Removing blank pages and page breaks added in a converted Epub

[Poltem]

I did a docx to Epub conversion, and I found many blank pages and page jumps in the converted file. The docx source had been cleaned of all page and section breaks. Could anyone tell me how to get rid of these unwanted pages and page breaks? Thanks.

[retiredbiker]

If you are doing your formatting using the toolbar instead of paragraph styles in Word (or any other word processor package), your behind-the-scenes code is likely to be a supreme mess when converted to html in the epub. There is no way to fix this with a conversion. You either have to use styles exclusively in the source document, or edit the epub later to fix it.

And some word processor items (tabs, most auto-numbered lists, etc.) either are ignored or not allowed in html, so they can cause very strange things in conversion.

There are also settings in the Calibre conversion that might cause what you describe; for example try turning off all structure detection and see how it looks.

[Poltem]

Thank you for your prompt response. My source docx uses styles exclusively, therefore, I guess that I need to look for a solution in the Structure Detection area, but first I need to figure out how to turn off structure detection. I must tell you I am a beginner. Thank you for your kind assistance.

[kovidgoyal]

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=186697

[Poltem]

I could figure out how to solve this problem, but then another one appeared. All my chapters were removed from the epub, and now, they are stored in the file browser under Miscellaneous. I deleted the calibre_bookmarks.txt file, as per instructions I found in the forum, then I saved and closed everything. Then, I reopened, but calibre_bookmarks.txt is still there. Could you, please tell me what I should do to recover my chapters and prevent this from happening again?

[deback]

Originally Posted by Poltem

I could figure out how to solve this problem, but then another one appeared. All my chapters were removed from the epub, and now, they are stored in the file browser under Miscellaneous. I deleted the calibre_bookmarks.txt file, as per instructions I found in the forum, then I saved and closed everything. Then, I reopened, but calibre_bookmarks.txt is still there. Could you, please tell me what I should do to recover my chapters and prevent this from happening again?

Run the Check Book tool and then choose to append the files (under Miscellaneous) to the rest of the files (however it's worded in the box on the right side of the Check Book window). This will move those files back up to the top left window. You will probably have to drag the appended files to where they belong in the list of html files.

[deback]

Originally Posted by Poltem

I did a docx to Epub conversion, and I found many blank pages and page jumps in the converted file. The docx source had been cleaned of all page and section breaks. Could anyone tell me how to get rid of these unwanted pages and page breaks? Thanks.

Check the margins for the applicable classes in the CSS file to make sure the bottom margin is not resulting in added blank space at the end of each html file.

Also, check the applicable classes in the CSS file for any "height" lines, which I've seen cause page breaks. When this happens, I usually delete the height line(s) in the CSS file.

[Poltem]

Originally Posted by deback

Run the Check Book tool and then choose to append the files (under Miscellaneous) to the rest of the files (however it's worded in the box on the right side of the Check Book window). This will move those files back up to the top left window. You will probably have to drag the appended files to where they belong in the list of html files.

Thank you so much! I ran the check book and found that my chapters had an illegal character. I changed it, and all the chapters returned to their place. Thank you again.

[Poltem]

Originally Posted by deback

Check the margins for the applicable classes in the CSS file to make sure the bottom margin is not resulting in added blank space at the end of each html file.

Also, check the applicable classes in the CSS file for any "height" lines, which I've seen cause page breaks. When this happens, I usually delete the height line(s) in the CSS file.

I tried all this to no avail, but the weird thing is that when I convert the epub to Mobi, the problem disappears. Thxs

[deback]

Originally Posted by Poltem

I tried all this to no avail, but the weird thing is that when I convert the epub to Mobi, the problem disappears. Thxs

If I could see two of the pages (before and after the blank page) and your CSS file, I'm sure I could find the problem. Can you copy and paste the portion of the CSS file for the last class on one page and the first class on the next page?

[Poltem]

Originally Posted by deback

If I could see two of the pages (before and after the blank page) and your CSS file, I'm sure I could find the problem. Can you copy and paste the portion of the CSS file for the last class on one page and the first class on the next page?

Here it is! I also noticed that 2 blank pages are added when I split a file.

END OF PAGE BEFORE:
class="text_56"> </span><span class="text_">possession,</span><span class="text_56"> </span><span class="text_">until the</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_">sublime</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_3">moment</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_">when</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_3">you’ll</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_">be</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_">admitted</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_">into</span><span class="text_8"> </span><span class="text_">his</span><span class="text_2"> </span><span class="text_">presence.</span></p>

</body>

</html>




BEGINNING OF PAGE AFTER:
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">

<head>
<title>ABC 6x9.indd</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="page_styles.css"/>
</head>

<body class="calibre">

<h3 class="block_15" id="toc_id_45">Where to Start</h3>

<p class="block_14"><span class="text_">So, your decision is </span><span class="text_3">made. </span><span class="text_1">You </span><span class="text_">are determined to begin the journey that will </span><span class="text_3">lead you </span><span class="text_">to sanctification, an essential step </span><span class="text_3">for </span><span class="text_">those </span><span class="text_3">who </span><span class="text_">want to get closer to God. The effort is within your reach. Each one progresses according to </span><span class="text_20">his </span><span class="text_">own means, level of</span><span class="text_19"> </span><span class="text_">education,</span><span class="text_19"> </span><span

Thank you!

[DNSB]

That is some of the ugliest CSS I've seen outside of fixed layout epub3 files.

However, could you also post the stylesheet.css file? Rename it as stylesheet.css.txt and use the attach tool (paper clip in the top line or Attach files in the additional options.

Or what might be easier is to simply attach the whole epub file if it is not copyrighted, confidential information, etc.

One question out of curiosity. The title seems to indicate that this file was originally generated in Adobe's InDesign so why convert to docx and then to epub?

[Poltem]

Originally Posted by DNSB

That is some of the ugliest CSS I've seen outside of fixed layout epub3 files.

However, could you also post the stylesheet.css file? Rename it as stylesheet.css.txt and use the attach tool (paper clip in the top line or Attach files in the additional options.

Or what might be easier is to simply attach the whole epub file if it is not copyrighted, confidential information, etc.

One question out of curiosity. The title seems to indicate that this file was originally generated in Adobe's InDesign so why convert to docx and then to epub?

Here is the file!
Your statement is very encouraging . It means that there's still hope.
As for the title, I really don't know where it comes from. This manuscript was generated in Word, not in Indesign.
Thank you!

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Poltem

Here is the file!
Your statement is very encouraging . It means that there's still hope.
As for the title, I really don't know where it comes from. This manuscript was generated in Word, not in Indesign.
Thank you!

Generated from what?

Word requires fingers on keys or a file to read.

Manuscript was possibly created in InDesign, saved as PDF, and that was read into Word and saved as DOCX.

Recent editions of Word can read PDFs. If the PDF was created in a WP program it may convert well, but if it was created in a DTP program it probably won't.

BR

[Poltem]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Generated from what?

Word requires fingers on keys or a file to read.

Manuscript was possibly created in InDesign, saved as PDF, and that was read into Word and saved as DOCX.

Recent editions of Word can read PDFs. If the PDF was created in a WP program it may convert well, but if it was created in a DTP program it probably won't.

BR

No! This manuscript was entirely created in MS Word, from A to Z, with my fingers on keyboard. Then, the docx file was converted to Epub with Calibre. It was never saved in PDF.
I used, though, a modified copy of the docx file in Indesign, to generate a print book.