Creating PDF and Kindle files.

[Loose rivets]

I need to do both, but there seems to be a plethora of ways to do it. Any clear winners? I have a pal that uses PrimoPDF. How does that rank?


Also, is there a clear leader when creating Kindle files? I don't want to e-publish yet, but just send my book to friends for a first reaction.

The first part of the book is a bit of a lump - some 700 pages. Don't know if this makes a difference to one's choice of file converters.


Ta in advance. R

[Milo Minderbinder]

If you want simple PDF files, CutePDF or PDFCreator work OK, and simply
Watch out for the junk software that both include - make sure you untick the optional toolbars and speedup software...
both are free
however both, like virtually all of the non-Adobe programs are not native typesetting programs - they simply convert from other formats
If you have heavy typesetting work to do -e.g. for getting a book ready you may need to purchase a copy of Acrobat......yes I know its expensive
But not all PDF files are the same.......

However, don't forget that recent versions of MS Office have PDF creation capabilities. For Office 2007 its a free plugin download, for 2010 and 2013 its built-in. That has reasonably tight integration and if used (for instance) with MS Publisher may give you the proof-ready galleys I think you're going to need for your book. Publisher can also output to Postscript - which PDFCreator can convert to PDF

As far as Kindle goes, start here
https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A37Z49E2DDQPP3

What format are the documents in currently?

[bnt]

For PDFs, I agree that Microsoft Office is a great way to go if you have it: the results are excellent. If you don't, LibreOffice (http://www.libreoffice.org/) is a free office suite, or a you can use a program like Tomahawk PDF+ (http://www.nativewindsofmontana.com/software/tpdfplus.html).

For eBook files, I use Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/) to manage and convert them. I can e.g. edit a book in Word, export it to HTML, tidy it up a little if I think it's needed, then import it to the Calibre library. In Calibre I can add the "metadata" such as title. author, cover art etc., then convert it to the required eBook format. (I only use ePub, but Mobi files for Kindle are created the same way.)

PDF and eBook formats are designed to do different things and should not be confused. PDFs are designed to look like the printed page, and so the text and graphics are in fixed pages. eBook formats like ePub and Mobi are more flexible, and are not forced to look a particular way. For example, changing a font size doesn't break the formatting, and page breaks are for the device or application to put in if needed.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Rivits

I think the key point at this stage, is what have you typed the manuscript with?
MS Word? Wordperfect? MS Publisher? Latex?
and which version of the program?
And what file format is it in at present?

the way forward really depends on what you've done already

[Loose rivets]

Hi, wonderful responses, thanks.


Milo, Word Perfect 8.0.0.153 to be exact. It was my dealer copy, so has been with me for 14 years at least. I sold a lot of WP, but my main thrust was for CAD, so it was just a customer support thing.

I've tried converting to Word many times, but I go back to my comfortable old cardigan and fumble in the pockets for the Quick-Correct names of the people I've been living with for so long. Word has so much more, but I don't need almost all of it.

Now however, it does seem I should get the laptop out and look at PDF creation in Word.

Using WP to convert to older Word seems to work quite well, so pals that are doing some proofreading for me seem to find no problems. Indeed, my one copy of 2010 Word looks quite good without much alteration. Somehow I seem to skip the .docx files which seem to have infuriated so many long-term users.

Off to dinner and Downton Abby, so will be back later.

[11Fan]

I thought I saw some way to convert DVD's to Kindle readable files. Was I dreaming? I have some 300 DVD movies and there's a few I wouldn't mind moving over to digital format. I'm tired of dragging DVD's around with me when I'm on the road (I use my PC to watch them) but I'm one of those weirdos that can watch a favorite movie over and over again.

The Kindle holds up to ten movies and/or 100 books (as I recall). I have about 20 on my Amazon Storage folder so I keep switching them out, five at a time. I wouldn't mind adding more, but at $10 plus apiece, that adds up pretty quick. I have Amazon Prime so if I have a hot-spot I can watch their library.

Anyway, just wondering if I was seeing things. I suppose I could Google it but it's about lights out here on the West Coast and I need to wind down for a busy week.

[mad_jock]

Thats a kindle fire you need. You can't watch movies on a ebook reader you need the tablet.

With the fire you just plug in the USB cable and copy them into the video folder.

BTW I have found the fire a quite astonding device. The sound quality makes it a more than good internet radio. The film quality is pretty good and screen size decent enough. The other tablet features are the same if not better than cheaper versions. The twin WIFI pickups do improve the signal quality.

All in all not bad for what you pay for it. Cracking for a flight bag.

[11Fan]

mad_jock,

Yes, I have the Kindle Fire. Sorry, I should have been clearer on that aspect. Wholeheartedly agree about the convenience and quality as well. I hardly go anywhere without it.

So I can just copy the movie file from my laptop via USB then? That sounds too easy. I can't imagine that I would have that good of luck. I'll certainly give it a try.

Another thing I like is that it holds something like 8-10 hours on a single charge.

Very much obliged.

[mad_jock]

yep all round cracking toy.


Thats what I do but I do belive there are differences in the charging structure between US and UK kindles and fires.

