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Post by author2021 on Oct 6, 2021 14:12:57 GMT
Although I have downloaded the Guide for creating a print book and a PDF template, I am still struggling. Do I have to specify page size in the original file or the PDF? Lulu suddenly decided last year to stop offering the file conversion tool that it had always provided before. Lulu demanded a PDF file, and the newer versions of MS Word have a built -in conversion option but I don't like the newer versions of MS word as they are far too complicated.
So I wrote my book file using LibreOffice because it is simpler and also has a built-in PDF file converter. But how do I make sure my text file is the correct size? I tried going into "page format" and choosing 15.4 x 21.6cm according to the template given. The result is a total mess. Text does not fit into the smaller pages but spills right over the edge. Pictures are all to one side. Quotations that had been carefully formatted are sprawled all over the place. If I upload a PDF file without reducing my original A4 size pages what will happen? I want to make a simple, straightforward paperback book of a standard size.
And is there a way of automatically creating an index? To do that I would have to know the final page numbers.
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Post by author2021 on Oct 6, 2021 14:49:23 GMT
i tried uploading my file converted to PDF and was not surprised to be told that the size of the print book will also be A4. How do I change it? There seems to be no option to select the size of the PDF. Altering the size of the text file gives awful results.
I also got this back from Lulu:- Images: Your file contains images with resolution less than 200 pixels per inch. Lulu suggests using images with a pixel per inch range of 200-600 for the best results.
Ink Coverage: Your file contains inks with high ink coverage requirements. Using Standard print for content with high ink coverage requirements may result in poor print quality. Please select Premium print or adjust your file to include lower ink coverage.
Transparency: We detected an element that may be transparent within your file. We strongly recommend flattening or removing any transparencies in your file.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 6, 2021 16:03:14 GMT
Although I have downloaded the Guide for creating a print book and a PDF template, I am still struggling. Do I have to specify page size in the original file or the PDF? Lulu suddenly decided last year to stop offering the file conversion tool that it had always provided before. Lulu demanded a PDF file, and the newer versions of MS Word have a built -in conversion option but I don't like the newer versions of MS word as they are far too complicated. So I wrote my book file using LibreOffice because it is simpler and also has a built-in PDF file converter. But how do I make sure my text file is the correct size? I tried going into "page format" and choosing 15.4 x 21.6cm according to the template given. The result is a total mess. Text does not fit into the smaller pages but spills right over the edge. Pictures are all to one side. Quotations that had been carefully formatted are sprawled all over the place. If I upload a PDF file without reducing my original A4 size pages what will happen? I want to make a simple, straightforward paperback book of a standard size. And is there a way of automatically creating an index? To do that I would have to know the final page numbers. Page size is set up in the original file, whether you use MS Word 97 or Libre Office Writer or a different word processing program.
When issues arise with built-in converters, you can also use an online convert-to-PDF.
That said, if you tried to change the page size smaller after originally formatting everything to a larger page size, then you have to go back and adjust everything to fit the new page size.
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Post by benziger on Oct 6, 2021 21:01:00 GMT
You may use the PDF export from LibreOffice. That works. But, do not use the icon on the bar, but use the menue File -> Export as PDF...
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Post by author2021 on Oct 7, 2021 9:32:05 GMT
Thank you, I appreciate these answers. How I wish Lulu had not withdrawn its file conversion process and left authors in the lurch like this. They should have issued a warning that we need to change the page size at the outset. Will standard A5 not suffice?
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 7, 2021 15:58:35 GMT
Thank you, I appreciate these answers. How I wish Lulu had not withdrawn its file conversion process and left authors in the lurch like this. They should have issued a warning that we need to change the page size at the outset. Will standard A5 not suffice? Okay, I pulled up Libre Office Writer and the default page size was US Letter size or 8.5" x 11" [216mm x 297mm].
If sending a new MS to a publisher, in the US they typically want it US Letter size, double spaced [which with a e-copy they could double space it themselves], and a specific font and size might be suggested.
