IBook Author interface *****

I've written several books and used several different pieces of software over the years. None has the issues I've found with iBook Author.
Most technical books will have numbered figures, equations, and tables. And these will be cross-referenced.
It took hours to find out how to put in Figure numbers (like Figure 1.1) and even longer to find out how to cross reference them. The six templates don't have enough examples to show how to do this, and the iBook author help doesn't even have cross-reference as a help topic.
This is really enough to make me use something else for an ebook of any description.
Sorry Apple - after over 20 years of great products, this one is one of the worst out of the box that I've seen.

Its a bit late for this thread... but.. being new to iMacs and iBooks Author... I can share the frustration of trying to make sense of iBooks Author. It seems a clone of Pages rather than a new application concept to capitalise on the lates eBook fad. I have delivered books to iBooks.. 2 weeks later.. problems.. I repair that problem and re-deliver.. more than 2 weeks later.. back again for "format" problems. now it will be another two weeks to get either a book last of Xmillion others in iBooks store IF I am lucky.. or another knock back that needs a re-work. WHY.. when the original delivery was scrutanised.. did my poor workmanship not get a mention and then all issues could be dealt with .. meaning less work and problems all round!
I cannot open the ticket now..it wont open so I have to report that back now and wait again. Then there is the farce of "Contact US" . Its a select this or that option.. not able to add a cooment or question.. and again. now its another wait to be told.. I did it wrong and contact ?????
Having found this forum,, I think I have the answer ( at least for this ticket) which I think is blocking the portrait mode when viewing pictures in a photo book.
I purchased Book Creator for a few $ - it offered three basic book formats and it auto displays portrait or landscape ( albeit in reduced size) why cannot this be default in iBA??
I think the fact is that iBA was created for the written word not photo pictorials.... BUT an addition to the coding could create a portrait and landscape template. Which I feel sure APPLE's software enginneers could knock out during a coffee break!
Maybe feedback and a few updates will address these issues...

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IBooks author color shift with "Save for web devices..."

Hi! I'm a web developer and I'm learning to use iBooks. It's a really easy tool, but there is a problem with color management wich is driving me crazy. This happen when I export images from "Save for web devices..." from Photoshop, then drag it to iBooks author.
As I do for web development, I do this:
1) Configure photoshop Color Settings to work with "Color Monitor"
2) Remove any color management from my document
3) Proof Setup > Monitor RGB
4) Disable Proof Colors
5) Use "Save for web devices..." with ICC profile and sRGB unchecked
The exported JPG looks fine everywhere... Photoshop, Preview, Safari, Chrome, FF... but looks washed out when I drag it to iBooks Author. Why?
I solved this issue converting to sRGBIEC61966-2.1 profile and checking ICC profile when "Save for web devices...", but I'm not confortable with this workaround because I'm not sure about what I'm doing exactly, and I am not sure if this images are gonna look good on any device (I only own an iPad 3).
Somebody know a best method to deal with this?
Thanks!

Hi KT. Thanks for your response. I'm already using this formats. Anyway, the problem occurs within iBooks Author interface. I mean: I can see the color shift (or washed out...) at iBooks Author at my computer screen. Of course, when I test it on iPad it also looks bad.
It's incredibly strange because the JPGs I'm using looks fine everywhere else except iBooks Author.

HT4059 I downloaded iBooks Author in Italy so the interface is in Italian. I want to change to English for the entire interface?

I downloaded iBooks Author in Italy so the interface is in Italian. I want to change to English for the entire interface?

You would have to re download iBooks Author from the U.S. App Store. Launch the App Store then click the round flag icon bottom right side of the window. Select United States
The issue with this is that your billing credentials (regardless of whether or not it's a free or paid app) must be associated with the same country where you reside. So you may not be able to re download iBooks Author in English.
Post your topic in the iBooks Author community here.
More iBooks Author users can offer feedback that way and may know of a work around.
This is the, "iTunes Store" community for help with iOS devices.

Page orientation when printing from iBooks Author

I have a iBooks document, all in portrait orientation. If I print this doc then it is printed in landscape even if I change the orientation to portrait within the printing interface. iBooks somehow is stuck to landscape when printing.
Who has got a solution to this?
Daniel

K T wrote:
Without specifying your higher goal, it is difficult for me to decide on what part of the question the emphasis lies, sorry.
Are you trying to ask for help in the forum or to file a bug?
I'm hoping that someone here has figured out how to control the orientation when exporting to PDF. I haven't been able to find a way to do that.
while there is no formal bug reporting method similar to what devs have w/apps, iBA does have a 'Provide iBooks Author Feedback' menu item.
Actually, there is: the Apple Developer Program. I have submitted a number of bug reports for IBA there, and have received timely and constructive responses from the development team.
Good luck and welcome to iBA.
I've been using IBA since it was released, as you well know.
Michi.

