Comments on: Best eBook Compiling Software

Question: Best eBook Compiling Software

passtehbrainz — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:04:20 -0800

I'm looking for the very best software out there (prefer mac but anything at this point) for creating eBooks. I'm hoping there is some intelligent software out there that can take a large text file, full of chapters, numbered paragraphs, and automatically create ebook reader compatible files, with a main index to each chapter.

If not automatically, at least the best software for orginizing the text into linked chapters/files.

A little background: I just purchased an iPod Touch, and have a eBook reader for it called Book.app. It reads HTML and text files stored in your Media/EBooks folder, and is smart enough to enter subdirectories, if, for instance, you've broken a book down by chapters."

So i'm not looking to make 'get rich quick' ebooks - just convert some of my documents into a ebook reader-friendly format.

By: passtehbrainz

passtehbrainz — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:09:46 -0800

After thinking about my question, I basically need to know the best way to create html files, broken down by chapters for my ebook reader. Surely there is a better way than copy/pasting text into hundreds of html files/folders

By: onalark

onalark — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:10:46 -0800

Do you have Book.app or Books.app? Have you read the Installing Ebooks section on the Google Code project page for getting eBooks on your iPod touch/iPhone describing the Gutenmark application?

By: anadem

anadem — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 10:51:20 -0800

The University of Adelaide library converts text files from Project Gutenberg into HTML, by semi-automatic scripting I believe. Their HTML is nicely done, with TOC and chapter headings etc. You might inquire there, if you'd consider running perl (or even to find great books to read.)

Fwiw I put the HTML into Plucker to read on my PDA (Sony Clie with Palm OS, but Plucker runs on Windows Mobile too).

By: anadem

anadem — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 10:55:52 -0800

I forgot to add that Project Gutenberg has automatic conversion scripts too -- you can now download any of their books ready-formatted iirc, so you might also inquire there about conversion methods.