ibook editor
- Thread starter avivit02
- Start date
FrostyFire
iPF Noob
Oh, man, that is awesome! Now I can humiliate my neighbor who keeps asking me questions I end up Googling myself and thinking, Can't you do this?
But he's a developer!
http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-development/5278-new-apps-developments.html#post38345
Checkpoint
iPF Noob
Sorry for the useless post, but this thread just made my day. 
Just to try to help and be nice
(sorry I cannot add links, but gave the search text that should get you there)
Many program(me)s will produce output that is suitable for various stages of the ePub format. It is actually quite confusing - I often ask people what they already have as there is usually a route through the maze from there.
Theoretically you can produce ePub documents with just a basic Text Editor, but you need a substantial grounding in HTML or XHTML to do this reliably, I wouldn't suggest it for beginners. An ePub document is actually a compressed group of files. (Zipped HTML) You can get sites will explain the nuts and bolts, but there is a lot of room for errors.
A simple option is to use the free Open Office Writer software to produce (export) a PDF, and simply drop that into iTunes, sync your pad and it turns up in your bookshelf to read. (Did I have to download a bookshelf app? - I think so, can't remember)
Use iPad's built in tools for proof-reading, like the highlighter, or sticky notes and bookmarks, that works well.
The usual trick is to produce a document then convert it with Calibre for your desired target ebook reader device, Calibre is the BRILLIANT free e-book management software, it is highly praised and very effective, though it is not an "editor". Great for finalising your work. (more on Calibre later)
Somewhere along the line you should "Verify" or "ePub check" your document to ensure it complies to the standard. Some editors have this built in. Any e-publishing site will do this as a matter of course, but it is frustrating if you have any errors - then it is up with the bonnet and unless you know XHTML you are in for some problems,or a steep learning cuve (the hard way). Far better to do this with your editor before wasting time uploading.
Calibre will convert to many of the common ePub formats, including iPad, (ePub) Kindle (MOBI) and HTML. etc.
Calibre works sweetly with iTunes when you "Connect/Share" and select "iTunes"... then you "send to device" and Calibre automatically starts up iTunes and loads it into the books section. Only then do you connect your iPad and sync it and your book goes to your bookshelf ready for reading. Its a kind of magic.
I recall there are some important settings for Calibre and iPad, perhaps google this...since I can't post links
"Calibre + Apple iDevices"
Calibre will also handle your MetaData (i.e. book cover, and author and title details - it is all self-evident when you see it)
ePub Editors come in all shapes, sizes and prices they each may import or export a variety of formats.
Sigil is free, but a bit techie, and still Beta (buggy). It is kind of an HTML editor. No spell checking, but does check ePub docs.
Jutoh is very reasonably priced and well featured and exports in several helpful formats, it will also import a good range of documents and some very useful outputs too. (Think Word processor) It will also check epub, and has spell check built in.
Open Office has a beta ePub exporter add-on, but it wouldn't work for me. However, OO will export PDF files, which can be converted in some instances to ebooks. (I was not aware Calibre could do that, so once again, hats off to Calibre)
Atlantis is another reasonably priced epub editor, but I didn't end up using it more than a one off trial, so I can't report on that.
There is a high end one from Adobe, but it was way too expensive for me.
I just got a link about doing it on the iPad itself.. try this...I have not digested it fully yet, it may get slightly technical going into HTML files and Zip.
Google this "Editing ePub files entirely on the iPad"
My biggest trouble was going from Open Office to Sigil then into Jutoh, and somewhere I picked up a lot of gash control characters that messed up the formatting. (copy & paste to notepad to see the invisible chars and delete those and paste back to editor)
The big trouble with writing ebooks I found was that you aren't working in WYSIWYG. (What you see is what you get) so I had to keep exporting, then converting, then transferring, then syncing then reading... then trying to figure out what was screwing up the layout and go back to the editor and go through the cycle yet again.
ePub has some limits, often depending on the reader, bullets sometimes, tabs no, tables no.
Headers will make up the Table of Contents automatically, as page numbers are obsolete.
Taking the whole thing a stage further...