If said MS is being mocked up for a book format and it's fiction, then the page size has to be adjusted from 8.5" x 11" down to [for example] 6" x 9" [152mm x 229mm].
Whether it's Lulu Press Inc, Kindle Direct Publishing, Ingram Spark, or a different service, it's up to the author be aware of things like the default page size of the word processor in use [with Libre Office or Open Office Writer and MS Word 97 it's 8.5" x 11"], since the page size in the word processor affects the output of a PDF writer / convertor.
On the Lulu Press Create page there is a design bundle [interior and cover templates] for the various sizes you can download for use with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. www.lulu.com/create/print-books
Self Publishing is in essence a job where you either learn each aspect as you go or you pay someone else to do things you are unable to do as professionally as possible.
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Post by Ken on Oct 8, 2021 6:57:17 GMT
Self Publishing is in essence a job where you either learn each aspect as you go or you pay someone else to do things you are unable to do as professionally as possible.
Well said.
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Post by author2021 on Oct 8, 2021 17:15:43 GMT
I created a PDF using the A% page size - there is a lot of choice in LibreOffice - and then laboriously changed all the formatting to match. When I uploaded this in PDF form to Lulu I got this warning " Page Layout: The page size or orientation differs within your PDF. Please ensure that all pages are the same size and oriented the same way (Portrait or Landscape)." I don't understand how some page sizes could be different. Is it the pictures?
Also what is all this about ink coverage? " Ink Coverage: Your file contains inks with high ink coverage requirements. Using Standard print for content with high ink coverage requirements may result in poor print quality. Please select Premium print or adjust your file to include lower ink coverage.
Transparency: We detected an element that may be transparent within your file. We strongly recommend flattening or removing any transparencies in your file." What do they mean by transparent? I know everything in the PDF is flattened.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 8, 2021 17:57:51 GMT
I created a PDF using the A% page size - there is a lot of choice in LibreOffice - and then laboriously changed all the formatting to match. When I uploaded this in PDF form to Lulu I got this warning " Page Layout: The page size or orientation differs within your PDF. Please ensure that all pages are the same size and oriented the same way (Portrait or Landscape)." I don't understand how some page sizes could be different. Is it the pictures? Also what is all this about ink coverage? " Ink Coverage: Your file contains inks with high ink coverage requirements. Using Standard print for content with high ink coverage requirements may result in poor print quality. Please select Premium print or adjust your file to include lower ink coverage. Transparency: We detected an element that may be transparent within your file. We strongly recommend flattening or removing any transparencies in your file." What do they mean by transparent? I know everything in the PDF is flattened. Okay, A5 page size, and you reformatted. Before you set the page size, did you do Select All [Ctrl A]? It may sound stupid, I know, but if you have multiple sections within the original document in order to accommodate how headers are handled at the beginning of chapters it's possible to have more than one page size and orientation [landscape versus portrait].
On the ink coverage, not something I've ever run into because I write speculative fiction without images. That said, if you have images with a high DPI it would tend to require more ink which means a greater possibility of ink bleed-through. I scanned pics and service records of my father [WWII service] to send to my oldest brother at the highest setting possible [per my brother's request], which happened to be 2500 DPI. Those pics and documents would need to be printed on thicker paper otherwise they'd bleed-through lighter paper.
Transparencies to the best of my knowledge are basically layers of varying opacity in an image, and you would use an image editor like GIMP [Photoshop, whatever] to flatten the image into one layer before adding it to the document and exporting as a PDF. It's similar to flattening a cover image in your image editor. It reduces overall file size and removes the possibility of an image created in one program displaying inaccurately in another program.
