Making your own e-books?

[mkpc]

I love books and so one of the main reasons I wanted a Clie was so I could carry 30 or 40 books with me, instead of the usual 1 or 2.  But now that I've downloaed just about every e-book I can find, I would like to begin creating my own e-books. I downloaded the MobiPocketPublisher v.3.0 application, but haven't got a clue how to use it correctly.  I can make a somewhat functional book using it, but can't make it as fully functional as the e-books I download (table of contents, cover page, etc.). The program's extensive online help is all "greek" to me.

Does anyone have experience with this type of thing?  Do you know of any e-book makers that are very simple and easy to understand? 

This is something I would really like to do - I have a massive library and would like to convert much of it into electronic format, not only for my own personal use, but to share on the web at "project Guttenburg" and places like that.

Any help would be deeply appreciated.

 

[fjl307]

I've never used MobiPockets ebook maker. Sorry :(

I use ISilox (www.isilox.com (http://www.isilox.com)) which converts to iSilo format.

[Gar]

the worlds easiest eBook maker for the Palm. WordSmith button in Word. After you install WordSmith on your PC you will have a WordSmith option pull down in Word. Open you text book in Word, and save it as a doc using that WordSmith option. OK, the secret is out. Ha!

[fjl307]

Originally posted by Gar
the worlds easiest eBook maker for the Palm. WordSmith button in Word. After you install WordSmith on your PC you will have a WordSmith option pull down in Word. Open you text book in Word, and save it as a doc using that WordSmith option. OK, the secret is out. Ha!

 

I have to agree with you :)

[*YellowRose*]

I use DocInOut (http://www.palmblvd.com/software/pc/DocInOut-1999-05-22-palm-pc.html) and have for a good while (over a year). It's simple to use and does a great job. Just drag a txt file to the icon, and *poof*.

It's free, and there are over 12,600 downloads at the site I pointed you to above. :)

You can read the finished product in PalmReader, Isilo, Wordsmith or whatever your reader of choice is (except, I expect, Mobipuck)

[Talula]

I use the Palm Ebook maker that you can get from from their website. The books are readable in Palm Ebook reader. It is extremely easy to use and you are able to create chapters and all of those other things you mentioned.

[StPhun]

Originally posted by mkpc
I love books and so one of the main reasons I wanted a Clie was so I could carry 30 or 40 books with me, instead of the usual 1 or 2.  But now that I've downloaed just about every e-book I can find, I would like to begin creating my own e-books. I downloaded the MobiPocketPublisher v.3.0 application, but haven't got a clue how to use it correctly.  I can make a somewhat functional book using it, but can't make it as fully functional as the e-books I download (table of contents, cover page, etc.). The program's extensive online help is all "greek" to me.

Does anyone have experience with this type of thing?  Do you know of any e-book makers that are very simple and easy to understand? 

This is something I would really like to do - I have a massive library and would like to convert much of it into electronic format, not only for my own personal use, but to share on the web at "project Guttenburg" and places like that.

Any help would be deeply appreciated.  

Why not use hyperlinked html (using Word or Frontpage for example)? That way you get both a web-book and using a converter (like iSiloX) you have a palm version as well.

[knowledge]

iSilo is best way to go. It is easy a straight foward. I would give it a try.

[gvtexas]

Originally posted by mkpc
Do you know of any e-book makers that are very simple and easy to understand?

I use two programs to create eBooks in a very simple, and powerful, way. I pull the text into Microsoft Word, where I can use it's search/replace power to clean up the text, then export from Word to Palm using the Word2Doc plugin. Works great, and I can save the Palm file in iSilo, WordSmith, RichReader, TealDoc, or Palm Doc formats.

[alphaman]

WavePDB. It's integrated with your web browser, so you can just right click on a webpage and say "Convert to Palm eBook". It's not updated very frequently, but it seems to be a pretty decent program.

http://www.cnbest.com/

Also available on your fav Palm sites (freewarepalm, etc.)

JMHO,
Aaron

[tstretch]

I love isilo and isilox converts just about anything into a palm friendly format. trial versions at www.isilo.com

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by knowledge
iSilo is best way to go. It is easy a straight foward. I would give it a try.

Yes, iSilo/iSiloX is great! For plain text files that I want to edit, I use QED as the editor (very small and powerful) and MakeDocW for the conversion to Palm DOC format. Another convertor that is good is DocReader at the link below...

http://www.geocities.com/mpicker0/DocReader/DocReader.htm

[yorrick]

I would agree with YellowRose. Other converters can convert but the problem is that it is in isilo format or some other proprietary format. Useful if you have links or special fonts etc.
But if you want straight text that can be read by any document reader, then use DocInOut.

I have converted some documents into text format and sent it off to friends who have Palm PDAs and it's convenient to use.

Originally posted by *YellowRose*
I use DocInOut (http://www.palmblvd.com/software/pc/DocInOut-1999-05-22-palm-pc.html) and have for a good while (over a year). It's simple to use and does a great job. Just drag a txt file to the icon, and *poof*.

It's free, and there are over 12,600 downloads at the site I pointed you to above. :)

You can read the finished product in PalmReader, Isilo, Wordsmith or whatever your reader of choice is (except, I expect, Mobipuck)

[dochate]

I have been using iSilo/iSiloX to make many ebooks. Very simple, and hyperlinks, images, and tables come out very nice.

I use Word to make all of my html files.

[xyeta]

..another vote for iSilo.

If you can HTML it, you can iSilo it!

[dwig]

I'll second gvtexas. I use Word2Doc regularly and it is a no-brainer. Format the doc in Word and click a button. Output is in the "generic" Palm eBook format readable in all Palm readers and their PC (Win, Mac, ...) equivalents. There is also a similar Word plugin from MS for creating LIT files for their reader.

I've used MobiPocket Publisher successfully. It's complex and needs a good XML editor (I use MS Visual Studio) as a companion. The advantage it that is it can create illustrated book with hyperlinks. The resulting eBooks can be read only in MobiPocket readers but they are good readers and many OS's are supported.

[rob_squared]

I miss AportisDoc converter. You could convert PDF, DOC, HTML, TXT to palm doc.