How can I share iBooks authored by me using iBook Author on 2 different iPads synced to two different computors? Both iPads have different iTunes accounts.

I am in the process of authoring an eBook using iBook Author. The project is a work in progress and I want to share the draft with other collegues. We each have our own iPads synced with other computers and we have different iTunes acounts. I attempted to preview the book on the new iPad, but the iPad did not come up in the available device window.
Am I missing something or is there a way around this?

How to use multiple iPods, iPads, or iPhones with one computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1495

Can I move an ibook author file from one device to another?

I have ibook Author on my Macbook and my Mac Mini. If I start a project on my Macbook, is it possible to transfer the incomplete file to my Mini (where all my pictures and charts are stored) later to complete it?
~~ Chikana

Just like any other file, save your book where you can find it - it will have the suffix .iba
Move that file, however you like, to your other computer and continue there.

How do I add a widget to give a review or star rating for a book at the end of a book in iBooks Author?

How do I add a widget to give a review or star rating for a book at the end of a book in iBooks Author? You know, how you buy books on iBooks and when you're finished reading it, there's a place where you can give a rating or review right there on the very last page?

Just supply a link that says 'Review This Book' - use http://itunes.apple.com/linkmaker/ to generate one.

How do I update an iBook created in iBooks Author without losing old notes?

I have been creating an iBook using iBooks Author. I export it as an iBook that I can open in iBooks on my computer and on my iPad.
The challenge I am running into is that I highlight sections and make notes and want to keep those even as I add new content to the iBook. Is there a way to update an iBook on my computer and have it update the one in iBooks without losing everything I created before?
Thanks.

AFAIK, the update process that allows note/bookmark retention is currently only thru the store.

How do I add paragraph indentation to a style in iBooks Author?

I have a book with a lot of quoted verse in it, which needs to be indented. In order to make the verse distinctive to the eye, it's both slightly tighter set than the rest of the text, and left-indented.
I can set up the tighter settings and save them as a style, but there seems to be no way to indicate indentation in iBooks Author.
Currently I go in and use list indentation in each instance of the verse, which isn't the right way to go.
What am I missing?
Thanks!

Try using the Inspector/Text/Tabs...see if it supplies the control you need.

How to create Protein or Chemical structures in .pdb or .mol format for use with iBooks Author. Please help.

Dear Community,
There are a large variety of software packages used by Chemists and Biologists to view and manipulate Protein and Chemical structures in 3D. They typically have formats such as .pdb, or .mol. I have looked around and none of the software packages that I currently use allow me to export to the COLLADA (.dae) format.
Does anyone have any idea where to begin to allow me to do this. I would like to try and put in some of the 3D objects into the iBook Author program.
Thank you. Chase

I believe that Apple should have provided an easily way to get Pymol images into iBooks Author as VRML has been the de facto standard. After a number of days, I have a method which works, but this much effort should not be necessary. Anyway here it is.
1) Set the viewport in Pymol to 512,384 to do this in the command window type
viewport 512,384
Note, I'm not totally sure you need to do this.
2) Draw you image in Pymol and output the image in VRML format, to do that
File -> Save Image As -> VRML 2 ...
I'll assume that you have given the file the name "pymol_output", you actual get pymol_output.wrl
3) In a terminal window go to the folder where the above file is located and issue the following command. This removes some stuff that messes up the lightening
sed '9,15d' pymol_output.wrl > bender_in.wrl
4) Next you need blender. You can download it from
http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/
5) Open Blender. In the upper right corner in the Scene section
right click on Lamp and delete it
right click on Cube and delete it
right click on Camera and delete it
Save this file so you don't have to do this every time. I called mine empty_blender_file.blend
6) Either open empty_blender_file.blend or continue from #5 and read in the file from #3
File -> import->X3D Extensible 3D (.x3d/.wrl)
this reads in the file
7) Write out the file in collada .dae format
File->export->collada (.dae)
Done. This file will read into iBooks Author and have somewhat uniform lighting. By the way, .dae files can be opened an checked in Preview. Its easier than going back and forth into the iPad, since you can rotate the image in Preview.
Hope this helps, let me know if it works for you and if you have any suggestions.
Finally someone needs to write a one step VRML and X3D to collada converter that will work with PyMol and Chimera etc.
Have fun!

Adding animation to iBook Author

I hope someone can help me.
I am creating a children's picture book in iBook Author. I want to add animation which I created in Hype 2.5.1 and converted it into a widget. I can add the widget OK and the animation works but the background is white so my page layout does not show.
1. Is there anyway to make the background transparent?
2. Do I have to create the entire page in Hype and import the whole thing into iBooks Author as a widget?
3. Is there a way I can add the animation as an animated .gif.
This animation part is new to me and I am having difficulty sorting it out. I know it can be done because I've purchased some other books to see how other people are handling it and their animation works without the white background. I just don't know how to do it.
Please - any suggestions???

