What's under the hood of a fixed-layout e-book? In this presentation, created by Dave Cramer (Hachette), originally featured in the February 25th BISG webcast of same name, you'll have a look at the basics of file construction, learn about different approaches to creating fixed-layout books, and learn about common pitfalls from an expert in digital content creation. To view a recording of the WebEx webinar in which this presentation first appeared, please email your request to info@bisg.org. Standard rates apply: $49.00 for non-members, FREE for members.

1. Inside Fixed Layout
Dave Cramer / Hachette Book Group

2. Ten Questions
1. Why not PDF?
2. How do I draw the line?
3. Has anyone seen my viewport?
4. Why are all these positions so confusing?
5. Is this rendition ordinary?
6. Can’t we all just get along?
7. One lump or two?
8. How do I teach my book to speak?
9. Doc, what's wrong? This never happened before…
10. Are you kidding?You couldn’t pay me to do this stuff…

3. Why Not PDF?

4. How do I draw the line?

5. Images

6. <rect
x="72"
y="79.25"
fill-­‐rule="evenodd"
clip-­‐rule="evenodd"
fill="#F0F0F0"
width="468"
height="279"/>
<rect
x="72"
y="652.999"
fill-­‐rule="evenodd"
clip-­‐rule="evenodd"
fill="#F0F0F0"
width="468"
height="46.5"/>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
72
67.4458)"
font-­‐family="'SourceSansPro-­‐BoldIt'"
font-­‐size="11">HTML</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
76
90.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;?xml</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
108.5107
90.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">version=&quot;
1.0&quot;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
184.3691
90.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐
size="9">encoding=&quot;UTF-­‐8&quot;?&gt;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
76
105.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;html</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
108.5107
105.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">xmlns=&quot;http://
www.w3.org/</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
243.9722
105.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">1999/</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
271.0645
105.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">xhtml&quot;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
76
121.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">xmlns:epub=&quot;http://
www.idpf.org/</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
249.3906
121.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">2007/</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
276.4829
121.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">ops&quot;&gt;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
86.8369
136.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;head&gt;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
97.6738
152.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;meta</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
130.1846
152.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐
size="9">name=&quot;viewport&quot;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
216.8799
152.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐
size="9">content=&quot;width=600,</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
325.249
152.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">height=600&quot;/&gt;
text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
97.6738
167.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;meta</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
130.1846
167.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐
size="9">charset=&quot;utf-­‐8&quot;/&gt;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
97.6738
183.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;title&gt;The</tex
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
157.2769
183.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">Earth</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
189.7876
183.1157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">Book&lt;/title&gt;</
text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
97.6738
198.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">&lt;link</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
130.1846
198.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">href=&quot;css/</tex
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
184.3691
198.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">stylesheet.css&quot;
text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
271.0645
198.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">type=&quot;text/</te
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
330.668
198.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐size="9">css&quot;</text>
<text
transform="matrix(1
0
0
1
357.7598
198.6157)"
font-­‐family="'DejaVuSansMono'"
font-­‐
size="9">rel=&quot;stylesheet&quot;/&gt;</text>
SVG

7. <?xml
version="1.0"
encoding="UTF-­‐8"?>
<html
xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops">
<head>
<meta
name="viewport"
content="width=600,
height=600"/>
<meta
charset="utf-­‐8"/>
<title>The
Earth
Book</title>
<link
href="css/stylesheet.css"
type="text/css"
rel="stylesheet"/>
</head>
<body>
<div
class="page006">
<img
src="006.png"
alt="Girl
with
card
saying
I
love
you"/>
<p
class="p6l1">
<span
id="s6l1">I
use
both
sides
of
the
paper</span>
</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
HTML+CSS

8. HTML+CSS
Viewport in HTML
Absolute Positioning in CSS
Metadata in OPF

9. Has anyone seen my viewport?

10. <meta
name="viewport"
content="width=1200,
height=600"/>
1200
600
1200
600

11. 600

12. Why are all these
positions so confusing?

13. #thing1
{
background-­‐color:
pink;
padding:
10px;
}
#thing2
{
background-­‐color:
#CCC;
padding:
10px;
}

