Problems removing white space between paragraphs

Alda · 06-25-2012, 06:45 PM

Hi,

I'm trying to remove the white space between paragraphs in my eBook. The Sigil FAQ tells me:

Quote:

To remove the white space between the paragraphs, add this to the bottom of the CSS code (the yellow color text in the Code View):

p {margin: 0; padding: 0;}

I tried adding this in various places in each file (including what looks like yellow coloured text to me), but to no avail. I then figured out that I probably needed a CSS style sheet, and after figuring out how to create that, I placed the code in there. I also linked the style sheet to the file and added this code to the top of the file itself:

Quote:

... making sure I had the name of my particular stylesheet in there, instead of myfirstbook.css.

Still nothing.

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm a bit of a novice at this, although I have used Sigil before to create an eBook ... but at that time I just left the white space as it was.

Grateful for any help. Thanks!

DiapDealer · 06-25-2012, 06:58 PM

Would need to see a sample of the actual html code to see what may be going on for sure. That particular CSS won't get rid of all whitespace if there's something like: " " or " " throughout the code.

Alda · 06-25-2012, 06:59 PM

Aha. I expect that's the problem, then. Here's an example of a sentence:

Quote:

p>ONE EVENING, MANY YEARS ago, I was travelling through south Iceland with two of my cousins. We stopped in the town of Vík to camp for the night. After pitching our tent at the campsite we decided to take a walk before turning in. It was in the middle of summer, so it was broad daylight even though it was late in the evening.

So is that what's messing it up? Any solutions to fix this?

Thanks!

DiapDealer · 06-25-2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alda

Aha. I expect that's the problem, then. Here's an example of a sentence:

So is that what's messing it up? Any solutions to fix this?

Thanks!

Yes... and yes.

Get rid of the   so that it looks like:

Code:

p>O<small>NE EVENING, MANY YEARS</small> ago, I was travelling through south Iceland with two of my cousins. We stopped in the town of Vík to camp for the night. After pitching our tent at the campsite we decided to take a walk before turning in. It was in the middle of summer, so it was broad daylight even though it was late in the evening.</p>

Alda · 06-25-2012, 07:10 PM

Yes, but it's on every paragraph in the book, and there are hundreds, maybe even over a thousand.

Is there a way to avoid getting them in there in the first place, e.g. if I save as html or something? (This was pasted from Word.)

theducks · 06-25-2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alda

Yes, but it's on every paragraph in the book, and there are hundreds, maybe even over a thousand.

Is there a way to avoid getting them in there in the first place, e.g. if I save as html or something? (This was pasted from Word.)

That is what Search and Replace is for.

Search (NORMAL mode, All HTML):   
Replace: 

I guess that to be safe you should check for scene breaks BEFORE you do this search&replace

COUNT (Normal, all HTML):   If it comes up Not found, this combo nation was not used.
Note substitute "> if your P tags have a common class

DiapDealer · 06-25-2012, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

I guess that to be safe you should check for scene breaks BEFORE you do this search&replace

That would be my only concern, too. But even then... I'd probably be willing to sacrifice the scene-breaks (or any other vertical spacing breaks) at that point just to get things cleaned up. I could always add them back in with CSS if I have an original document to compare to.

roger64 · 06-26-2012, 12:31 AM

moved

Perkin · 06-26-2012, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That would be my only concern, too. But even then... I'd probably be willing to sacrifice the scene-breaks (or any other vertical spacing breaks) at that point just to get things cleaned up. I could always add them back in with CSS if I have an original document to compare to.

If the scene-breaks match with what the s&r would replace, i.e.

Code:

<p>&nbsp;<br /></p>

Do two search&replace
1. Search for

Code:

<p>&nbsp;<br /></p>

Replace

Code:

<p class="scenebreak">&nbsp;</p>

As original s&r
2. Search for

Code:

&nbsp;<br /></p>

Replace

Code:

</p>

Now you'll also have css styled scenebreaks
In your css file add the following

Code:

p.scenebreak {margin-bottom: 0.5em;}

You can adjust the height of the scenebreak by altering the margin value.

