Epub formatting issue for PRS-350

[kyrilson]

So I have the same epub on two readers, one is a PRS-350, and the other is a PRS-T2. The epub will show a little space between sections as intended between separate scenes in the book. My PRS-T2 shows it just fine, but the PRS-350 does not. Does anyone know what I can do to make it show up on both the same way? It's a minor annoyance, but something I am hoping is easy to fix.

See pics, where the line starts with "Keech".

[BookCat]

I could be wrong, but I think the native format for the 350 was lrf. It will display epubs, but not perfectly. Try converting the book to lrf using Calibre. If the book is drm'd, google Apprentice Alf.

I've just checked this. lrf was dropped by Sony before the 350. So ignore me.

[Ghitulescu]

Originally Posted by kyrilson

The epub will show a little space between sections as intended between separate scenes in the book.
It's a minor annoyance, but something I am hoping is easy to fix.

If the CSS/styles in the epub DO specify a space (margin: xxx) for those tags, then it should have been observed.

I do not think there is such a formatting, and consequently the device own CSS rules prevail. And there is nothing that can be done, except styling those tags.

[Pablo]

I depends on how you are managing that scene change. Please post the code of the paragraphs before and after the separation and the corresponding css styles.

The best way to manage scene changes IMO is to define a class in the stylesheet like:

.scenechange {
   text-indent: 0;
   text-align: center; 
   margin-top: 1em;
   margin-bottom: 1em;
}

Then in the body:

<p>Last paragraph in section 1</p>
<p class="scenechange">* * *</p>
<p class="first">First paragraph in section 2</p>

You need some visual indication of the scene change, a blank space is not a good idea because it may go unnoticed if it occurs at the bottom or the top of the page.

[Quoth]

All centred. Works on Mobi Kindle Keyboards; AWZ3 kindles; Epubs: PRS350, Nook Touch, Binatone readme, Kobo Aura H2O original.

Small change ~ (Same place & people, a little later)
Minor scene break § (Section mark)
Big change * * * (almost like a chapter, but when author doesn't want a chapter).

Using blank lines for paragraphs or "breaks" is contrary to Smashwords guidelines.
Note in LibreOffice source text, and Regular Expressions enabled, ^$ will find blank lines.
A blank line isn't the same as a start of paragraph or end of paragraph "line spacing".
Blank lines shouldn't be used in eBooks.
A first line indent is preferable to start of paragraph or end of paragraph "line spacing".
It's amazing how many eBooks from major publishers have bad formatting. Perhaps they don't properly reformat the source text. It doesn't work using the same styles for paper as ebooks.
You can fix existing ebooks in Calibre, or if you are not wanting to edit CSS, and expert at format styles, you can export in a Wordprocessing format and edit in LibreOffice. Save as ODT AND ALSO docx, as ODT is better for editing & archive and Calibre seems to import docx better. There Is Open XML docx and also MSWord docx. Both seem to give same results with Calibre on Linux. Wiindows might be different.
Importing doc & docx into LibreOffice writer 5.x seems to create spurious page formats. Delete them in Styles and then edit default style for page. Small margins (18 pt all round), no headers or footers and about 6" x 9" paper size works well for edit view and eBook creation. Use 16 pt for first line indent. 0 for all right margins in paragraph styles. 12 pt for main body text.
Make sure ONLY TOC headings have an outline/heading level and all other text including separators, title and subtitle has body text level.
Never have more than one space at a time and no tabs.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Pablo

You need some visual indication of the scene change, a blank space is not a good idea because it may go unnoticed if it occurs at the bottom or the top of the page.

Combined with no indentation on the first line following the scene break I think it's obvious enough.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

Using blank lines for paragraphs or "breaks" is contrary to Smashwords guidelines.

But you don't (if you know what you're doing) do scene break "blank space" with a blank line; you do it by specifying the appropriate amount of top margin on the paragraph following the break.

eg:

<p>This is the last paragraph of one scene</p>

<p style="margin-top: 2em">This is the first paragraph of a new scene</p>

(implemented using named styles, obviously!)

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But you don't (if you know what you're doing) do scene break "blank space" with a blank line; you do it by specifying the appropriate amount of top margin on the paragraph following the break.

I did mention that top & bottom margins, not like breaks, was the way to have spacing. However I prefer the 1st line indent. Style guides claim you should have first line indent OR inter-paragraph spacing (by margins, not a blank line), but not both.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

I did mention that top & bottom margins, not like breaks, was the way to have spacing. However I prefer the 1st line indent. Style guides claim you should have first line indent OR inter-paragraph spacing (by margins, not a blank line), but not both.

True, but when you have first line indentation, it's conventional not to indent for the first paragraph in a chapter and for the paragraph immediately following a scene break.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by HarryT

True, but when you have first line indentation, it's conventional not to indent for the first paragraph in a chapter and for the paragraph immediately following a scene break.

That's pretty much true, though most readers might not notice if ALL body text paragraph starts have a first line indent. It's quite easy to arrange in MS Word or LibreOffice Writer.

Most people simply buying from Amazon or Smashwords, or downloading from Gutenberg are unlikely to try changing the publisher formatting.

[Ghitulescu]

Originally Posted by HarryT

True, but when you have first line indentation, it's conventional not to indent for the first paragraph in a chapter and for the paragraph immediately following a scene break.

But only if the heading immediately above is centered - the whole idea is to avoid un unpleasing effect. Also it is recommended to have the paragraphs justified.

I use both indentation and paragraph spacing, albeit a tiny one. This helps identifying the concept as a standalone idea.

I have seen a few books formatted as you said, and I personally didn't like it.