04-01-2010, 03:18 PM | #1 |
Junior Member
Posts: 5
Karma: 12
Join Date: Mar 2010
Device: android phone
|
best way to convert PDF to ePUB - what do you think?
I found today a good way to convert PDF to ePUB
It's in 3 steps: 1. mobipocket creator: PDF -> html 2. mobipocket creator: html -> PRC 3. Calibre PRC -> ePub That converion makes usable TOC I use mobipocket because conversion Calibre PDF ->ePub - doesn't look good to me I've tried almost 10 different converters today but that combiantion is the best in my opinion. What do you think ? |
04-01-2010, 03:30 PM | #2 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,742
Karma: 6997045
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Notts, England
Device: Kobo Libra 2
|
I have had good luck with PDF -> RTF -> EPUB. However, that might be because I have Acrobat to do the first conversion.
|
Advert | |
|
04-07-2010, 01:50 AM | #3 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: LA
Device: none
|
I tried Calibre, but lost some formats after conversion. I don't have acrobat, really out of my budget.
|
04-07-2010, 04:07 AM | #4 |
Evangelist
Posts: 404
Karma: 664
Join Date: Dec 2009
Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle DX, Kobo Aura HD
|
I've tested many converters (freeware as well as trial versions). Acrobat does the best job in my opinion in converting pdf to html/rtf. But the price is way too high. Someone please tell Adobe to make a cheaper version for home users.
|
04-07-2010, 09:22 AM | #5 |
Book 'em Danno
Posts: 156
Karma: 180
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Blue Ridge Mtns, NC
Device: Kindle 2
|
I'm going through a similar process with the final output being mobi (or plain text).
So far I've tested PDF conversions going straight to mobi with mobipocket reader or Calibre, or within Calibre with intermediate steps to RTF or txt. Regardless of which method I use, the results are all over the place. Sometimes mobipocket reader creates the best conversion. Sometimes Calibre makes a good conversion straight to mobi and sometimes the intermediate steps may (or may not) be helpful. And sometimes none of the variations are very effective and I end up reading a very tiny pdf display on my Kindle 2. I think my point is that none of the methods I've tried have yielded consistent results. (My apologies in advance for sharing experiences with a non epub endpoint. I will say that Calibre routinely makes awesome conversions from epub to mobi.) |
Advert | |
|
04-07-2010, 02:38 PM | #6 |
Member
Posts: 23
Karma: 30
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bay, AR
Device: iPad, Pandigital Novel, Kindle DX
|
Usually, I don't go through any of that. When I convert anything to ePUb, be it PDF, RTF, Lit or HTML, I'll usually put the ePub in my ITunes and copy to my IPad. IF it doesn't look good or no Content's what-so-ever for chapters, I'll just open up Sigil and add the chapter code into it. Pretty easy when you get used to it.
Usually takes me 30 minutes to make a garbled PoS book look like it was made for the IPad lol |
04-07-2010, 03:56 PM | #7 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: iPad
|
Firepong - can you give a quick walkthrough of how to clean up ePubs in Sigil? I've also been putting them on iPad, but I've seen everything from no line breaks to not being able to change fonts. I'd like to start from scratch with PDFs, but want consistent results.
Thanks! |
04-07-2010, 04:41 PM | #8 | |
Member
Posts: 23
Karma: 30
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bay, AR
Device: iPad, Pandigital Novel, Kindle DX
|
Quote:
Depending on what I have to do, is how long it takes me. If I just have to make a contents for the book, it usually takes no more than 10 minutes (Except on Chapter intensive books. For example, the rth book of Harry Potter has 38 chapters, took me 20 min on that alone ). But if I have to do more than the contents, usually I have to take out code and re-code other parts. Thankfully, what I have to re-code, I've got it saved in a text file so all I have to do is copy and paste if it compares to that certain situation. The only tips I can give is to tell you HTML/XHTML and any coding in between is your friend Cheers P.S. I have found out that some HTML/XHTML doesn't work on the IPad though. Like the Center tags and such do not work, you have to use the calibre tags that are in the document sadely >.< |
|
04-07-2010, 04:44 PM | #9 |
Member
Posts: 23
Karma: 30
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bay, AR
Device: iPad, Pandigital Novel, Kindle DX
|
Also, all I have to say about you starting from scratch with PDF's. IMHO, I wish PDF was never considered as a format for eBooks. Worst formatting ever
|
04-07-2010, 05:23 PM | #10 | |
Well trained by Cats
Posts: 29,809
Karma: 54830978
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Central Coast of California
Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A
|
Quote:
A simple Chapter break and TOC takes about 3 min per chapter include load and save (I now save after ever split, after crashing Sigil by doing something wrong ) |
|
04-07-2010, 05:32 PM | #11 | |
Member
Posts: 23
Karma: 30
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bay, AR
Device: iPad, Pandigital Novel, Kindle DX
|
Quote:
|
|
04-07-2010, 05:37 PM | #12 |
Well trained by Cats
Posts: 29,809
Karma: 54830978
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Central Coast of California
Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A
|
|
04-07-2010, 05:44 PM | #13 |
Member
Posts: 23
Karma: 30
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bay, AR
Device: iPad, Pandigital Novel, Kindle DX
|
|
04-16-2010, 12:15 AM | #14 | |
Junior Member
Posts: 1
Karma: 10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: iPad, Kindle
|
Quote:
http://code.google.com/p/sigil/wiki/BasicTutorial |
|
04-16-2010, 12:54 PM | #15 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: iPad
|
Thanks, Ben. I actually just downloaded GoodReader for .99 from the iTunes Store. Reads PDFs, no more worries about converting anything.
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Convert a 2 column PDF into epub | thorm42 | Conversion | 18 | 06-03-2014 05:37 AM |
Using Calibre to convert pdf to epub | varelov | Calibre | 2 | 10-15-2010 02:20 AM |
Would it be better if I convert pdf into epub? | fantasyvn | Sony Reader | 7 | 04-15-2010 07:43 AM |