 1em being the current font size; 0.5em being 50% the current font size; 2em being 200% the current font size, etc. So increasing the font size will increase the margins.

Assuming you are using windows, you should be able to fix this manually by renaming the file to .zip (ie. rename "book.epub" to "book.zip"). You should then be able to open the zip file and see it's contents. You will then need to find everywhere margins are specified and change them to something suitable - eg. 5px. If you are lucky they used a single shared CSS file and you only need to change it in that one place. But anyone who specified margins in 'em's is probably no expert so they could be declared anywhere in the epub's xhtml or css files.

Not sure how non-techie you are, so if those instructions give you problems just let us know where you run into problems and we can try to help you out.

Troy

BookCat · 10-08-2010, 12:00 PM

Thanks Troy; I'll try this with an epub which isn't important, incase I mess things up. Will put it onto the reader and let you know how I get on.

Had to google the definition of CSS! Yep, that's how non-techie I am.

BookCat · 10-08-2010, 01:15 PM

I'm having difficulty with the old Harlequinn ePub I chose to try this on: all the margins are specified in percentages. What should I do?

BookCat · 10-08-2010, 01:52 PM

After I messed with the file and turned it back into an epub, it wouldn't open at all! Doesn't look like an epub file either. Oh dear! I'm sure I've done something terribly wrong.

Jellby · 10-08-2010, 02:07 PM

The ePUB is just a zip, but it has to have a definite structure, maybe you failed to keep it when recreating the ePUB. It's probably easier to use Sigil to edit the ePUB.

10-07-2010, 12:37 PM	#1
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	ePub margins expand if zoom! Please help, I'm not a techie, so be gentle with me. I've noticed that when I put ePubs on my PRS 505 and set the font to large, I get huge margins and a narrow strip of text in a column down the middle of the reader. I've tried correcting this in Calibre, to no avail. I haven't got ADE, because for some odd reason, it won't work and has just given me more problems. Is there a way round this, if so, please explain in language I don't have to google or phone a techie, non ereader, friend to translate to BookCat speak. Thanks

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10-07-2010, 07:16 PM	#2
troymc Groupie Posts: 161 Karma: 608 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Plano, TX Device: Sony PRS-505 + B&N Nook + Motion LE1700 + Motorola Xoom Wifi	This is most likely due to the margins being specified in 'em's. The unit 'em' is based on the current font size - 1em being the current font size; 0.5em being 50% the current font size; 2em being 200% the current font size, etc. So increasing the font size will increase the margins. Assuming you are using windows, you should be able to fix this manually by renaming the file to .zip (ie. rename "book.epub" to "book.zip"). You should then be able to open the zip file and see it's contents. You will then need to find everywhere margins are specified and change them to something suitable - eg. 5px. If you are lucky they used a single shared CSS file and you only need to change it in that one place. But anyone who specified margins in 'em's is probably no expert so they could be declared anywhere in the epub's xhtml or css files. Not sure how non-techie you are, so if those instructions give you problems just let us know where you run into problems and we can try to help you out. Troy

10-08-2010, 12:00 PM	#3
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Thanks Troy; I'll try this with an epub which isn't important, incase I mess things up. Will put it onto the reader and let you know how I get on. Had to google the definition of CSS! Yep, that's how non-techie I am.

10-08-2010, 01:15 PM	#4
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	I'm having difficulty with the old Harlequinn ePub I chose to try this on: all the margins are specified in percentages. What should I do?

10-08-2010, 01:52 PM	#5
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	After I messed with the file and turned it back into an epub, it wouldn't open at all! Doesn't look like an epub file either. Oh dear! I'm sure I've done something terribly wrong.

10-08-2010, 02:07 PM	#6
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,515 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	The ePUB is just a zip, but it has to have a definite structure, maybe you failed to keep it when recreating the ePUB. It's probably easier to use Sigil to edit the ePUB.