Other input formats for PBB in the future?

As a point of curiosity (and raw functionality)....

Is there *any* real chance that something in addition to docx will ever be used as an alternative input format for PBB? Whether it be .doc, .odt or whatever? (ODT for what it's worth is a full XML compliant format -zipped.)

I would love to play with PBB this coming week but my inability to write docx leaves me in the cold for this round.

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tom

As a point of curiosity (and raw functionality)....

Is there *any* real chance that something in addition to docx will ever be used as an alternative input format for PBB? Whether it be .doc, .odt or whatever? (ODT for what it's worth is a full XML compliant format -zipped.)

I would love to play with PBB this coming week but my inability to write docx leaves me in the cold for this round.

[Y]

Mark Barnes

I would love to play with PBB this coming week but my inability to write docx leaves me in the cold for this round.

OpenOffice can write docx. If you're coding something, your best bet is to output HTML, then copy/paste into your Word Processor and save as .docx. That works pretty well in my experience.

TCBlack

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255654#Comment_255654

OpenOffice can write docx.

Nope. As of 3.4 which is the current incarnation OOo can READ docx but not write it.

Jack Caviness

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255705#Comment_255705

OpenOffice can write docx.
Nope. As of 3.4 which is the current incarnation OOo can READ docx but not write it.

NeoOffice can write docx—Of course, you need a Mac to use it. [:D]

Mark Barnes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255707#Comment_255707

OpenOffice can write docx.
Nope. As of 3.4 which is the current incarnation OOo can READ docx but not write it.

NeoOffice can write docx—Of course, you need a Mac to use it.

Sorry, I didn't realise that was a NeoOffice only feature. Try https://writer.zoho.com/ - that offers .docx support, and unlike Wordpad (which in Windows 7 also supports .docx), I'm pretty sure it preserves styles.

spitzerpl

As a point of curiosity (and raw functionality)....

Is there *any* real chance that something in addition to docx will ever be used as an alternative input format for PBB? Whether it be .doc, .odt or whatever? (ODT for what it's worth is a full XML compliant format -zipped.)

I would love to play with PBB this coming week but my inability to write docx leaves me in the cold for this round.

I REALLY hope you find a way to work out the docx issue. You are the PBB KING!

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255842#Comment_255842

As a point of curiosity (and raw functionality)....

Is there *any* real chance that something in addition to docx will ever be used as an alternative input format for PBB? Whether it be .doc, .odt or whatever? (ODT for what it's worth is a full XML compliant format -zipped.)

I would love to play with PBB this coming week but my inability to write docx leaves me in the cold for this round.

I REALLY hope you find a way to work out the docx issue. You are the PBB KING!

No kidding! If Thomas can't use PBB, there's a serious design flaw.

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255707#Comment_255707

OpenOffice can write docx.
Nope. As of 3.4 which is the current incarnation OOo can READ docx but not write it.

NeoOffice can write docx—Of course, you need a Mac to use it.

LibreOffice also can write docx (since code fork with OpenOffice, LibreOffice has added more features, which have been incorporated into NeoOffice)

LibreOffice 3.4.0 Final is available for early adopters (on Mac and PC).

Keep Smiling [:)]

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255871#Comment_255871

I would love to be able to have the PBB compiler read PDF (though I know that's a pipe dream). I have quite a number of PDF files of books and articles that I'd love to get into Logos.

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255889#Comment_255889

I would love to be able to have the PBB compiler read PDF (though I know that's a pipe dream). I have quite a number of PDF files of books and articles that I'd love to get into Logos.

That would be dream coming true. [Y]

If English pdf is difficult for keeping the format etc. non-English languages are even worse. PBBs made of pdf would be just perfect. The solution might be to find good pdf - docx converter. I tried to find one and haven't succeeded yet.

Steve Caswell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255889#Comment_255889

I converted a PDF to DOCX today. You can copy and paste it into a Word Document and then save it as Word DOCX. The only problem is that you have to reformat it and do a lot of spelling corrections, reformatting of footnotes and the like. But I did manage to do it without retyping the document.

Steve Caswell

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255894#Comment_255894

I converted a PDF to DOCX today. You can copy and paste it into a Word Document and then save it as Word DOCX. The only problem is that you have to reformat it and do a lot of spelling corrections, reformatting of footnotes and the like. But I did manage to do it without retyping the document.

It would be worth saving the retyping time. But still, would be nice if there were a way to convert the formatting back to Word too. For long documents, fixing up all the formatting could be quite time consuming.

