Scanned book conversion

jabberwock_11 · 01-25-2010, 02:39 AM

I have been working on a first attempt at scanning a book, and after working out a few kinks I have managed to work out how to get a passable scan.

After I save the scanned pages as rtf files I import them into Calibre and convert them to epub so that I can use Sigil to edit them. My issue is that the pages look fine when viewed in Word or in Sigil, but when viewed in Calibre's viewer or when sent to my Sony 505 and viewed on the device they seem to be in a thin column of no more than a few words wide.

I convert ebooks using Calibre all of the time and have not changed any of my usual default settings...is there any good reason why these files would show up as they do rather than as they should?

DoctorOhh · 01-25-2010, 03:05 AM

I ran into something like this. It looked fine in Word as an rtf and (saved as a filtered html) it looked fine in Firefox but on the reader it seemed as if it was only using the center 50% of the screen. It seemed like left and right margins were set to 25%. Upon examining the source html I found some sort of html code labeled ??block?? and it was set to 50%. I eliminated all of them, and most of the rest of the junk that Word had inserted into the html. After that it looked fine.

Sorry I couldn't be more specific. I went crazy and eliminated most all of the Word stuff then dragged the html to Calibre and it finally converted fine.

Good Luck!

&

jabberwock_11 · 01-25-2010, 03:37 AM

Thanks for the input, but that seems like way more work than I want to deal with. Necessity being the mother of invention and all that, I went back and realized that the files were saved as columns from the omnipage software, so I just ended up copying the opd file to a clipboard and formatting them properly using Word, which seems to have worked.

Scanning and converting a single chapter has almost driven me insane, but I think I have it MOSTLY figured out now...

01-25-2010, 02:39 AM	#1
jabberwock_11 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 1591305 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Savannah, GA USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Aluratek Libre Pro	Scanned book conversion I have been working on a first attempt at scanning a book, and after working out a few kinks I have managed to work out how to get a passable scan. After I save the scanned pages as rtf files I import them into Calibre and convert them to epub so that I can use Sigil to edit them. My issue is that the pages look fine when viewed in Word or in Sigil, but when viewed in Calibre's viewer or when sent to my Sony 505 and viewed on the device they seem to be in a thin column of no more than a few words wide. I convert ebooks using Calibre all of the time and have not changed any of my usual default settings...is there any good reason why these files would show up as they do rather than as they should?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
scanned book to epub	langmarp	General Discussions	3	06-28-2010 08:44 AM
Scanned in book only works sideways, or upside down	PGA	Workshop	2	03-12-2010 03:01 PM
Question Regarding 2-page Pdf (scanned book)	Mholtmeier	PDF	7	09-01-2009 06:47 PM
Google Book Settlement Site Is Up; Paying Authors $60 Per Scanned Book	yagiz	News	8	04-26-2009 01:43 AM
Drastic pdf drop in quality of scanned book after using acrobat optimize feature	harryE123	PDF	5	12-31-2008 10:40 PM

01-25-2010, 03:05 AM	#2
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,889 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Kindle PaperWhite SE 11th Gen	I ran into something like this. It looked fine in Word as an rtf and (saved as a filtered html) it looked fine in Firefox but on the reader it seemed as if it was only using the center 50% of the screen. It seemed like left and right margins were set to 25%. Upon examining the source html I found some sort of html code labeled ??block?? and it was set to 50%. I eliminated all of them, and most of the rest of the junk that Word had inserted into the html. After that it looked fine. Sorry I couldn't be more specific. I went crazy and eliminated most all of the Word stuff then dragged the html to Calibre and it finally converted fine. Good Luck! &

01-25-2010, 03:37 AM	#3
jabberwock_11 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 1591305 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Savannah, GA USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Aluratek Libre Pro	Thanks for the input, but that seems like way more work than I want to deal with. Necessity being the mother of invention and all that, I went back and realized that the files were saved as columns from the omnipage software, so I just ended up copying the opd file to a clipboard and formatting them properly using Word, which seems to have worked. Scanning and converting a single chapter has almost driven me insane, but I think I have it MOSTLY figured out now...

Advert