Converting pbd files back to html

[liu76]

Is there any way or any program that can convert iSilo pdb files back to html format? I seriously need to edit many of the medical pdb files I've got because the files are too large and I am running out of memory.

Another thing, with the copy feature in iSilo for windows, I cannot copy any of the images for use in other program e.g. MS word, paint, photo editors etc. I think it doesn't go to the clipboard at all. Text seemed to be OK though. Why is that so? :confused:

Any answers / feedback is welcomed. Thanks.

[iSilo]

It isn't possible to edit iSilo documents. You would need to edit the original source files from which they were converted and then reconvert.

Unfortunately the copy function of iSilo only has support for copying of plain text to the clipboard.

[liu76]

Thanks for the info. Would there be future suppport for converting pdb files back to html and also support for copying of images from iSilo windows to the clipboard? I believe these are very important features for many users.

[madmaxmedia]

This is not a very user-friendly feature. Even Micro$oft documents can be converted into other formats.

By only having a 1-way street, you are artifically locking people into iSilo.

I guess the other options is to print into PDF's...Graphics and formatting would be preserved, and files would be portable to other platforms such as Mac (and Spotlightable in Tiger.)

The one thing you lose is linking, which could only be preserved with HTML export.

I guess I answered my own complaint... ;)

[Voltage Spike]

By only having a 1-way street, you are artifically locking people into iSilo.

You shouldn't be using iSilo as a document storage format (that is what the original HTML files are for). Instead, think of it as printing to paper; it's a copy of the original document meant for a specific purpose.

I guess the other options is to print into PDF's...

Which is portable (as you point out), but it is another format that does not convert well back to the source material. (I've tried it, and it's horrible and/or not usable for most documents.)

The one thing you lose is linking

PDFs do support hyperlinking.

[arambobadilla]

Is there any way or any program that can convert iSilo pdb files back to html format? I seriously need to edit many of the medical pdb files I've got because the files are too large and I am running out of memory.

Another thing, with the copy feature in iSilo for windows, I cannot copy any of the images for use in other program e.g. MS word, paint, photo editors etc. I think it doesn't go to the clipboard at all. Text seemed to be OK though. Why is that so? :confused:

Any answers / feedback is welcomed. Thanks.

I have the same problem, I need the images and I can´t copy to another aplication, if you have any answer about it, please mail me to md9712003@yahoo.es

[arambobadilla]

It isn't possible to edit iSilo documents. You would need to edit the original source files from which they were converted and then reconvert.

Unfortunately the copy function of iSilo only has support for copying of plain text to the clipboard.

if there is a way to convert files into isilo, must be another way around, may be the owners had it and don´t want to release it. In fact, that is almost the only one terrible ploblem that it has, that tool would make isilo PERFECT.

[arambobadilla]

This is not a very user-friendly feature. Even Micro$oft documents can be converted into other formats.

By only having a 1-way street, you are artifically locking people into iSilo.

I guess the other options is to print into PDF's...Graphics and formatting would be preserved, and files would be portable to other platforms such as Mac (and Spotlightable in Tiger.)

The one thing you lose is linking, which could only be preserved with HTML export.

I guess I answered my own complaint... ;)

I don´t get it when you say "print into pdf's", you mean print in paper?

[Voltage Spike]

I don´t get it when you say "print into pdf's", you mean print in paper?

Most consumers create PDFs by printing a document (as if you were going to create a paper copy) but using a special print driver that creates a PDF file instead. Some operating systems (such as Mac OS X and the next version of Windows) support this feature by default, but most versions of Windows require additional software to support "printing to PDF".

[iSilo]

if there is a way to convert files into isilo, must be another way around, may be the owners had it and don´t want to release it. In fact, that is almost the only one terrible ploblem that it has, that tool would make isilo PERFECT.Maybe some analogies will help. When you convert a document to hard copy (e.g., by printing it), is there a way to convert it back to the original form from which it was copied? Rhetorically, not necessarily. If you convert an HTML file to PDF, can you convert it to HTML? There are some tools out there, but do any of them give good results? In general, no.

iSilo was originally developed as a system for converting HTML content into a format for reading on Palm OS devices. Yes, it would be nice to be able to convert iSilo to other formats, but well that has not been implemented. It's in the future along with the thousands of other feature requests.

Presumably, if you really wanted the HTML source content, you have several options:

1. If you converted the document yourself, you presumably have access to the source HTML.
2. If someone else converted it, you could presumably ask that someone else, which leads to two other ifs:
2a. If that someone does not want to provide the source, then they have their reasons and those reasons should be respected.
2b. If that someone is anonymous, then one may wonder about the content.
3. You could yourself extract the plain text. In Windows, if you really wanted the images, you could use the PrtScr key in Windows to copy the screens with the images individually.

