Kobo ePub formatting and 'entire library' questions

[ururk]

I'm awaiting receipt of a Kobo Forma, and this is my first introduction to an e-ink reader. Been wanting one for a while now, am tired of reading books on my iPhone tethered to a power brick

I had two questions that have been bugging me, with one I cannot answer until my Forma arrives.

1) I have a variety of e-books in different formats - have moved them all to calibre. Several were from the publishers own sites in html format (ie, Baen's free ebook library). I spent some time figuring out how to import in such a way to auto-generate a TOC using headings. Anyhow, I did some limited css editing to change the format a bit on some of them, but the formatting is all over the place.

Does Kobo render ePubs with your Kobo-specific settings on the device, or are the ePub styles used? Specifically, I prefer spaces between paragraphs, left justification. Or do I have to edit each e-book to strip out overriding styles?

2) I opted for the 8GB as I usually read one book at a time, and if I were to go on a trip would really only read two books at most. But I'm curious as to why people like to carry their entire library with them.

Thanks!

John

[ururk]

Oh, and one other question...

I plan on sewing a felt sleeve for it, but will I want/need a screen protector? I'm generally pretty good with my devices, so I'm not overly worried but I saw them popping up on Amazon so was curious if they were a good idea or not. I generally dislike added layers on a touchscreen.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ururk

I'm awaiting receipt of a Kobo Forma, and this is my first introduction to an e-ink reader. Been wanting one for a while now, am tired of reading books on my iPhone tethered to a power brick

I had two questions that have been bugging me, with one I cannot answer until my Forma arrives.

1) I have a variety of e-books in different formats - have moved them all to calibre. Several were from the publishers own sites in html format (ie, Baen's free ebook library). I spent some time figuring out how to import in such a way to auto-generate a TOC using headings. Anyhow, I did some limited css editing to change the format a bit on some of them, but the formatting is all over the place.

For Baen's free library, I'd suggest re-downloading in epub format. For other books, I have spent quite a few hours editing ebooks whose formatting is so bad that I find it painful to read them.

Originally Posted by ururk

Does Kobo render ePubs with your Kobo-specific settings on the device, or are the ePub styles used? Specifically, I prefer spaces between paragraphs, left justification. Or do I have to edit each e-book to strip out overriding styles?

Kobo's ereaders will use the styles embedded in the epub. For instance, a fixed line height will override the line height slider while the margin slider can increase the margins set in the epub but not reduce them. To get the ebook to match your requirements will require editing. What you will find is that many of the edits are repetitive and saved search/replace makes it much faster.

There have been several near religious arguments over respecting the publisher's embedded styles vs. allowing the user to override everything.

Originally Posted by ururk

2) I opted for the 8GB as I usually read one book at a time, and if I were to go on a trip would really only read two books at most. But I'm curious as to why people like to carry their entire library with them.

I suspect the real answer is because we can. Personally, I like having quite a few books available as options when I finish a book since a average book takes only 1.5-2 hours. I also keep quite a few manuals and other reference materials on my ereaders. The iPad Pro is better for PDFs but the Kobo works in an emergency.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ururk

Oh, and one other question...

I plan on sewing a felt sleeve for it, but will I want/need a screen protector? I'm generally pretty good with my devices, so I'm not overly worried but I saw them popping up on Amazon so was curious if they were a good idea or not. I generally dislike added layers on a touchscreen.

I would not recommend a screen protector even if you could find one for your Forma. The only screen protector I've seen used on a Kobo was a Glo and that protector had a very glossy finish making it hard to read outdoors. OTOH, keeping it in a cover is a very good idea. My preference is the Kobo cover for the sleep function, the ability to place the reader on the table when I don't feel like holding it in my hand and the protection it offers when the ereader is accidentally dropped/knocked off the table/whatever.

For your sewn cover, I'd recommend embedding at least one stiff layer to protect the screen during transport.

[ururk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

For your sewn cover, I'd recommend embedding at least one stiff layer to protect the screen during transport.

Got it! I was thinking I'd have a patch of soft material (velour?) on the portion that the screen contacts, but will include a sheet of plastic in-between that and the felt. Maybe I'll order a cover for it eventually, but I want to see how much I like the Kobo first.

[ururk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

For Baen's free library, I'd suggest re-downloading in epub format. For other books, I have spent quite a few hours editing ebooks whose formatting is so bad that I find it painful to read them.

Unfortunately the few I had saved are no longer listed on their site, and I only downloaded the html. But I only spent a day collecting, editing, and tweaking everything (not just Baen e-books) so not a huge loss of time.

