The EPUB standard for ebooks is ridiculously popular . While Amazon ’s Kindle spread the notion of having a consecrated due east - lecturer and an attached , constantly updated bookstore , the EPUB format allowed newspaper publisher to tailor their output to a single stipulation .
EPUB is support in both digital - rights cope ( DRM ) method acting for proprietary bookstore , like Apple ’s iBookstore , as well as an unencrypted format that can be read on almost every machine and in every bit of computer software ( including iBooks)—except Kindle .
Because of that broad financial backing , it ’s a reasonable format to distribute anything in , and Pages ’ 09 ( version 4 ) and Pages 5 both offer an export pick . you could make a document in Pages , InDesign , and other software , and then export to PDF and EPUB for dissimilar methods of distribution or to dissimilar function . ( I just finished a ego - release book using InDesign in just this way . )
But the standard use of EPUB is for a reflowable document , like a advanced WWW pageboy . EPUB is n’t a monolithic file format , as much as a specification . In fact , an EPUB “ file ” is a zipped folder of specialized HTML document , image , and other information that can be audit and modify . This is quite useful for tweaking CSS ( Cascading Style Sheets ) flair that are used for World Wide Web pages and EPUB volume to control type , paragraph formatting , prototype wrap - around , and much more .
While the reach of CSS is well beyond a brief article — there are Holy Scripture about it , and it ’s a always evolving standard — if you already know how to tweak hypertext markup language or CSS , you could fix up an EPUB . But how do you preview the issue ?
Apple offers Book Proofer , a Mac app you’re able to only download when you ’re a registered iBookstore vendor through its iTunes Connect portal , which can interactively preview changes in an EPUB ’s inherent files on a Mac and on attached iOS devices . However , Book Proofer abruptly stopped act with Yosemite without warning .
The functionality was shifted into iBooks for OS X through a slightly hide selection . SelectiBooks > Preferences , cluck the Advanced push , and chequer Enable Advanced Menu in Menu Bar . Now you ’ll have an Advanced menu . But before you get started , you have to prep your EPUB file .
Having gone that far , now you may return to iBooks and selectAdvanced > Add EPUB to Library as Proof . In my testing , the book come out initially at the end of the tilt of books in your Library , even if you haveSort By > Most Recentset in the bolt down - up menu at the Library ’s upper - rightfulness .
The EPUB appears with a Proof label superpose over its upper - correct recess . Double - flick it , and the proof spread out , and a Devices push button appears in the upper - right of the Holy Writ file in tatty purpleness . Click that , and you’re able to choose any connected iOS equipment that has the iBooks app installed and open frontmost . pick out a gadget , and the ledger will copied over . ( At the moment , Icannotget this to work from either of my main figurer with an iPhone 6 . Baffling . But colleagues account on success without any burps along the way . )
As you make changes in the EPUB Good Book , every time you save a filing cabinet , the proofed version in iBooks in OS X and iOS will updated , allowing you a not - quite - live , but jolly synergistic editing surround .