Jellby · 06-26-2012, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perkin

Now you'll also have css styled scenebreaks
In your css file add the following

Code:

p.scenebreak {margin-bottom: 0.5em;}

You can adjust the height of the scenebreak by altering the margin value.

But you can't make it smaller than 1 line in that way. I'd leave the margin at 0 and change the "height" property instead.

Perkin · 06-26-2012, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

But you can't make it smaller than 1 line in that way. I'd leave the margin at 0 and change the "height" property instead.

You could, but as a scenebreak is usually used to show an change of place/perspective, they usually do need a 'gap' of more than a line-height to distinguish from just another paragraph, that's why I'd use the margin.

A case of multiple ways to skin a cat.
(poor Polly - avatar pic)

Jellby · 06-26-2012, 05:29 AM

Then I'd use "height: 1.5em", that way all the space goes in a single place, and not split in height+margin (the final effect is the same, anyway

)

Alda · 06-26-2012, 06:11 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure what you mean by "scenebreak" - could you please clarify?

I guess what I was asking originally was whether this problem has something to do with pasting from Word, or whether it also happens when the doc is saved as html. I gather that not everyone has this problem or it would be addressed in the FAQs, so what did I do to have this come up?

Thanks!

Alda

Alda · 06-26-2012, 06:29 AM

Another thing: when I look at this more closely I see that   is rare. Usually it's just the  

In that case, is it a question of eliminating the   altogether?

mrmikel · 06-26-2012, 06:47 AM

is just a non breaking space that means the words on either side and the space will always be displayed together. Sometimes it can cause an extra space but not mostly.

In code view you do a search and replace for   and replace it with a space from the spacebar generally without harm. In fact I nearly always do so to eliminate unexpected ends of lines.

Try it and see what you have left.

You may have to do a little detective work. Find a paragraph where you have the problem and look at the styles which applied to it in the stylesheet. You may have it surrounded in <div>s which cover more than one paragraph, so look up and down and see if you can find a <div> which starts above and doesn't end until below it.

06-25-2012, 06:58 PM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,552 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Would need to see a sample of the actual html code to see what may be going on for sure. That particular CSS won't get rid of all whitespace if there's something like: "<p> </p>" or "<p><br /></p>" throughout the code.

06-26-2012, 12:31 AM	#8
roger64 Wizard Posts: 2,608 Karma: 3000161 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Kindle PW3 (wifi)	moved Last edited by roger64; 06-26-2012 at 06:04 AM.

06-26-2012, 06:29 AM	#14
Alda Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 22 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	Another thing: when I look at this more closely I see that  <br /> is rare. Usually it's just the   In that case, is it a question of eliminating the   altogether?

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06-25-2012, 07:10 PM	#5
Alda Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 22 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	Yes, but it's on every paragraph in the book, and there are hundreds, maybe even over a thousand. Is there a way to avoid getting them in there in the first place, e.g. if I save as html or something? (This was pasted from Word.)

06-26-2012, 05:29 AM	#12
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,516 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Then I'd use "height: 1.5em", that way all the space goes in a single place, and not split in height+margin (the final effect is the same, anyway )

06-26-2012, 06:11 AM	#13
Alda Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 22 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure what you mean by "scenebreak" - could you please clarify? I guess what I was asking originally was whether this problem has something to do with pasting from Word, or whether it also happens when the doc is saved as html. I gather that not everyone has this problem or it would be addressed in the FAQs, so what did I do to have this come up? Thanks! Alda

06-26-2012, 06:47 AM	#15
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	is just a non breaking space that means the words on either side and the space will always be displayed together. Sometimes it can cause an extra space but not mostly. In code view you do a search and replace for   and replace it with a space from the spacebar generally without harm. In fact I nearly always do so to eliminate unexpected ends of lines. Try it and see what you have left. You may have to do a little detective work. Find a paragraph where you have the problem and look at the styles which applied to it in the stylesheet. You may have it surrounded in <div>s which cover more than one paragraph, so look up and down and see if you can find a <div> which starts above and doesn't end until below it.