14. #thing1
{
background-­‐color:
pink;
position:
static;
padding:
10px;
}
#thing2
{
background-­‐color:
#CCC;
position:
relative;
top:
-­‐10px;
left:
20px;
padding:
10px;
}

15. #thing1
{
top:
55px;
left:
100px;
background-­‐color:
pink;
position:
absolute;
padding:
10px;
}
#thing2
{
top:
110px;
left:
55px;
background-­‐color:
#CCC;
position:
absolute;
padding:
10px;
}

16. <html>
<head>
<meta
name="viewport"
content="width=600,
height=600"
/>
<title>The
Earth
Book</title>
<link
href="css/style.css"
type="text/css"
rel="stylesheet"
/>
</head>
<body>
<div
class="page006">
<img
src="components/006.png"
alt="Girl
with
card"
/>
<p
class="p6l1">
<span
id="s6l1">I
use
both
sides
of
the
paper</span>
</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
body
{
width:
600px;
height:
600px;
}
img
{
position:
absolute;
width:
600px;
height:
600px;
top:
0;
left:
0;
z-­‐index:
-­‐1;
}
p
{
position:
absolute;
font-­‐size:
20px;
font-­‐family:
'Parr';
}
.page006
>
p
{
top:
50px;
left:
100px;
}
CSS
HTML

18. Is this rendition ordinary?
<meta
property="dcterms:modified">2013-­‐10-­‐13T19:05:04Z</meta>
<meta
property="rendition:layout">pre-­‐paginated</meta>
<meta
property="rendition:orientation">portrait</meta>
<meta
property="rendition:spread">none</meta>
<meta
name="cover"
content="cover-­‐image"/>
<meta
property="ibooks:version">1.0.1</meta>

19. <meta
property="rendition:layout">pre-­‐paginated</meta>
<meta
property="rendition:layout">reflowable</meta>

20. <itemref
id="s22"
properties="rendition:layout-­‐reflowable
rendition:spread-­‐auto"/>
Spine Override

21. Orientation
<meta
property="rendition:orientation">landscape</meta>
<itemref
id="s009"
properties="rendition:orientation-­‐
portrait"/>

22. Spread
<meta
property="rendition:spread">both</
meta>
<itemref id="p003"
properties="rendition:spread-none"/>

23. One lump or two?
p1.html
p2.html p3.html
p4.html p5.html
p1.html
p2–3.html
p4–5.html
One file, one page One file, one spread

24. Spread Options
none never create synthetic
spreads
two pages per file /
books that don't
need spreads
landscape only create spreads in
landscape
portrait only create spreads in
portrait
both always create spreads one page per file
but need spreads
auto reading system decides

25. page-spread-*
<itemref
id="page001"
properties="rendition:page-­‐spread-­‐left"/>

26. Can’t we all just get along?

27. Amazon
<meta
name="original-­‐resolution"
content="1024x600"/>
<meta
name="RegionMagnification"
content="true"/>
<meta
name="book-­‐type"
content="children"/>

28. Apple
<meta
property="ibooks:ipad-­‐orientation-­‐lock">portrait-­‐only</meta>
<meta
property="ibooks:ipad-­‐orientation-­‐lock">landscape-­‐only</meta>
<meta
property="ibooks:iphone-­‐orientation-­‐lock">portrait-­‐only</meta>
<meta
property="ibooks:iphone-­‐orientation-­‐lock">landscape-­‐only</meta>
<meta
property="ibooks:specified-­‐fonts">true</meta>
<meta
property="ibooks:binding">false</meta>

29. Pidgin eBooks
• based on HTML+CSS
• redundant metadata
• one file per spread
• use SVG for text on paths
• JS popups to enlarge text
• design for tablets if possible

30. How do I teach my
book to speak?
HTML SMIL AUDIO

31. <smil>
<body>
<seq>
<par>
<text
src="test.html#word1"/>
<audio
src="audio.mp3"
clipBegin="00:00:00.000"
clipEnd="00:00:01.063"/>
</par>
</seq>
<seq>
<par>
<text
src="test.html#word2"/>
<audio
src="audio.mp3"
clipBegin="00:00:01.063"
clipEnd="00:00:02.871"/>
</par>
</seq>
</body>
</smil>
<html>
<body>
<section>
<p>
<span
class="word1">Hello</span>
<span
class="word2">World</span>
</p>
</section>
</body>
</html>
HTML
SMIL

