Why Is Basic Formatting So Difficult?

sirbruce · 02-10-2009, 06:46 PM

Hey guys, first time poster. I've recently ordered a Kindle 2 and in anticipation I've been converting my existing collection of LIT and PDF files to PRC.

I realize no conversion process will be perfect, particularly for PDF files. But I don't understand why no converter seems to get even LIT files formatted properly. All I want is something to preserves the indentations and spacing between paragraphs... yet they all fail to varying degrees. I've downloaded the ABC LIT converter, the Mobipocket Reader and Creator, Mobigen, Book Designer, even BD2MOBI, and they all help the conversion process in various ways, but none of them very well.

Is there ANY simple method for converting LIT to PRC/MOBI while preserving basic formatting? Or do I always have to edit HTML by hand? Why is this so difficult? (And PDF I realize has its own issues... but I'm not asking for embedded diagrams and graphics; just simple formatting.)

Patricia · 02-10-2009, 07:00 PM

I use Book Designer and Mobipocket Creator.
I find that one has to do some editing, but that Lit is one of the most straightforward conversions.

You might have a look at theis list of BD hints and tips:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36908
Set the language to German. Check your settings in Configuration/settings, so as to preserve formatting and keep empty lines.

And if BD isn't doing what you require then do try Calibre.

sirbruce · 02-10-2009, 07:10 PM

Actually, it seems like ConvertLIT is what I was looking for. It seems to convert to the OPF much better than the ABC LIT converter, and then Mobipocket Creator does the rest. Finally, success! But why can't one program do all this?

And PDF conversion is sitll annoying. :P But I've made progress. It just really shouldn't be this difficult to convert between formats.

tompe · 02-10-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Actually, it seems like ConvertLIT is what I was looking for. It seems to convert to the OPF much better than the ABC LIT converter, and then Mobipocket Creator does the rest. Finally, success! But why can't one program do all this?

lit2mobi (part of MobiPerl) convert in one step and has some special flags to handle strange HTML code.

sirbruce · 02-10-2009, 07:23 PM

Thanks, but I'm not going to install Perl on Windows just for that.

tompe · 02-10-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Thanks, but I'm not going to install Perl on Windows just for that.

There are Windows binaries. I do not know which process is best. I think using MobiPocket Creator is better for some files and using lit2mobi is better for some files.

sirbruce · 02-10-2009, 07:27 PM

I looked for Windows binaries on your website and all I could find were links to Perl binaries to use with your scripts. Just to be clear, there's no GUI "lit2mobi.exe" or the like.

wallcraft · 02-10-2009, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Actually, it seems like ConvertLIT is what I was looking for. It seems to convert to the OPF much better than the ABC LIT converter, and then Mobipocket Creator does the rest. Finally, success! But why can't one program do all this?

Calibre (which has its own forum here) can do this in one step. Import the DRM-free LIT and export DRM-free MOBI. Calibre will probably be able to automatically copy the MOBIs to your Kindle 2 via USB as well (it already does this for the Kindle 1). If you get a different device in the future, Calibe will most likely support it too.

sirbruce · 02-10-2009, 09:05 PM

Calibre seems pretty awesome! Don't know how I missed it before.

tompe · 02-10-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

I looked for Windows binaries on your website and all I could find were links to Perl binaries to use with your scripts. Just to be clear, there's no GUI "lit2mobi.exe" or the like.

The correct web page is:

https://dev.mobileread.com/trac/mobiperl/

and there is a download link on that page:

https://dev.mobileread.com/dist/tompe/mobiperl/

The windows binaries are there. lit2mobi is a command line program so very suitable for converting a lot of books at the same time.

HarryT · 02-11-2009, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

And PDF conversion is sitll annoying. :P But I've made progress. It just really shouldn't be this difficult to convert between formats.

PDF was never intended to be an eBook format - it was intended to be a representation of a printed page.

A PDF file just contains instructions at the level of "draw a letter 'A' at coordinates x,y on the page". It knows nothing about paragraphs, lines, or even words. That is why PDF conversion is problematic.

02-10-2009, 06:46 PM	#1
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Why Is Basic Formatting So Difficult? Hey guys, first time poster. I've recently ordered a Kindle 2 and in anticipation I've been converting my existing collection of LIT and PDF files to PRC. I realize no conversion process will be perfect, particularly for PDF files. But I don't understand why no converter seems to get even LIT files formatted properly. All I want is something to preserves the indentations and spacing between paragraphs... yet they all fail to varying degrees. I've downloaded the ABC LIT converter, the Mobipocket Reader and Creator, Mobigen, Book Designer, even BD2MOBI, and they all help the conversion process in various ways, but none of them very well. Is there ANY simple method for converting LIT to PRC/MOBI while preserving basic formatting? Or do I always have to edit HTML by hand? Why is this so difficult? (And PDF I realize has its own issues... but I'm not asking for embedded diagrams and graphics; just simple formatting.)

02-10-2009, 07:27 PM	#7
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	I looked for Windows binaries on your website and all I could find were links to Perl binaries to use with your scripts. Just to be clear, there's no GUI "lit2mobi.exe" or the like. Last edited by sirbruce; 02-10-2009 at 07:30 PM.

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02-10-2009, 07:00 PM	#2
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	I use Book Designer and Mobipocket Creator. I find that one has to do some editing, but that Lit is one of the most straightforward conversions. You might have a look at theis list of BD hints and tips: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36908 Set the language to German. Check your settings in Configuration/settings, so as to preserve formatting and keep empty lines. And if BD isn't doing what you require then do try Calibre.

02-10-2009, 07:10 PM	#3
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Actually, it seems like ConvertLIT is what I was looking for. It seems to convert to the OPF much better than the ABC LIT converter, and then Mobipocket Creator does the rest. Finally, success! But why can't one program do all this? And PDF conversion is sitll annoying. :P But I've made progress. It just really shouldn't be this difficult to convert between formats.

02-10-2009, 07:23 PM	#5
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Thanks, but I'm not going to install Perl on Windows just for that.

02-10-2009, 09:05 PM	#9
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Calibre seems pretty awesome! Don't know how I missed it before.

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