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Glossary

What is a fixed-layout EPUB?

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A fixed-layout EPUB keeps each page exactly as designed, like a PDF, and is declared with rendition:layout set to "pre-paginated" in the package document. It suits picture books, comics and cookbooks where the position of every element matters.

Why it matters when you convert a PDF to EPUB

Turning a PDF into a fixed-layout EPUB keeps the look but not the reading comfort: text does not re-flow, so small screens still need zooming. EpubCC produces reflowable EPUBs, because the point of converting a text-heavy PDF is usually to read it comfortably on a small screen.

Each page of a fixed-layout EPUB is an XHTML or SVG document with its own dimensions (a viewport meta element or an SVG viewBox). EPUBCheck reports missing or malformed dimensions with HTM-046, HTM-047 and HTM-048.

How EpubCC handles it: it does not produce fixed-layout EPUBs. Every conversion is reflowable, so a PDF whose layout is the content (a comic, a score, a form) is better kept as a PDF. The free sample shows what reflowing does to your own file before you pay.

Related terms

EPUBCheck messages about this

  • HTM-046 Fixed layout document has no "viewport" meta element.
  • HTM-048 SVG Fixed-Layout Documents must have a "viewBox" attribute (on the outermost "svg" element).
  • OPF-100 The "…" property only applies to pre-paginated content.
  • OPF-011 itemref can’t have both page-spread-right and page-spread-left properties.
  • OPF-025 Property value list "…" is not allowed, only one value must be specified.
  • HTM-047 Viewport metadata "…" has a syntax error
  • HTM_056 Viewport metadata has no "…" dimension (both "width" and "height" properties are required)
  • HTM_057 Viewport "…" value must be a positive number or the keyword "device-…"
  • HTM_059 Viewport "…" property must not be defined more than once, but found values […].
  • HTM_060b EPUB reading systems must ignore viewport meta elements in reflowable documents; viewport declaration "…" will be ignored.

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FAQ

What is a fixed-layout EPUB?

A fixed-layout EPUB keeps each page exactly as designed, like a PDF, and is declared with rendition:layout set to "pre-paginated" in the package document. It suits picture books, comics and cookbooks where the position of every element matters.