Extended <head> chapter: NOT necessary?

chaot · 02-10-2017, 12:44 PM

You know what it is. For me it's the most extensive one I could lay my hands on.

Code:

<head>
  <title>Werke 1</title>
  <meta name="generator" content="pdftohtml 0.36"/>
  <meta name="author" content="Roth, Joseph"/>
  <meta name="keywords" content=""/>
  <meta name="date" content="2017-01-20T12:05:05+00:00"/>
  <meta name="subject" content="Das journalistische Werk"/>
  <link href="stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
  <link href="page_styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
  <link href="font_styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>

Necessary is only this (in an ePub), I think. What do you think?

Code:

<head>
  <title>Werke 1</title>
  <link href="stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>

Sometimes instead of title e.g. Werke 1 is just put inside unknown. What's the difference?

JSWolf · 02-10-2017, 01:02 PM

This is what I use for the head in an ePub.

Code:

<head>
<title>Echoes in Death</title>
<link href="../styles/stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>
</head>

The last line makes sure the coding is defined as UTF-8 encoding. Not all programs/Readers force UTF-8 encoding. Kindle's do not default to UTF-8. ADE does force UTF-8.

chaot · 02-10-2017, 01:15 PM

Code:

<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>

is a link and only effective when connected to internet, or? I am most time off.

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="de"

<head> ...

I got that above the <head> section (as standard).

davidfor · 02-10-2017, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaot

Code:

<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>

is a link and only effective when connected to internet, or? I am 99% of time off.

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="de"

<head> ...

I got that above the <head> section (as standard).

No, it isn't a link. It is a definition of how to interpret the content in the file. If you use the URI, it will take you to the specs.

I've no idea of exactly what's needed, I trust calibre to get it right for me.

Turtle91 · 02-11-2017, 12:16 AM

I'm pretty sure the only thing that is required is that you have the <title></title> tags within the <head>. There doesn't even need to be anything within the title, just that it is there. The doctype goes before the <head>.

The link statement is only there when you have a linked stylesheet - but not required.

The meta statements are not required at all. Any meta information can go in the .opf file.

DaleDe · 02-12-2017, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle91

I'm pretty sure the only thing that is required is that you have the <title></title> tags within the <head>. There doesn't even need to be anything within the title, just that it is there. The doctype goes before the <head>.

The link statement is only there when you have a linked stylesheet - but not required.

The meta statements are not required at all. Any meta information can go in the .opf file.

Great advice. All that extra head meta stuff is for web pages, not ePub. It is wasted on ePub where everything needs to be in the OPF file anyway.

JSWolf · 02-13-2017, 07:13 AM

Here is the start of the XML file from the start of the file to the end of head.

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops">
<head>
<title>Echoes in Death</title>
<link href="../styles/stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>
</head>

That's very simple and it works.

chaot · 02-13-2017, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Great advice. All that extra head meta stuff is for web pages, not ePub. It is wasted on ePub where everything needs to be in the OPF file anyway.

Yes, for web pages. May be, beside of other reasons, to order the stuff there.

But it's difficult to compare/find directly.

Code:

<head>
  <title>Werke 1</title>
  <meta name="generator" content="pdftohtml 0.36"/>
  <meta name="author" content="Roth, Joseph"/>
  <meta name="keywords" content=""/>
  <meta name="date" content="2017-01-20T12:05:05+00:00"/>
  <meta name="subject" content="Das journalistische Werk"/>
  <link href="stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
  <link href="page_styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>

as compared with the corresponding entries in content.opf

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<package xmlns="http://www.idpf.org/2007/opf" unique-identifier="uuid_id" version="2.0">
  <metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:opf="http://www.idpf.org/2007/opf" xmlns:calibre="http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/2009/metadata" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
    <dc:title>Werke 1#orig</dc:title>
    <dc:creator opf:role="aut" opf:file-as="Roth, Joseph_x">Roth, Joseph_x</dc:creator>
    <dc:date>0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00</dc:date>
    <dc:contributor opf:role="bkp">calibre (2.77.0) [https://calibre-ebook.com]</dc:contributor>
    <dc:identifier id="uuid_id" opf:scheme="uuid">dfed961f-f9bf-4c7d-9fad-406d68718bdd</dc:identifier>
    <dc:subject>#orig</dc:subject>
    <dc:subject>Juden</dc:subject>
    <dc:subject>Presse</dc:subject>
    <dc:subject>Zeitung/en</dc:subject>
    <dc:language>de</dc:language>
    <dc:identifier opf:scheme="calibre">dfed961f-f9bf-4c7d-9fad-406d68718bdd</dc:identifier>
    <meta name="calibre:timestamp" content="0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00"/>
    <meta name="calibre:title_sort" content="Werke 1#orig"/>
    <meta name="cover" content="cover"/>
    <meta name="calibre:user_categories" content="{&quot;Favorites.Authors&quot;: [], &quot;Favorites&quot;: []}"/>
    <meta name="calibre:author_link_map" content="{&quot;Roth, Joseph_x&quot;: &quot;&quot;}"/>

E.g. the marked word journalistische doesn't appear in content.opf.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Here is the start of the XML file from the start of the file [...].

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops">

That doesn't look usual (first time I see such entry). For what it is good for?

