What would you suggest for HTML->epub?

radius · 07-13-2010, 06:08 PM

Hey all,

I wanted to get some suggestions on converting HTML to epub.

Before you say "Just use calibre", I've given that a shot and don't entirely like the results. I find that calibre tries to be intelligent about taking all kinds of messy source and converting that to something fairly readable. It therefore ends up reformatting things I had specified in my source.

I prefer to keep as much of my own HTML+CSS as possible.

What I want the tool to do is take my HTML, break it up into sections (by chapter and by length), create the table of contents, and possibly create a title page using a picture I specify, then create the manifest and do the zipping. Basically all the boring stuff other than markup.

What's the best choice? I did have some success with Sigil a while back, but it had some stability and feature completeness issues at that time. I've looked at it again recently, and it seems to have grown in complexity but the basics of editing the source code and previewing the results don't seem to have become any faster or more convenient.

Kino · 07-14-2010, 07:42 AM

You could give Jutoh a try - I've had some good results using my own html files.

pholy · 07-14-2010, 02:05 PM

Caveat: I'm working on fiction, with nothing special for formatting.

My html is created from rtf files using OpenOffice. Then I've been using 'tidy' with a short config file:

Code:

add-xml-decl: yes
clean: yes
doctype: strict
drop-font-tags: yes
logical-emphasis: yes
output-xhtml: yes
char-encoding: utf8

That creates classes and a <style> section in the header - which I promptly delete and replace with a link to my stylesheet.css file. Then I use vim (or sed) to

Code:

1,$s/<p class.*">/<p>/

to get rid of the class references.

Then I run it through quoter to make curly quotes where required.

Then I massage with vim to fix any other typos I've missed. The rest of my process is pretty much like yours.

eping · 07-15-2010, 05:34 AM

You may take a glance on ePub Maker(http://www.epingsoft.com).
It can do most work you need, except breaking a big HTML into parts till now.
It's still in beta, a new version will be released by this month end.

GeoffC · 07-15-2010, 06:27 AM

If you are happy enough to create your own html & css, then why not do the remainder of the epub wrapper and then zip it up ....

The mobileread wiki (see link in my sig line) provides enough detail to get started. Once you've done it the 'long way round' it becomes logical to do.....and gives you full control over the contents .....

Jellby · 07-15-2010, 07:26 AM

... and you'd not be alone

radius · 07-20-2010, 03:15 PM

Thanks for the suggestions... I will try out Jutoh and ePub Maker.

Grierson Huffman · 07-24-2010, 12:05 PM

If your files conform to the appropriate XHTML specification, then eCub (see URL below) could prove to be useful in compiling the EPUB.

http://www.juliansmart.com/ecub

Sweetpea · 07-25-2010, 05:28 AM

I simply make up my own metadata.opf and toc.ncx. Simply put them in a correct folder structure, zip it and I've my own generated epub.

GeoffC · 07-25-2010, 06:48 AM

07-13-2010, 06:08 PM	#1
radius Lector minore Posts: 649 Karma: 1738720 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Aura One, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, Google Pixel Slate	What would you suggest for HTML->epub? Hey all, I wanted to get some suggestions on converting HTML to epub. Before you say "Just use calibre", I've given that a shot and don't entirely like the results. I find that calibre tries to be intelligent about taking all kinds of messy source and converting that to something fairly readable. It therefore ends up reformatting things I had specified in my source. I prefer to keep as much of my own HTML+CSS as possible. What I want the tool to do is take my HTML, break it up into sections (by chapter and by length), create the table of contents, and possibly create a title page using a picture I specify, then create the manifest and do the zipping. Basically all the boring stuff other than markup. What's the best choice? I did have some success with Sigil a while back, but it had some stability and feature completeness issues at that time. I've looked at it again recently, and it seems to have grown in complexity but the basics of editing the source code and previewing the results don't seem to have become any faster or more convenient.

07-14-2010, 02:05 PM	#3
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	Caveat: I'm working on fiction, with nothing special for formatting. My html is created from rtf files using OpenOffice. Then I've been using 'tidy' with a short config file: Code: add-xml-decl: yes clean: yes doctype: strict drop-font-tags: yes logical-emphasis: yes output-xhtml: yes char-encoding: utf8 That creates classes and a <style> section in the header - which I promptly delete and replace with a link to my stylesheet.css file. Then I use vim (or sed) to Code: 1,$s/<p class.*">/<p>/ to get rid of the class references. Then I run it through quoter to make curly quotes where required. Then I massage with vim to fix any other typos I've missed. The rest of my process is pretty much like yours.

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07-14-2010, 07:42 AM	#2
Kino Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: CyBook	You could give Jutoh a try - I've had some good results using my own html files.

07-15-2010, 05:34 AM	#4
eping ePub Maker Posts: 120 Karma: 16 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mordor Device: iPad,Kindle 3, Nook 2	You may take a glance on ePub Maker(http://www.epingsoft.com). It can do most work you need, except breaking a big HTML into parts till now. It's still in beta, a new version will be released by this month end.

07-15-2010, 06:27 AM	#5
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	If you are happy enough to create your own html & css, then why not do the remainder of the epub wrapper and then zip it up .... The mobileread wiki (see link in my sig line) provides enough detail to get started. Once you've done it the 'long way round' it becomes logical to do.....and gives you full control over the contents .....

07-15-2010, 07:26 AM	#6
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,516 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	... and you'd not be alone

07-20-2010, 03:15 PM	#7
radius Lector minore Posts: 649 Karma: 1738720 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Aura One, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, Google Pixel Slate	Thanks for the suggestions... I will try out Jutoh and ePub Maker.

07-24-2010, 12:05 PM	#8
Grierson Huffman Member Posts: 12 Karma: 15000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: USA Device: Too many!	If your files conform to the appropriate XHTML specification, then eCub (see URL below) could prove to be useful in compiling the EPUB. http://www.juliansmart.com/ecub

07-25-2010, 05:28 AM	#9
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I simply make up my own metadata.opf and toc.ncx. Simply put them in a correct folder structure, zip it and I've my own generated epub.

07-25-2010, 06:48 AM	#10
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW

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