iBook Author

[mperdue]

I've started converting my first book to iBook format using iBooks Author. It's a pretty amazing program. It will be interesting to see how well this format and program are adopted by writers and publishers.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I think you mean iBook Author. I can edit the title if you'd like.

 

[mperdue]

I do mean iBooks Author. Please fix it for me.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I still have not had much time to play with it, but am planning on creating an iBook with some interactive tools I have. I like that the interface pretty much looks like Pages and Numbers, and thus won't have a learning curve.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

How have you been making use of the interactive features for your book?

 

[Neutron]

Would it be possible to author a book using iBooks Author and then sell it on the iTunes market? I've always had some ideas but never had an opportunity to put them into an actual book.

 

[mperdue]

So far, I've only played with interactive images. My book is a "how-to" book with lots of photos so it's really nice to be able to zoom in on stuff and fill the screen with an image. I'll also be using tables and, perhaps, 3D objects, galleries and video.

Neutron, the books are sold in the iBooks store which is part of iTunes.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

So far, I've only played with interactive images. My book is a "how-to" book with lots of photos so it's really nice to be able to zoom in on stuff and fill the screen with an image. I'll also be using tables and, perhaps, 3D objects, galleries and video.

Neutron, the books are sold in the iBooks store which is part of iTunes.

that makes total sense.

 

[mperdue]

There are some issues importing word files into Author but, so far, everything else seem pretty stable.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

There is a company selling iBook Author Templates on the Mac app store, for $2.99. I bought them. Pretty simple, but nice additions.

 

[mperdue]

Installing an update that was released today...

 

[mperdue]

I'm making some progress on my iBook conversion but I've found some quirks along the way.

1) Standard images placed in with the text don't show when the iPad is rotated into portrait orientation. Galleries and interactive images are shown as thumbnails in the left margin but normal images just disappear.

2) I haven't been able to center an image in the interactive image widget if the image is in portrait orientation. Landscape images work correctly.

3) Occasionally, importing from Word leaves you with some very weird formatting that can't be changed. In those cases I needed to open the original file and do a cut and paste to get the text across.

In spite of these problems slowing me down a bit I think that iBooks could grow on me. I'm really liking the feel of the book in this new format and I'm looking forward to getting more interaction put together for it.

Mario

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I noticed that too in the book I downloaded. Images only really show up meaningfully when in landscape mode. I don't like that, as I rarely use my iPad in landscape. Its more book like in portrait mode.

 

[mperdue]

Wow, what a difference color and widgets make! I'm having a lot of fun with this.

 

[mperdue]

I found a "fix" for getting images to show in the left column when in portrait mode. After inserting the image you need to go to the inspector and add a title or caption to it. This converts the image to a widget and causes it to display correctly in both rotations.