Publisher ePub export

[DougT]

It's difficult to know where to add a negative comment.  I work at a learning centre, a non profit, for seniors getting confidence with technology.  I think a few would be interested in Affinity Publisher and I would like them to try it our. Our classroom has 6 desktops. Serif have a good offer for educational establishments but only for 10 or more copies.  That requirement is causing my much angst.

And I would have members interested if we could produce ePubs, but no, that is not likely to happen apparently. So back we go to PagePlus which we have been using since version X4.  Great pity we can't move forward., 

Doug Turner,    SeniorNet Glenfield

 

[Medical Officer Bones]

Out of curiosity: why would you decide to continue teaching software that was discontinued 3 years ago? That would be doing your students a disservice. They wouldn't even be able to purchase the software, because Serif no longer sells it.

I noticed on your SeniorNet site that other Affinity products are already being taught. Use Affinity Publisher.

If you are worried about epub:

1) fixed layout epubs (which do not have flowing text on ereaders) are not supported well or at all on Windows, Android, and Linux. It's basically a hit-and-miss affair. If publishing such a book, the various ereaders and platforms require specific requirements. Too much too handle for most people, really.

2) flowing epubs work well generally. While Affinity Publisher does not export directly to epub, you could use an ebook converter like the free Calibre to convert an exported PDF from Publisher, and then open the epub in the free Sigil to fix layout issues an add epub specific features.

Or you could introduce them to an online ebook publishing solution like PressBooks. Or just use Sigil (which is free) and Calibre to convert and create ebooks directly.

 

 

[Fixx]

9 hours ago, Medical Officer Bones said:

2) flowing epubs work well generally.

For teaching purposes understanding and teaching the HTML set for epub would be mostly beneficial. It is very limited set and for good quality epub it should be used rigorously. Of course if students are seniors it would probably not make sense to teach all ins and outs. Sigil is free tool, but it is not really for novices, or at least teacher should have clear guide how to do simple epub as things can get out of hand with such capable software.

[DougT]

Many thanks for the help you have both given.  My comment re going back to PagePlus was made because that app does offer publishing to ePub.  It has a useful collection of templates, and was on sale when I looked a month ago.... 

Doug

 

   

[VectorWhiz]

On 10/30/2019 at 11:54 PM, Medical Officer Bones said:

 

2) flowing epubs work well generally. While Affinity Publisher does not export directly to epub, you could use an ebook converter like the free Calibre to convert an exported PDF from Publisher, and then open the epub in the free Sigil to fix layout issues an add epub specific features.

Or you could introduce them to an online ebook publishing solution like PressBooks. Or just use Sigil (which is free) and Calibre to convert and create ebooks directly.

 

 

I've had good result with converting pdf in the highly customizable Librera PRO. I'm not sure, but I seem to recall that was a spin off from Calibre. Librera nicely reflows text, which is a must for mobile devices.

[lmarcos]

What I do to get the epub files is work the text of the book in LibreOffice and export it with the writer2html extension. The output is pretty clean, which is something you cannot say of the default export filter.

Of course, if the document has images, you'll need to either convert from the Apub pdf or choose if you'd rather add them manually later to the pdf or rearrange them in Apub after pasting the LO document content. Just make sure you format small caps the right way to correctly show in both APub and the epub. APub likes real small caps while most epub readers will have problems with them and opf 'specialties'. Same goes with embedded fonts, plenty of epub readers doesn't bother to use them, or will use only some but not all.

[mecagigi78]

On 10/30/2019 at 11:54 PM, Medical Officer Bones said:

Out of curiosity: why would you decide to continue teaching software that was discontinued 3 years ago? That would be doing your students a disservice. They wouldn't even be able to purchase the software, because Serif no longer sells it.

I noticed on your SeniorNet site that other Affinity products are already being taught. Use Affinity Publisher.

If you are worried about epub:

1) fixed layout epubs (which do not have flowing text on ereaders) are not supported well or at all on Windows, Android, and Linux. It's basically a hit-and-miss affair. If publishing such a book, the various ereaders and platforms require specific requirements. Too much too handle for most people, really.

2) flowing epubs work well generally. While Affinity Publisher does not export directly to epub, you could use an ebook converter like the free Calibre to convert an exported PDF from Publisher, and then open the epub in the free Sigil to fix layout issues an add epub specific features.

Or you could introduce them to an online ebook publishing solution like PressBooks. Or just use Sigil (which is free) and Calibre to convert and create ebooks directly.

 

 

Have you ever try the process you preconize here? Data entry should be done twice, one for publisher and one for Sygil! I bought Publisher to publish books (Paper and ePub) I don't use it anymore. Libre office is doing a better job. Just a question: Why such a software is exporting only in graphic formats just good enough for picture (Vertorized or pixelized)? Publisher has some potential. I hope Serif will improve this software and sell a real editing one instead of a game.