Library books in PDF

digiSara · 01-11-2011, 07:02 PM

Hello - I have been borrowing ePubs from the library with no problems, but the latest book is a PDF and I am having the problem of extremely small fonts. There doesn't seem to be an option to increase the font within the Kobo (it's not on the menu and does nothing when I hit the "up" button).

The library website advice is:

Quote:

To avoid this problem, change the text size in Adobe Digital Editions before transferring the book to the Kobo. Download the title to Adobe Digital Editions.
Open the title and use Adobe Digital Editions settings to make the text larger.
Leave the text on that setting, and then transfer the book to the Kobo.
The text size options on the Kobo should now work.

But in ADE, I cannot see an option to increase the text size. I increased it display the page width instead of whole page, since that was the only thing I could see to do. But that makes no difference.

Any advice?

EDIT: Have looked at an ePub in ADE and found a button to increase font size for ePubs, so must be PDF specific. Again, any advice appeciated as the font is unreadable as it is.

Psyke · 01-11-2011, 07:57 PM

Unfortunately there is no way to increase font size. I find the best way to view PDF's is to place it in landscape mode and then increase the magnification of the page to 125%.. there's very little options when it comes to PDF's.

HarleyB · 01-11-2011, 07:57 PM

When you are reading a PDF you increase the size by pressing the "Display" button on the side of the Kobo. Your options should be Whole Page, 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%, and 200%. You also have the option of reading in Portrait or Landscape.
My personal preference is Landscape and 100% but it does take 3 "page turns" to see the full page. But of course you may prefer something else.

Does that work for you?

digiSara · 01-11-2011, 08:14 PM

Thanks - that is an improvement, although not ideal. On this particular book, 100% is still a bit small and 125% is too much that it doesn't fit. Very annoying.

But thanks for the information!

masona8 · 01-12-2011, 12:36 AM

get a kindle dx for pdf

digiSara · 01-12-2011, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masona8

get a kindle dx for pdf

That's an expensive solution to read one book!

It would be cheaper to buy the epub version!

The Cod Father · 01-12-2011, 11:08 AM

Will the Calibre program be able to convert this ?

razmichael · 01-12-2011, 12:08 PM

You would need to remove the DRM before Calibre could convert it. I do not want to start a discussion on the rights and wrongs of this but I had the same problem with a PDF library book - I found it really un-readable regardless of the zoom, landscape settings etc. I did remove the DRM and convert it to read it. Once read, I then deleted the epub version and returned the PDF to the library. The converted version was far from perfect as I did not spend a lot of time setting up custom parameters but it was readable!

The Cod Father · 01-14-2011, 05:55 AM

OK I guess I should know this ,but , DRM ?

TCF

taming · 01-14-2011, 07:07 AM

DRM=Digital Rights Management. It is supposed to be a deterrent to pirating.

Library books have Adobe DRM attached for both ePUB and PDF. It is part of the Overdrive system process that is used in No AMerica and elsewhere. If a particular library does not use Overdrive, the books would still have DRM if required to do so by the Publisher.

Some folks may have a problem with the idea of stripping the DRM from library books as these are not items that have been purchased by the person removing the DRM and the books are not supposed to be under the control of the person borrowing the book after the time limit has expired. DRM free books are "ours" forever.

0johntheripper0 · 01-14-2011, 04:43 PM

I have had about 99.9% luck with converting PDF to EPUB via Calibre. Give it a try.

jimmyonishi · 01-16-2011, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0johntheripper0

I have had about 99.9% luck with converting PDF to EPUB via Calibre. Give it a try.

Hi new member here. I am contemplating on buying Kobo wifi for the sole purpose of putting PDFs on it(usually school material). Can you please post the settings you used to convert your files to ePub? I would also add, I tried converting PDF to ePUB but long spaces are converted instead to a linebreak. It also won't detect the headers and footers to be removed.

JPenguin · 01-16-2011, 04:52 PM

jimmyonishi, I really wouldn't recommend a Kobo for school type material, e-ink is much slower than LCD for flipping pages so flipping backwards and forwards through reference material can be painful. And the Kobo's support for PDF isn't very good, converting to ePub might work but it still won't be a great experience. Also the Kobo doesn't support multiple bookmarks (it only remembers the last viewed page) or jumping to specific pages.

The Kobo is a great device for reading novels etc but not so great for reference type material.

jemyers77 · 01-17-2011, 09:47 AM

I have found that the best way to convert non-DRM PDFs is to use the Publisher version of MobiPocket Creator. http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft /productdetailscreator.asp It's free and very easy to use. The program gives both an HTML and a PRC conversion. Use Calibre to convert the result to EPUB. Try converting the PRC file first but use the HTML if the result isn't satisfactory. In my experience, you end up with a much cleaner EPUB with less effort than you get by using Calibre (a great program) to convert the PDF directly to EPUB.

