TIP 134: Organizing and Managing Your Digital Editions Collection
The problem with digital editions is that, since they are so easy to get and to use, you can end up with dozens or even hundreds of files. Fortunately, the My Digital Editions dialog lets you classify your collection for easy access.
Tips for eBook Creation
eBooks are a special hybrid of a traditional book and an online document. Here are some tips for building interesting and useful material: Set the Document properties before finishing the project. Set the initial view so that the document opens with both the bookmarks and the page showing, and set the magnification so that the entire first page is visible. When your readers open your book, they immediately see all of the first page and the bookmark list as well. Tag the document. Your viewers read digital editions on a wide range of devices, ranging from computer screens to handheld devices. If a document is tagged, readers can use a reflow view if necessary for clear viewing. Refer to Tip 62 in Chapter 7 to learn about reflow.
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Organize your books by category. You can use combinations of two categories, both available from pull-down menus at the bottom of the My Digital Editions dialog. Each list contains the same categories. Select a book in the list or click its thumbnail, and then click the Category 1 pull-down arrow to display the list (Figure 134a) and choose a category for the book. The categories include Romance, History, Reference, Travel, and so on. You can assign two categories to digital editions; choose a second category from the Category 2 pull-down list.
Figure 134a. Categorize your digital editions for ease of access.
You can sort the collection using the list view. Simply switch to list view and click any of the list headings (Title, Author, Date Last Accessed, Categories) to sort the list alphabetically or by date. Even if you download them for free, you may want to back up your eBooks. It may not be a problem if you lost your copy of Wuthering Heights to some sort of computer failure; however, if you are using it as part of a thesis and have added a huge number of comments and bookmarks to the document, losing the file could be frustrating. Follow these steps to back up your Digital Editions:
1. | At the bottom of the My Digital Editions dialog, click Backup.. | 2. | When the Backup and Restore Digital Editions dialog opens, choose the content you want to back up from the pull-down list, which includes all types of digital content such as categories of eBooks, subscriptions, and other PDF documents stored in the Digital Editions bookshelf (Figure 134b). The option to back up comments and markup is selected by default.
Figure 134b. Use this dialog to back up some or all of your collection, and to restore your collection in case of computer problems
| 3. | Click OK. | 4. | The Browse For Folder dialog opens; select the folder you want to use to store the backup. | 5. | Click OK and then Close to close dialogs and store copies of the digital editions in your backup folder. |
If something corrupts your original file, you can use your backup file by following these steps:
1. | In the My Digital Editions dialog, click Backup to open the Backup and Restore Digital Editions dialog. | 2. | Click Restore and then OK. | 3. | Locate the backup file in the Browse For Folder dialog, and then click OK. The files will be restored to your collection. |
If you want to remove a listing from your collection follow these steps:
1. | Select the eBook or Digital Edition in the My Digital Editions dialog. | 2. | Click Actions at the bottom of the My Digital Editions dialog to open a menu (Figure 134c).
Figure 134c. You can update subscriptions, send content to a mobile device, and implement other commands using the Actions menu.
| 3. | Click Remove, and then click OK in the confirmation dialog. |
The document is removed from the listing in the dialog, but is not removed from your computer. You have to remove it manually from the My Digital Editions folder in My Documents (Windows) or Documents (Mac).
Creating eBooks
Is an eBook really just a PDF in fancy literary clothes? Aside from the name, what differentiates an eBook from a regular PDF document is primarily related to layouteBooks are designed for onscreen use. Consider these factors when planning your own eBooks and other digital editions: Use a smaller page size, approximately 5 or 6 inches by 7 or 8 inches, for a digital edition. The smaller page size makes it easier for the page to be viewed on a variety of screen sizes and still lets the viewer print on a standard-sized page. Leave the margins at approximately 1 inch all around. The content is clearly displayed, and there is still enough room for header and footer material. Use a clear font that will work well for online use. A simple serif font such as Times or Palatino looks good. Don't use a heavy or bolded font. The added weight doesn't contribute to a clearer page. Make sure you embed the fonts used in your eBook project (refer to Tip 48 in Chapter 6 to learn about embedding fonts). Don't use too large a font; it wastes screen and page space. I usually use a 12-point font. That is large enough for the reader to see the content clearly in a full-width page view. Don't use a colored background for an eBook. The color is very distracting, and extremely difficult for your viewers using screen readers or other assistive devices. For a shot of color, consider a colored logo, horizontal line, or other small graphic. Bookmark chapter headings, and use descriptive names when necessary, such as in technical material. Provide navigational cues in the document itself such as page numbers and headers or footers containing the chapter number and name. Take advantage of the power of Acrobat when designing a digital edition by including links to additional sources of information, Web sites, and so on. An interesting cover image can add a lot of character to your book. When the digital edition appears in your bookshelf, you see a thumbnail of the first page.
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