Originally Posted by DNSB

Kobo's ereaders will use the styles embedded in the epub. For instance, a fixed line height will override the line height slider while the margin slider can increase the margins set in the epub but not reduce them. To get the ebook to match your requirements will require editing. What you will find is that many of the edits are repetitive and saved search/replace makes it much faster.

Which BBEdit is excellent for (text factories), though I normally use Sublime Text. Calibre's editor is painful to use... and I'm still not entirely sure how it doles out CSS classes when bring in html files.

Originally Posted by DNSB

There have been several near religious arguments over respecting the publisher's embedded styles vs. allowing the user to override everything.

When I get a paper book I don't have a choice, so in that respect I have to leave it alone... but if given a choice I think it's worth reformatting provided no intent was lost with the reformatting. In some books that I've read type was used both as words and design, so obviously in a book like that you shouldn't mess with the formatting. To me design is subjective, and at the whim of the graphic artist (unless the author is really really specific, which I would hope would be obvious).

Originally Posted by DNSB

There have been several near religious arguments I suspect the real answer is because we can. Personally, I like having quite a few books available as options when I finish a book since a average book takes only 1.5-2 hours. I also keep quite a few manuals and other reference materials on my ereaders. The iPad Pro is better for PDFs but the Kobo works in an emergency.

I no longer have an iPad, never used it much (just for games, reading wasn't pleasant). I usually use my laptop for PDF manuals, but I'm really curious how well they will display on the Kobo. I've heard PDF viewing isn't the greatest experience, and might require reformatting for the screen, but for my needs might be sufficient. It might give me the impetus to scan all of my (vintage) power tool manuals, but then I'll regret getting the 8GB model!

[Boneist]

Regarding your second question: for me, having all my ebooks on my ereader is convenient.

I have ~1600 books in my elibrary, of which nearly 200 are in my to-be-read pile. So, when I finish a book, I like to have all my tbr books available for me to read. Also, I will reread books (e.g. if a new book in a series comes out, and I read the previous book in the series a while back), so I like to have previously read books on hand too.

On average, I read at least 150 books a year, so having to wait until I can get to my computer to load up the next book would be very painful! So I keep everything on the ereader purely for my convenience!

YMMV, of course!

[ps67]

Originally Posted by ururk

...

I no longer have an iPad, never used it much (just for games, reading wasn't pleasant). I usually use my laptop for PDF manuals, but I'm really curious how well they will display on the Kobo. I've heard PDF viewing isn't the greatest experience, and might require reformatting for the screen, but for my needs might be sufficient. It might give me the impetus to scan all of my (vintage) power tool manuals, but then I'll regret getting the 8GB model!

I have a Kobo Aura One, patched for landscape (and many others reasons), Forma already supports landscape. With landscape I can read pdf, You may need to crop borders sometime (may be often), but You should have a decent, not perfect but acceptable, reading experience for most pdf.

Of course none of the readers with a less than 10" screen is the best choice for pdf.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by ururk

I'm curious as to why people like to carry their entire library with them.

Why not?

[ururk]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

Why not?

No particular reason, I was mostly curious. I guess my question was tempered by how I tend to read books - once - then move onto the next. I've never re-read previously read books (intentionally), with the exception of some short stories.

[Barbara1955]

Easy I Hate Duplicates. Calibre will mark the ones I have Before I load them & a Quick check in the authors files on the ereader lets me see IF I already own Before I buy.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ururk

No particular reason, I was mostly curious. I guess my question was tempered by how I tend to read books - once - then move onto the next. I've never re-read previously read books (intentionally), with the exception of some short stories.

Whereas I will go back and re-read an old favourite or when buying the latest book in a series, I'll go back and re-read at least part of the series. Just don't ask how many times I've re-read Three Men in a Boat over the decades.

[ururk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Whereas I will go back and re-read an old favourite or when buying the latest book in a series, I'll go back and re-read at least part of the series. Just don't ask how many times I've re-read Three Men in a Boat over the decades.

I really like this suggestion - there are several series books where I've read the first, but the library never had the remaining in the series and it's been many years... might give it a try, even if I just skim them first.

[ururk]

It arrived! I loaded all of my books (but plan to remove as I read). Has the dark strip along the edge. I have mixed feelings about it, but will live with it. It looks like a lighting defect, but depending on the lighting level is more - or less - visible.

[Readirect]

kepub is ALWAYS a better choice than epub on Kobo devices. Use Calibre for the conversion