[scribus] Scribus sla to epub (export) q. (calibre does not work)

[john Culleton]

On Thu, 5 Jun 2014 09:01:11 +0200
Richard Foley <rich.inud at naktiv.net> wrote:

> Hi folks,
> 
> I recall from earlier discussions on the list,
> that an epub exporter was planned, but not
> integrated, for Scribus. The recommendation at
> that time was to export from Scribus to PDF,
> and then to use Calibre to go from PDF to epub.
> 
> The problem I have is that while the
> Scribus-exported.PDF is spot-on perfect,
> printed to hard copy via LSI, etc., the
> resulting Calibre-exported.epub is complete
> rubbish. I used the following command:
> 
>     ebook-convert in.pdf out.epub
> --enable-heuristics
> 
> I realize this is not a Calibre support forum,
> please bear with me. However, using PDF as the
> intermediary, when all the information is
> already in Scribus still strikes me as slightly
> odd. Perhaps that's because I don't understand
> file import/export/conversions, but I was
> hoping to go directly from Scribus to epub, and
> remove one link in the chain.
> 
> Does anyone have any other suggestions of how
> to either improve the epub, or to get directly
> to an epub, from Scribus itself? Or perhaps how
> to improve the pdf->epub so that it's usable?
> All help tips appreciated.
> 
> Cheers.
> 
There is a story about a tourist in Vermont who
got lost and asked a farmer how to get to St.
Johnsbury, a Vermont town. After several
attempts to recommend a route the farmer finally
said: "Mister if I wanted to get to St.
Johnsbury I sure wouldn't start from here!"

If I wanted to create an ePub file, which is more
or less based on a version of html, I wouldn't
start with the output of Scribus. Instead I would
find some in between format and import that into
both Scribus and whatever program creates ePub.
The Libre Office writer program will create html
documents. 

Given the above facts I would create a document
in Libre Office Writer. I would save it in html
form. I would convert that document to ePub
somehow. Then I would import the original
Writer document into Scribus, possibly in ODT
format or plain text format and massage as
needed.  

That is the best route to St. Johnsbury. I
wouldn't start with Scribus output and try to
convert that. 


-- 
John Culleton
Wexford Press
Free list of books for self-publishers:
http://wexfordpress.net/shortlist.html
PDF e-book: "Create Book Covers with Scribus"
available at
http://www.booklocker.com/books/4055.html