Create a PeBL book from scratch

If you are creating a PeBL book from scratch, you have an advantage in that the file can be engineered from the ground up with all of the features you want, integrated completely with the layout; a disadvantage of converting from other formats is that the original layout may conflict visually with PeBL extensions you wish to insert, and you may need to rewrite content to provide a suitable context or lead-in for the extension.

The following diagram represents the process. Each pathway is described in turn, as in the previous section. See Step 2: Optimize for PeBL section to complete your book.

Step 1: Export to EPUB 3

Using HTML Editor conversion pathway

Production pathway #1 in the diagram

1. Create file in HTML editor (Adobe Dreamweaver recommended).
2. Open HTML file(s) in HTML to EPUB 3 converter. This is not complex software hence there are many of these. An open source one can be found here.
3. Export to EPUB 3.

Pros

• Guarantees clean HTML 5 from the start
• Depending on HTML editor, robust formatting options and CSS3/JavaScript generation
• Could repurpose file as a web page since its already rendered in HTML

Cons

• If using Dreamweaver, significant software cost and steep learning curve
• Tradeoff of formatting options (see PRO item above) for authoring complexity
• HTML Editor may have significant limitations

Using Word processing program to HTML conversion pathway

Production pathway #2 in the diagram

1. Create file in word processing program (Microsoft Word recommended).
2. Export file to HTML format.
3. Open file in HTML editor (Adobe Dreamweaver recommended).
4. Open HTML file(s) in HTML to EPUB 3 converter. This is not complex software hence there are many of these. An open source one can be found here.
5. Export to EPUB 3.

Pros

• Can use familiar word processing tool to create source file for the book.

Cons

• Will likely need to do a lot of tweaking of HTML, since export from word processing programs is not always clean (hence "Raw HTML" in diagram).
• Many steps involving three software programs, hence higher LOE and error prone

Using Word processing program to EPUB conversion pathway

Production pathway #3 in the diagram

1. Create file in word processing program (Microsoft Word recommended).
2. Open word processing file(s) in text to EPUB 3 converter. Recommend Word to EPUB Converter (if using Word)
3. Export to EPUB 3.

Pros

• Can use familiar word processing tool to create source file for the book.
• Requires minimal software

Cons

• Will likely need to do a lot of tweaking of EPUB output

Using desktop publishing program conversion pathway

Production pathway #3 in the diagram

1. Create file in desktop publishing program (Adobe InDesign recommended).
2. Export to EPUB 3.

Pros

• Allows precise control over all aspects of book
• Clean output with fewer conversion compromises
• Fewer steps - only requires one program

Cons

• Significant cost of program
• Steep learning curve for program
• Many options in the EPUB 3 output process requiring knowledge and attention

Step 2: Optimize for PeBL

See Step 2: Optimize for PeBL section.