For instance the only way we can get films to play on the device is by uploading them onto it. Otherwise we have to stream them from Ilovefilms.

I have a film on mine down loaded from youtube then uploaded onto it after changing it to MP4. ANd also I have played ripped DVD's

I find ripping DVD's is best done on a Linux laptop then made straight into a MP4.

Also its worth getting a HDMI cable for it then you can plug it into hotel flat screens and get the bigger screen.

[11Fan]

I'm past my bedtime. I'll give it a try tomorrow. May send ya a PM if I get into trouble.

Thank you sire.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Rivits

If you're using an old version of WP, then you are limited in terms of what you can do. You can't usefully try to convert them to another format with a better typesetting engine - stuff would go wrong in the transfer

Best to simply install either CutePDF or PDFCreator and simply print to that, that should generate the PDFs OK

CutePDF Writer CutePDF - Convert to PDF for free, Free PDF Utilities, Save PDF Forms, Edit PDF easily. (http://www.cutepdf.com/)
PDFCreator PDFCreator | Free Business & Enterprise software downloads at SourceForge.net (http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/)

as I said before - both come with bundled junk, so untick the boxes

[mad_jock]

Aye nae bother

[Loose rivets]

Thanks Milo.


There is some logic in doing the final edit in Word*, and then going to PDF. That way I have .doc files as a back up.

But what is the best way to take that first step?

Right now, I'm simply using WPerfect to change the files to Word 6/7. As mentioned, it seems to be working well, but is it carrying fragments of code that should be purged? i.e. Should the bulk of the text be copied over in some very basic format so that it's pure?


In haste, but will come back after a short intermission. (cue, potter's wheel.)

*In the newer Word versions, the grammar algorithms seem much improved and catch some lingering errors. The trouble is, one need to ignore grammar in dialog - and it's often hard to have the page scattered with green squiggles and accept they have to be there.

[Milo Minderbinder]

There is no logic at all in converting to word and then converting to PDF
All you would be doing is increasing the risk of creating formatting errors

If you are happy with the layout, print directly to PDF files from within WordPerfect using one of the PDF converter programs. That will minimise the risk of introducing new errors

Remember - Word 6 is an ancient DOS program, the file format is unsupported now. You shouldn't be thinking of using that



And on a total aside, if you intend to publish further books, learn to use LaTex, or its Windows version MiKTeX
About MiKTeX - MiKTeX Project Page (http://miktex.org/about)
Using that means you don't have to worry about fonts / styles / layout. Thats all dealt with by the typesetter - all you as the author then have to worry about is the actual text itself
Too late to use it now, but remember for next time. Many (most?) scientific journals or articles are created using it, as it enables a "house style" to be easily superimposed

[Loose rivets]

If you are happy with the layout, print directly to PDF files from within WordPerfect using one of the PDF converter programs. That will minimise the risk of introducing new errors

Quite so. I've just tried the circuitous route, and indeed, I was beset with problems right away. It seemed to work, but soon revealed some problems.

e.g. my viewpoint dividers, which should be centered, have all scuttled to the left. Minor issue, but just another job to do.

********



Point taken about the dating of Windows 6, though when I put it into Word 10, I had hoped to do a total - and hopefully final - edit. I felt having the entire thing in a modern version of Word would be of benefit when approaching some agents and indeed a solid standby. As mentioned above, I'm worried about hidden code infecting it.

I notice, I can create a Word document from a PDF. I supposed WP to PDF to Word would have to be simply tried and tested.


What is soul-destroying is the bloopers I see in supposedly edited documents. If I do approach agents before e-publishing, I think I'll need some professional editing help. Darned expensive on 700 plus pages.

What is also soul-destroying is the crisis of faith I having in the book. The protagonist is as juvenile as me and I'm not at all sure he will fulfill the needs of readers looking for the escapism sci-fi normally provides.

[Milo Minderbinder]

"I notice, I can create a Word document from a PDF. I supposed WP to PDF to Word would have to be simply tried and tested."

Don't even think about it. Extracting text from a PDF is never accurate

[Loose rivets]

Right, thanks.


I've just done another trial of WP to Word. Not bad, but it would have to be edited for every letter and space.


I find my copy of Word is 2007. The 10 I had must have been a Beta. Now that one gave one a warning before updating the file to the modern one. Not docx necessarily, but just modern for the day.

Now, with 2007, I'm in compatibility mode, and have not found a way to normalize it. Haven't looked for long. Anyway, the layout as you say it would, is changed a tad.

Dropping asleep now, but will download the PDF creators tomorrow. Any personal preference?


Thanks again.