Widgets are displayed in their own view so transparency is not possible (to the best of my experiential knowledge). I suspect what you thought was transparency was a screenshot of that page used as the widget's background image. (Painful to update, sure, but it works!) Alternatively, a "page" could be simulated by the HTML widget. A recent title I was reading skinned the widget to look like the book so the widget's simulation felt like it was inline.
Many folks have successfully used Hype to create HTML widgets for iBooks Author titles, so I don't see why you couldn't use Hype for what you need.
Finally, recommended image types are JPEG and PNG. I don't know why GIF wouldn't work, but a simple experiment would tell you whether it would work for you.

In ibooks author how to make an existing page start a new section

I have imported a Pages document into ibook authors (version 2.1.1 in OS 10.9.1) using the Classic Text Template. The original Pages document was basically a book, with title and table of contents and forward and several sections. Now everything is one huge unit. During the import I can choose a layout, but only a chapter or a section. Then all of the document is regarded as having that layout -- every page is regarded as having the section layout, for example, though only the first page has the smaller text area and the large text as a header. I can see all the layout possibilities in the Layouts sidebar, and they include section and forward and 1 column. When I hover the cursor over a particular page the book sidebar I see the little triangle that has been mentioned, and it offers options for changing layout, but it does not allow me to make that page a new section or a forward. I can only make the page 2 column or put a sidebar on it. I cannot see how I can import the book and be able to create chapters and sections with ibooks author. I can insert a new section layout, or a new page, but I do not see how to to change a page, after it is imported and is considered to be the text of a chapter or section, into the start of a new chapter or section. I do not find anything in the inspector or on the menubar or in the help center that makes this change. The "add a chapter title" does not change the layout to make the text box smaller, as it should for a layout. Is it actually possible to convert a Pages book into an ibook authors book, or must I create the blank chapters and sections in ibook authors and then cut and paste each section from Pages?

The advice given for iBA, is to preplan your book. Modify an exsiting template as your layout suits you, to present a quality book to your readers.
iBooks Author is really more "app" than a book maker like inDesign or even Pages, - and users should really get to know how to use it before starting out on a serious project.
The insert options are clear - you can insert a Chapter from MS Word or Pages in iBA a "chapter" is a distinct "standalone" part of a book which can include sections and pages as required. Sections can be moved up or down within their chapter or can be copied from one chapter to another. The pages in any chapter are static and the only way to change content location is copy and paste.
From your post, its seems you decided to create you book using Pages and in one chapter expecting iBA to reformat it.
I would suggest a solution is to count your chapters and add that number into an iBA new book, then copy your Pages chapters. I would guess that the whole process would take less than 30 minutes.
Apple recieves feedback and suggestions for improvements, however the last update made very few changes to the application and none of those seen in many posts - such as being able to move pages. This indicates that Apple at least, are satisfied that the version is functional enough for how Apple see books being made for its store. 12 months ago this forum was taking hundreds of posts per day asking advice, its now a trickle- which I take to be in indicator that as a group, iBA users have taught themselves how to use the application and its many options and third party add on's. iBA is more suited to the interactive side of publications as Apple intended, creating a mainly text only "novel" seems to be considered by Apple as the easy part!

How do I change the size or orientation of the Title Page in iBook Author

I'd like to customize the shape and size of the Title Page in my book, I noticed that many books have custome sized Title Pages (one example is the free iBook The Yellow Submarine).

The 'Book Title' page in iBooks Author – top of the list in the Book sidebar – is fixed in size and orientation. What you are seeing with customized cover graphics are covers independently created and uploaded through iTunes Producer. - Fabe

How Do I Create a New Template for iBooks Author?

Apple's provided templates are way too narrow for some of the ideas I want to implement. I do not see any real method for creating a template from scratch. I stripped one of the available templates down to nothing and rebuilt some of the pages and then selected Save As Template... but iBooks Author keeps the original template as the content instead of allowing me to use my own created Chapter, Section, and Pages with the Add Pages.. Button.
How to you create a new template from scratch? I think it is absurd if you can only create a new template from one of the 6 predefined templates.

Be careful on unlocking and deleting stuff, cause this very easily can destroy the layout and your current arrangement
About dimensions, If i am not mistaken, i read on another thread that this cannot be happen.

How do I set the margins for a book in ibook author

I am fairly new to Ibooks author and am having trouble figuring out how to set my margins to follow throughout the book. I am making the book in landscape mode and want the hardcopy version to be 11 x 8.5. I need the left margin to be set at 2.5 and no matter what I have done it skews the following pages. I will publish this online but since this is going to be a family history book, I am going to have to export it eventually to PDF and send it to a printer. Does anyone know how to change these settings?

Thank you. I just like the possibilities associated with Ibooks author. But I will do that and maybe later transfer that data to Ibooks.
Thanks again.

IBook Author interface *****

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