SAMPLE of Fixed Layout ePub With Overlapping Text/Illustrations?

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SAMPLE of Fixed Layout ePub With Overlapping Text/Illustrations?

If you walk into any Apple store and check out the iBooks app, you'll see the children's book Olivia (the pig). It's a perfect example of fixed-layout ePub. The text is all selectable, meaning it's not just part of the graphic (illustration). This is true even on pages where the text actually overlaps the illustration.

I've searched high and low, but I can't find a (DRM-free) sample of how to do this. Does anyone know where one might be found?

Please don't point me to sites or guides that tell how to make fixed-layout ePub files. I've searched the web pretty heavily and I know about these guides — I can make a fixed-layout ePub just fine. What I really, really need is a sample ePub file that features selectable text overlapping an illustration.

Getting desperate,

Darel

Posted on Jul 12, 2011 8:10 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 24, 2011 6:14 AM in response to DarelRex

Hi Desperate Darel.

I'm just looking for the same stuff: did you hppen to find something, and willing to share ?

Sorry if you did'nt and i gave you false hope ...

Also desparate,

Joel

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Answer 2

DarelRex Author

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Nov 24, 2011 7:48 AM in response to imprimeur

Yes! I found it here:

http://blog.threepress.org/2011/01/17/understanding-apples-fixed-layout-epubs

Happy Turkey Day

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Answer 3

DarelRex Author

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Nov 24, 2011 7:55 AM in response to DarelRex

Hmmm.. Actually, that site may not have an example of text overlapping a graphic. I will make one and then send you a link to it, probably today.

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Answer 4

DarelRex Author

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Nov 24, 2011 9:58 AM in response to DarelRex

OK, I made my own sample book! 😝 Enjoy:

http://alienryderflex.com/My%20Fixed-Layout%20(Facing%20Pages)%20Book.epub.zip

To open this file, change the extension "epub" to "zip", then unzip it.

After you have changed it into your book, you will need to re-zip it, but you can't do that with any ordinary zipping app — you must get the app "ePub Zip" to do it right.

You should also get the app "ePubChecker" which will tell you if anything is wrong with the formatting of your epub file.

There are a couple important notes in my sample book itself (on pages 1 and 4) – be sure to read them.

Good luck!

Darel

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Answer 5

Nov 25, 2011 12:48 AM in response to DarelRex

Well, thanks a lot Darel.

I do use Epucheck, and the latest version (3.0b3) do make the compression for you.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Joel

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Answer 6

Dec 19, 2011 5:27 PM in response to DarelRex

Darel,

I have spent tons of my time in this epub fixed lay-out trying to make it right. My question is: if I use your sample fixed lay-out as a template, I can surely easily change the jpg images under the IMAGES folder, but how do I change the html images? Lots of appreciation if I can have the answer soon!

Sincerely,

Jessica

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Answer 7

DarelRex Author

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Dec 21, 2011 2:53 PM in response to bojinggai

Jessica,

Are you talking about having messages mixed into the HTML, in addition to doing images the way I demonstrated in my example book? If so, I haven't tried that, and I don't think it would work, since the whole point of the fixed-layout format is to exactly control where everything goes on each page: images, text, everything. Mixing images into the text makes sense for a non-fixed-layout ePub.

If that's not what you meant, I apologize — please explain further. 🙂

Darel

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Answer 8

lici-

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Dec 15, 2012 12:58 PM in response to DarelRex

Hi Darel,

The link to the zip file is broken. I really would like to see your sample book. Do you mind reposting? That post is a year old, have you come across anything newer to help with text ontop of a graphic?

Thank you,

lici

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Answer 9

DarelRex Author

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Dec 31, 2012 4:52 AM in response to lici-

Sorry — try this link: http://alienryderflex.com/My%20Fixed-Layout%20(Facing%20Pages)%20Book.zip

And let me know if you have any other questions about it. 🙂

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Answer 10

DarelRex Author

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Dec 31, 2012 4:54 AM in response to DarelRex

The last time I tried to open it, the cover image was distorted somehow. I'm not sure what's up with that, but at least it does show now to overlay selectable text on top of a full-page graphic image.

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Answer 11

DarelRex Author

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Dec 31, 2012 4:55 AM in response to DarelRex

Hmmm.. I just noticed that if you click that latest link I gave you, it unzips the file for you, which is not really what you want. Try this link instead: http://alienryderflex.com/My%20Fixed-Layout%20(Facing%20Pages)%20Book.epub

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Answer 12

DarelRex Author

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Dec 31, 2012 5:02 AM in response to DarelRex

No, that doesn't work either. Arrrggh. There is a problem with how Safari on a Mac handles an epub file. (It doesn't.)

Here's my best guess as to the right way to get the file. First, click this link: http://alienryderflex.com/My%20Fixed-Layout%20(Facing%20Pages)%20Book.zip and it will put the zip file in your Trash can. Drag the zip file out of the Trash, rename it to end in .epub instead of .zip, then e-mail it to yourself. Open the email on your iOS device, and it will give you the option to open the file in the iBooks app. Then you can browse the book and see what it looks like.

To see how it was made, unzip the .zip file and look at the files inside it.

Good luck,

Darel

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