What format for a Document ?

artemisblossom · 09-27-2009, 01:00 PM

I want to add a document to my 505 can anyone tell me what format it would be best to write it in and if I need to convert it into something else before I can upload it to the reader.

Juliette · 09-27-2009, 01:03 PM

RTF are the best format, if you need to work on it afterwards. And you can use Calibre afterwards on it.

If you want to play a bit with tech, you can download Sigyl (there's a forum section) and work directly there, it can save the files as ePubs (and they look great!).

Falbe Publishing · 09-27-2009, 01:17 PM

I recommend RTF as well, especially for a document. You can write it in a word processing program like Word and then save the file as "rich text format (.rtf)." This will load into your Sony just fine. I often use this format to quickly load something on to my reader, like chapters I want to read and assess before editing.

artemisblossom · 09-27-2009, 01:41 PM

thanks I will give it a try

BlackVoid · 10-02-2009, 07:59 AM

I suggest MS Word (doc) format. If you convert a doc file with Bookdesigner the pictures in the book will get through too.

Solitaire1 · 11-13-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artemisblossom

I want to add a document to my 505 can anyone tell me what format it would be best to write it in and if I need to convert it into something else before I can upload it to the reader.

I'd recommend PDF as the final ebook format. When creating ebooks for my reader, I use StarOffice 8.0 (the proprietary version of OpenOffice.org that was released by Sun) which has the ability to create PDFs. I do the following when creating an ebook for my reader:

Format, and save the ebook as an OpenDocument text file. I make sure the page format (width and height) is the same as the screen of my ebook reader, and I set the margins as small as possible (0.2").
Export the ebook as a PDF.
Load the PDF on my ebook using the eBook Library software.

If I want to edit the ebook, I just open the OpenDocument file, edit it, and then export it again as a PDF.

The advantage of creating ebooks this way is that it gives me complete control over the formatting of my ebook, and when I do a page preview of my ebook I can see exactly how it will look on my ebook reader (including the size of the fonts, where the page and line breaks will fall, and the total number of pages). It allows me to easily identify formatting problems so I can correct them. Also, with the use of styles, it is very easy to make mass formatting changes to my ebooks (such as making the text of the main body of the document larger or changing its typeface).

In this case, the main disadvantage I've experienced with PDFs is that the file size is usually much larger than the other formats (my experience has been that it tends to be double the size of an RTF). But for me, the degree of control over an ebook's format is worth the larger file size. Also, the OpenDocument text file (which is a compressed file) is much smaller than the RTF file (my experience has been that it is less than 1/2 the size of the RTF), and as long as you have the OpenDocument file, you can easily recreate the PDF.

I hope you find this useful.

Peto · 11-13-2009, 06:38 PM

I totally agree with Solitaire. Nothing but PDFs on my Reader. The edition and final result is so much richer.

Solitaire1 · 11-13-2009, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peto

I totally agree with Solitaire. Nothing but PDFs on my Reader. The edition and final result is so much richer.

Font control is one of the main factors that pushed me to choosing PDF over RTF. One of the most frustrating problems (one of I've spent hours trying to solve without success) that I've come across with RTF files on my reader is that I can't reliably get it to display my text in the font type (serif, san serif, or monospaced) that I choose. Often, I get san serif type regardless the font of in the original RTF document.

It would be fine with me if my text rendered reliably in the appropriate default font (any serif font will render in the default serif font, and likewise with san serif and monospaced). But sometimes it will display in the right font type, and other times it won't. Another post mentioned using specific fonts to get the correct default font type (such as using Times New Roman in the original document to get the default serif font), but it didn't work for me.

With PDF, my ebooks will render with the specific font that I want. For example, I prefer the following fonts: Georgia (serif), Century Gothic (san serif), and Cumberland (monospace). With PDF, these fonts render perfectly on my reader.

Although I lose much of the ability to increase the size of my text with PDF files (the recently added ability to reflow PDF text does it in a way that I don't like), it's not much of an issue with me. I just make sure that my text is large enough at the smallest size for easy reading. I've found that a base font size of 14 points is large enough for comfortable reading on my reader. If I need it larger, I just increase the font size in the original document and then regenerate the PDF.

Peto · 11-14-2009, 04:21 AM

Bout the same here. I use FuturaLtBt at 13 pts. All the efforts I make to get a thoroughly edited text are preserved in PDF. All, except TOCs, which I fix in the PDF itself.

As I create the PDF with the font size I like, I have no need whatsoever for the zoom button or the reflow function. If you follow my "Libro" link, you'll find a sample of how I work. It's in Spanish but will do equally well to get the feeling. I have changed a little my preferences since I made it, but all the books I read are basically just like this one.

This self-edition of the books I read is one of the things I value most of having a Reader, actually.

09-27-2009, 01:00 PM	#1
artemisblossom Groupie Posts: 161 Karma: 482 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ontario Canada Device: Sony prs505	What format for a Document ? I want to add a document to my 505 can anyone tell me what format it would be best to write it in and if I need to convert it into something else before I can upload it to the reader.

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09-27-2009, 01:03 PM	#2
Juliette I eat books Posts: 601 Karma: 5124 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Milan, Italy Device: Gen3 PRS-505 PRS-600 PB360 PB302 K2 Opus BebookMini OnyxBoox K3 KDXG	RTF are the best format, if you need to work on it afterwards. And you can use Calibre afterwards on it. If you want to play a bit with tech, you can download Sigyl (there's a forum section) and work directly there, it can save the files as ePubs (and they look great!).

09-27-2009, 01:17 PM	#3
Falbe Publishing Gadget Slave Posts: 264 Karma: 600001 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan Device: Sony PRS505SC	I recommend RTF as well, especially for a document. You can write it in a word processing program like Word and then save the file as "rich text format (.rtf)." This will load into your Sony just fine. I often use this format to quickly load something on to my reader, like chapters I want to read and assess before editing.

09-27-2009, 01:41 PM	#4
artemisblossom Groupie Posts: 161 Karma: 482 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ontario Canada Device: Sony prs505	thanks I will give it a try

10-02-2009, 07:59 AM	#5
BlackVoid Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 510423 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony PRS-505	I suggest MS Word (doc) format. If you convert a doc file with Bookdesigner the pictures in the book will get through too.

11-13-2009, 06:38 PM	#7
Peto Legal Alien Posts: 288 Karma: 105 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505/T1/Kindle PW2	I totally agree with Solitaire. Nothing but PDFs on my Reader. The edition and final result is so much richer.

11-14-2009, 04:21 AM	#9
Peto Legal Alien Posts: 288 Karma: 105 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505/T1/Kindle PW2	Bout the same here. I use FuturaLtBt at 13 pts. All the efforts I make to get a thoroughly edited text are preserved in PDF. All, except TOCs, which I fix in the PDF itself. As I create the PDF with the font size I like, I have no need whatsoever for the zoom button or the reflow function. If you follow my "Libro" link, you'll find a sample of how I work. It's in Spanish but will do equally well to get the feeling. I have changed a little my preferences since I made it, but all the books I read are basically just like this one. This self-edition of the books I read is one of the things I value most of having a Reader, actually.

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