unicode chess pieces

serendipity22 · 08-05-2020, 11:56 PM

I am experimenting with using unicode chess pieces for diagrams in some of my chess ebooks I have on Amazon.

The diagrams are OK when viewed in a kindle reader, except that if I zoom in or out the chess pieces change size while the board and pieces do not.

Is there a way I can either make the pieces fixed so they don't resize or
make the board resizable?

Has anyone had success with unicode pieces in a chess diagram?

gmw · 08-06-2020, 04:03 AM

Because Unicode chess pieces are essentially just characters (text), I wonder if you might have better luck using tables instead of (what I presume to be) an image for the board. With luck the table will resize more consistently with the font. You might be able to use your board image as a background image for the table, otherwise just colour the cells.

I fear that any attempt to get completely consistent behaviour between images and text is doomed to failure. (At least, that is my pessimistic forecast.)

I assume you are intending to embed an appropriate font for the pieces - relying on readers to have a font with good chess pieces could be risky.

JSWolf · 08-06-2020, 05:16 AM

Use SVG diagrams.

Tex2002ans · 08-07-2020, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serendipity22

I am experimenting with using unicode chess pieces for diagrams in some of my chess ebooks I have on Amazon.

The diagrams are OK when viewed in a kindle reader, except that if I zoom in or out the chess pieces change size while the board and pieces do not.

Is there a way I can either make the pieces fixed so they don't resize or
make the board resizable?

What solutions did you go with since your 2018 chess thread?

"embedded fonts in epub"

The chess recommendations given in that thread are still applicable now in 2020.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I fear that any attempt to get completely consistent behaviour between images and text is doomed to failure. (At least, that is my pessimistic forecast.)

Yep. See discussion in 2018 thread above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I assume you are intending to embed an appropriate font for the pieces - relying on readers to have a font with good chess pieces could be risky.

Yep. Barely any font is going to even have those characters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Use SVG diagrams.

Another potential solution. SVG will work for KF8+KFX, while PNG/GIF fallback will be needed for KF7 and Amazon's Look Inside.

08-05-2020, 11:56 PM	#1
serendipity22 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: none	unicode chess pieces I am experimenting with using unicode chess pieces for diagrams in some of my chess ebooks I have on Amazon. The diagrams are OK when viewed in a kindle reader, except that if I zoom in or out the chess pieces change size while the board and pieces do not. Is there a way I can either make the pieces fixed so they don't resize or make the board resizable? Has anyone had success with unicode pieces in a chess diagram?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
missing pieces in book	christinareads	Sony Reader	16	10-18-2019 05:48 AM
Pieces of the Empire, Book Two is out!!!	jeffreymoss	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	1	06-16-2011 04:16 PM
For Chess fans everywhere - Capablanca's Chess Fundamentals	Greg Anos	Reading Recommendations	21	10-31-2010 01:46 PM

08-06-2020, 04:03 AM	#2
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	Because Unicode chess pieces are essentially just characters (text), I wonder if you might have better luck using tables instead of (what I presume to be) an image for the board. With luck the table will resize more consistently with the font. You might be able to use your board image as a background image for the table, otherwise just colour the cells. I fear that any attempt to get completely consistent behaviour between images and text is doomed to failure. (At least, that is my pessimistic forecast.) I assume you are intending to embed an appropriate font for the pieces - relying on readers to have a font with good chess pieces could be risky.

08-06-2020, 05:16 AM	#3
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	Use SVG diagrams.