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Pages to Word to Kindle problems

I'm trying to publish a book on Kindle, but I'm running in lots of trouble because I'm writing in Pages.


The preferred Kindle (KDP Amazon) method is using Mobi Creator but apparently Mac doesn't work with mobi; next best is using MS Word, compressing a Word .doc file with imbedded images and uploading that. And there's the problem because when I go from a Pages file to a Word .doc file, but I'm losing images, fonts are changing and text formatting is getting messed up. The "worst" format by Kindle standards is .pdf file because their conversion really doesn't work very well with it. Then it is further messed up using Mac OS file compression which apparently changes some coding compared to Windows "zip" compression but that's another issue.


Question #1: Is there any way to set up Pages to "save-as" or "export" into a Word file and keep all the formatting?

Question #2 : Since Pages doesn't support a "view source" function (unless I'm missing it?) , is there any way to see the formatting to double-check the conversion?


Brian Lawson

Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Jun 10, 2011 12:39 AM

Reply
31 replies

Jun 10, 2011 6:37 AM in response to azartguy

Question asked and answered many times.

If you want to get in Word your designed layout, work in Word (or in a true clone).

Pages is definitely not such an app.


question #1 : No, nobody may give you a trick to keep all the formatting

question #2 : You have no way to see the changes introduced by the conversion.


I wish to add that your statement :

Mac OS file compression which apparently changes some coding compared to Windows "zip"

is perfectly ridiculous !

The zip compression is a non destructive one and it has no impact upon the contents of the doc.

The changes which you get are related to :

(1) the export tool which is not designed to clone Word rendering

(2) to possible differences between the fonts available on the mac used to create the doc and the PC used to render it.


Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) vendredi 10 juin 2011 15:37:00

iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.7

Please : Search for questions similar to your own

before submitting them to the community


To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

Jun 10, 2011 1:26 PM in response to KOENIG Yvan

Well, so much for the friendly supportive world of Mac users.


First, thanks for answer the formatting question. But honestly, if I could have found the answer about compression by going through the archives I wouldn't have posted the question, so your "green" commentary on similar questions is unnecessary.


Now, as to the compression issue: you may think it's "perfectly ridiculous," but according to Kindle support, they say it is a problem they run into regularly when Mac users compress folders for uploading to KDP. So either they are making up bogus answers, or you're wrong on this one.


The "export tool" is Pages > Word > bundled in the folder with the image files and compressed. What other "tool" are you referring to? There is no "PC used to render" the file. This is all being done with Mac OS.


And by the way, is it necessary to post in colors and various font sizes for emphasis? I can read the response just fine without digital shouting.


Brian

Jun 10, 2011 1:43 PM in response to azartguy

(1) I repeat that questions about the fact that exporting to Word introduce changes in the layout were asked and answered many times.


(2) mac OS X offers a tool to compress files in zip format and when I send such ones to PC users, they are opened without any problem (of course I'm not fool enough yo send them Pages documents).

The fact that iWork use a proprietary tool to build flatFiles can't be a problem with Kindle because only Pages may read Pages documents.


(3) I repeat that your words about the zip files created by Pages are ridiculous and they are more ridiculous applied to doc files created when exporting as .doc because in this case, Pages doesn't compress the file !


(4) you respond without emphasis but with errors.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) vendredi 10 juin 2011 22:41:43

iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.7

Please : Search for questions similar to your own

before submitting them to the community


To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

Jun 10, 2011 4:21 PM in response to KOENIG Yvan

Well, Yvan, the French this wonderful way of showing disdain... just assume you're always right and any disagreement, by definition, therefore is wrong. You just say the thing can't happen ergo, is doesn't happen. Interesting approach, I have to try it some day when when I have few facts but many opinions. Be that as it may, since you insist on digital "yelling" (bold, underlined, colors etc) so I don't feel the need to go any further with you. Thank you.

Jun 10, 2011 4:24 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Tom, thanks for the feedback. I think you're right, Pages just isn't the tool for this. Too much, or too little hammer for the nail. I may just go ahead and partition the HD, load Windows XP and Office that I have lying around since I was running with the wrong crowd, and work from there. Nice be back to the 100+ temps here in the lovely SW...

Brian

Jun 11, 2011 1:37 AM in response to azartguy

OK

You can't accept that what you wrote is wrong.

It's your problem but it don't change the facts.

When Pages create a .doc file, it pack nothing.

When I send files zipped by mac OS X to PC users, they may expand them flawlessly.


Farewell.


Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) samedi 11 juin 2011 10:36:36

iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.7

Please : Search for questions similar to your own before submitting them to the community


To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

Jun 11, 2011 12:24 PM in response to azartguy

One thing to be alert to when publishing for the Kindle: it could be a waste of time to attend to format, images, color, etc. because the Kindle only produces in B&W and the user is pretty much in control of font characteristics. I suggest you stick with simple formatting in Word, keep images simple, if you even need them; and prepare a separate cover in Pages that you can convert to a jpg and upload that.

Dec 28, 2011 11:28 AM in response to Cattus Thraex

Cattus, you may be right. I was hoping for a one-step solution for all my word processing, and this would add yet another piece of software. I'd end up with Pages for my use, and OpenOffice for Kindle conversion, and might still need Word to deal with MS friends. As I mentioned to Mark (above) the conversion between Mac and MS word processing, while much better than it used to be, is still not full proof,

Brian

Dec 28, 2011 2:12 PM in response to azartguy

‘the conversion between Mac and MS word processing, while much better than it used to be, is still not full proof,—’


Was, is and will never be. Each app uses its capabilities and limitations, so export will NEVER be perfect, will require processing or reprocessing a certain amount of data. this is a small part of our life with computers.

Dec 28, 2011 6:43 PM in response to azartguy

With your word set up for Kindle, did you do a conversion with Kindlegen? any gotcha's to look out for? I'm working on making the word doc and it seems that going to the kindlegen would be the next step. I have almost gotten the Nook figured out. Much easier with that one. I am using pages epub exported file and the only issue has been the chapter header. I am finding that the iPad and Apple ePub are a couple of steps ahead of the others. Ah new technology and the teething problems it brings.

Dec 28, 2011 7:23 PM in response to mark harper

Mark, much as I hate to admit it, I never did get Kindle format/downlaod to work right on my last ebook. And kindlegen made a brain hurt. I think it's an Apple OS issue with file compression. Last time I suggested this here I was generally dismissed as an idiot, but file compression for Mac OS doesn't work the same way as Windows and Kindle download (for me) was always screwey. Watch out for cover jpeg integration in particular.


I finally just threw up my hands, begged for help, and one of the KDP techs fixed and downloaded the ebookfor me, and even then some of the formatting did odd little things with indents, paragraphs, and in particular, page breaks.


I agree epub with Pages files is a easy and transparent; and others seemed to handle the Pages>export to Word>kindle download without problems. Take a look at smashwords.com. I've got an ebook there and they distribute in all formats, including kindle, epub and epub for Mac. If nothing else, reading their exhaustive Style Guide formatting directions can be very informative even if you don't place a book with them.

Pages to Word to Kindle problems

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