Converting PDF files to EPUB

wildchild1954 · 03-23-2011, 01:11 PM

I have a Pandigital Novel white 7" reader that used to display my PDF files perfectly. Since the last firmware update it will no longer display the PDF files in the BN reader correctly. I can use the Office Suite app to read them but then I lose all of the abilities to close a book and reopen it at the same page, to slide pages to turn them, and all other special features of the reader. What I would like to know is if there is any converter out there that will convert my PDF files to EPUB and keep all of my original formatting, text, pictures, and headers. I have tried calibre but it doesn't work.

Faster · 03-23-2011, 02:23 PM

"convert my PDF files to EPUB and keep all of my original formatting, text, pictures, and headers."

Sorry, there's no such program. Ignore the claims.

wildchild1954 · 03-25-2011, 09:06 AM

OK, since you say I can't convert the PDF files and keep my original formatting let me ask another question. All of my PDF files were originally created in Microsoft Office 2007 Word. I still have all of those files. Is there another program out there that I can convert the .docx files to that will display properly on the Pandigital? I would need to be able to convert the .docx files and then combine them as each chapter of my books is created separately.

Faster · 03-25-2011, 03:05 PM

Suggest you check out the Atlantis Word Processor which can import docx. You could combine your chapters there and Atlantis can export as epub. It comes with a good Help section.

wildchild1954 · 03-25-2011, 04:00 PM

I'll have to check this out and try it. I have 79 books I have created in PDF format that my Pandigital won't display properly in the BN ereader anymore. I'm going crazy with this.

wildchild1954 · 03-25-2011, 09:31 PM

Well, Atlantis did allow me to combine the files but it doesn't keep my formatting and headers the way I have them set up. It didn't keep my headers for page numbers and author/title field at all.

Faster · 03-26-2011, 03:25 PM

I know nothing of the reader you are using, but in mine, a Sony PRS 650 I wouldn't want headers, footers, page numbers or author-title fields. In fact I take great pains to remove all of those as they pop up in unwanted, meaningless places as the font size is changed.

wildchild1954 · 03-28-2011, 07:10 PM

I had a Sony PRS-505 and my PDF files showed up perfectly on that. I never needed to adjust the font size or anything and my headers were always right on top of the page where they should be. That's how they showed up with the original firmware on my Pandigital too. It's only when they updated to Android 2.0 that the PDF files screwed up major big time in the BN ereader. From what I've been reading on other forums though they may have that problem fixed. I sure hope so, it would save me a lot of trouble if I don't have to change over all 79 of my PDF files - plus the ones I still have to create!!

anamardoll · 04-25-2011, 10:03 AM

I do wish a perfect PDF-to-epub (or, well, anything really!) program could be created. It would be so convenient.

DSpider · 04-25-2011, 03:21 PM

If the PDF was saved as a tagged PDF then it should be able to reflow and keep all the original formatting if converted. Unfortunately most PDFs out there are just a collection of floating objects on a page, which makes it very difficult to convert. Often a word or a symbol would be off by half a point above or bellow a line and the conversion process would see it as a new paragraph... Then to get a closer match, you would have to do an OCR on the PDF and check that.

However, if you still have the original .rtf, .doc, .docx, etc., then you could save it as HTML and edit it with Sigil to turn it to EPUB.

Word 2010 can save it as a web page. If you went with .docx then you should probably save it with Word.

03-23-2011, 01:11 PM	#1
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	Converting PDF files to EPUB I have a Pandigital Novel white 7" reader that used to display my PDF files perfectly. Since the last firmware update it will no longer display the PDF files in the BN reader correctly. I can use the Office Suite app to read them but then I lose all of the abilities to close a book and reopen it at the same page, to slide pages to turn them, and all other special features of the reader. What I would like to know is if there is any converter out there that will convert my PDF files to EPUB and keep all of my original formatting, text, pictures, and headers. I have tried calibre but it doesn't work.

03-25-2011, 09:06 AM	#3
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	OK, since you say I can't convert the PDF files and keep my original formatting let me ask another question. All of my PDF files were originally created in Microsoft Office 2007 Word. I still have all of those files. Is there another program out there that I can convert the .docx files to that will display properly on the Pandigital? I would need to be able to convert the .docx files and then combine them as each chapter of my books is created separately. Last edited by wildchild1954; 03-25-2011 at 09:11 AM.

04-25-2011, 03:21 PM	#10
DSpider Evangelist Posts: 450 Karma: 343115 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Romania Device: PW2 2014	If the PDF was saved as a tagged PDF then it should be able to reflow and keep all the original formatting if converted. Unfortunately most PDFs out there are just a collection of floating objects on a page, which makes it very difficult to convert. Often a word or a symbol would be off by half a point above or bellow a line and the conversion process would see it as a new paragraph... Then to get a closer match, you would have to do an OCR on the PDF and check that. However, if you still have the original .rtf, .doc, .docx, etc., then you could save it as HTML and edit it with Sigil to turn it to EPUB. Word 2010 can save it as a web page. If you went with .docx then you should probably save it with Word. Last edited by DSpider; 04-25-2011 at 03:35 PM.

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03-23-2011, 02:23 PM	#2
Faster Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 12096 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650	"convert my PDF files to EPUB and keep all of my original formatting, text, pictures, and headers." Sorry, there's no such program. Ignore the claims.

03-25-2011, 03:05 PM	#4
Faster Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 12096 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650	Suggest you check out the Atlantis Word Processor which can import docx. You could combine your chapters there and Atlantis can export as epub. It comes with a good Help section.

03-25-2011, 04:00 PM	#5
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	I'll have to check this out and try it. I have 79 books I have created in PDF format that my Pandigital won't display properly in the BN ereader anymore. I'm going crazy with this.

03-25-2011, 09:31 PM	#6
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	Well, Atlantis did allow me to combine the files but it doesn't keep my formatting and headers the way I have them set up. It didn't keep my headers for page numbers and author/title field at all.

03-26-2011, 03:25 PM	#7
Faster Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 12096 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650	I know nothing of the reader you are using, but in mine, a Sony PRS 650 I wouldn't want headers, footers, page numbers or author-title fields. In fact I take great pains to remove all of those as they pop up in unwanted, meaningless places as the font size is changed.

03-28-2011, 07:10 PM	#8
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	I had a Sony PRS-505 and my PDF files showed up perfectly on that. I never needed to adjust the font size or anything and my headers were always right on top of the page where they should be. That's how they showed up with the original firmware on my Pandigital too. It's only when they updated to Android 2.0 that the PDF files screwed up major big time in the BN ereader. From what I've been reading on other forums though they may have that problem fixed. I sure hope so, it would save me a lot of trouble if I don't have to change over all 79 of my PDF files - plus the ones I still have to create!!

04-25-2011, 10:03 AM	#9
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	I do wish a perfect PDF-to-epub (or, well, anything really!) program could be created. It would be so convenient.

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