If you are actually publishing you will get specific help from the online Self-Publishing ebook sites, like Amazon Kindle Self Publish. (KDP = Kindle Direct Publishing) or from Lulu.com who produce ebooks and also act as "aggregators" (keep wanting to say Alligators) for Apple's iBookstore. In other words agents through whom you work to publish to iPad on iBookstore.
Kindle is relatively simple, Lulu is more ...er... "sophisticated" which means more help files, and a bit tricky to find the info you need - though it IS there, just maybe too much of it.
These are the only two publishers I have tried personally. They really are both excellent, though can feel quite daunting for a beginner (at first) my best suggestion is to try publishing a document - but stop short of committing to actually releasing it, this will give you a practice run - you don't commit right till the end, even though you have uploaded your book and cover. You will learn more by doing.
Mostly what you need is your book, in one of their accepted formats, (e.g. PDF, ePub, Doc). and your cover artwork, which basically needs to be in the sizes they specify during the publish process.
Bear in mind the limits of the intended ebook reader for picture sizes, these will be in PIXELS, and NOT in inches or centimeters. Cover sizes and Picture sizes will be unique to the individual reading device, so look those up AND double check on the specific publisher site.
Google this "Comparison of e-book readers" (wikipedia)
Proof reading you can do at Paperrater.com for free, or Grammarly.com if you have a budget.
Copyright you look up (google) ;o) for your own country, and basically fill in an electronic form, send a copy of your book in electronic format, pay by credit card and get a copyright reference immediately. They follow up with paperwork in a few days.
ISBN Numbers are similar, but in my country had to print the form, fill it in, scan it back in and return it, then it is a waiting game to get the numbers back. We can only buy in packs of 10's here.
Many ebook publishers don't need ISBN numbers - or can provide them if required.
I know this was overkill, but perhaps it helps not only the original poster, but others who might be curious. I hope it helps someone out there.
(sorry I cannot add links, but gave the search text that should get you there)
Many program(me)s will produce output that is suitable for various stages of the ePub format. It is actually quite confusing - I often ask people what they already have as there is usually a route through the maze from there.
Theoretically you can produce ePub documents with just a basic Text Editor, but you need a substantial grounding in HTML or XHTML to do this reliably, I wouldn't suggest it for beginners. An ePub document is actually a compressed group of files. (Zipped HTML) You can get sites will explain the nuts and bolts, but there is a lot of room for errors.
A simple option is to use the free Open Office Writer software to produce (export) a PDF, and simply drop that into iTunes, sync your pad and it turns up in your bookshelf to read. (Did I have to download a bookshelf app? - I think so, can't remember)
Use iPad's built in tools for proof-reading, like the highlighter, or sticky notes and bookmarks, that works well.
The usual trick is to produce a document then convert it with Calibre for your desired target ebook reader device, Calibre is the BRILLIANT free e-book management software, it is highly praised and very effective, though it is not an "editor". Great for finalising your work. (more on Calibre later)
Somewhere along the line you should "Verify" or "ePub check" your document to ensure it complies to the standard. Some editors have this built in. Any e-publishing site will do this as a matter of course, but it is frustrating if you have any errors - then it is up with the bonnet and unless you know XHTML you are in for some problems,or a steep learning cuve (the hard way). Far better to do this with your editor before wasting time uploading.
Calibre will convert to many of the common ePub formats, including iPad, (ePub) Kindle (MOBI) and HTML. etc.
Calibre works sweetly with iTunes when you "Connect/Share" and select "iTunes"... then you "send to device" and Calibre automatically starts up iTunes and loads it into the books section. Only then do you connect your iPad and sync it and your book goes to your bookshelf ready for reading. Its a kind of magic.
I recall there are some important settings for Calibre and iPad, perhaps google this...since I can't post links
"Calibre + Apple iDevices"
Calibre will also handle your MetaData (i.e. book cover, and author and title details - it is all self-evident when you see it)
ePub Editors come in all shapes, sizes and prices they each may import or export a variety of formats.
Sigil is free, but a bit techie, and still Beta (buggy). It is kind of an HTML editor. No spell checking, but does check ePub docs.
