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sharong58493886
Participant
March 13, 2023
Answered

Text boxes in ePUB

  • March 13, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 1388 views
I have an InDesign file of a dictionary of terms that has twenty text boxes in the print version and from which I need to create an eBook. These boxes were created in a unique InDesign file and then copied and pasted to their location in the InDesign dictionary file as an anchored  in line frame. The title or header of the boxes has a fill color and is located within a frame of the same width. In the InDesign file the size of the boxes´content is correct, slightly smaller than the text of the dictionary. In the ePub file, however, the content of the boxes is tiny, tiny compared to the rest of the text of the dictionary. 
I increased the size of the text in the boxes to the correct size for cellular and tablet viewing, however, the text then is larger than the principal text when viewing in browsers. Here is the link for how the text appears correctly in cellular phones and tablets, 
 
and this is the link for how it appears incorrectly in browsers, 
 
Does someone have an idea how to adjust the text in such a way that the text size remains the same for cellulars and tablets, but is smaller than it is now for browsers.
This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer James Gifford—NitroPress

The problem you will have, then, is that text boxes won't necessarily behave the way they do in print or FXL. Everything in an EPUB doc has to be one text flow, with any other elements (such as images) anchored within the flow. Simply putting elements on pages in the document won't necessarily give desired results. (Unanchored items "fall" to the end of the doc, not always in a predictable order.)

 

The other problem is that EPUB is highly dependent on the reader used, and they all vary. What you're seeing isn't as much the different platforms as it is different readers. Unless you can control which reader the (er, human) reader uses, it's hard to have precise control over the result. HTML and PDF are superior in that way, at least.

 

But yes, it can be done, with careful design to get consistent results on a vanilla reader like Thorium or Calibre.

 

1 reply

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
March 13, 2023

Are you exporting to Fixed Layout EPUB (FXL) or reflowable? The latter is very much suggested.

 

That said, a document composed of separate text boxes is going to be difficult to manage in EPUB form, especially if you want a responsive display. You may be better off exporting to an HTML document with attention to responsive design.

 

S
sharong58493886Author
Participant
March 13, 2023

Reflowable. Thanks.

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPressCorrect answer
Legend
March 13, 2023

The problem you will have, then, is that text boxes won't necessarily behave the way they do in print or FXL. Everything in an EPUB doc has to be one text flow, with any other elements (such as images) anchored within the flow. Simply putting elements on pages in the document won't necessarily give desired results. (Unanchored items "fall" to the end of the doc, not always in a predictable order.)

 

The other problem is that EPUB is highly dependent on the reader used, and they all vary. What you're seeing isn't as much the different platforms as it is different readers. Unless you can control which reader the (er, human) reader uses, it's hard to have precise control over the result. HTML and PDF are superior in that way, at least.

 

But yes, it can be done, with careful design to get consistent results on a vanilla reader like Thorium or Calibre.

 

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