Paragraph Break

[Paxman53]

Not sure if this is a Calibre or Sigil related question, so I hope someone can guide me in the right direction?

At present I insert a para break by using <p class="calibre7">&nbsp;</p> to reflect a corresponding space in the hard copy of the book. Using Enter/Space in Sigil to create.

Code View:

<p class="calibre7">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>

<p class="calibre7">&nbsp;</p>

<p class="calibre">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>

Book View:

But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.

It was about ten o’clock that night.

This works fine when I transfer the epub onto my tablet using Aldiko as the reader.

However I find that now if I have to convert the book again (for covers etc.) that Calibre (Version 9.28) removes the &nbsp leaving just <p class="calibre7"></p>, effectively removing the space originally created. I'm sure this didn't happen in previous versions of Calibre.

If in Sigil (Version 0.7.2) I just press enter to create a space it shows up as <p class="calibre7"><br /></p> which creates the space in Sigil, but this doesn't show up on the E-Reader.

What should I now be using to insert a space that Calibre will not remove in subsequent conversions, and that the E-reader can recognize?

Thanks in advance.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Paxman53

Not sure if this is a Calibre or Sigil related question, so I hope someone can guide me in the right direction?

At present I insert a para break by using <p class="calibre7">&nbsp;</p> to reflect a corresponding space in the hard copy of the book. Using Enter/Space in Sigil to create.

Code View:

<p class="calibre7">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>

<p class="calibre7">&nbsp;</p>

<p class="calibre">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>

Book View:

But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.

It was about ten o’clock that night.

This works fine when I transfer the epub onto my tablet using Aldiko as the reader.

However I find that now if I have to convert the book again (for covers etc.) that Calibre (Version 9.28) removes the &nbsp leaving just <p class="calibre7"></p>, effectively removing the space originally created. I'm sure this didn't happen in previous versions of Calibre.

If in Sigil (Version 0.7.2) I just press enter to create a space it shows up as <p class="calibre7"><br /></p> which creates the space in Sigil, but this doesn't show up on the E-Reader.

What should I now be using to insert a space that Calibre will not remove in subsequent conversions, and that the E-reader can recognize?

Thanks in advance.

Specify a top margin in the style of the paragraph after where you want a blank line.


<p class="calibre">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>
<p class="gapabove">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>


and in your CSS file

p.gapabove {
top-margin: 1.5em;
}

[Paxman53]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Specify a top margin in the style of the paragraph after where you want a blank line.


<p class="calibre">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>
<p class="gapabove">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>


and in your CSS file

p.gapabove {
top-margin: 1.5em;
}

Thanks for your help.

Tried it in Sigil it created a space above, but also below, plus there was no indent.
Subsequent conversion by Calibre with remove spacing between paras in Look & Feel unchecked, changed the style sheet to:

.gapabove {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 1em;
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-top: 1em;
top-margin: 1.5em
}

Changed margin-bottom to 0em which removed bottom space, but indent still unchanged.

What I really want is an instruction I can insert between lines to create a space, that Calibre will not affect in subsequent conversions.

[JSWolf]

Even better...

<p class="calibre7">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>
<p class="spacebreak">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>

.spacebreak {
margin-top: 2em;
text-indent: 0
}

That works very well for a section break.

[Paxman53]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Even better...

<p class="calibre7">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>
<p class="spacebreak">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>

.spacebreak {
margin-top: 2em;
text-indent: 0
}

That works very well for a section break.

Sorry that worked exactly as the gapabove did.

[Paxman53]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Even better...

<p class="calibre7">But it was clear that the lady did not believe him.</p>
<p class="spacebreak">It was about ten o’clock that night.</p>

.spacebreak {
margin-top: 2em;
text-indent: 0
}

That works very well for a section break.

Plus a subsequent conversion by Calibre wipes this out completely and reverts the para to Calibre7.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Paxman53

.gapabove {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 1em;
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-top: 1em;
top-margin: 1.5em
}

Changed margin-bottom to 0em which removed bottom space, but indent still unchanged.

If that is really what your stylesheet says , there is no wonder why (and ADE would probably ignore the whole style because of that error)

text-indent: 1.5em;

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Paxman53

Thanks for your help.

Tried it in Sigil it created a space above, but also below, plus there was no indent.
Subsequent conversion by Calibre with remove spacing between paras in Look & Feel unchecked, changed the style sheet to:

.gapabove {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 1em;
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-top: 1em;
top-margin: 1.5em
}

Changed margin-bottom to 0em which removed bottom space, but indent still unchanged.

What I really want is an instruction I can insert between lines to create a space, that Calibre will not affect in subsequent conversions.

Sorry, I should have written margin-top. There's no top-margin CSS instruction.

try

.gapabove {
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-top: 1.5em;
text-indent: 1em;
}

(or whatever value you usually use for text-indent.)

[Paxman53]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Sorry, I should have written margin-top. There's no top-margin CSS instruction.

try

.gapabove {
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-top: 1.5em;
text-indent: 1em;
}

(or whatever value you usually use for text-indent.)

Thanks Guys

That did the trick.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Paxman53

Sorry that worked exactly as the gapabove did.

The code is a lot neater. Plus, it doesn't indent the first paragraph after the section break. So it's much more noticeable that it's the first paragraph that starts a new section.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Paxman53

Plus a subsequent conversion by Calibre wipes this out completely and reverts the para to Calibre7.

Subesquent conversion? Why? All you are doing is making a rather big mess. If you are going from a different format to ePub, you want to convert. Then you want to go to Sigil it fix it up. But you do not want to convert again.

ePub > ePub = NO!

[Paxman53]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Subesquent conversion? Why? All you are doing is making a rather big mess. If you are going from a different format to ePub, you want to convert. Then you want to go to Sigil it fix it up. But you do not want to convert again.

ePub > ePub = NO!

Sometimes it is necessary. I scan my books using AbbyyFineReader into Epub separate chapters. Then use Sigil to combine and set up. Then final conversion with Cover, Metadata and tidy up I have to use Calibre. I am not knowledgeable enough to do it all in Sigil.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Paxman53

Sometimes it is necessary. I scan my books using AbbyyFineReader into Epub separate chapters. Then use Sigil to combine and set up. Then final conversion with Cover, Metadata and tidy up I have to use Calibre. I am not knowledgeable enough to do it all in Sigil.

@Paxman53 - have you tried Book Polish after you've done with Sigil - it can insert the cover and metadata - I think without changing other 'components'.

Book Polish was added to the baseline Calibre within the last couple of months, its also a lot faster than doing ePUB to ePUB conversion .

BR

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@Paxman53 - have you tried Book Polish after you've done with Sigil - it can insert the cover and metadata - I think without changing other 'components'.

Book Polish was added to the baseline Calibre within the last couple of months, its also a lot faster than doing ePUB to ePUB conversion .

BR

The Modify ePub plugin can do that too without a conversion.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Modify ePub plugin can do that too without a conversion.

True - but Polish is simpler, easier - hit 'P' on the book(s), a tad faster, and there's no need to install a plug-in.

Polish also does font sub-setting - which I don't think is currently available in Modify.

BTW - where is kiwidude - I hope he's enjoying himself somewhere.

BR