How do I fix formatting on this ebook

lunixer · 08-16-2010, 10:27 PM

I got a copy of an ebook from a friend that I want to read. Unfortunately, whomever made the book put a "new paragraph" token at the end of EVERY SINGLE LINE of the book. Is there any simple way to fix this that anyone knows of? The book is unreadable as is. Edit: removed attachment

Marcy · 08-16-2010, 10:35 PM

It probably isn't the best idea to post illegal ebook copies from the darknet here.

-Marcy

jgaiser · 08-16-2010, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

It probably isn't the best idea to post illegal ebook copies from the darknet here.

Hmm... Yep.. Don't think you'll get much help.

pshrynk · 08-16-2010, 11:26 PM

That is, in fact a copyrighted book and cannot be posted here. What you and your friend do between yourselves is not our business, but please be aware that we will need to remove the attachment due to copyright laws.

On the other hand, you might be able to get some advice here on how to fix it, since that is not a proscribed activity. We just can't actually look at the book...

pshrynk (moderator)

lunixer · 08-16-2010, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

It probably isn't the best idea to post illegal ebook copies from the darknet here.

-Marcy

Oh, yeah. Sorry. Didn't really think about that. So, any idea how I would fix the document with the details given above?

lunixer · 08-16-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

That is, in fact a copyrighted book and cannot be posted here. What you and your friend do between yourselves is not our business, but please be aware that we will need to remove the attachment due to copyright laws.

On the other hand, you might be able to get some advice here on how to fix it, since that is not a proscribed activity. We just can't actually look at the book...

pshrynk (moderator)

Sorry. I stand corrected and will make sure not to post any more documents on the site.

So, without the document, the problem is that whoever created the document put a new paragraph at the end of every line. Is there a simple way to fix this other than going through the document and manually deleting the new paragraph lines and replacing them with a space?

JSWolf · 08-16-2010, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunixer

Oh, yeah. Sorry. Didn't really think about that. So, any idea how I would fix the document with the details given above?

Buy a real copy that doesn't have the problem.

pshrynk · 08-16-2010, 11:33 PM

No prob. Good luck with figuring out how to fix your problem. Sorry, but I have no idea even whereto begin. Maybe there is something you could do with Sigil.

ardeegee · 08-16-2010, 11:50 PM

Is each paragraph separated by a double paragraph mark so that there is a blank line between paragraphs? If so, the fix is easy:

First, do a find/replace of every double paragraph character and replace it with a unique string that won't be found in the document, for example a string of 10 "z"s. Second, do a find/replace for every paragraph mark, replacing it with a space or double-space (depending on how the sentences are separated in the document.) Third, go back and change that string of characters (the 10 "z"s or whatever) back into paragraph marks-- back to double paragraph marks if you want a line between paragraphs, or to a single paragraph mark and a tab or series of spaces if that is your preference. The whole task should take just a few seconds providing that you have a program that can find/replace control characters (MS Word can do it.)

If there is no double paragraph mark between paragraphs, you're screwed. (Unless it uses a tab or series of spaces to mark a new paragraph, then you use the first step find/replace for a paragraph mark followed by a tab to be replaced by the unique string.)

MovieBird · 08-17-2010, 12:12 AM

Do a Google search for "Regular Expressions". You can change the epub ending to zip, and unzip everything into a folder. Then you can perform a find and replace via something like sed on the folder, and just replace all the new paragraph tokens with nothing.

08-16-2010, 10:27 PM	#1
lunixer Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 928 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	How do I fix formatting on this ebook I got a copy of an ebook from a friend that I want to read. Unfortunately, whomever made the book put a "new paragraph" token at the end of EVERY SINGLE LINE of the book. Is there any simple way to fix this that anyone knows of? The book is unreadable as is. Edit: removed attachment Last edited by lunixer; 08-16-2010 at 11:28 PM.

08-16-2010, 11:26 PM	#4
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	That is, in fact a copyrighted book and cannot be posted here. What you and your friend do between yourselves is not our business, but please be aware that we will need to remove the attachment due to copyright laws. On the other hand, you might be able to get some advice here on how to fix it, since that is not a proscribed activity. We just can't actually look at the book... pshrynk (moderator) Last edited by pshrynk; 08-16-2010 at 11:28 PM.

08-16-2010, 11:50 PM	#9
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Is each paragraph separated by a double paragraph mark so that there is a blank line between paragraphs? If so, the fix is easy: First, do a find/replace of every double paragraph character and replace it with a unique string that won't be found in the document, for example a string of 10 "z"s. Second, do a find/replace for every paragraph mark, replacing it with a space or double-space (depending on how the sentences are separated in the document.) Third, go back and change that string of characters (the 10 "z"s or whatever) back into paragraph marks-- back to double paragraph marks if you want a line between paragraphs, or to a single paragraph mark and a tab or series of spaces if that is your preference. The whole task should take just a few seconds providing that you have a program that can find/replace control characters (MS Word can do it.) If there is no double paragraph mark between paragraphs, you're screwed. (Unless it uses a tab or series of spaces to mark a new paragraph, then you use the first step find/replace for a paragraph mark followed by a tab to be replaced by the unique string.) Last edited by ardeegee; 08-16-2010 at 11:52 PM.

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08-16-2010, 10:35 PM	#2
Marcy Guru Posts: 897 Karma: 950683 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Libra2	It probably isn't the best idea to post illegal ebook copies from the darknet here. -Marcy

08-16-2010, 11:33 PM	#8
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	No prob. Good luck with figuring out how to fix your problem. Sorry, but I have no idea even whereto begin. Maybe there is something you could do with Sigil.

08-17-2010, 12:12 AM	#10
MovieBird TuxSlash Posts: 392 Karma: 2436547 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: GlowNook	Do a Google search for "Regular Expressions". You can change the epub ending to zip, and unzip everything into a folder. Then you can perform a find and replace via something like sed on the folder, and just replace all the new paragraph tokens with nothing.

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