Jutoh is very reasonably priced and well featured and exports in several helpful formats, it will also import a good range of documents and some very useful outputs too. (Think Word processor) It will also check epub, and has spell check built in.
Open Office has a beta ePub exporter add-on, but it wouldn't work for me. However, OO will export PDF files, which can be converted in some instances to ebooks. (I was not aware Calibre could do that, so once again, hats off to Calibre)
Atlantis is another reasonably priced epub editor, but I didn't end up using it more than a one off trial, so I can't report on that.
There is a high end one from Adobe, but it was way too expensive for me.
I just got a link about doing it on the iPad itself.. try this...I have not digested it fully yet, it may get slightly technical going into HTML files and Zip.
Google this "Editing ePub files entirely on the iPad"
My biggest trouble was going from Open Office to Sigil then into Jutoh, and somewhere I picked up a lot of gash control characters that messed up the formatting. (copy & paste to notepad to see the invisible chars and delete those and paste back to editor)
The big trouble with writing ebooks I found was that you aren't working in WYSIWYG. (What you see is what you get) so I had to keep exporting, then converting, then transferring, then syncing then reading... then trying to figure out what was screwing up the layout and go back to the editor and go through the cycle yet again.
ePub has some limits, often depending on the reader, bullets sometimes, tabs no, tables no.
Headers will make up the Table of Contents automatically, as page numbers are obsolete.
Taking the whole thing a stage further...
If you are actually publishing you will get specific help from the online Self-Publishing ebook sites, like Amazon Kindle Self Publish. (KDP = Kindle Direct Publishing) or from Lulu.com who produce ebooks and also act as "aggregators" (keep wanting to say Alligators) for Apple's iBookstore. In other words agents through whom you work to publish to iPad on iBookstore.
Kindle is relatively simple, Lulu is more ...er... "sophisticated" which means more help files, and a bit tricky to find the info you need - though it IS there, just maybe too much of it.
These are the only two publishers I have tried personally. They really are both excellent, though can feel quite daunting for a beginner (at first) my best suggestion is to try publishing a document - but stop short of committing to actually releasing it, this will give you a practice run - you don't commit right till the end, even though you have uploaded your book and cover. You will learn more by doing.
Mostly what you need is your book, in one of their accepted formats, (e.g. PDF, ePub, Doc). and your cover artwork, which basically needs to be in the sizes they specify during the publish process.
Bear in mind the limits of the intended ebook reader for picture sizes, these will be in PIXELS, and NOT in inches or centimeters. Cover sizes and Picture sizes will be unique to the individual reading device, so look those up AND double check on the specific publisher site.
Google this "Comparison of e-book readers" (wikipedia)
Proof reading you can do at Paperrater.com for free, or Grammarly.com if you have a budget.
Copyright you look up (google) ;o) for your own country, and basically fill in an electronic form, send a copy of your book in electronic format, pay by credit card and get a copyright reference immediately. They follow up with paperwork in a few days.
ISBN Numbers are similar, but in my country had to print the form, fill it in, scan it back in and return it, then it is a waiting game to get the numbers back. We can only buy in packs of 10's here.
Many ebook publishers don't need ISBN numbers - or can provide them if required.
I know this was overkill, but perhaps it helps not only the original poster, but others who might be curious. I hope it helps someone out there.
To Borlani (and anyone else who might help):
I have made my way through the thickets, and, using Sigil, am at the very last step for having a valid epub.
My problem: a small number of errors that need fixed. Is there a resource to help with this (free or low cost?)
Here are the errors:
ID value 'heading_id_2' is not unique
This resource is reachable but not present in the OPF <manifest>. "Reachable" means that a reference of some kind that points to this resource exists in the epub.
Only one "reachable" error, a number of "not unique" errors.
Wraylewis
I have made my way through the thickets, and, using Sigil, am at the very last step for having a valid epub.
My problem: a small number of errors that need fixed. Is there a resource to help with this (free or low cost?)
Here are the errors:
ID value 'heading_id_2' is not unique
This resource is reachable but not present in the OPF <manifest>. "Reachable" means that a reference of some kind that points to this resource exists in the epub.
Only one "reachable" error, a number of "not unique" errors.
Wraylewis
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