Author Topic: Convert html file to pdf for mac (Read 9419 times)

6pairsofshoes · « **on:** December 04, 2012, 09:12:41 PM »

So far, I've been referred to Adobe, which is not apparently designed to convert entire documents. I have an ebook in html format, I want to convert the entire thing to pdf. Is there a way to convert the entire thing? All I can see in AdobeAcrobatPro is how to convert a single web page. That's not what I want to do.

Are there any other mac-based programs that can effect this simple task? Any suggestions will be welcome. Thanks in advance.

mishca09 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2012, 09:29:19 PM »

have you tried calibre ?

another suggestion would be copying the text and pasting in word doc or if you have indesign you could paste the text there(format however you want) and then export it as a pdf. Or in adobepro go to file>create pdf >from file that might work...

dweez · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2012, 10:52:03 PM »

I looked at Calibre. It can convert FROM pdf but not TO pdf. I think it comes down to an issue of copyright. Reading PDF is one thing, but creating it is another.

dandrummerman · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:00:10 PM »

Why convert to PDF?

Epub is a good format, and adobe makes just the app to read it, too. And Calibre can handle converting to epub easily.

dweez · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:37:28 PM »

I agree, but a person's preference is their own business so I didn't bring it up.

mishca09 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:47:58 PM »

the calibre version I have is slightly older one but I can convert my books to pdf if I want to.

dweez · « **Reply #6 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:52:00 PM »

Ah, I have it installed on my other computer but just said what I did based on this page.

http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq.html#what-formats-does-app-support-conversion-to-from

mishca09 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:56:44 PM »

maybe because it's so late and I'm a sleepy but it doesn't say you can;t convert from whatever file to pdf.

smokester · « **Reply #8 on:** December 05, 2012, 02:28:18 AM »

Would an online converter not work on the file?

http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-html-to-pdf-converter.aspx

dweez · « **Reply #9 on:** December 05, 2012, 08:48:48 AM »

Quote from: mishca09 on December 04, 2012, 11:56:44 PM

maybe because it's so late and I'm a sleepy but it doesn't say you can;t convert from whatever file to pdf.

PDF is not listed as one of the "Output formats". That's why I assumed Calibre can't convert TO pdf.

mishca09 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2012, 08:52:27 AM »

calibre supports the conversion of many input formats to many output formats. It can convert every input format in the following list, to every output format.

Input Formats: CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, DJVU, EPUB, FB2, HTML, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ

Output Formats: AZW3, EPUB, FB2, OEB, LIT, LRF, MOBI, HTMLZ, PDB, PML, RB, PDF, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ

dweez · « **Reply #11 on:** December 05, 2012, 09:15:34 AM »

Holy crap. I've looked at that page maybe 10 times and I missed it each time. I think the PDB format kept throwing me off.

Thanks mish

goldshirt*9 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 05, 2012, 09:48:01 AM »

it may say it can convert but i have had problems with certain pdf files

dweez · « **Reply #13 on:** December 05, 2012, 10:34:54 AM »

PDF is always a madam. Even Calibre says converting from PDF gives mixed results.

smokester · « **Reply #14 on:** December 05, 2012, 01:20:45 PM »

Quote from: christ on December 05, 2012, 11:43:22 AM

Can you print the book?

If you can, then print to pdf.

... or am I missing something?

Best keep that in case it goes missing.

6pairsofshoes · « **Reply #15 on:** December 05, 2012, 03:14:41 PM »

The ink for my printer is only slightly less expensive than unicorn's blood, plus I can buy the book used for $10. The problem is being able to extract sections in order to make them available/accessible to students. That's why I need pdf.

When I used AdobeAcrobatPro, the conversion worked but it gave the information of the directory path and my computer at the bottom of every page, which was not ok. Then, I tried the Print under File Menu via Firefox and it saved it but the file was corrupted. In Safari, using the same technique, it also included the directory path on the bottom of every page.

