Kindle formatting is messed up

[reps]

I`m having trouble with getting formatting right for Kindle ebook. I used LibreOffice with standard page size (width: 21cm; height: 29.7cm) for formatting ebook from where I exported ePub 3 file with reflowable layout method and with page break split method. Then I used Sigil for adding table of contents and for doing some minor formatting corrections. Still I`m having trouble with getting formatting right concerning presentable sizes of images and size of text in Kindle ebook. Due to this is picture-heavy book it is essential to get it right. For most images I`m using resolution 1100x846 with image width 12cm in the LibreOffice document. I have used Calibri font with text size 12pt and in some cases 14pt, headlines are 16pt. All looks good in LibreOffice document and in Sigil, but once the ePub file has been turned into Kindle ebook it is not properly adjustable for reading - images are presented too large and text is too small - the relation of sizes of images and texts are not correct and can not be turned correct while using page size and text size adjustment in Kindle. Issue exists on different devices with various screen sizes and resolutions. I have tried to change sizes of images and texts but so far with no satisfying outcome.

Also there is an issue with determining presentable size of author`s photo in the Kindle ebook which image resolution is 503(width)x635(height) pixels. It`s been determined to be 7 cm wide in LibreOffice document, however it shows up a full page image in Kindle no matter if I try to change resolution of
the image or measurements in LibreOffice document or in Sigil ePub file.

Also there is a question about Kindle software concerning adjustment of ebook presentation.

I have faced 2 different ebook adjustment options by Kindle which has been set in force after updating ebook (that can not be changed). Why is that?

1. Page width leverer determines the page width but also determines the size of images in the ebook while font size leverer determines only the size of the text.

2. Page width leverer determines the page width but does not determine the size of images (size of images remain the same) while font size leverer determines the size of the text and size of the images - when text is getting bigger images are becoming smaller and opposite.

I`ve been having trouble finding solutions by my own, any help would be highly appreciated!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by reps

I`m having trouble with getting formatting right for Kindle ebook. I used LibreOffice with standard page size (width: 21cm; height: 29.7cm) for formatting ebook from where I exported ePub 3 file with reflowable layout method and with page break split method. Then I used Sigil for adding table of contents and for doing some minor formatting corrections. Still I`m having trouble with getting formatting right concerning presentable sizes of images and size of text in Kindle ebook. Due to this is picture-heavy book it is essential to get it right. For most images I`m using resolution 1100x846 with image width 12cm in the LibreOffice document. I have used Calibri font with text size 12pt and in some cases 14pt, headlines are 16pt. All looks good in LibreOffice document and in Sigil, but once the ePub file has been turned into Kindle ebook it is not properly adjustable for reading - images are presented too large and text is too small - the relation of sizes of images and texts are not correct and can not be turned correct while using page size and text size adjustment in Kindle. Issue exists on different devices with various screen sizes and resolutions. I have tried to change sizes of images and texts but so far with no satisfying outcome.

Also there is an issue with determining presentable size of author`s photo in the Kindle ebook which image resolution is 503(width)x635(height) pixels. It`s been determined to be 7 cm wide in LibreOffice document, however it shows up a full page image in Kindle no matter if I try to change resolution of
the image or measurements in LibreOffice document or in Sigil ePub file.

Also there is a question about Kindle software concerning adjustment of ebook presentation.

I have faced 2 different ebook adjustment options by Kindle which has been set in force after updating ebook (that can not be changed). Why is that?

1. Page width leverer determines the page width but also determines the size of images in the ebook while font size leverer determines only the size of the text.

2. Page width leverer determines the page width but does not determine the size of images (size of images remain the same) while font size leverer determines the size of the text and size of the images - when text is getting bigger images are becoming smaller and opposite.

I`ve been having trouble finding solutions by my own, any help would be highly appreciated!

Well, all you've done is given us the symptoms. What does your CSS and HTML say? What display size is set for the images?

Just saying that your image is 1100 px (wide? Tall?) x 846px (tall? Wide?) doesn't tell the renderer how to display it. Did you look at the CSS to see if it's set to display at full-width? 100% or...? Without knowing that, nobody here can help you.

I honestly am not sure what you mean, when you talk about "page leverer." It sounds as though you're viewing the eBook in some program (like Kindle for PC) that allows you to change the size of the viewing pane. I wouldn't use that; I'd use Kindle Previewer 3. While viewing an ebook in an environment that is endlessly changeable can show you issues, it's not realistic. I mean, if you have a reading program where you can set the reading page to a trapezoid, how many people will really see it that way?

When you talk about text getting larger and images getting smaller and vice-versa, based on this "leverer" it also sounds a bit like Adobe Digital Editions, which can be a bit disorienting.

• Which programs, EXACTLY, are you using to view the resulting eBooks?
• What CSS does your file have for the images?
• Does your HTML have anything in the image calls that overrides the image sizes?
• Are your images contained inside paragraph codes? Or not? Only inside img codes? Inside divs?

