Publish eBook

What gets converted?

Basically, everything that is possible to convert. Headings, links, you name it.

I tried to convert Word objects into their equivalents in PML, the language that eBooks are coded in. In some occasions, when PML has something that’s not quite the same in Word, I just invented a way to express it in Word so you can get it done in your eBook (for example: specifying “emboss” font to force “Large Font” in eBook).

Check out the table below. If you don't understand the correct way to do something in Microsoft Word, try looking at the Word "Help" menu.

This in Word Document…	… gets converted to this in eBook	Comments
File→Properties→Title	eBook Title	This is important since it is the name your eBook will receive. If it not filled, you will be asked.
File→Properties→Author	eBook Author	This field gets recorded in the eBook, though current version of eReader doesn’t seem to use it anywhere.
Special characters	the same	Most accented characters are recognized. Tell me if you find some that fail.
Line markers: *** * * *	a horizontal line 70% of the screen width
Font formatting: bold, italic, underline, subscript, superscript, small caps, overstrike, all caps	the same	Not all combinations possible in Word are possible in eBooks.
Font formatting: Emboss	Force large font	These override the user’s font settings on the PDA. Avoid using, except where really needed.
Font formatting: Engrave	Force small font
Paragraph formatting: left, center and right aligned text	the same
Paragraph formatting: Page break before	the same	Works only with paragraphs marked with styles “Heading” (see below). Useful to make each chapter start on a new page.
Paragraph formatting: spacing after paragraph	An extra blank line after the paragraph	Conversion only happens if spacing after the paragraph is "Auto" (as happens with documents created from Web pages) or if it larger than half the font size, that it, if spacing is larger than half a line.
Page breaks	the same
Heading Styles 1-5	Chapter titles levels 1-5	Mark your chapter titles with these Word styles. These will become the chapters that show in the chapter listing of the eBook, allowing you to know where you currently are, and allowing you to jump to a given chapter. Very useful.
Heading Styles 6-9	Chapter titles 1-4	Use these instead of the previous when you want the chapter to show in the chapter listing but not in the actual text. Useful to mark chapters that don’t have a chapter title.
External links	Dead, but visible links	External links are links to places outside the eBook, typically Web addresses. Your eBook will contain the links and allow you to check the addresses for your reference, but they will not work (sorry, you can’t browse the Web from eReader!)
Internal links, Tables of Contents, Indexes, References and, in general, anything for which Word creates Hyperlinks to Bookmarks.	Working links	If you link from one place to another inside your eBook, these links should work. To link inside your document, first create a Bookmark to the destination, and then “Insert→Hyperlink→Place in this document”. Tables of contents can also be automatically created from Headings (tell Word to make the table using Hyperlinks, and to not include page numbers). Since Word uses bookmarks and links for this, it should work on your eBook. Tip: Notice a “Back” button is available on eReader.
Bookmarks	Link destinations	This is useful only if a Hyperlink jumps to the bookmark. See above.
Footnotes and Endnotes	Footnotes
Comments	Sidebars	Sidebars are a nice eReader feature, rather similar to Footnotes but with a different look.
Tabs	Spaces	Tabs are currently converted to spaces. In future versions, some form of tabs might be available, to allow for tables, but PML doesn’t provide much tab functionality, so it will be difficult.
Small Pictures Use PNG format, not filtered, not interlaced, up to 8 bits color or B/W, up to 158 W x 148 H pixels. Refer to the PML reference for details.	Inline Pictures	Save the picture in a folder with the same name of your Document, but without the .doc extension, and with _img appended to the name. This folder should be under the folder where your document is. In your document, use Insert→Picture→From File. On the “Insert” button, select “Link to File”.
Larger Pictures The same conditions apply except size. Some PDA’s might still show these inline, if they fit on the screen.	Picture Thumbnail Click on the thumbnail to see the picture. Drag the image to scroll. Press up or down on the scroll button to zoom. Tap the menu icon to continue reading.
\!#pmlcode	\pmlcode	You can use PML codes that go directly into the final PML document by escaping them with \!# For example, \!#a151 inserts a dash, because it’s a PML code for Ascii character 151. This is useful when you know what final effect you want in the PML file, but are having trouble finding how to write it in the original doc...