docx to ePub sections multiple columns not showing right

sinbadalexandros · 01-12-2025, 03:46 AM

Searched and found no answer.

I am converting a docx to ePub. In several places, the book has multiple columns (2 or 3), which are very necessary for this book. The problem is I cannot get the columns to show up properly in the ePub and it is throwing off the formatting of the rest of the ePub.

I thought perhaps that css or html are the solution, but do not know where to start with those or what to put to make the columns to show correctly. My knowledge in this area is very limited. Aside from this, the ePub seems to be perfect.

The book is up for publication, so I cannot post it here. I can provide a link to anyone who will look at the original and see if the problem can be fixed or if the ePub is stuck with the single columns and I must reformat to fix the rest. It will require an email address for google docs to send you a link for accessing the book.

Quoth · 01-12-2025, 09:01 AM

That works so poorly on ebooks, especially smaller screens, that I edit such docs or ebooks to have the parts as sequential paragraphs. Actually can be easier for the reader. Examples are epistolary chapters with two letters in two columns or two languages.

See also why tables often don't work.

You have no control over the user selection of model (size of screen and dpi), or font size, or margins or line spacing.

Even if you get the conversion to work, it's doomed. big tables or multiple columns only works for paper (or PDF intended for paper as oven screens aren't big enough for mulit-column PDF.

Summary: Mostly you need to avoid multiple columns, no matter how formatted, in source for true ebooks.

01-12-2025, 03:46 AM	#1
sinbadalexandros Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Illinois, United States Device: Ipad Pro (5th Generation)	docx to ePub sections multiple columns not showing right Searched and found no answer. I am converting a docx to ePub. In several places, the book has multiple columns (2 or 3), which are very necessary for this book. The problem is I cannot get the columns to show up properly in the ePub and it is throwing off the formatting of the rest of the ePub. I thought perhaps that css or html are the solution, but do not know where to start with those or what to put to make the columns to show correctly. My knowledge in this area is very limited. Aside from this, the ePub seems to be perfect. The book is up for publication, so I cannot post it here. I can provide a link to anyone who will look at the original and see if the problem can be fixed or if the ePub is stuck with the single columns and I must reformat to fix the rest. It will require an email address for google docs to send you a link for accessing the book.

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01-12-2025, 09:01 AM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,632 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	That works so poorly on ebooks, especially smaller screens, that I edit such docs or ebooks to have the parts as sequential paragraphs. Actually can be easier for the reader. Examples are epistolary chapters with two letters in two columns or two languages. See also why tables often don't work. You have no control over the user selection of model (size of screen and dpi), or font size, or margins or line spacing. Even if you get the conversion to work, it's doomed. big tables or multiple columns only works for paper (or PDF intended for paper as oven screens aren't big enough for mulit-column PDF. Summary: Mostly you need to avoid multiple columns, no matter how formatted, in source for true ebooks.

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