32. Doc, what's wrong?
• Embed (legally) all your fonts if the design depends
on it.
• Be wary of text-align: justify
• Don't over-constrain boxes
• relative positioning
• not all CSS is supported
• TOC
• Viewports

33. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta name="viewport" content="width=864.00, height=1080.00" /><title>Isa Does it</title><link href="styles/
template.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link href="styles/sbs.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link href="styles/sbs-portrait.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link href="styles/slider.css"
type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link href="styles/timer.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><style type="text/css">
.i0 {position: absolute; left: 79.50px; top: 30px; width: 864.00px; height: 1080.00px; z-index: 00;} .p1 {position: absolute; left: 429.60px; top: 456px; width: 429.60px; height: 23.18px; z-index: 1001; line-height: 17px;
text-indent: 27px;} .p3 {position: absolute; left: 429.60px; top: 422px; width: 453.56px; height: 23.18px; z-index: 1003; line-height: 17px;} .p6 {position: absolute; left: 429.60px; top: 371px; width: 437.06px; height:
23.18px; z-index: 1006; line-height: 17px;} .p9 {position: absolute; left: 429.60px; top: 321px; width: 453.51px; height: 23.18px; z-index: 1009; line-height: 17px;} .p12 {position: absolute; left: 429.60px; top: 271px;
width: 466.47px; height: 23.18px; z-index: 10012; line-height: 17px;} .p13 {position: absolute; left: 135.00px; top: 544px; width: 158.36px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10013;} .p15 {position: absolute; left: 150.00px; top:
516px; width: 261.29px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10015; line-height: 13px; text-indent: -15px;} .p16 {position: absolute; left: 134.62px; top: 494px; width: 123.56px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10016;} .p19 {position:
absolute; left: 150.62px; top: 466px; width: 297.83px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10019; line-height: 13px; text-indent: -15px;} .p21 {position: absolute; left: 134.62px; top: 445px; width: 216.58px; height: 21.25px; z-
index: 10021;} .p23 {position: absolute; left: 135.00px; top: 426px; width: 178.19px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10023;} .p25 {position: absolute; left: 150.00px; top: 399px; width: 273.50px; height: 21.25px; z-index:
10025; line-height: 13px; text-indent: -15px;} .p26 {position: absolute; left: 134.62px; top: 377px; width: 184.38px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10026;} .p28 {position: absolute; left: 135.00px; top: 359px; width:
295.56px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10028;} .p29 {position: absolute; left: 135.00px; top: 341px; width: 243.36px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10029;} .p31 {position: absolute; left: 150.00px; top: 313px; width: 279.24px;
height: 21.25px; z-index: 10031; line-height: 13px; text-indent: -15px;} .p32 {position: absolute; left: 134.62px; top: 291px; width: 242.68px; height: 21.25px; z-index: 10032;} .p34 {position: absolute; left: 135.00px;
top: 273px; width: 198.90px; height: 21.26px; z-index: 10034;} .p37 {position: absolute; left: 387.30px; top: 664px; width: 523.01px; height: 22.09px; z-index: 10037; line-height: 20px;} .p43 {position: absolute; left:
387.30px; top: 536px; width: 486.62px; height: 22.09px; z-index: 10043; line-height: 20px;} .p44 {position: absolute; left: 387.66px; top: 202px; width: 464.57px; height: 25.73px; z-index: 10044;} .p47 {position:
absolute; left: 299.16px; top: 97px; width: 565.22px; height: 66.15px; z-index: 10047;} .p48 {position: absolute; left: 135.00px; top: 1040px; width: 143.50px; height: 12.88px; z-index: 10048;}</style></head><body
class="recipe left peach"><div class="recipeName"><span class="high">Mediterranean</span><br />Overnight Scramble</div><div class="sbs-trigger"></div><div><img src="images/p252.jpg" alt="images" /></
div><div class="new"><p class="p48"><span class="textStyle2855">244 Isa Does It </span></p><p class="p47"><span class="textStyle2857 ls6">mediterranean</span></p><p class="p44"><span
class="textStyle2859 ws5">serves 4</span><span class="textStyle2860"> .</span><span class="textStyle2859 ws5"> total time: 20 mins</span><span class="textStyle2860"> .</span><span class="textStyle2859
ws5"> active time: 20 mins</span></p><p class="p43"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">Crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl. </span> <span class="stepSplit"></span> <span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">Now mash it with your hands until</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">it’s very crumbly and only pea-size pieces remain.
You don’t want it to</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">be completely mushy. </span> <span class="stepSplit"></span> <span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141
ws-1">Add the olives, red pepper, lemon juice, nutritional</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">yeast, thyme, basil, garlic, turmeric, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and</
