* Create eBook from web site Report

[repworth]

Apologies if this is answered elsewhere, but I am trying to create an ebook using the Report generating feature (in .epub format or .mobi for Kindle). I want all the hyperlinks to work.

This would be a very convenient output format for distributing Family History in the future (and would be a nice feature for the future).
I assume I can do this by first generating a Web site folder and zipping it, but what next?

Amazon will conveniently convert simple web sites for Kindle when zipped, but refuse when there are more than 25 sub documents in the zipped file. See below.

I am hoping that someone else has trodden this path already.
Richard

"Dear Customer,
The following document(s), sent at 11:23 AM on Tue, Aug 25, 2015 GMT could not be delivered to the Kindle you specified:
* _contact.html
* _nameindex.html
* _statistics.html
* close_grey.png
* error.png
* fam10.html
* fam101.html
* fam105.html
* fam106.html
* fam107.html
* fam109.html
* fam11.html
etc......
This is because the number of personal documents (before compression if zipped) in the email you sent exceeded the permissible limit of 25 personal documents."

[repworth]

Whoops! Just discovered that I sort of asked this same question 4 years ago,
FH output viewed on a Kindle (9452)
getting forgetful! Apologies.
But at that time I was only interested in doing it for myself.
I now see it as a route to self-publishing our Family History for the wider world for Kindles Kobos and iPads etc. (I have experience of self-publishing other material).

I haven't yet worked out how to use Calibre to import my 700+ Family Historian generated website files in bulk, and generate an epub book.
Any suggestions?
Richard

[tatewise]

Richard, welcome back to the FHUG after a long absence!

Please use User Control Panel > Profile at the top of this web page, and update the Family Historian Version so it appears in the panel on the right of your posting, then we won't need to ask what you have.

You start off talking about Reports and later Web Sites, and the options are different for the two media.

All FH Reports can be saved as PDF and converted to ePub or Mobi format using free online converters and downloadable apps. A quick Google search found plenty.

Web Site HTML is a different scenario. Again a Google search found plenty of free possibilities for converting HTML to ePub or Mobi. http://calibre-ebook.com/ got several mentions.

Alternatively, why not simply use an actual Web Site. If you cannot host your own, then there are several free possibilities. (Not sure if Kindle can access websites, but most other devices can.) Ancestry and FindMyPast and ZoomPast offer free family trees built from a GEDCOM file exported via the Export Gedcom File Plugin. The main drawback is that currently Media images are not automatically uploaded, but FindMyPast and ZoomPast are working on it.

[Valkrider]

Richard

PDF in not a good source format for creating a good eBook from the converters do not do a very good job.

epub uses conventional html and css files inside a zip file with the epub extension. You can use Calibre (free), Jutoh (paid) or Sigil (free) to convert the html files into an epub and then used calibre to convert it to mobi format.

Don't forget that the black and white eBook readers don't do a great job of displaying photos, however tablets using book reading programmes will display them well.

[repworth]

Thanks Mike & Colin
I have already done what you suggest Mike.

However:
Websites
The website creation facility is very useful as it allows me to update the site frequently from within FH with just a few clicks.
The Websites are quickly searchable and provide useful internal hotlinks. Simply giving people copies of the website to read on their various electronic devices is not a good option as most people are unfamiliar with handling the thousands of files.

Reports are great for a more permanent hardcopy tailored for a group of family members.
In the print version their size precludes frequent updates (and wastes trees), and searching is more difficult.

Reports in electronic format can be quickly updated, are easily distributable, and are more accessible to the younger generation with tablets/phones etc..
The PDF format is an electronic version of the hard copy, but lacks the flexibility of a proper eBook (No rescaling for different size displays, and less flexibility with hotlinks).

eBooks displayed on a tablet can look wonderful.
Yes, I could use Sigil or Calibre to handcraft my website into an ebook (I tried it already), but that requires some effort to get something that looks OK on a range of electronic devices, and the effort deters me from making any regular updates

ebooks would appear to have a permanent place in the future. Many young people prefer the convenience, so I'm pretty sure that in a decade or so, most genealogy software will offer a report output in this format.

So something for the future I hope.

