Re: ConTeXt epub workflow

[Keith McKay <mckaymeister@gmail.com>]

Dear Idris

If your document is simple I would consider the following workflow. I 
use this method for simple novels to produce both ePubs and Kindle 
output relatively quickly from a word docs which authors send me.

Load the word doc into OpenOffice and save in OpenOffice format (.odt). 
Using the Writer2ePub extension in OpenOffice convert to ePub. You will 
get a reasonable looking ePub if you have taken a little care to style 
the document beforehand. Load the ePub into Sigil and tidy up the ePub. 
I Usually split the ePub into Chapters, embed fonts and add any images 
where I want them to go at this point. Once you are happy with the ePub 
you should test it on the various eReaders to make sure it looks as 
expected, don't be surprised to see differences and you may have to 
create different ePubs for the different eReaders. I have to do that for 
iBooks and Kobo eReaders. The idpf have an online ePub validator for 
ePubs which you should use to check for ePub standard compliance. Adobe 
Digital Editions is a useful tool here. You can now convert it into 
Kindle format using Kindle Previewer. If it requires changes, do that in 
Sigil and then run through Kindle Previewer again.

To get pdf output I have been experimenting with pandoc quite recently 
with some success. I take the ePub and rename as a zip file and open it 
to expose its directory structure. Using pandoc I convert it to ConText 
code and tidy up a wee bit but, on the whole, Pandoc gives a not bad 
conversion even if images are present. Again you will probably have to 
tidy up the Context code and play about with fonts etc.

This workflow looks a wee bit complicated but it does work well once you 
get the hang of it. I had originally tried using the Context to ePub but 
as previous correspondents have intimated you only get xml output rather 
than xhtml which is what eReaders require.

If you need help feel free to email me privately.

Best Wishes
Keith McKay
Hamilton, Scotland

On 02/07/2014 22:12, Idris Samawi Hamid ادريس سماوي حامد wrote:
> Dear gang,
>
> I have an urgent project that needs three outputs: pdf, epub, and 
> kindle. The formatting needs are pretty basic. In your experience:
>
> What is the recommended, more efficient workflow for this sort of 
> thing? Should I start with markdown and then generate context and epub 
> (then convert epub=>kindle I presume)? Or does one context file with 
> pdf and epub outputs work well? Many years ago I did some documents in 
> ConTeXt with both print and screen pdfs from a single source. Can we 
> do the latter in ConTeXt now? Does anyone have any examples?
>
> According to
>
> http://wiki.contextgarden.net/epub
>
> There is no support for graphics in ConTeXt epub output. Are there 
> workarounds?
>
> In any case, all advice for an efficient workflow for this project 
> will be greatly appreciated!
>
> Best wishes
> Idris

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