On Friday, December 02, 2011 04:13:53 AM Guenter Milde wrote: > On 2011-12-02, Steve Litt wrote: > > LyX plus eLyXer plus a few other tools can make the PERFECT > > PERFECT PERFECT authoring tool for flowable text eBooks (Kindle, > > iPad, etc). > > The internal HTML output should be usable for eBook creation as > well. > > Any work on "eBook" modules and backands should be compatible with > both HTML writers.
OK. I'll make sure any work I do is compatible with both, although I could swear LyX's internal HTML exporter is simply eLyXer, as it outputs eLyXer messages. > > ... > I > > > There needs to be a way to insert all info needed by Kindle into > > the LyX file, and having eLyXer or other similar executables do > > things like split out the chapters, split out the table of > > contents and index, make the .opf file and the .ncx file. It > > might require a special layout file -- I can create that. Or > > maybe just layout modules. > > IMO, LyX (as open source software) should concentrate on supporting > the open ePub format. ePub shouldn't be neglected, but it shouldn't be concentrated either. A well employed list is a happy and productive list, and Kindle/iPad provides a revenue stream for authors (most of whom do quite a bit of open contributions). For example, many of the LyX derived print books we discussed in this afternoon's thread are proprietary -- you can't download them and must pay for them. > Generating of kindle (or other proprietary) > eBook formats would then pick up the relevant information from the > ePub document. That sounds good on the surface, but my experience with ePub and Kindle tells me it's a detour where you'd get complex with the ePub, only to unwind the ePub back into simple HTML to be used by kindlegen. What would be excellent is for some loosely formed group of people list all the data needed to generate a Kindle, necessary to generate an iPad book, a Nook book, and an open ePub. If we can get that list complete, then we have a list of what needs to go in the LyX file or possibly a companion file. Once we have those specifications, writing the actual converters would be a secretarial task. As a matter of fact, if the additional data was put in a companion file, then eLyXer and the internal converter wouldn't have to change all that much, and the whole thing might be more modular. > > Splitting a document into several HTML files is non-trivial, as we > need to consider the cross-links. Maybe we can support a set of > cross-linked HTML from Master/Child documents? Alex -- how does eLyXer work with Master/Child documents? Thanks Gunter! SteveT Steve Litt Author: The Key to Everyday Excellence http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/key_excellence.htm Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/stevelitt
