Complexe scientific epub file conversion to pdf issues

[yoarch]

Hi everyone,

I bought a scientific ebook last week and recover an epub file. I need a pdf to work on it on my computer. This is a 1500 pages epub with lots of illustrations and lots of 2 columns text. I have been trying to convert this epub to pdf with Calibre for the last 7 days but can not get something clean.

I am on archlinux up to date and use the 5.14 Calibre version, without any additional plugin.

I tried several different convert configurations, checking and unchecking Filter style information. Every time, the output pdf has illustration places issues or the text is cut at the right, some characters are not well rendered, etc.

I found out that I need to check the Flow mode in the Calibre viewer to get the display right, however, I can not touch the zoom as it make the 2 columns cross each others.

Noticed that the conversions needs at least 1h30 minutes to render a pdf. I tried to make a docx from the epub to see if I can then create a clean pdf from the docx. The process had spent 4 days before I stopped it. It was consuming 35 Go of RAM and was stuck at 67 %.

I have the impression that the epub ebook is very complexe making it very complexe to render to a clean pdf. However, when I look at it in the Edit book way, every page is perfect, no issue at all. Then, I guess it can be possible to Calibre to make me a pdf with the exact same configuration as the epub is correct.
So, can someone tell me what configuration should I try to get a pdf with the desire render in this situation ?

Thanks for your time.

[Quoth]

Try making an rtf from the epub?
Then edit that as odt in LOWriter. Export PDF from Writer.

[yoarch]

Thanks for the answer. Do you think is it going to be long ? Like days ?

[yoarch]

The process has finished. However, when I open it with LOW, there is no page layout at all. I don't know if I should check something in the parameters. Thanks for the suggestion.

As I said, when I go through the Edit book section, every page has a perfect layout, so all the information is here. I guess it might possible to generate a pdf from this epub file with the right layout. Any other suggestion ?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by yoarch

The process has finished. However, when I open it with LOW, there is no page layout at all. I don't know if I should check something in the parameters. Thanks for the suggestion.

As I said, when I go through the Edit book section, every page has a perfect layout, so all the information is here. I guess it might possible to generate a pdf from this epub file with the right layout. Any other suggestion ?

Is the epub a fixed layout epub? If so, you are pretty much out of luck trying to convert it to any other format.

[yoarch]

What is a fixed layout epub? I am not sure to understand, but I think it's the case, it seems to behave differently than others. How can I check that ? If I open it with Adobe I can not zoom anything. If I open it with Calibre, when I zoom the text of the double columns cross each other.

[retiredbiker]

Originally Posted by yoarch

What is a fixed layout epub? I am not sure to understand, but I think it's the case, it seems to behave differently than others. How can I check that ? If I open it with Adobe I can not zoom anything. If I open it with Calibre, when I zoom the text of the double columns cross each other.

In the editor, look in the css file. If you find any lines that say position: absolute, it is fixed layout.

[yoarch]

One of the 3 css files, default.css, has the absolute attribute:

html { color: #000; background: #FFF; }
body, div, ol, li, h1 { margin: 0; padding: 0; } 
img { border: 0; }

#page-container{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;margin:0;padding:0;border:0}
@media screen{
	#page-container{bottom:0;right:0}
}
.pf{position:relative;background-color:white;overflow:hidden;margin:0;border:0}
.pc{position:absolute;border:0;padding:0;margin:0;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;overflow:hidden;display:block;transform-origin:0 0;-ms-transform-origin:0 0;-webkit-transform-origin:0 0}
.bf{position:absolute;border:0;margin:0;top:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;-ms-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-webkit-user-select:none;user-select:none}
.bi{position:absolute;border:0;margin:0;-ms-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-webkit-user-select:none;user-select:none}

.c{position:absolute;border:0;padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden;display:block}
.t{position:absolute;white-space:pre;font-size:1px;transform-origin:0 100%;-ms-transform-origin:0 100%;-webkit-transform-origin:0 100%;/*unicode-bidi:bidi-override;*/-moz-font-feature-settings:"liga" 0}
.t:after{content:''}
.t:before{content:'';display:inline-block}
.t span{position:relative;/*unicode-bidi:bidi-override*/}
._{display:inline-block;color:transparent;z-index:-1}::selection{background:rgba(127,255,255,0.4)}::-moz-selection{background:rgba(127,255,255,0.4)}
.pi{display:none}.d{position:absolute;transform-origin:0 100%;-ms-transform-origin:0 100%;-webkit-transform-origin:0 100%}.it{border:0;background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.0)}.ir:hover{cursor:pointer}

Does that mean that I can not make a correct PDF from it ?

[Quoth]

You maybe have to redo the RTF layout from scratch?

[yoarch]

What does that mean ? In calibre ?

[Quoth]

Nothing. Export the contents as RTF and rebuild layout in LO Writer.

Because this is a FIXED layout Epub there is no simple conversion route.

Maybe get an epub program like Lithium or Calibre viewer for whatever you want to read it on and forget about PDF, which is a format invented to preview paper Print.

[retiredbiker]

Originally Posted by yoarch

What does that mean ? In calibre ?

About your only hope for this kind of file is to get the text and images into LO Writer, do a complete copy-edit to make it look the way you want, and then generate a pdf from Writer.

[yoarch]

Thanks for the answers. So, if I understand well, I should export the content in LOW and then redo all the layout manually ? Well, this is a 500 pages book, it's going to take me lots of hours to do that. I don't think it's worth it.

So I guess I am going to give up. Do you think I can ask Adobe to send me the PDF directly and not just an ACSM ?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by yoarch

Thanks for the answers. So, if I understand well, I should export the content in LOW and then redo all the layout manually ? Well, this is a 500 pages book, it's going to take me lots of hours to do that. I don't think it's worth it.

So I guess I am going to give up. Do you think I can ask Adobe to send me the PDF directly and not just an ACSM ?

Unless the store where you bought the book also offers it in a PDF version, you are pretty much out of luck. The ACSM is needed for the Adobe Content Server to serve the requested content.

I've only converted a fixed layout epub twice. After the first experience, the second time out, I pretty much removed all the styles from the epub and then exported it into Word where I redid the entire layout. A total PITA and I definitely spent more hours than the client paid for getting a decent looking layout. My stock answer now is just say no to FLO epub conversions.

[yoarch]

I have the answer to my question. Not the one I was looking for, but at least I know and I am not going to spend more time on that.

Thanks a lot for the help.