Meta charset removed by Sigil

abeonis · 05-31-2013, 12:02 PM

When I "add a blank HTML file", this file contains the following code:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<title></title>
</head>

I want to create an ePub to run kindlegen on it. In KDP Guidelines 3.1.4. "Amazon recommends specifying the encoding of the HTML files in the HTML itself by using the <meta> tag in the <head> section".

As I am a good boy, I add the meta to the head section:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8" />
<title></title>
</head>

When I save this file, the added meta is removed unless I uncheck the "Automatically clean and format HTML source code" in preferences. However when I check the epub with FlightCrew it is OK.

So, is it removed because it is redundant with the first line?

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Any other explanation?

Thanks.

JSWolf · 05-31-2013, 12:36 PM

Tidy is the fault. Just leave it off.

Turtle91 · 05-31-2013, 12:45 PM

FWIW - I have never added the <meta> tag and kindlegen has never given me a warning if the ePub has passed flightcrew/epubcheck.

Jellby · 05-31-2013, 02:54 PM

That <meta> element is, I believe, completely superfluous. It might be OK for web pages, where a thousand charsets may be used, but in ePub you can only use utf-8 or utf-16 (and I guess the reading system must know how to tell which one it is).

JSWolf · 05-31-2013, 05:51 PM

If I find that the XML does not render with UTF-8 in Firefox or Sigil, I use...

<meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>

Right after the title and it works perfectly.

05-31-2013, 12:02 PM	#1
abeonis eBook DIYer Posts: 111 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Europe Device: K4, KF HD 8.9, Readium	Meta charset removed by Sigil When I "add a blank HTML file", this file contains the following code: Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title></title> </head> I want to create an ePub to run kindlegen on it. In KDP Guidelines 3.1.4. "Amazon recommends specifying the encoding of the HTML files in the HTML itself by using the <meta> tag in the <head> section". As I am a good boy, I add the meta to the head section: Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8" /> <title></title> </head> When I save this file, the added meta is removed unless I uncheck the "Automatically clean and format HTML source code" in preferences. However when I check the epub with FlightCrew it is OK. So, is it removed because it is redundant with the first line? Code: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> Any other explanation? Thanks.

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05-31-2013, 12:36 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,130 Karma: 144284184 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Tidy is the fault. Just leave it off.

05-31-2013, 12:45 PM	#3
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,312 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	FWIW - I have never added the <meta> tag and kindlegen has never given me a warning if the ePub has passed flightcrew/epubcheck.

05-31-2013, 02:54 PM	#4
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	That <meta> element is, I believe, completely superfluous. It might be OK for web pages, where a thousand charsets may be used, but in ePub you can only use utf-8 or utf-16 (and I guess the reading system must know how to tell which one it is).

05-31-2013, 05:51 PM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,130 Karma: 144284184 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If I find that the XML does not render with UTF-8 in Firefox or Sigil, I use... <meta content="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/> Right after the title and it works perfectly.

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