Text lacks from epub. Why?

[jorma.saarinen@mandat.fi]

I've done tens of ebooks (epub) before. Now the first time some of texts didn't move from InDesign to epub 2.1 file. There are som 30 articles in my book and 6 articles are lacking the epub file, only the titles are there. The bodies are not. What can be reason for that? I've tried to find solution with many ways without success.

[BobLevine]

2.1? Why are you using such an old standard? What version of InDesign? What EPUB reader are you testing on?

[jorma.saarinen@mandat.fi]

Both InDesign and Digital Edition are the newest on. I've published this book online without problems, too. The re-flowable version of ebook is for different screens, mobiles etc. There are 2 possibilities to do, version 2.01 and 3.0, but the result is the same. Those 6 titles are there, but the bodies not.

[jorma.saarinen@mandat.fi]

Furthermore, I'm not testing, I'm publishing books. This book of articles succeded in .pdf mode and online publication. But epub of the same file not.

[BobLevine]

Adobe Digital Editions is, to put it mildly, garbage. Try the Books app on Mac or Thorium Reader on Windows.

[James Gifford—NitroPress · Accepted solution]

I can't begin to guess at the problems from a short summary, but as Bob L has already noted, both v2.1 and Adobe's reader are big, obsolete problems in themselves.

Unless there is a very strong reason to stay with a 17-year-old format (effectively version 1.0; version 2.0 was the launch version), move immediately to v3.x, preferably v3.3. Even v3 is a decade old now and vastly overdue for an update.

And Adobe Digital Editions is a failed project that should no be available or encouraged. Switch to an EPUB reader that conforms to standards and, well, actually works. I recommend Calibre; Thorium Reader is technically more "standard" but has a persistent text-sizing fault.

It's really not worth trying to resolve the problem under your current workflow, but the one thing you're not too clear about is whether the export is to reflowable EPUB or fixed-page (FXL). If the latter... well, that's the trifecta of EPUB faults, as FXL is a largely obsolete format that should be avoided.

Back up and try again with v3.0/3.3 export, to reflowable, viewed in Calibre, and we can productively resolve problems from there.

[jorma.saarinen@mandat.fi]

Thank you James. I'll learn with Calibre.

[jorma.saarinen@mandat.fi]

Hi again. Calibre works well, but my book is made in 2 column text. Only pictures and picture captions may be over both columns. How Calibre reads and transforms that. I've got text from with InDesign made pdf...

And the result as ePub 3 in Calibre is:

Is there something to do?

[BobLevine]

I think the first thing you need to do is learn more about the capabilities and best practices of the epub format itself. While I assume two columns of text is possible I would never even attempt it in a reflowable epub.

You also haven't said whether you are using styles and one continuous flow of text because I am now wondering if that missing text you referred to might be at the very end of your EPUB if you had it in a separate text frame.

[jorma.saarinen@mandat.fi]

Thanks Bob! I studied Calibre more, it seems to be good for my purposes. The only problem still is the flexibility of ePub. Now I made my "article collection" as fixed version with 2 columns. It works, but it is not reflowable. Also the letters are quite small and they are increaseable only a very little. If I increase more the letters overlap. 
From InDesign nor Calibre I'm seeing no css-file. Schoud there be?

As not reflowable the ePub is not readable with eg. phone. nor other smalle device.

May I have more help or advice?

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Forget fixed layout. If that's what you want use a PDF.

For reflowable, again, you need to use styles and a single text flow religiously. Your EPUB won't look like it does in InDesign. Most EPUB readers are designed to allow the user to change fonts and font size so forget trying to control that. By doing so you are doing your audience a great disservice.

[James Gifford—NitroPress · Accepted solution]

A better reader will be a better platform to evaluate and adjust your exported EPUB, so using Calibre is a good step.

Using fixed-page EPUB, though, is a poor choice. EPUB has never been good at replicating print page layout without a lot of work and compromises. As Bob says, if you want digital images of your print layout, use PDF. It's far, far simpler and more universally supported for distribution and reading.

If you want or need an EPUB for specific reasons, such as being able to sell or distribute the book through vendors or online libraries, it should be reflowable and the content should be formatted to allow "liquid" layout in any reader, depending on its settings and the user's preferences. You can't usually force two columns, for example; in reflowable that's a reader setting, not a document aspect.