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Apple has something called Fixed Layout ePub, that's especially useful for making an iBook of a heavily illustrated children's book with a specific layout of the text and illustrations.

I have found guides that explain how to make a Fixed Layout ePub (Threepress is the best tutorial I found), and I can now make a Fixed Layout ePub just fine. Yay!

But... if you go into an Apple store and fire up iBooks on one of their iPads, you will see the children's book Olivia, and others, that feature text overlapping illustrations. The text is not just part of the graphic — it's true, selectable text.

So how did they do it? Anyone know? You would think this information would be easily locateable, but so far I haven't found a thing. Somebody must know, or the Olivia book wouldn't exist.

(Note: This question is about how to write the actual HTML in the ePub file that will show selectable text overlapping an illustration. I don't want to create a book in some word processor or page design app and then convert it to ePub.)

Kara
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Darel
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2 Answers2

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If you don't find anything in the XHTML, it could be in an SVG image. This image could be inserted inline in the XHTML or in an another file (stored in the ePub in all cases, and called from the XHTML). iBooks let the user select the text within an SVG image.

I think that in your case, the text and image are both contained in the SVG file (which can store bitmap graphics as well).

You can also place your bitmap as a JPEG/PNG, and place your text on the image with absolute positionning (only with Fixed Layout Epub).

Generally speaking, SVG is a good choice in ePub when you have complex text effects. Apple recommends it in its guides and iBooks supports it well. Adobe Digital Editions is more unpredictable with it.

fbdcw
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The text is actually overlapped onto the image using CSS styles. A look into the guts of the Olivia book should show you how it's done. Also check out Liza Daly's explanations on the Threepress Consulting blog. http://blog.threepress.org/2011/01/17/understanding-apples-fixed-layout-epubs/

R Bond
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