I'm wondering why you had to do a lot of spelling corrections. It's not going through an OCR process, is it?

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255896#Comment_255896

...The only problem is that you have to reformat it and do a lot of spelling corrections, reformatting of footnotes and the like.

And that is the problem. For more pdfs and longer ones that is a lot of work I do not have time to do.

I'm wondering why you had to do a lot of spelling corrections. It's not going through an OCR process, is it?

IMHO main problem is non-English words, pdf taking each line as paragraph etc. Just not cut and paste and save. [:(]

Steve Caswell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255896#Comment_255896

I had to do that because the PDF file I copied was a research paper of mine that I originally scanned into the computer. I lost the file when I had a computer crash and no back up of that one. Many of the numbers and some letters didn't copy across accurately. All the footnotes at the bottom didn't work either and neither did the Greek fonts that I had in my paper.

Steve Caswell

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255900#Comment_255900

Fortunately most of the PDF docs I have were created from some word processor probably, maybe via a PDF printer. Most of them have selectable text. So it shouldn't be too hard to convert them to Word, if only there were a good converter around. So far all I've seen on these forums is disappointment from people who have tried what they've been able to find. I haven't done my own exhaustive search yet, though.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255902#Comment_255902

OmniPage 18 is doing a very good job of PDF even PDF's of scans into Word docx. I don't know what I did that made them send be the offer but I got it and a couple of other pieces of software from them for only $99.99. You might see what introductory prices Nuance is offering. For some resources, I'd be willing to run the resources through OmniPage for other people. I obviously can't do it for everyone and every resource.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255905#Comment_255905

I've just discovered that Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro, which I have, will Export to Word 2003 (.doc) format. I can then read that into Word 2007 and save it out as .docx. However that will have ugly XML as we've discovered before, so after that (or instead of that? not sure if I need the intermediate step) I can save it as RTF, then read it back in again and save it as .docx. I just did this with a book I have in PDF and it worked. I still will need to fix up the Word styles for the headings so that the Table of Contents will work, and I might want to go back through it and put in page number milestones. But that's relatively little work compared to what it could have been.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255906#Comment_255906

Word 2003 (.doc) format. I can then read that into Word 2007

With a Microsoft free addin you can save to docx in 2003.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255910#Comment_255910

Word 2003 (.doc) format. I can then read that into Word 2007

With a Microsoft free addin you can save to docx in 2003.

I have Word 2007 not 2003, so I wouldn't need that, can do the conversion in Word 2007. It's just that Adobe can't write out in 2007 format, only 2003. And Logos wants 2007 format.

Mark Barnes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255891#Comment_255891

PBBs made of pdf would be just perfect. The solution might be to find good pdf - docx converter. I tried to find one and haven't succeeded yet.

The fact that there aren't (m)any good PDF->docx converters suggests it would be hard for Logos to produce a PDF->Logos converter. In fact, I'd say there would be no point - not because it isn't a great idea, but because it wouldn't work. I simply can't imagine any document going straight into Logos without needing a bit of tweaking (milestones added, a few bible tags and so on). So importing an uneditable document is kind of pointless. But I agree with Martha - the best way I know of for getting PDFs into Word is through using OCR software - Abby is my preferred choice, not least because it handles footnotes better than OmniPage.

TCBlack

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255727#Comment_255727

unlike Wordpad (which in Windows 7 also supports .docx),

Huh? What? Seriously? (Well I'll be!) At least I can play while I try to figure out my next course of action. BTW It is amazingly gratifying to see one of my own books in progress displayed within Logos.

I think I just had a PBB breakthrough. And at the moment I'm checking out Microsoft office online free to see if it's going to work for me.

I REALLY hope you find a way to work out the docx issue. You are the PBB KING!

No kidding! If Thomas can't use PBB, there's a serious design flaw.

A humble correction my brother and sister: It is easy to assume perhaps, however I have merely provided hosting and bandwidth for the 1000+ PBB's on my site. It is more the likes of Joe Kreifels who deserves the crown here.

I am but a servant distributing the wares of greater men.

Paul Gisbourne

I've just been doing some preparation and started to think that with all the requests for changes to the note system within Logos, if this wouldn't be another way importing into PBB;

At present you can link note files with in notes, add links to resources, the 'add note' option gives great means of creating headers, what we then have is in part a self-contained PBB creation system, without the total reliance upon docx either through the use of office, or its alternatives, or any convertor's that may or may not be totally reliable.

