How to fix ebooks?

Danwan · 12-28-2021, 12:36 PM

Several ebooks i read are not formatted properly.
At the end of each paragraph there is a carriage return which makes reading tiring and difficult.
I usually convert them as text and as I use the Macintosh with BBEDIT i am able to remove them. I convert the EPUB to text and then attempt to remove carriage returns.
However this is a long and boring process as not every carriage return is meant to be removed.
It takes a very long time as I need to do them one by one.
Do you have a suggestion for me to remove them with some sort of script or anything else so I can read the epub properly?
I understand this happens because the writer doesn't format the bokk properly to begin with but as it happens for at least one book every five or more, it will be great to find a way to do it differently rather then converting them from epub to text and then using e text editor.
Besides after converting to text and then reconverting them to epub I loose a lor of important infos, as author, publisher, cover image and so on.
Any hints?
Thans and happy new year.

DuskyRose · 12-31-2021, 06:46 AM

When reformatting something large, I convert to RTF, edit in Word, save as HTML, then drag-n-drop into Calibre and convert to epub. Below are the instructions for Word, on a PC and not a Mac, so your word processor may be different.

If you turn the formatting icon on, (It's on the "home" tab, and looks like a backward "P", a 'paragraph mark'.) you can see the formatting marks. You can look for the problem areas, and search and replace those.

Open the "Find and Replace" option, and down at the bottom open "More", and then "Special". There are about 20 formats you can search and replace. You can do them all at once, or one at a time, which sounds like what you need to do if you don't wan them all changed.

I'd keep a good copy, then play around with the settings and see what the results look like. When I collected fanfic off of Live Journal and other sites, before the fanfic plugin, I 'fixed' a lot of stories this way.

Just don't forget to save them as HTML before reloading them in Calibre.

JSWolf · 12-31-2021, 07:32 AM

It's best to learn HTML/CSS in order to fix the eBooks. Using Word is not a good idea. If you do it the HTML/CSS way, then you'll have skills that will work for fixing eBooks much easier then using Word.

Karellen · 12-31-2021, 02:04 PM

Yes, fixing the HTML/CSS directly is the better way to go.

Maybe you could upload a scrambled version of your book and we might be able to offer some guidance. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=267998

JSWolf · 12-31-2021, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karellen

Yes, fixing the HTML/CSS directly is the better way to go.

Maybe you could upload a scrambled version of your book and we might be able to offer some guidance. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=267998

That is a very good idea.

12-28-2021, 12:36 PM	#1
Danwan Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2021 Device: none	How to fix ebooks? Several ebooks i read are not formatted properly. At the end of each paragraph there is a carriage return which makes reading tiring and difficult. I usually convert them as text and as I use the Macintosh with BBEDIT i am able to remove them. I convert the EPUB to text and then attempt to remove carriage returns. However this is a long and boring process as not every carriage return is meant to be removed. It takes a very long time as I need to do them one by one. Do you have a suggestion for me to remove them with some sort of script or anything else so I can read the epub properly? I understand this happens because the writer doesn't format the bokk properly to begin with but as it happens for at least one book every five or more, it will be great to find a way to do it differently rather then converting them from epub to text and then using e text editor. Besides after converting to text and then reconverting them to epub I loose a lor of important infos, as author, publisher, cover image and so on. Any hints? Thans and happy new year.

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12-31-2021, 06:46 AM	#2
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 726 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Palma, Kdle Scribe & Paperwhite, Kobo Eclipsa 2e & Libra 2, Ipads	When reformatting something large, I convert to RTF, edit in Word, save as HTML, then drag-n-drop into Calibre and convert to epub. Below are the instructions for Word, on a PC and not a Mac, so your word processor may be different. If you turn the formatting icon on, (It's on the "home" tab, and looks like a backward "P", a 'paragraph mark'.) you can see the formatting marks. You can look for the problem areas, and search and replace those. Open the "Find and Replace" option, and down at the bottom open "More", and then "Special". There are about 20 formats you can search and replace. You can do them all at once, or one at a time, which sounds like what you need to do if you don't wan them all changed. I'd keep a good copy, then play around with the settings and see what the results look like. When I collected fanfic off of Live Journal and other sites, before the fanfic plugin, I 'fixed' a lot of stories this way. Just don't forget to save them as HTML before reloading them in Calibre.

12-31-2021, 07:32 AM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,220 Karma: 129333564 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It's best to learn HTML/CSS in order to fix the eBooks. Using Word is not a good idea. If you do it the HTML/CSS way, then you'll have skills that will work for fixing eBooks much easier then using Word.

12-31-2021, 02:04 PM	#4
Karellen Wizard Posts: 1,111 Karma: 4911876 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2	Yes, fixing the HTML/CSS directly is the better way to go. Maybe you could upload a scrambled version of your book and we might be able to offer some guidance. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=267998

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