JSWolf · 02-13-2017, 12:24 PM

Basically, get rid of the extra meta code that was generated by pdftohtml from your head. Leave in what needs to be there and you'll be good to go. What I posted was minimalist coding which is what you want. You don't want extra coding. But keep the meta content line I posted as it makes sure the code is rendered in UTF-8. It can be needed when converting to Mobi/KF8.

The code I posted that's before <head> is usual. It's just that Sigil uses different code to do the same thing. But you can use what I posted as it's valid code and it works.

DiapDealer · 02-13-2017, 12:33 PM

It's a meta tag; they're supposed to be superfluous. But they often provide a historical trail of where a file has been, and/or what's been done to it. Delete them or don't. There's only a handful that might be relevant where making Kindlebooks is concerned (and of course the calibre ones that some devices/apps have adopted for library management ... but end users will just have calibre add those regardless).

My advice??? Don't stress over them one way or another.

chaot · 02-13-2017, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Basically, get rid of the extra meta code that was generated by pdftohtml from your head. Leave in what needs to be there and you'll be good to go.

I am already one step ahead. Testing the minimum! What you refer to was meant as an example. Anyway!

Assuming we got a stylesheet (and want to have it reflected in our book). Because we can have a stylesheet not appearing in the head section, and therefore unreflected in the book (I test that).

Then this is the minimum and function!

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<head>
  <title></title>
  <link href="stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>

Turtle91 · 02-13-2017, 01:26 PM

That is correct!

JSWolf · 02-13-2017, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaot

I am already one step ahead. Testing the minimum! What you refer to was meant as an example. Anyway!

Assuming we got a stylesheet (and want to have it reflected in our book). Because we can have a stylesheet not appearing in the head section, and therefore unreflected in the book (I test that).

Then this is the minimum and function!

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<head>
  <title></title>
  <link href="stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>

You left out

Code:

<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>

I have seen plenty of ePub where the code is not going to be rendered correctly because it's the program doing the rendering is not forcing UTF-8. The meta content is needed to make sure the program renders the code as UTF-8. It's even sometimes needed for a Kindle. It is mostly quotes and apostrophes that won't be rendered correctly.

Turtle91 · 02-13-2017, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You left out

Code:

<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>

I have seen plenty of ePub where the code is not going to be rendered correctly because it's the program doing the rendering is not forcing UTF-8. The meta content is needed to make sure the program renders the code as UTF-8. It's even sometimes needed for a Kindle. It is mostly quotes and apostrophes that won't be rendered correctly.

I'm pretty sure that an ePub reader would get that from the .opf file, thus making it redundant in the header, wouldn't it??

JSWolf · 02-13-2017, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle91

I'm pretty sure that an ePub reader would get that from the .opf file, thus making it redundant in the header, wouldn't it??

I cannot say. I do know that ADE forces UTF-8. But I'm not up on all ePub readers. I know Kindles do not and if you convert such an ePub, you will get incorrect encoded characters.

02-10-2017, 01:02 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	This is what I use for the head in an ePub. Code: <head> <title>Echoes in Death</title> <link href="../styles/stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/> </head> The last line makes sure the coding is defined as UTF-8 encoding. Not all programs/Readers force UTF-8 encoding. Kindle's do not default to UTF-8. ADE does force UTF-8.

02-10-2017, 01:15 PM	#3
chaot Head of lunatic asylum Posts: 349 Karma: 77620 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: UTC +1 Device: Tolino Vision 3HD	Code: <meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/> is a link and only effective when connected to internet, or? I am most time off. Code: <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="de" <head> ... I got that above the <head> section (as standard). Last edited by chaot; 02-11-2017 at 06:17 AM. Reason: 99% = most

02-13-2017, 07:13 AM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Here is the start of the XML file from the start of the file to the end of head. Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops"> <head> <title>Echoes in Death</title> <link href="../styles/stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/> </head> That's very simple and it works.

02-13-2017, 12:24 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Basically, get rid of the extra meta code that was generated by pdftohtml from your head. Leave in what needs to be there and you'll be good to go. What I posted was minimalist coding which is what you want. You don't want extra coding. But keep the meta content line I posted as it makes sure the code is rendered in UTF-8. It can be needed when converting to Mobi/KF8. The code I posted that's before <head> is usual. It's just that Sigil uses different code to do the same thing. But you can use what I posted as it's valid code and it works. Last edited by JSWolf; 02-13-2017 at 12:29 PM.

02-13-2017, 12:33 PM	#10
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,545 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	It's a meta tag; they're supposed to be superfluous. But they often provide a historical trail of where a file has been, and/or what's been done to it. Delete them or don't. There's only a handful that might be relevant where making Kindlebooks is concerned (and of course the calibre ones that some devices/apps have adopted for library management ... but end users will just have calibre add those regardless). My advice??? Don't stress over them one way or another. Last edited by DiapDealer; 02-13-2017 at 02:10 PM.

02-11-2017, 12:16 AM	#5
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,093 Karma: 18727053 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	I'm pretty sure the only thing that is required is that you have the <title></title> tags within the <head>. There doesn't even need to be anything within the title, just that it is there. The doctype goes before the <head>. The link statement is only there when you have a linked stylesheet - but not required. The meta statements are not required at all. Any meta information can go in the .opf file.

02-13-2017, 01:26 PM	#12
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,093 Karma: 18727053 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	That is correct!

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