I'll try calibre and see what happens... Worked like a charm. Thanks!

mishca09 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 05, 2012, 03:52:14 PM »

Yay! Glad it worked out.

dweez · « **Reply #17 on:** December 05, 2012, 04:15:17 PM »

Not sure if you understood christ or not 6pairs, but most OS' (Windows, Mac, and Linux) have the option to print to a file, in this case, print it to a PDF file as long as you have some PDF reader installed (or it got the PDF print driver somewhere). He didn't mean to actual paper.

I'm confused now as to what you meant when you mentioned your printer ink.

6pairsofshoes · « **Reply #18 on:** December 05, 2012, 07:59:40 PM »

I assumed he meant that I should print the document.

When I attempt to open the document via the Finder, it opens in Firefox, and I'm right back in the world of problems where I have to jump through the same hoops. So converting doesn't work that way unless you have some extra cool secret way I don't know about.

mishca09 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 05, 2012, 08:46:58 PM »

When the print dialog box comes up usually in the button left corner you should seethe words PDF and if you click it a drop down menu appears and you can select save as PDF or something. So no actual printing involved

6pairsofshoes · « **Reply #20 on:** December 06, 2012, 12:38:48 AM »

I understand that. However, I'm not able to save the html (converted to pdf) file w/o a second program intervening and corrupting it with information not in the book on every page. It's like reading Mary Had a Little Lamb with an imprint telling you whose computer it was on and what directory the file is contained in as a footer on every page. It's distracting and not information I feel like sharing publicly. So I opted for calibre.

xtopave · « **Reply #21 on:** December 06, 2012, 07:28:54 AM »

Quote from: christ on December 06, 2012, 05:02:31 AM

If you hit print, then in the bottom left of the print dialogue is a button that says "PDF". Hit that, and choose "Save as PDF" from the list that comes up.

Save the pdf wherever you choose in the save dialogue that results.

PDF printing has been built into Mac OS X since the get go, with no helper programme required (Mac OS X screen display language is (or was) pdf.)

Quoting for 6p just in case the post is deleted.

6pairsofshoes · « **Reply #22 on:** December 06, 2012, 09:43:20 AM »

Quote from: 6pairsofshoes on December 06, 2012, 12:38:48 AM

I understand that. However, I'm not able to save the html (converted to pdf) file w/o a second program intervening and corrupting it with information not in the book on every page. It's like reading Mary Had a Little Lamb with an imprint telling you whose computer it was on and what directory the file is contained in as a footer on every page. It's distracting and not information I feel like sharing publicly. So I opted for calibre.

OK. I select the file without opening it and try to get the Finder to print it. It won't. Period. In order to print the file, I have to open it. The default is Firefox. In Firefox, I see the document. I hit command + p for print. I select Save as PDF. It saves as pdf. Then I open the new pdf file and on every page the name of the computer and the drive path is encoded. This is not acceptable for a document intended (in whole or part) for public distribution.

Am I missing something?

smokester · « **Reply #23 on:** December 06, 2012, 09:51:05 AM »

Is it possible for you to up he file somewhere, and link to it so people here could give it a bash for you?

I could enable attachments temporarily if need be.

6pairsofshoes · « **Reply #24 on:** December 06, 2012, 10:03:35 AM »

Thanks, smokes. I used calibre and had no trouble converting the file that way. I'm just perplexed by the suggestions about using the Finder to print the document. It's an html doc, so the only way to access it is through a browser program. I'm happy to give you a go at it, just so you can see why it's giving me trouble via the methods suggested by dweez and chris.

smokester · « **Reply #25 on:** December 06, 2012, 10:59:43 AM »

Quote from: christ on December 06, 2012, 10:25:20 AM

I missed out step 1. (I assumed that you were already reading the html book in something)

1) Open the file in whatever your html book-reader application of choice is.

Then 2) Follow my last post.

If your html reader is Safari, uncheck the "print headers and footers" check box in the print dialogue.

The usual...

6pairsofshoes · « **Reply #26 on:** December 06, 2012, 01:49:53 PM »

Ah. My default printer view does not show this window so it took a little futzing to get it to show, but once I unchecked the boxes, the conversion was fine. No more annoying headers/footers.

Thank you, chris.