As to whether it is legit to strip DRM, I leave that to you. But many argue that it's okay if the result is strictly to aid your personal use of the DRMed material.

amo · 01-18-2011, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyonishi

Hi new member here. I am contemplating on buying Kobo wifi for the sole purpose of putting PDFs on it(usually school material). Can you please post the settings you used to convert your files to ePub? I would also add, I tried converting PDF to ePUB but long spaces are converted instead to a linebreak. It also won't detect the headers and footers to be removed.

Hi Jimmy, that's exactly what I bought my kobo for- reading school material in pdf, as I hate reading them on a computer screen. I find it okay for pdf's- so-so, not great. For reading journal articles in pdf it's definitely better than on-screen, but I wouldn't want to read whole books that way. And as JPenguin mentioned, flipping back and forth is painful.

However, even though I had no intention whatsoever of reading novels on the kobo, I've got addicted to it now...

(Surgeon General's warning: buying a kobo for school-material-pdf reading can lead to increased consumption of novels while neglecting school books.)

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01-11-2011, 07:57 PM	#2
Psyke Evangelist Posts: 482 Karma: 534340 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Ottawa/Canada Device: Kobo Wi-Fi - Kobo Touch - GNex - N7	Unfortunately there is no way to increase font size. I find the best way to view PDF's is to place it in landscape mode and then increase the magnification of the page to 125%.. there's very little options when it comes to PDF's.

01-11-2011, 07:57 PM	#3
HarleyB Fanatic Posts: 565 Karma: 1113286 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast Australia Device: Kobo (RIP), iPad, iPhone 4, Kobo Touch x2, Kobo Glo	When you are reading a PDF you increase the size by pressing the "Display" button on the side of the Kobo. Your options should be Whole Page, 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%, and 200%. You also have the option of reading in Portrait or Landscape. My personal preference is Landscape and 100% but it does take 3 "page turns" to see the full page. But of course you may prefer something else. Does that work for you?

01-11-2011, 08:14 PM	#4
digiSara Groupie Posts: 158 Karma: 153344 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kobo wifi	Thanks - that is an improvement, although not ideal. On this particular book, 100% is still a bit small and 125% is too much that it doesn't fit. Very annoying. But thanks for the information!

01-12-2011, 12:36 AM	#5
masona8 Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: kobo, Kindle DX graphite, Kindle 3	get a kindle dx for pdf

01-12-2011, 11:08 AM	#7
The Cod Father Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 26206 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Newfoundland Canada Device: KOBO. Kobo Aura	Will the Calibre program be able to convert this ?

01-12-2011, 12:08 PM	#8
razmichael Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 106 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ottawa Device: Kobo WiFi	You would need to remove the DRM before Calibre could convert it. I do not want to start a discussion on the rights and wrongs of this but I had the same problem with a PDF library book - I found it really un-readable regardless of the zoom, landscape settings etc. I did remove the DRM and convert it to read it. Once read, I then deleted the epub version and returned the PDF to the library. The converted version was far from perfect as I did not spend a lot of time setting up custom parameters but it was readable!

01-14-2011, 05:55 AM	#9
The Cod Father Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 26206 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Newfoundland Canada Device: KOBO. Kobo Aura	OK I guess I should know this ,but , DRM ? TCF

01-14-2011, 07:07 AM	#10
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	DRM=Digital Rights Management. It is supposed to be a deterrent to pirating. Library books have Adobe DRM attached for both ePUB and PDF. It is part of the Overdrive system process that is used in No AMerica and elsewhere. If a particular library does not use Overdrive, the books would still have DRM if required to do so by the Publisher. Some folks may have a problem with the idea of stripping the DRM from library books as these are not items that have been purchased by the person removing the DRM and the books are not supposed to be under the control of the person borrowing the book after the time limit has expired. DRM free books are "ours" forever.

01-14-2011, 04:43 PM	#11
0johntheripper0 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kobo	I have had about 99.9% luck with converting PDF to EPUB via Calibre. Give it a try.

01-16-2011, 04:52 PM	#13
JPenguin Connoisseur Posts: 90 Karma: 42 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo EReader, Kobo for Palm Pre	jimmyonishi, I really wouldn't recommend a Kobo for school type material, e-ink is much slower than LCD for flipping pages so flipping backwards and forwards through reference material can be painful. And the Kobo's support for PDF isn't very good, converting to ePub might work but it still won't be a great experience. Also the Kobo doesn't support multiple bookmarks (it only remembers the last viewed page) or jumping to specific pages. The Kobo is a great device for reading novels etc but not so great for reference type material.

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01-17-2011, 09:47 AM	#14
jemyers77 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Aztak 6" EZ-Reader; Kobo wireless; PB 360; Kindle4; Pocketbook Pro	I have found that the best way to convert non-DRM PDFs is to use the Publisher version of MobiPocket Creator. http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft /productdetailscreator.asp It's free and very easy to use. The program gives both an HTML and a PRC conversion. Use Calibre to convert the result to EPUB. Try converting the PRC file first but use the HTML if the result isn't satisfactory. In my experience, you end up with a much cleaner EPUB with less effort than you get by using Calibre (a great program) to convert the PDF directly to EPUB. As to whether it is legit to strip DRM, I leave that to you. But many argue that it's okay if the result is strictly to aid your personal use of the DRMed material.