We need more ePublishing support!!!!

Question

I'm still trying to figure out what works in ePub as opposed to print documents. Unfortunately the documentation doesn't bother to tell you what does and doesn't work. The truth seems to be very little transfers.
What we need.
We need proper format tools and preferrably a window dedicated to ePublishing that only accesses controls that acrtually export to ePub type documents. I can't even get paragraph spaces to come through. That's sad!
Related to the formatting tools is a better way of defining pages. I imported a block of text and it appears to show up as a single continuous page. How do I know this? When I add video and audio and set them to trigger on a page turn they trigger when I open the book not the page. Also related to that can we please have a page numbering widget????? Page numbering is pretty basic!
I desperately need an extra control on the audio player. Okay you can set it to trigger when you flip a page and when you turn a page but I need chapter sepecific sound options. Let's say I want to play a music or sound effects clip while a chapter is being read. Say crickets for night or wind, rain and lightning for a stormy night. The potential is huge and all I need is an option to activate when a chapter is opened and when they turn to another chapter the sound will stop. Simple and the benefits would be huge and open a new way to experience books.
Related to that not everyone will want the enhanced content so it'd be useful to be able to add a control page as part of the table of contents so a reader could turn off effects selectively. Say disable sound or video or any motion effects. Give readers the option. Once again simple.
The obvious one is we need templates or some powerful translating tool for exporting to each major format since everyone is in love with their own format.
FYI I had a time finding a video codec that would work for iDevices. Turned out the only one Adobe and Apple would both accept is .264. The problem is no one seemed willing to say that. Even your documentation makes no mention and most web posts say Mpeg but there are lots of Mpeg codecs and only .264 actually works on iDevices from an Adobe output.
Related to the last one please add a chapter on working with ePub format!!!! The current documentation barely mentions it. I'd love to have even a list of supported and unsupported features. Right now I'm reduced to trial and error.
ePublishing has a massive potential but there is virtually no software support at this point. I'm both a writer and filmmaker and there's a massive potential in doing hybrid content. We just need some basic tools to work with. Right now I can crudely paste in sound clips and videos as well as images but with more support we could be talking interactive comics and films and hybrids of books and films. I'm working on a "making of" book for my latest film, a CG animated feature, and I'd love to add in video clips and interactive content. It's so close but we have to have basic layout tools and more control over the content.

Answer 1

I too am having a HECK of a time with indesign files and PDF's converting to EPUB.  There should be actions that we can perfom across the board and globally in the files that we can do across a PDF file and/or an INDESIGN file that sets up a "template" so to speak to direct the new epub to different readers.  I have a 420 page full color textbook I am trying to convert for IPAD.  I told my client I would be able to complete this in 2 weeks.  I have already had it a week and still after training in InDesign and researching everywhere for converting PDF's and Indesign Files to EPUB  I am at a stand still!!!!! Why would I have to TOUCH each and every page If all that I want to do is create the TOC, Chapters BookMarks, Set the Covers, Add Meta Data, and Export this bugger to IPAD.
You should be able to  OPEN a PDF file in InDesign or Acrobat Pro and be able to import covers with metadata, edit, edit any text, use the text fonts that are in the documents, create links on the fly, create TOC Internal and External and be able to link freely to your chapters, etc and outside links.
Have you heard of any shortcuts for this.  I am at wits end!!!  I am not worried about the READING part or the different "Players or Readers"  I just want this bugger to be able to be viewed on the IPAD LIKE ASAP!  So many programs claim to be able to convert the PDF to EPUB but there is no structure in the conversion.  Do you have to do something to the PDF and where do you make the changes?  Which program do you use to EDIT PDF's.  I am confused.  when I try to edit the PDF in Acrobat X Pro, I get Font Errors and I don't know how to add the Fonts to my system.  I have the resident Fonts complied ON my disks with the original Print version on 5 disks.  I run epub check and get so many errors it isn't funny.  This is NOT EASY by any means.  I don't see how others are doing it unless they are paying BIG BUCKS for Programmers!
Any Help ANYONE can give me will be GREATLY appreciated!