DR800 national characters (diacritics) debased in ePub (from Calibre)

[Riva3000]

I have an eBook in RTF in Czech language (with czech diacritics).
I am trying to read it on my iRex800 (with latest original firmware).
I used Calibre for format conversion to ePub and for ebook upload to device.
So far I didnt manage to produce ePub that would read right on the device.

Is this some kind of known problem with iRex800 ?

I have other Czech ebooks in ePub and they read ok on iRex.

If you care here is more detailed description of different conversion steps I tryed:

1. RTF > converting in Calibre > to ePub - diacritics unreadable

2. RTF > converting in Word > to 'simplified html' - encoding Win-1250
html > auto-converted in Calibre on import > to ZIP(ed html) - encoding changed to UTF-8
ZIP > converted in Calibre > to ePub - encoding ??
- diacritics ok in Calibre reader
- diacritics unreadable on iRex

3B. html > converted to UTF-8 in notepad - based on last post in this tread
rest the same as 2.
- diacritics ok in Calibre reader
- diacritics unreadable on iRex (same as 2.)

Can somebody help ?
Did anybody met the similar problem ?
(Is this a problem of Calibre or iRex ? or ePub ?)

(I'll try to find a way to attach the mentioned ebook files if needed.)

[HansTWN]

Did you try FBreader on the DR800?

[Riva3000]

Nope. I dont really want to go into trouble of installing 3rd party apps etc.
I would really like to stay with the default firmware if possible.
Is it the only solution to my problem ?

[fekhner]

Originally Posted by Riva3000

Nope. I dont really want to go into trouble of installing 3rd party apps etc.
I would really like to stay with the default firmware if possible.

That is a pity. The firmware development stopped very early, but to my mind, the third party improvements and apps that are available are of the same level of quality than official firmware and, if use use what is available,
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Digi...e_applications
the DR800 is still a very competitive e-reader.

[Riva3000]

Thanks for that tip. I am avare of 3rd party FW, reader and other apps, but I spent my 'tuning' urges on iPhone some years ago, when I was developing for it.(Horrible experience btw.)
With iRex I just want to pick it up and read books, if you know what I mean

Wouldn't you, or somebody know a solution to that ePub problem (that doesnt include iRex 'hacking') please?

[Billi]

Maybe you could ask Kacir (-> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/member.php?u=5457) via pm or visitor message.
If it has anything to do with fonts or so then he is one of the best persons here to help you.

[Riva3000]

I kept thinking about it and I think I found the problem and solution.

I disected and compared 2 ePub files. both with same diacritics. One workin on iRex, one not.
I found that the broken one, made by Calibre..
in file stylesheet.css
sets for every style definition a: font-family: "Times New Roman";
The working ePub has most files similar but the stylesheet.css doesnt set font-family at all.

So I tryed to edit out the tags and the edited ePub now read right on the iRex.

I'll have to try it with other files/ePubs to be sure its the whole and only cause of the problem.

I don't know much about ePub standard so I cant tell if its a bug in Calibre, or bug in iRex FW, or just a different format implementation.
If somebody can tell, please eventually report a Calibre bug.

[Billi]

Good you found it out and thanks for sharing!

[MrWarper]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Riva3000

[...] I don't know much about ePub standard so I cant tell if its a bug in Calibre, or bug in iRex FW, or just a different format implementation.
If somebody can tell, please eventually report a Calibre bug.

Most problems with ePub files are due to poor authoring (with tools and users to blame at 50-50%), so you might want to check your ePub file at http://validator.idpf.org/ to start with.

Mind you, even if it validates, setting ANY specific font as default or even fall-back for ALL possible styles is a MIGHTY STUPID idea (we can discuss that on a thread of its own), so you may want to contact the maker of that ePub anyway.

[Riva3000]

@MrWarper

Thanks for advice.
Im affraid you missed my original post.
I created the ePub from RTF file using Calibre automatic conversion.
Additionaly, The conversion process there, when using custom settings, has an extensive settings, but I didnt find any that would let me disable/control the way Calibre adds the font specification in the output ePub.

Removing the font (specification ?) tag did somehow solve the problem.
But I (as software dev) can imagine how Calibre, iRex reader FW and ePub are all very compliacted systems, and I have little understanding of any of them, so Im still far from being sure what caused what and why, if you understand me.

If you have a good knowledge of any of those, you and try help me decipher the mess

[MrWarper]

Well, I missed the part where you said you generated it on your own, anyway

I think you need to systematically try a number of things. First of all: is every RTF you converted using *the same Calibre settings* turned into something 'unreadable' (that is, without tweaking)? Fiddling with different settings won't help to dilucidate the question unless that's the case.

If some files convert OK and some don't (always using the same conversion options), you need to keep in mind that visually identical documents may be very different in their structures -- that applies to pretty much every format and makes conversion a really hairy issue, and it's only downhill from there.

Sure I can help you with ePub internals and formatting if needed, just drop me a line via PM.

[Riva3000]

Originally Posted by MrWarper

First of all: is every RTF you converted using *the same Calibre settings* turned into something 'unreadable' (that is, without tweaking)?

Answer is: Yes. Every RTF *with national characters*, converted with default Calibre settings, yields the same result - broken ePub with unreadable diacritics.
I tryed to convert several RTFs, from different sources. With the same result.

Fiddling with different settings won't help to dilucidate the question unless that's the case.

Agreed.

That sayd, I even tryed to fiddle with some Calibre's conversion settings. None fixed the problem or made any visible change in the resulting ePubs.

If some files convert OK and some don't (always using the same conversion options), you need to keep in mind that visually identical documents may be very different in their structures -- that applies to pretty much every format and makes conversion a really hairy issue, and it's only downhill from there.

I understand that. But I have little knowledge about RTF file format specifics to find out if all my RTFs are similar in formating / character encoding etc.
They *seem* the same

I knew couple threads that marginaly deal with RTF problem in Calibre etc, but Im recovering from nasty flu now so I'll be more active soon

[MrWarper]

Still under the flu?

[Riva3000]

Actually yes :[ Can't get rid of it for more then a month. Plus I just got back to work and the expected man-high pile of tasks awaited me here.
Be back soon.

[MrWarper]

Sorry to hear that. I changed my thread subscription to instant notification, so drop by any time and we'll go on.