Start with this stuff and then the folks here can probably help.

Hitch

[reps]

Thanks Hitch for your reply! It`s my first book to publish and everything related has been a bit overwhelming for me. I got it sorted - image sizes were overrode in HTML, also in some cases CSS determined image sizes that were not suggested. The program I used and described earlier for viewing the book was Kindle for PC. Now I used Kindle Previewer 3 for designing the book, all looks good. Thanks again! Reps

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by reps

Thanks Hitch for your reply! It`s my first book to publish and everything related has been a bit overwhelming for me. I got it sorted - image sizes were overrode in HTML, also in some cases CSS determined image sizes that were not suggested. The program I used and described earlier for viewing the book was Kindle for PC. Now I used Kindle Previewer 3 for designing the book, all looks good. Thanks again! Reps

Hi:

Ah, good. Yes, when you said "leverer" I wondered if you were using K4PC/Mac and that can really confuse folks--especially new book developers/publishers. Glad it's sorted!

Hitch

[Notjohn]

Doesn't Amazon want to see epub2?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Doesn't Amazon want to see epub2?

I'm not sure what your question is? Yes, they would prefer ePUB over MOBI, especially come 6/28, but they're most certainly not going to nuke Word-file (docx, doc) uploads anytime soon, I shouldn't think.

Hitch

[Notjohn]

Epub2 as opposed to epub3. The OP is trying to upload the latter.

Originally Posted by Hitch

I'm not sure what your question is? Yes, they would prefer ePUB over MOBI, especially come 6/28, but they're most certainly not going to nuke Word-file (docx, doc) uploads anytime soon, I shouldn't think.

Hitch

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Epub2 as opposed to epub3. The OP is trying to upload the latter.

NJ, Kindle has been ePUB3 compatible for...hell, IDK, 5 years now? Now, as I think I mentioned upthread (I'm too lazy to go look and confirm that I did, rather than saying it someplace else recently), that's not the same as saying that it supports all the myriad options in ePUB3, but there's no reason that someone can't upload (for example) a novel in ePUB3. It'll work fine.

Get a bit fancier, well....then, as the man says, you pays your money, you takes your chances.

Hitch

[Notjohn]

Thanks, Hitch. I'll modify my advice in the future, though I'll continue uploading epub2s.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Thanks, Hitch. I'll modify my advice in the future, though I'll continue uploading epub2s.

I honestly cannot imagine that KDP will "outlaw" ePUB2 anytime soon. I mean...I'm shocked that they're doing away with MOBI, but I understand their need for it. They have this constant issue with "MOBI" files created by other programs and I can see how that might be a headache. Wish they wouldn't, though, as it means rewriting dozens, literally, of our documents, redoing videos...man, it's a major freaking headache for me.

But inasmuch as MOBI has been a pretty unique-to-Amazon format for some years now, I cannot see them deciding that everything HAS TO BE KPF. Could it happen? Sure. They could very simply say, "when you upload an ePUB, we're converting it to .kpf" or KFX and I suspect that's exactly what occurs. But I can't see the advantage to them of outlawing ePUB uploads. I mean...for crying out loud, they still accept WORD files.

Altho, having said that...I guess they could just say "we'll still take Word, but for anything else, wiht more-advanced formatting, it has to be .kpf." (shrug). I confess, no, I wouldn't like it much.

Hitch

[JSWolf]

I cannot see Amazon doing away with ePub uploads. The big publishers make their eBooks in ePub and then upload them to Amazon to be converted. If that stops, then (I think) the big publishers will make a stink about it and rightly so.

[binaryhermit]

The problem is Amazon has the marketshare to strongarm the BPHes into doing what they want

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

The problem is Amazon has the marketshare to strongarm the BPHes into doing what they want

But where would Amazon be if all the BPHs said no more new eBooks until you give us ePub uploads back?

[binaryhermit]

I'm pretty sure Amazon could hit the publishers way worse than the publishers could hit them by, say, refusing to sell any of their books in retaliation.

The bigger threat isn't the publishers taking their toys and going home, it's the antitrust scrutiny such a spat would bring upon Amazon.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

I'm pretty sure Amazon could hit the publishers way worse than the publishers could hit them by, say, refusing to sell any of their books in retaliation.

The bigger threat isn't the publishers taking their toys and going home, it's the antitrust scrutiny such a spat would bring upon Amazon.

If Amazon stops selling their books, then for those that read pBooks, there are other places to get them such as B&N.

I know this will be an issue for Kindle users. But then if enough of them get all up in Amazon's face, that could get Amazon to back down.

It doesn't bother me that Amazon is no longer selling books from the BPHs or allowing Kindle eBooks through Overdrive. It could mean that people with older Kindles might just decide to abandon Amazon and go with an ePub capable Reader such as Kobo or B&N.