Cheers

[tatewise]

Websites

Instead of giving people copies of your website files, why not just give them your website online address?
Just like all the ones here: links:index|> Member Web Sites.

Alternatively, upload your GEDCOM file to Ancestry or FindMyPast or ZoomPast and share them with whoever you wish.

[repworth]

"why not just give them your website online address?"
Mike, my idea is to give people an eBook.
This would provide the value of full web access without needing an internet connection, and be easy to read/study on any eBook reader.
I already have my website on my Kindle but navigation is cumbersome.
The website publishing feature only needs a few tweaks to make it suitable.
Cheers
Richard

[tatewise]

Richard, what are the few tweaks that would make the FH website wizard suitable?

I suspect navigation on an eBook reader like Kindle will always be cumbersome, due to the slow refresh rate of ink display screens, regardless of whether online website or offline eBook.

One other option to consider is to find one or two inexpensive Family Tree apps for iPad/Android, and use the Export Gedcom File Plugin to create a database for those apps that can be sent to whoever needs them.

[Valkrider]

Richard

Did you try any of the software I suggested to convert from HTML to eBook?

Like Mike asks what are the tweaks you may also be able to do them in the eBook software as well or instead of in FH.

[repworth]

Thanks Valkrider/Mike/Colin
eBooks are read on most devices nowadays, not just on electronic-ink devices like the basic Kindles. I read ebooks on my Desktop, Kindle, phone and tablet, most of which are as equally fast at refreshing pages as a browser.
eBooks bought from Amazon are automatically synchronised across these different devices so I can always carry on reading from where I get to, whichever physical device I have with me.

The benefit of an ebook export module in FH would be the speed in creating updated reports in hyperlinkable ebook format.

I used Calibre and Sigil extensively for final editing an ebook I wrote: (http://www.humanbottleneck.com)
Manually editing an FH website in Sigil or Calibre takes time because it splits pages that must be recombined.

I wrote the book using a great program called Scrivener (also recommended by some genealogists for narrative reports: http://www.thearmchairgenealogist.com/p ... iting.html).
Among all the output options there is one that creates eBook format, incredibly useful for quickly sharing manuscripts with others.

The one essential would be to allow several different report settings to be saved. Does anyone know how to do this currently with the web publishing? I may have missed it.

Thanks
Richard

[tatewise]

Richard says: The one essential would be to allow several different report settings to be saved. Does anyone know how to do this currently with the web publishing?

If you really mean just Report settings, then you can save as many as you like.
Use the Publish command with your chosen type of Report, customise the options as required, then use Save Report As > Custom Report Type and give it a suitable name. That Custom Report Type can then be chosen in the Create a Website wizard at Step 3. That technique is described in more detail in how_to:make_family_tree|> Make a Family Tree CD/DVD or Website under how_to:make_family_tree:step_3_choose_report_template|> Family Tree Wizard ~ Step 3 – Choose Report Template, and each time you run the wizard you can choose a different Custom Report Type.

On the other hand, if you mean save the Create a Website wizard settings themselves, then that is more difficult.
Its settings are saved in the <Project> folder in ...My Documents\Family Historian Projects\<Project>\<Project>.fh_data\Settings\CreateWeb.fha where <Project> is the Project name. The Make a Family Tree CD/DVD wizard settings are saved in the same folder in CreateCD.fha. So that effectively allows two settings, but to save more would require some management of those .fha files, by manually renaming/moving them, or by creating a Plugin to do so.

[repworth]

Thanks Mike. Useful information as always.
"to save more would require some management of those .fha files, by manually renaming/moving them"

Do you know if there is any fundamantal reason why the option to save different Report formats, could not be equally applied to the web publish formats (in the future)?

Cheers
Richard

[tatewise]

There is no fundamental reason why that is not possible, but it is up to Calico Pie to implement.
In the meantime a Plugin would allow alternative settings to be managed.

[repworth]

Mike, I'm unfamiliar with how to create plugins. Do you know anyone who I might encourage/ask about creating one?
Many Thanks
Richard

[tatewise]

I might find time when I get back from holiday.

[repworth]

Hope you have a great holiday then Mike!
Cheers
Richard