[Pride Of Lions]

Is it possible in future iterations of iSilo to have a menubar item that will tell us the source HTML of any particular page? Kinda up ther next to "About iSilo", maybe "About Current Page".

Maybe iSiloX would have to send this information to iSilo in the converted document, but it'd be way rad to be able to investigate the source material should the inkling strike.
POL9A

[Voltage Spike]

Is it possible in future iterations of iSilo to have a menubar item that will tell us the source HTML of any particular page?

It has been requested a few times. (See here and here for two examples.) I'm really hoping this makes into the next release (since it seems like it would be so easy[1]).

[1] Per-page URLs, as you seem to be asking about, would be significantly more difficult. But the document source would be a good step forward. :)

[justme]

Maybe some analogies will help. When you convert a document to hard copy (e.g., by printing it), is there a way to convert it back to the original form from which it was copied? Rhetorically, not necessarily. If you convert an HTML file to PDF, can you convert it to HTML? There are some tools out there, but do any of them give good results? In general, no.

iSilo was originally developed as a system for converting HTML content into a format for reading on Palm OS devices. Yes, it would be nice to be able to convert iSilo to other formats, but well that has not been implemented. It's in the future along with the thousands of other feature requests.

Presumably, if you really wanted the HTML source content, you have several options:

1. If you converted the document yourself, you presumably have access to the source HTML.
2. If someone else converted it, you could presumably ask that someone else, which leads to two other ifs:
2a. If that someone does not want to provide the source, then they have their reasons and those reasons should be respected.
2b. If that someone is anonymous, then one may wonder about the content.
3. You could yourself extract the plain text. In Windows, if you really wanted the images, you could use the PrtScr key in Windows to copy the screens with the images individually.

Has there been any update on this?
When you print something onto a hardcopy paper YES indeed you can make it back into electronical text and/or pictures!

Your comment "do any of them give good results? In general, no" is somewhat ironic, since iSiloX is one of these conversion tools, so here is your chance to make a change to this "in general" by making it possible to go from .pdb (iSiloX) to HTML! Why? Because there is a growing number of iSilo users wanting to go to iPhone and with the release now of Books.app it seems it can happen, since there seems to be ZERO interest to make an iSilo version natively for the iPhone (correct?).

http://code.google.com/p/iphoneebooks/

As for your arguments,

1. No not at all presumable, there are plenty of .pdb files out there that us users have no clue as to where the HTML files could be located.
2a. Can't follow your logic on this triangle iSilo-iSilo user-iSiloX converter, this is like saying every single PDF file out there should respected an left untouched!?!
2b. Exactly how/why?
3. Are you comparing the usage of iSilo to a print screen "file"?!

[pendorbound]

Just to amplify previous posts here, documentation on the iSilo file format would be extremely appreciated. I was a loyal iSilo user for many years (from my Palm IIIxe, Palm V, Palm m505, Sony Clie, and WinCE 'smart' phone). I've now moved on to the iPhone and have lots of old documents "stuck" in the iSilo format. In many cases, I've long since lost the URL's of the sites from which the documents were distilled OR the sites have died.

To be clear, I've contributed code to the Books app on the iPhone to support PalmDOC and Plucker format. iSilo support is next on my list. Any documentation to save me the time and effort of reverse engineering the file format would be much appreciated.

[justme]

Just to amplify previous posts here, documentation on the iSilo file format would be extremely appreciated. I was a loyal iSilo user for many years (from my Palm IIIxe, Palm V, Palm m505, Sony Clie, and WinCE 'smart' phone). I've now moved on to the iPhone and have lots of old documents "stuck" in the iSilo format. In many cases, I've long since lost the URL's of the sites from which the documents were distilled OR the sites have died.

To be clear, I've contributed code to the Books app on the iPhone to support PalmDOC and Plucker format. iSilo support is next on my list. Any documentation to save me the time and effort of reverse engineering the file format would be much appreciated.

Great I see you can now open .pdb files with it, what about ones made with iSiloX?

BTW have you seen this?
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/08/apple-to-offer-limited-3rd-party-iphone-app-support/

[dwinget]

If you have the Windows desktop version of iSilo, it is possible to copy and paste the text into Microsoft Word, where it could then be saved as HTML. Unfortunately, I don't think the images will transfer this way.

[justme]

If you have the Windows desktop version of iSilo, it is possible to copy and paste the text into Microsoft Word, where it could then be saved as HTML. Unfortunately, I don't think the images will transfer this way.

Not quite what I had in mind :)