Problems with Ebook software

savingforoz

Hopefully someone will be able to help!

I am about to launch a website selling health related e-books, and have purchased software to convert my documents in e-books. The software looks quite simple - save Word documents as html files, direct the software at the html file, press compile, and hey presto, I should have a completed e-book - but sadly no! All I get is a 1 page document, with just the footer from the original Word document -no other text, no pictures, nothing.

I've been playing email tennis for ages now with the software support guys, who seem unable to give any help as to what the problem might be. Does anyone have experience in using e-book software? When I evaluated the various packages, they all seemed very similar and to work in the way I've described above.

All help gratefully received - I just want to get on and launch my business!

ABH_3

savingforoz wrote: »

Hopefully someone will be able to help!

I am about to launch a website selling health related e-books, and have purchased software to convert my documents in e-books. The software looks quite simple - save Word documents as html files, direct the software at the html file, press compile, and hey presto, I should have a completed e-book - but sadly no! All I get is a 1 page document, with just the footer from the original Word document -no other text, no pictures, nothing.

I've been playing email tennis for ages now with the software support guys, who seem unable to give any help as to what the problem might be. Does anyone have experience in using e-book software? When I evaluated the various packages, they all seemed very similar and to work in the way I've described above.

All help gratefully received - I just want to get on and launch my business!

You might wish to include a url to the software you're talking about as you never know someone might have it. I assume this is what you're hoping by asking here.

Alternatively, a quick google turns up this guy: http://www.ezau.com/latest/articles/055.shtml who seems to be doing quite nicely out of this kinda thing, I suppose you ought to be greatful he didn't put it in an ebook and try to sell it

Doesn't Open Office do this for you? Open file, save as .pdf?

HTH

savingforoz

The software is from www.antssoft.com and is called Ebook Maker.

As for saving as a pdf file, the software specifies that it must be saved from Word into an html file, rather than a pdf. Pdf - no problem, I can do that, but I want to distribute the material as an e-book rather than a pdf file.

My last email to their support mentioned getting a refund under their 30 day guarantee policy if I can't get it to work, so perhaps that might light a fire under their support guy, who has been very pleasant but not actually solved the issue!

I just want to get my business going :rolleyes: !

ABH_3

savingforoz wrote: »

The software is from www.antssoft.com and is called Ebook Maker.

As for saving as a pdf file, the software specifies that it must be saved from Word into an html file, rather than a pdf. Pdf - no problem, I can do that, but I want to distribute the material as an e-book rather than a pdf file.

My last email to their support mentioned getting a refund under their 30 day guarantee policy if I can't get it to work, so perhaps that might light a fire under their support guy, who has been very pleasant but not actually solved the issue!

I just want to get my business going :rolleyes: !

I can appreciate that, but judging by the 'reviews' here though not exactly indepth, the program seems to have a problem: http://www.download.com/EbookMaker/3000-2189_4-10617635.html you may do better with another package that does the same thing.

I'm obviously not the right person to ask on this, as I don't quite understand the distinction between .pdf and 'e-books' I thought they were pretty much the same thing!? But obviously not

If I were you, I would request a refund and find another package to use, preferably one with more support and a user manual

Good luck with your new business venture.

U've_been_framed

How will your customers read these books? I tend to use mobipocket or microsoft reader and usually buy from fictionwise.com. Most of my ebooks are in .prc .pdb or Microsoft .lit format. I am sure google could tell you how to convert word documents into those formats.
If you want to sell books online you could possibly use lulu.com.

savingforoz

U've been framed - in theory, the ebook is downloaded as an exe file which needs no separate software to use. I will also be looking to sell on lulu.com, but they sell as pdf documents, which are no problem, can do that OK.

ABH, wish I'd seen that review first! I suspect you're right & I'll have to get a refund and try another programme.