What tools or skillsets do I need to master in order to use Sigil effectively?

[neyet]

I wish to use Sigil as my epub editor.

On the internet I learned that I need to have a knowledge of at least CSS3 (preferably CSS4) to use it. Specifically to what level of proficiency? Intermediate or Advanced?

I can sign up for courses at Udemy but it offers only like one and a half hours of instruction online per course.

I am wondering: how can I master CSS3/CSS4 in less than two hours?

What other websites offer in-depth online courses of CSS3/CSS4?

In addition to a mastery of CSS3/CSS4, what other tools do I need to master in order to use Sigil effectively?

Thanks for your answers.

P.S. By the way, does Sigil 2.3.0 for Microsoft Windows support CSS3 or CSS4?

[theducks]

It supports CSS2 and CSS3

[KevinH]

Epub3 was originally css3 and primarily remains so. Some elements of css4 have been adopted by some e-readers but sticking with css3 and epub3 makes the most sense.

[DiapDealer]

You're overthinking it. Learn a little CSS and xhtml. No "Mastery" required. The quickest way to start using Sigil effectively is to start using Sigil.

[Karellen]

regex is also extremely useful.

And you don't really need to be a guru to use css. Keep a couple of reference links like this one, and refer to it when needed... https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS

[neyet]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

You're overthinking it. Learn a little CSS and xhtml. No "Mastery" required. The quickest way to start using Sigil effectively is to start using Sigil.

Originally Posted by Karellen

regex is also extremely useful.

And you don't really need to be a guru to use css.

Sorry, what is regex? Isn't regex = registry editor, which is part of Microsoft Windows?

It's my fault that I failed to give an example of what I wish to do with Sigil in my original post.

Let me give you an example.

My book consists of tables (not the table of contents), footnotes, index and bibliography.

The tables in my book contains cells with mathematical notations such as superscripts and subscripts.

In each chapter of my book, there are footnotes. I wish to have the footnotes appear when the cursor hovers over the footnote. For example, at the end of the sentence there is a number 1 in blue superscript. When the cursor hovers over the blue superscript, an explanation appears.

The index at the end of book contains keywords that are referenced by their respective footnotes. Each footnote has a number in blue hypertext. Clicking the number will take the reader back to the sentence or phrase which contains the footnote.

The above brief description is what I plan to do with my book using Sigil.

Based on the replies to my original post, I gather that I need to learn the following tools:

(1) CSS
(2) xHTML
(3) regex (is it "registry editor" which is part of Microsoft Windows?)

[theducks]

REGEX is Regular Expressions (Sigil uses the PCRE dialect)
It is an extremely powerful search and replace tool for modifying code / documents. There are some REGEX tutorials here on MR. Look for them

search for a REGEX cheat sheet, it has the terms and some examples

While you are at it, get the CSS (2.x) one also.
Note The CSS we use is a SUBSET of that which is used for the WWW
Then, there are all those wonderful devices that don't fully support those (some due to the way they allow user control to override the publisher.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by neyet

Sorry, what is regex? Isn't regex = registry editor, which is part of Microsoft Windows?

No, regex is short for Regular Expression. It is used for pattern matching, so it becomes extremely useful when editing and repairing an ebook, because it lets you match patterns (instead of characters) to find and replace. All useful for bulk reformatting.
eg, instead of searching for all combinations of commas, periods, semi-colons and other punctuation marks, that erroneously have a space before them, you could use something like \s(\p{Po}) to find them all at once instead of constantly changing the search string, and then replace it with \1 which removes the space.

You can read more here... https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/regex.htm

[PeterT]

You might be quite disappointed by the use of tables on most eReaders.

[neyet]

Originally Posted by theducks

REGEX is Regular Expressions (Sigil uses the PCRE dialect)
It is an extremely powerful search and replace tool for modifying code / documents. There are some REGEX tutorials here on MR. Look for them

Thanks for your explanation.

Originally Posted by theducks

search for a REGEX cheat sheet, it has the terms and some examples

Again thanks for your tip.

The following are some that I googled:

Quick-Start: Regex Cheat Sheet

PCRE Regex Cheatsheet

Regular Expressions in PCRE Format

Originally Posted by theducks

While you are at it, get the CSS (2.x) one also.

Thanks again.

Why CSS2? I thought the whole world has moved to CSS3 completely (CSS3 was released in 1999, about 25 years ago.)

Last I heard, modern web design ("modern" as in 2024) has embraced CSS4.

Originally Posted by theducks

Note The CSS we use is a SUBSET of that which is used for the WWW

Were you referring to CSS2 or CSS3?

What does that subset consists of specifically? With regards to the CSS that Sigil supports, is there a table of contents to which I can refer?

Originally Posted by theducks

Then, there are all those wonderful devices that don't fully support those (some due to the way they allow user control to override the publisher.

Were you referring to standalone (dedicated) eReaders? There are only a few now that support epubs, the most well-known being Nook and Kobo eReaders.

I used to own a Kindle, Sony, Nook and Kobo eReader.

But now I read my epubs on an Android smartphone using an app called ReadEra. The screen may be smaller compared to standalone ones but every one uses a smartphone nowadays, right?

[neyet]

Originally Posted by Karellen

You can read more here... https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/regex.htm

Thanks for your explanation and the above tip.

[neyet]

Originally Posted by PeterT

You might be quite disappointed by the use of tables on most eReaders.

Err.... what do you mean?

Were you referring to standalone (dedicated) eReaders such as Nook and Kobo (for epubs) and Kindle (for *.azw4 and KFX)?

Or you were referring to epub and Kindle apps that are offered on Google Play?

I read ebooks on my Android smartphone nowadays because almost every one uses a smartphone on a daily basis, yes?

I'm also quite interested in how tables are a cause of disappointmet on most eReaders. Would you like to give some examples?

[theducks]

@neyet
Are you planning on selling the books you made or just for personal use?
Why? Because your device perspective is skewed.
Go look at the devices listed by MR members under their name

I have a small number (compared to others). Not ONE is a phone. The screen is too small. My Tablet is used for when I need color or a PDF.

OTOH
My reading is Novels, so I don't need EPUB3 or KFX compatibility on my reader.
K.I.S.S. There needs to be a pressing reason to us bleeding edge formatting on a general use item.

The stuff that is PDF, I usually want to see it all (at a reasonable size) at once, with the ability to zoom once I identify the area if need (in diagrams)

[PeterT]

I think you'd be better to post these questions in a forum dedicated to creating questions; not a tool specific forum.

I'd suggest moving to either the Workshop or ePub forums found in the E-books format category.

As to tables, they are just a real pain to navigate on small screen size devices. Remember people read with a range of font sizes and weights, both of which will dramatically change how text displays in a table cell.


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