Question marks all over in converted PDF files

bounce · 12-31-2019, 11:44 AM

I’ve been converting files to PDF and they look/read fine after conversion. The issue is once I send these to “any” iOS app to read and then copy text from them, that text is full of question marks when pasting into any notes app.

Seems there is some encoding problem. What conversion settings should I be looking at in Calibre?

kovidgoyal · 12-31-2019, 12:51 PM

apples pdf apps are fairly substandard. The dont support unicode cmaps for example, which is how text is extracted from PDFs. Try using non Apple pdf apps you might have better luck although knowing apple they probably force all iOS apps to use their PDF libraries like they do with browsers.

bounce · 12-31-2019, 01:35 PM

Hi Kovidgoyal,
I remember having this problem with many iOS apps (non-Apple), but I just tested it again and it seems Marginnote is causing it, not Calibre. Thanks for the top-notch app and happy new year.

12-31-2019, 11:44 AM	#1
bounce Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 13892 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Ipad, Kindle 7	Question marks all over in converted PDF files I’ve been converting files to PDF and they look/read fine after conversion. The issue is once I send these to “any” iOS app to read and then copy text from them, that text is full of question marks when pasting into any notes app. Seems there is some encoding problem. What conversion settings should I be looking at in Calibre?

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12-31-2019, 12:51 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,333 Karma: 23661992 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	apples pdf apps are fairly substandard. The dont support unicode cmaps for example, which is how text is extracted from PDFs. Try using non Apple pdf apps you might have better luck although knowing apple they probably force all iOS apps to use their PDF libraries like they do with browsers.

12-31-2019, 01:35 PM	#3
bounce Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 13892 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Ipad, Kindle 7	Hi Kovidgoyal, I remember having this problem with many iOS apps (non-Apple), but I just tested it again and it seems Marginnote is causing it, not Calibre. Thanks for the top-notch app and happy new year.

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