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C
cello23
Known Participant
November 3, 2020
Question

How to create epub using InDesign

  • November 3, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 2907 views

I want to create an epub from a Word doc. It has tables and images so I need to be able to package properly. 

Is this possible in InDesign? 

Previously I've used Vellum. It's really intuitive. 

I've tried placing the Word doc and style mapping. It's a mess. 

Is there any easy way to do epubs in InDesign? Adobe adverts imply this is a piece of cake. IMO it's not. 

I'm familiar with making print books in ID. This isn't about exporting. It's about from-scratch using a Word doc. 

Can anyone point me to a straightforward workflow? 

Thanks, 

Jules 

 

[Moved from Using the Community (which is about the forums) to a better forum... Mod]
[To find a forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/]

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

C
cello23Author
Known Participant
November 3, 2020

I've just downloaded Jutoh, looks far simpler and wanted a PC solution. Importing a Word doc is pretty straightforward and even includes image resizing and tables. Will go with that. 

The output is clean and includes image captions in the right format. I'll check it in a few readers. 

InDesign doesn't seem a good fit for ebooks. 

Maybe one day!

Derek Cross
Derek Cross
Adobe Expert
November 4, 2020

The term ebooks is a generic term for the various digital document formats. These include PDF, Reflowable ePub, FXL ePub, mobi, Apple iBooks and InDesign’s Publish Online. Each format has advantages (features) and disadvantages. There’s no perfect format. The InDesign plugin in5 (at extra cost) produces excellent HTML5 documents that can include interactive and multimedia elements.

C
cello23Author
Known Participant
November 4, 2020

You're entitled to your view about the choice of application to create digital books, but to describe the Adobe products as "fraudulent" show a lack of knowledge on your part – this online video tutorial may help you understand how to use InDesign to create Reflowable ePubs (you can get 30-days free access): https://www.linkedin.com/learning/indesign-cc-2018-epub?trk=learning-serp_learning_search-card&upsellOrderOrigin=homepage-learning_learning-search-bar_search-submit

And you are not addressing Adobe on this friendly forum, but volunteers who try and help one another.

(By the way, you should note that Amazon does not use the ePub format for the Kindle but its propriety format, .mobi.)

 


Sorry Derek, but I've already spent hours searching on this topic or I wouldn't have come here for help. Also, KDP recently switched to recommending .epub uploads for reflowable rather than .mobi, which you may not yet be aware of https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200634390

 

I said in quite a gentle way with plenty of modifiers that the advert was 'actually quite fraudulent' in stating that InDesign (not Adobe products, which I much admire) provides "simple steps" for the task of 'how to make an ebook". It's not simple and I think it's fair enough to say this.

 

Appreciate your help and thanks for the link. Maybe my answer will help others in a similar situation to me. Peace and out.    

 

C
cello23Author
Known Participant
November 3, 2020

PS reflowable, for ebooks. 

Peru Bob
Peru Bob
Brainiac
November 3, 2020

I've moved this from the Using the Community forum (which is the forum for issues using the forums) to the InDesign forum so that proper help can be offered.

    C
    cello23Author
    Known Participant
    November 3, 2020

    Thanks, Bob. I would have put it there if I could've found a 'post' button 🙂

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