Just a thought [:)]

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255950#Comment_255950

A humble correction my brother and sister: It is easy to assume perhaps, however I have merely provided hosting and bandwidth for the 1000+ PBB's on my site. It is more the likes of Joe Kreifels who deserves the crown here.

I am but a servant distributing the wares of greater men.

Do kings write their own speeches? I don't think so. j/k

I never jumped into PBBs much but to all who worked so hard at compiling them I say thank you. I do realize that you are not just Thomas' Minions.

Ebbe Andréasson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/255705#Comment_255705

OOo can READ docx but not write it.

Libre Office 3.4 can write docx.

Sakarias Ingolfsson

Is there *any* real chance that something in addition to docx will ever be used as an alternative input format for PBB? Whether it be .doc, .odt or whatever? (ODT for what it's worth is a full XML compliant format -zipped.)...

Is there any official answer to that question? While I have been waiting for PBB I have prepared a couple of books in HTML format - not knowing that docx would be the future standard. I realize that i can copy-paste those documents into word without excessive amount of work. I would have to redo some formatting, but other than that it should not be too difficult. However, if HTML support is on the not too distant agenda I will rather just wait a few more months. Then again, this will probably not matter to me if the license turns out to be too expensive.

Well, I am just reiterating Blacks question: Does anyone know if DOCX is going to be the only import format for building personal books?

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/266448#Comment_266448

Does anyone know if DOCX is going to be the only import format for building personal books?

I've heard nothing yet that implies other formats are planned but Logos does respond to its users. I would be rather surprised if anything but .docx is supported in the first release.

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/266448#Comment_266448

I realize that i can copy-paste those documents into word without excessive amount of work.

You don't have to copy/paste into Word. You can open HTML file directly by Word and save it in docx format than. You can also merge multiple HTML files into one by Word and than save that as docx.

Rod Bergen

I would suggest that you should be able to import ODF files.

SInce May 2006, ODF is THE standard which describes office documents in a vendor independent manner. ODF
is the standard which is used by a wide variety of applications except
for the most important one which prefers to invent its own hyper-complex
XML disaster in order to undermine any such standard.

DominicM

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/274765#Comment_274765

Bohuslav would you send me one of those awkward pdf'?

I am playing with importer and sentence rejoiner for a different format, if I can kill 2 birds with a stone and get it to cope with pdf.. would be happy to try, but no promises I will succeed

my email is
DominicM
[AT]
domisoft {DOT}
co /DOT/ uk

Sakarias Ingolfsson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/274765#Comment_274765

SInce May 2006, ODF is THE standard which describes office documents in a vendor independent manner. ODF
is the standard which is used by a wide variety of applications except
for the most important one which prefers to invent its own hyper-complex
XML disaster in order to undermine any such standard.

I think there would be much more objections if Logos had chosen to have only ODF support in the first version of the new PBB. Admittedly it is "THE standard", as you put it, across the jungle of different productivity software. However, as far as I know Microsoft office is by far the most commonly used– and in my own humble opinion it is unmatched by its competitors (Although iWork my be getting close).

I myself would have loved being able to parse HTML, since I understand how it works, and it does not have pages like a normal word document. This if of course a small issue and not worth a lot of development time.

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/274869#Comment_274869

Word is still the clear leader in market share. There are lots of people who anecdotally quote 90% market share, I found this study which seems to be the most quantitative I have found; you can see Word share by country is easily 70% - 90% in most if not all countries, OpenOffice is 5% - 22%, and others are lucky to get 1%.

When there might be questions or concerns about ODF compliance, especially between word processors, Word is a clear standard still and a safe bet for a software vendor.

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/274765#Comment_274765

ODF is the standard which is used by a wide variety of applications except for the most important one which prefers to invent its own hyper-complex XML disaster in order to undermine any such standard.

If you are speaking about Microsoft Word, it has had support for ODF since 2008, and from what I have read on the Internet its ODF compliance is as good as OpenOffice if not better. I would be interested if you have information that shows otherwise, I was trying to search and find out how good ODF compliance was these days. Thanks.

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/274818#Comment_274818

Bohuslav would you send me one of those awkward pdf'?

File sent. Thank you Dominic very much. Looking forward to seeing your results.

Rod Bergen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/274875#Comment_274875

If you are speaking about Microsoft Word, it has had support for ODF since 2008, and from what I have read on the Internet its ODF compliance is as good as OpenOffice if not better. I

I guess that was my point (although not well made). If Word files can be saved to ODF and other word processing apps save to ODF it might make some sense to allow that format as well. Given that 4.3 has been released, we will have to deal with docx files for the present.