span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">black pepper, and mix well with your hands. </span> <span class="stepSplit"></span> <span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141
ws-1">Cover with plastic wrap and</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">refrigerate overnight.</span></p><p data-timer-config='{"minutes":"5"}' class="p37"><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">In the morning, preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">and add
the oil. Cook the tofu for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141 ws-1">heated through and lightly browned. Serve.</span></p><p
class="p34"><span class="textStyle1908">14 ounces extra</span><span class="textStyle1911">–</span><span class="textStyle1908">firm tofu</span></p><p class="p32"><span
class="textStyle141a">&#x00BC;</span><span class="textStyle1908"> cup kalamata olives, chopped</span></p><p class="p31"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">1 roasted red pepper
(store</span><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1911">–</span><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">bought</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">or
homemade; see <a href="p118.xhtml">page 118</a>)</span></p><p class="p29"><span class="textStyle1908">2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</span></p><p class="p28"><span class="textStyle1908">2
tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes</span></p><p class="p26"><span class="textStyle141a">&#x00BD;</span><span class="textStyle1908"> teaspoon dried thyme</span></p><p class="p25"><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">basil leaves</span></p><p class="p23"><span
class="textStyle1908">2 cloves garlic, minced</span></p><p class="p21"><span class="textStyle141a">&#x00BC;</span><span class="textStyle1908"> teaspoon ground turmeric</span></p><p
class="p19"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle141a">&#x00BC;</span><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908"> teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes</span><br /><span style="line-
height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">(optional)</span></p><p class="p16"><span class="textStyle141a">&#x00BC;</span><span class="textStyle1908"> teaspoon salt</span></p><p class="p15"><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">Several pinches of freshly ground</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1908">black pepper</span></p><p class="p13"><span
class="textStyle1908">1 tablespoon olive oil</span></p><p class="p12"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">If you can take 10 minutes to mash a bunch of stuff up in a bowl the</
span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">night before, you can have scrambled tofu in 7 minutes the next</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31
ws-1">morning.This scramble is perfect for tucking into an on</span><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1910">–</span><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">the</span><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle1910">–</span><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">go</span></p><p class="p9"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">wrap, with
things like avocado, hummus, and lettuce, or try a big</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">scoop on your bagel. Of course, you can also serve it with roasted</span><br /><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">potatoes, like a civilized human being.What’s so great is how</span></p><p class="p6"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">effortless it is.
There’s a little chopping, but nothing you can’t</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">handle before bed, and the rest is just like playing in the sandbox,</span><br /><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">mushing the tofu up with your hands and adding a host of flavorful</span></p><p class="p3"><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31
ws-1">ingredients that season your tofu as you sleep.A quick sauté the</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">next morning and you’re done.</span></p><p class="p1"><span
style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">Naturally, if you want to make this right away and eat it, that</span><br /><span style="line-height: 2px;" class="textStyle31 ws-1">is totally cool, too. No need
to let it sit overnight.</span></p><script src="scripts/libs/jquery.js"></script><script src="scripts/events.js"></script><script src="scripts/Timer.js"></script><script src="scripts/slider.js"></script><script
src="scripts/libs/iscroll.js"></script><script src="scripts/autoMailer.js"></script><script src="scripts/SBS.js"></script></div></body></html>
Are you kidding?

34. Questions
but, perhaps, not answers

35. ThankYou!
Dave Cramer
dave.cramer@hbgusa.com
@dauwhe