R

[mad_jock]

DVD to Kindle Fire HD-Transfer/Put/Copy DVD movies to Kindle Fire HD for Playback with best video quality | Best Codec for Tablets (http://best-tablet-converter.com/2012/09/19/convert-dvd-to-kindle-fire-hd-on-windows-mac/)

Free Convert HD Video to AVI DIVX FLV MP4 Converter - CNET Download.com (http://download.cnet.com/Free-Convert-HD-Video-to-AVI-DIVX-FLV-MP4-Converter/3000-2194_4-10911758.html)

Found some links for 11fan

[Milo Minderbinder]

Rivits

something for you to think about
If you release this book through a professional publishing house, all your typesetting and layout work, with defined spacings for titles / paragraphs etc is irrelevant as they will typeset the work using their own house tools.
The less formatting you've got in it, the better

However if you intend to self-publish for the web, then obviously you have to ensure yourself that it looks right. If you've managed that within WP, then simply go straight to PDF - don't add any extra confusion
If you are sending this book to a publisher, as then what format they want. Comments from some of my customers suggest that what publishers often want are double-spaced TEXT files with absolutely no formatting at all. Others like LaTeX. You need to ask the publisher to tell you just what format they need.
If you do need LaTeX, if believe that LibreOffice has an optional filter that strips out the formatting and outputs to that file type, but I've never had to use it. In theory LibreOffice should be able to read a WP file and convert it to LaTeX or most other formats
But - ask your publisher

[Loose rivets]

That's a very hand tip. Thanks again.


I know I'll be lucky to get a serious agent working on my behalf, but it seems some will have a quick look. Some require a printout with very wasteful margins and double spacing, so nearly 1,000 sheets for some of them. What's more, they all have different ideas of a correct layout.:{

Some will accept Word files, but never heard of anyone accepting WP. PDF maybe. My immediate requirement is for an easy reader for folk to have an initial look. It is a very odd book, from a very odd writer, so I need that feedback. Oddly, a roomful of middle-aged ladies liked my protagonist and worried about his well-being, while my professor son found the first chapter flying sequences tedious. I have to listen to a broad spectrum of people right now.

This morning's angst. I've put a test PDF on my laptop - Vista with Adobe X - which I'd just updated. When I came to run it on my PC W7 with Reader 9, the text on the screen is horrible. Wife says it's okay, but it just isn't. As a CAD bloke of the 80s, I took an eyeglass to the screen and I can see light pixels down the sides of each letter. Sharp as a razor with the normal WP screen. Same file, only differene is the Adobe version yet it tells me I'm up to date. Is the fact is on W7 the reason I can't get ver 10?

[Milo Minderbinder]

latest version of the Adobe reader is 11 and it works on WinXP, Vista and 7

Download it from
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/11.x/11.0.01/en_US/

suspect the problem is more likely to be the laptop is running with a non-optimum screen resolution. Or else the screen is u/s

[Loose rivets]

Oh, FF's Sake! Smooth text None, and the problem goes away. :ugh:

[Milo Minderbinder]

"In an odd situation like this, what would happen if I just download from your link without uninstalling? "

The V11 setup automatically uninstalls any 9 or 10 version and replaces it
Any earlier version is left untouched - you then end up with two versions on the system - not the best situation

Re your problem - remember Adobe works on a system of font embedding, or in some cases font approximation / substitution. That may possibly be the issue. What font did you use?

[Loose rivets]

Right, downloaded from your link, thanks. Looks good.

The smoothing of the letters is not quite the same, and the LCD/Laptop setting does the trick. Indeed, 'None' leaves more pixelation than V 9.

No old versions were showing in Programs and Features.

The thing about converting the files to Word is that I fully accept relaying the page out. I'd penciled in two hard weeks of final editing into that program, but what I don't know is the effect of hidden code/attributes being imported and that's why I wondered if Adobe might 'purify' the text, but as you say, it may well just increase the odds of problems.

Not quite ready to type the lot in afresh.

The original WP .wpd files are all Times New Roman. I can't see what Adobe makes of the fonts as a specific statement, but it looks much the same but with an improvement in letter spacing. Trying to get WP to stop r and n looking like m is problematical. Just can't hit the spot with WP Format controls. Anyway, Adobe resolves that in the layout.

I'll try a few different fonts to see the results.

A writing class said standardize on TNR, but now I'm hearing of editors/agents wanting a more simple text. It looks so . . . cheap. It seems I'll have to comply with the individual as you suggest.

I will never self-publish - too many friends with garages full of books. :uhoh:

[mad_jock]

Rivets I have never published a book.

But I have been involved with manuals.

We also had someone that was very attentive with layout and fonts etc.

As soon as the printers got near it they stripped all of it off. And then redid it with there universal text. And then when they printed it the fonts samples appeared and then you get to choose.

Also most ebooks allow you to change the fonts on the reader so i presume that the text is sent in a generic form then the ebook applies the font locally.

[Loose rivets]

Hi jock


Yes, I'm going to send some of the files in Kindle format for a couple of people to read. ( I only have Kindle for PC so I don't know if that's representative.)

Anyway, I should get a clear idea of what it's like displayed on their devices as they are very tech-minded.

As for publishers, I get increasingly depressed about the things I hear. Almost no chance of getting it read, not even by a good agent. The mistake I made was by building a cathedral first instead of a few nicely made beach huts. But I will try.

[mad_jock]

The kindle not only allows the reader to change the font but also the text size which then completely changes the formating of the page. There is also differences in the fonts between the keyboard, 5 way hat, touch and paperwhite.

If you send it as a PDF they will see it how you printed it but ot won't be in ebook and all the features won't work with it because all they are looking at is a PDF "picture"