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Post by BlueAndGold on Oct 8, 2021 18:50:34 GMT
I have run into the "high ink coverage" issue before when I had B&W images with a lot of B. I simply increased the brightness and/or contrast (if memory serves) of the photos and it worked out fine. I don't remember if the "warning message" ever went away, but the photos looked fine upon printing proof copies, both before and after the changes.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2021 7:17:44 GMT
I created a PDF using the A% page size - there is a lot of choice in LibreOffice - and then laboriously changed all the formatting to match. When I uploaded this in PDF form to Lulu I got this warning " Page Layout: The page size or orientation differs within your PDF. Please ensure that all pages are the same size and oriented the same way (Portrait or Landscape)." I don't understand how some page sizes could be different. Is it the pictures? Also what is all this about ink coverage? " Ink Coverage: Your file contains inks with high ink coverage requirements. Using Standard print for content with high ink coverage requirements may result in poor print quality. Please select Premium print or adjust your file to include lower ink coverage. Transparency: We detected an element that may be transparent within your file. We strongly recommend flattening or removing any transparencies in your file." What do they mean by transparent? I know everything in the PDF is flattened. If you print a PDF using PDFx1a setting it will take care of all your ink problems automatically, and your transparencies and anything else. Download a trial version of Adobe Pro.
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Post by author2021 on Oct 11, 2021 12:43:04 GMT
Thank you Retread and Blue and Gold for your suggestions. Since then I have managed to s ort of all the problems apart from the one about embedding fonts. The Lulu system now seems to be satisfied that my A5 text is the correct page size and it is no longer mentioning ink coverage. However, I do still keep getting this message "Fonts: We found some fonts in your file that need to be embedded. Please review your PDF and make sure all Fonts are embedded."
I have been to the length of converting the original LibreOffice file into Microsoft Word then re-embedding all the fonts (first pressing Ctrl + A to make sure I am selecting ALL) saving, closing and re-converting more than once into PDF. But over and over again Lulu insists that the fonts are not all embedded. Also they don't answer queries. There really is nothing more that I can do as far as I can see. I embedded fonts - they say "You haven't embedded fonts". Where to go from there?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2021 14:12:15 GMT
Thank you Retread and Blue and Gold for your suggestions. Since then I have managed to s ort of all the problems apart from the one about embedding fonts. The Lulu system now seems to be satisfied that my A5 text is the correct page size and it is no longer mentioning ink coverage. However, I do still keep getting this message "Fonts: We found some fonts in your file that need to be embedded. Please review your PDF and make sure all Fonts are embedded." I have been to the length of converting the original LibreOffice file into Microsoft Word then re-embedding all the fonts (first pressing Ctrl + A to make sure I am selecting ALL) saving, closing and re-converting more than once into PDF. But over and over again Lulu insists that the fonts are not all embedded. Also they don't answer queries. There really is nothing more that I can do as far as I can see. I embedded fonts - they say "You haven't embedded fonts". Where to go from there? Have you tried printing at the PDFx1a setting using a trial version of Adobe Pro? It embeds and everything else. You will have a perfect PDF.
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Post by BlueAndGold on Oct 11, 2021 14:16:20 GMT
The free (no strings attached) DoPDF add-in for MSWord also has an "embed fonts" checkbox that seems to work. I have never had an issue with it and all my PDF's have correct-looking fonts on every platform I've viewed them on.
Sorry I can't help with the LibreOffice.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Oct 11, 2021 14:18:07 GMT
Thank you Retread and Blue and Gold for your suggestions. Since then I have managed to s ort of all the problems apart from the one about embedding fonts. The Lulu system now seems to be satisfied that my A5 text is the correct page size and it is no longer mentioning ink coverage. However, I do still keep getting this message "Fonts: We found some fonts in your file that need to be embedded. Please review your PDF and make sure all Fonts are embedded." I have been to the length of converting the original LibreOffice file into Microsoft Word then re-embedding all the fonts (first pressing Ctrl + A to make sure I am selecting ALL) saving, closing and re-converting more than once into PDF. But over and over again Lulu insists that the fonts are not all embedded. Also they don't answer queries. There really is nothing more that I can do as far as I can see. I embedded fonts - they say "You haven't embedded fonts". Where to go from there? You can embed the fonts in Writer or Word 97, then embed the fonts when you convert to PDF, and still get an error message if you have one space listing a font that isn't embedded because the font isn't actually in use. I ran into that a while back, hunted through the document, and finally found an empty box for a page number. After I deleted the box the error went away. Sometimes the issue is neither obvious nor is it easy to locate.
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