eBook Source File?!
Others call them as input files. The file that you have that you need to be converted into another ebook format. Please take note that I’m referring to ebooks for mobile as the output files or converted files in this topic.
When it comes to ebook conversion for handheld device just the same also needs attention on ebook preparation of source file before conversion. I don’t want to sound complicated but remember that we are reading our ebooks in small LCD screen, they should be optimized as such. That also depends on what ebook format we want it to be converted.
Going back to source file, in what format are the best source files? PDF? MS Word DOC? TXT?
PDF – I have to admit that this is the best ebook source file for most converted file for its perfection. Although there are available PDF reader for handheld devices and some read them directly on their device, I’m not comfortable navigating around my cursor to view the entire page. With PDF’s perfection, there are some limitations for mobile ebooks… there are PDFs that cannot be converted. A perfect example is Bob Ong eBooks. I also encountered a poorly converted PDF file that however I tweak the file, remains useless. hmmn… I should make a post about that. I still prefer PDF as source file for my favorite repligo reader, the output is the same as PDF on PC but optimized for small screens of handheld devices. No more editing, just click, click and click, you have your perfect RGO ebook.
DOC – This is the best source file if your ebook comes from other formats (or it could be from a “chain of conversion“). When it is originally in other format, its impossible that you don’t need to edit the file. Still if its DOC file, you could modify the file, remove some unnecessary lines, pages, line breaks, page breaks, etc.. You could edit DOC file depends on the output format you want to convert it. This is the best source format for Mobipocket PRC creation especially if it has TOC (Table of Contents).
TXT – I’m fond of using this as my source file for Aportis PRC ebook. I’m proud to say that its the most convenient way of converting my txt files to PRC (Aportis, not Mobipocket) during my first year of mobile ebook reading. I need the computer primarily for editing the txt file only, ebook conversion tool was installed on my phone as well as the reader. You can even convert your SMS to eBook directly on your mobile.
Mobipocket PRC eBook Conversion
Did you know that converting file to Mobipocket PRC format is complicated? Have you tried downloading a PRC format from forums? Of course if you purchased or download from mobipocket site, the file should be perfect. Try comparing a PRC file from Mobipocket site and a PRC file from forums. You could download free ebooks or a sample PRC ebook from Mobipocket ebooks site and the PRC file you downloaded from forums (usually shared by other members). You will see the difference.
Complicated? If you don’t have the perfect source file, that means you have to edit the source file first. If you’ll be reading the PRC file using your mobile, you will see a minimal difference but using the MobiReader for PC, its the other way around.
Downloads:
Mobipocket Reader for PC
Mobipocket Creator Home Edition
Mobipocket Creator Publisher Edition
It is advisable to install Mobipocket Reader for PC so you could see if you converted a perfect PRC file. Its easy to use the Home Edition but on ebook conversion, I suggest to use the Publisher Edition.
Conversion:
MS Word DOC to PRC – Please read my post Prepare MS Word DOC Before Conversion. There’s a lot of editing on MS Word DOC file but I guarantee that you should have a perfect PRC if you checked and edited the whole document. It consumes a lot of time on editing depends on the file, it usually took me a minimum of two hours depends on my desired output PRC file.
Actually, you could convert HTML, PDF and TXT format too as source file but I prefer MS Word, you could see and edit the layout faster and use font style, font size and styling on MS Word window. That’s impossible on TXT format. HTML and PDF file should be easy, just import the file on Mobipocket Creator and convert. Don’t forget to encode the metadata.
Upgrade From Isilo 4.36 To Isilo 5.05
I was checking for my mobile applications installed on my phone and saw Isilo 4.36. I checked for the latest Isilo version before I make an article about it. The latest version now is 5.05 released in January 5, 2009, there are many version from 4.36 prior to 5.05. Hey, the application is long been installed on my phone and haven’t used it yet. I updated my version hoping there’s a major change, I’m using now 30-day trial version. I shouldn’t have done that, I didn’t see any major changes at all. Well, at least I test and blog about Isilo. For those who have a license for a prior version, you can purchase the upgrade to version 5.x from the online store, they’re having a promo for upgrade until March 31, 2009 for $6.99 which normally costs $9.99.
If you do not register iSilo™ by the end of the 30-day trial period, iSilo™ converts to free mode, which allows you to continue using iSilo™ without needing to purchase a license but with limited features. In free version, hyperlinks, images, color, tables, mixed font size, bookmarks are not available.
Isilo reads Palm PDB and TXT formats. It works on wide variety of smartphones and other device. You could check on this link to find if your device is compatible.
Features:
- High text compression in iSilo™ format documents result in a 50% to 60% decrease in size, which is about 20% better than the Palm Doc format, allowing you to store more and larger documents on your handheld.
- Hyperlinks make it much easier to navigate through a document.
- Images add visual richness to documents, especially photo-quality color pictures.
- Tables allow the display of tabular data.
- Formatted text gives style to text for controlled emphasis.
PDFZilla's Free PDF To TXT Conversion
Converting mobile ebook can be so complicated to others if we have to convert a certain source file to a specific format. Let’s say we have pdf format ebook and we want to convert it to SmartphoneWare’s ebook that supports Aportis PRC. FYI, ebook coversion to this format is possible using a mobile application “eBook Maker”. So if you are using eBook 1.03 make sure that you also installed eBook Maker on yur mobile phone. This is an old application and never been updated since 2003 but it still works on compatible smartphones. This was the first ebook reader I used in 2004.
Above is just an example on when we are needing to convert PDF to TXT format. PDFZilla has a PDF to TXT conversion tool that supports batch conversion easily. The best part is Zilla PDF to TXT Converter is a freeware. You can download the file directly from PDFZilla Download here.
How to use it? Just click the plus sign (+) to add files, assign the output folder and press “Start Converting Now”. Its easy. You could also upgrade and purchase the product to convert PDF to other formats.
Convert PDF To LIT
I received an email few days ago about converting PDF to LIT format using the contact form on this site. I have some issues with the past contact form plugin after plugin upgrade, the sender’s name and email address were not shown because of the plugin bug. The email goes like this:
I’m curious if you know of a program that can convert .pdf files into .lit files. I HATE reading pdf ebooks, because I cannot save my place in them, whereas the .lit version saves your place in multiple books. I read the books on my laptop…
I agree that when it comes to eBooks, we cannot have bookmarks in pdf unless we take note of it. The easiest way will be purchasing a file converter specially for that function, pdf to lit. There are trial versions but they offer it for limited page conversion, 5-10 pages only just enough to try and test the product.
The “FREE” conversion:
- Convert the pdf files to .TXT format or Word .DOC file. There are two ways:
- Open the PDF file, edit, select all, copy and paste it to notepad or MS Word.
- Use free PDF to TXT converter software. You could also try free PDF to DOC software.
- Images will not be copied (TXT), save the image separately as an image file (optional)
- Edit the copied file for line breaks and spaces.
- Download and install free ReaderWorks.
- Make necessary adjustments to settings before conversion.
Instructions and informations to use these products will be posted soon. My apologies to email sender, you can contact me again (contact page already working), comment here or subscribe to my feeds to have immediate answer to your concern.
