Best EPUB to PDF converter

[Lordblacknail]

Not sure if this is the proper place for this, but does anyone know of a really good epub to PDF converter that will actually work properly?

[dwig]

In order to get any usable responses, you need to provide your personal definition of "work properly".

[DaleDe]

Moved this thread to a better forum that has people who deal with this sort of problem.

Dale

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Lordblacknail

Not sure if this is the proper place for this, but does anyone know of a really good epub to PDF converter that will actually work properly?

There is no "works properly". You have to A/B compare everything and fix what needs for a proper conversion. There's no way to do it otherwise. PDF is a crap format to convert from.

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is no "works properly". You have to A/B compare everything and fix what needs for a proper conversion. There's no way to do it otherwise. PDF is a crap format to convert from.

He said EPUB -> PDF, not PDF -> EPUB.

Anyway, there isn't great solutions for that either, and depends on how complex your book is.

Calibre can make PDFs from EPUBs, but the quality on those is.... lacking.

You could also generate PDFs by importing the EPUB into your favorite Word Processor (Word, LibreOffice, [...]) and probably tweak everything and save a PDF from there.

If you wanted higher quality, you could use Jellby's "Prince PDF" plugin:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=230027

All of these solutions have their own pros/cons though.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Lordblacknail

Not sure if this is the proper place for this, but does anyone know of a really good epub to PDF converter that will actually work properly?

If I assume "will actually work properly" means "works perfectly", then No.

But nothing works perfectly for everyone. See Tex's post.

BR

[dwig]

Originally Posted by Lordblacknail

Not sure if this is the proper place for this, but does anyone know of a really good epub to PDF converter that will actually work properly?

Keep in mind that normal ePubs, "fixed layout" ePubs excepted, do not have any concept of "pages" and PDF requires a page specification. There is absolutely no way that any application can automagically read your mind and create a page specification that matches your expectations.

There are two broad classes of methods to produce PDFs from ePubs. One is to use a conversion tool like those already mentioned, along with many others. These can yield PDFs with separate test and images, but require manual input to select page size, margins, text size, ... .

The other method is to open the ePub in an ebook reader application that haa a print function and select a PDF virtual printer as your printer. The current Win10 has a default virtual printer and 3rd party virtual printers have been available for ages. The macOS also have a built in service to do the same though it is a separate button in the print dialog rather than a listed printer. These generally produce PDFs with images for each page rather than "live" text.

[RobertDDL]

The slowest way, but the one that probably will give you the best control over the result:

- export to HTML
- edit HTML
- create new document in Open (or Libre) Office
- import HTML
- format and edit
- export to PDF

No guarantee that it works properly with all ePubs ...

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by RobertDDL

The slowest way, but the one that probably will give you the best control over the result:

- export to HTML
- edit HTML
- create new document in Open (or Libre) Office
- import HTML
- format and edit
- export to PDF

No guarantee that it works properly with all ePubs ...

This ^ is really the ONLY way to do it. Believe me, I've tried every single way under the sun. If all you need is a quick-n-dirty, for someone to proof some test or something, Calibre with Prince plugged in (and licensed) is the way to do that, but if you need any of the niceties, then this method is the only one that works.

You can also do this with Word--in step 3. Just open the HTML file with Word. You can then save as, use DOCX, and then open it in Publisher, or INDD, or whichever.

Hitch

[Janet16]

This PDF Creator claims could create PDF document from EPUB, you could have a try first.

Oh, my bad, it's only works for Mac, for Windows, I found this via google:
http://www.pdfforge.org/pdfcreator

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Janet16

This PDF Creator claims could create PDF document from EPUB, you could have a try first.

Oh, my bad, it's only works for Mac, for Windows, I found this via google:
http://www.pdfforge.org/pdfcreator

Perhaps I skimmed too quickly, but the only thing I see, for that PDFCreator software is that "if you can PRINT your document, you can..." and ePUBs, by definition, are not set up to print.

That route would take you right back to Calibre--convert the ePUB to something else, and then put that "something else" into that software to make a PDF. Why bother? Might as well just use Calibre to make a PDF, at that point. Possibly I've misunderstood it, but I don't see anything in that.

Offered solely FWIW.

We've been asked to "just" make PDF interiors, for a print layout, from ePUBs I-don't-know-how-many-times. I WISH that there was any, ANY type of pushbutton way to do it, but as far as I can see, there just isn't. It's down to ePUB-->HTML--Word-processor-->PDF.

But if anyone seriously finds a way, TELL ME!!! :-)

Hitch

[dwig]

Originally Posted by Hitch

...
We've been asked to "just" make PDF interiors, for a print layout, from ePUBs I-don't-know-how-many-times. I WISH that there was any, ANY type of pushbutton way to do it, but as far as I can see, there just isn't. It's down to ePUB-->HTML--Word-processor-->PDF.

But if anyone seriously finds a way, TELL ME!!! :-)

Hitch

I don't know exactly what you are looking for (PDF interiors ??), but the very few times I've needed an PDF of an ePub I've always had good usable results by opening the ePub in calibre's ebook-viewer app and using its print function. I generally select a page size around A5 and margins around 0.5-0.7". The resulting PDF has selectable text.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by dwig

I don't know exactly what you are looking for (PDF interiors ??), but the very few times I've needed an PDF of an ePub I've always had good usable results by opening the ePub in calibre's ebook-viewer app and using its print function. I generally select a page size around A5 and margins around 0.5-0.7". The resulting PDF has selectable text.

The people that ask us for this aren't seeking a simple, "something-I-can-print-out" type PDF. They have some idea that we can "just push a button" and out pops a fully-laid-out, ready for print, print interior for a book. Obviously, that's not going to happen with Calibre. Nothing against it, but it's not designed to be an INDD (InDesign) replacement.

These are the same sort of folks that think that at the KDP, that 'other' prompt that says "do a paperback" means that they upload their MOBI file and a magical print interior is created for them, automagically, too.

Honestly, if you've ever seen the Abbott And Costello skit, "Niagara Falls," you know how I react these days when someone says to me, "can't you just push a button and make me a PDF?"

The age of digital documents and so-called "desktop publishing" has significantly diminished the concept of value, when it comes to what it takes to make an ACTUAL print interior. (Or an ebook, for that matter.)

Hitch

[tebanvince]

The conversion of the ePUB file into PDF format is a little bit tricky to do but for solving this issue you can try the third-party like Softaken ePUB to PDF Converter and make the migration process safely done. It easily transfers the ePUB file of any size into Adobe PDF format to access in all supportive devices. This tool will make your process instantly done.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by tebanvince

The conversion of the ePUB file into PDF format is a little bit tricky to do but for solving this issue you can try the third-party like Softaken ePUB to PDF Converter and make the migration process safely done. It easily transfers the ePUB file of any size into Adobe PDF format to access in all supportive devices. This tool will make your process instantly done.

Ummmhummm. And you wouldn't happen to own or work for or be the developer of "Softaken" would you?????

Hitch