Export content for EPUB | CS5.5

You can export a document or book as a reflowable eBook in EPUB format that is compatible with the Adobe Digital Editions reader software, and other eBook reader software.

InDesign creates a single .epub file containing the XHTML-based content. If specified, the exported file may include a cover image. The cover image is created from an image, or created by rasterizing the first page in the specified document (or the style source document if a book was selected). The thumbnail is used to depict the book in the EPUB readers or the Digital Editions Reader library view. To view the file, you need an EPUB reader. You can also use the Adobe Digital Editions software, which you can download free from the Adobe website.

Use the following links to learn about EPUB format.

• For more information on the EPUB format, see www.idpf.org.

• Download a free copy of the Digital Editions reader at www.adobe.com/products/digital-editions.html.

EPUB General export options

The General section of the EPUB Export Options dialog box includes the following options.

The metadata from the document (or the style source document if a book was selected) is included with the exported file.

Specify the publisher information that appears in the eBook metadata. You can specify a URL for the publisher so that someone who receives the eBook can visit the publisher’s website.

Every EPUB document requires a unique identifier. You can specify the unique identifier attribute. If you leave this field empty, a unique identifier is automatically created.

Specifies the cover image for the eBook. Choose one of the following:

If this option is selected no cover image is added to the eBook.

If this option is selected creates an image file by rasterizing the first page of the eBook to use as the cover.

If this option is selected you can specify an image on your computer to use as the cover.

Specify a simple margin in Ems or pixels. Specifying margins in Ems is better for multiscreen compatibility. The same value is applied to all margins: top, bottom, left, and right.

Select Map To Unordered List to convert bullet paragraphs into List Items, which are formatted in HTML using the <ul> tag. Select Convert To Text to format using the <p> tag with bullet characters as text. If you have used native InDesign auto-bullets, subbullets are also included.

Determines how numbers are converted in the HTML file. If you have used native InDesign auto-numbering, subbullets are also included

Converts numbered lists into List Items, which are formatted in HTML using the <ol> tag.

Converts numbered lists into List Items, but assigns a <value> attribute based on the paragraph’s current number in InDesign.

Converts numbered lists into paragraphs that begin with the paragraph’s current number as text.

Starts the Adobe Digital Editions Reader, if present.

EPUB Images options

The Images section of the Digital Editions Export Options dialog box includes the following options. From the Image Conversion menu, determine how images are exported to HTML.

Check to inherit the image object attributes from the layout.

Specify the resolution of the images in pixels per inch (ppi). While operating systems have standardized on either 72 ppi or 96 ppi, mobile devices range from 132 ppi (iPad), to 172 ppi (Sony Reader), to over 300 ppi (iPhone 4). You can specify a ppi value for each object selected. Values include 72, 96, 150 (average for all eBook devices today), and 300.

Specify if image size must remain fixed or resized relative to the page. Relative to Page Size sets a relative percentage value based on the size of the image relative to the InDesign page width. This option causes the images to rescale proportionally, relative to the width of the reading area.

Specify the image alignment, left, center, right, and the top and bottom padding.

Check to insert page breaks with images. Page breaks can be inserted Before Image, After Image, or Before and After Image.

Check to apply these settings to all anchored objects.

Lets you choose whether the optimized images in your document are converted to GIF, JPEG, or PNG. Choose Automatic to let InDesign decide which format to use in each instance. Choosing PNG disables the image compression settings.; use PNG for lossless images or for images that include transparency.

Lets you control how InDesign handles colors when optimizing GIF files. The GIF format uses a limited color palette, which cannot exceed 256 colors.

Choose Adaptive to create a palette using a representative sample of colors in the graphic without any dithering (mixing of small spots of colors to simulate additional colors). Choose Web to create a palette of web-safe colors that are a subset of Windows and Mac OS system colors. Choose System (Win) or System (Mac) to create a palette using the built‑in system color palette. This choice may cause unexpected results.

Select Interlace to load the images progressively by filling in missing lines. If this option is not selected, an image looks fuzzy and gradually becomes clear as the image reaches full resolution.

Determines the trade-off between compression (for smaller file sizes) and image quality for each JPEG image created. Low produces the smallest file and lowest image quality.

Determines how quickly JPEG graphics display when the file containing the image is opened on the web. Choose Progressive to make the JPEG images display gradually and in increasing detail as they are downloaded. (Files created with this option are slightly larger and require more RAM for viewing.) Choose Baseline to make each JPEG file displays only after it has been downloaded; a placeholder appears in its place until the file displays.

Ignores Object Export Options applied on individual images. See Apply Object export options.

EPUB Contents options

The Contents section of the EPUB Options dialog box includes the following options.

Specify whether you want to use the XHTML or DTBook format. DTBook is a specialized format that is intended for sight impaired end readers.

Select this option if you want to generate a table of contents based on the selected TOC style. From the TOC Style menu, specify the TOC style you want to use to build the table of contents in the eBook. You can choose Layout > Table Of Contents Styles to create a special TOC style for your eBook.

You can split the eBook at the specified paragraph style. Splitting results in a larger number of HTML files in the EPUB package, but can be helpful for breaking up long files and increases performance in the EPUB readers.

Check to place footnotes after the paragraph. If deselected, footnotes are converted to endnotes.

Check to remove all soft-returns in the exported eBook.

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are a collection of formatting rules that control the appearance of content in a web page. When you use CSS to format a page, you separate content from presentation.

When exporting to EPUB, you can create a list of CSS styles that can be edited.

If this option is selected, local formatting such as italic or bold is included.

Includes all fonts that are embeddable, in the eBook. Fonts include embedding bits that determine if the font is enbeddable.

Includes only undefined style names in the EPUB style sheet.

Specify the URL of the existing CSS style sheet, which is usually a relative URL, such as “/styles/style.css.” InDesign does not check whether the CSS exists or is valid, so you’ll want to confirm your CSS setup.

Related topics

Create and publish ebooks, brochures, flyers, postcards, posters, interactive page layouts, and more with Adobe InDesign.