After the site overhaul, downloading epub files for stories sterilizes most of the bbcode tags in said stories. Now, when you download an epub file and convert it for an e-reader using a program like calibre, none of the formatting (i.e., italicization, bolding, text size) transfers over.

Is there an option to prevent epub downloads from scrubbing out the bbcode in the first place? My story relies pretty heavily on flashbacks, which I italicize to delineate them from the present. While it's pretty apparent based on context what is and is not a flashback based on the characters involved, certain future developments are going to make it a bit difficult to differentiate the two given the now-limited formatting available to authors on the site.

Please tell me there's an option I've missed somewhere, or if there's a place on the site to make suggestions. I love the site update, but the epub download change has to go.

3760043
I haven't downloaded anything since the change, but is it the download scrubbing the bbcode or is it the conversion program?

I've always used this online one, and I haven't had any issues to date.

3760075 It's the download itself, they even mentioned it in the site update. Pretty much bricked bbcode for calibre conversions, but I'll try your version and see if it works.

Edit: No dice. No italics when I use your site, either.

And just to clarify specifics, I'm talking about converting .epub to .azw3, the format used in Amazon Kindles. I dunno if it affects other e-readers or not.

3760091
Well that sucks. So is italic and whatnot now part of the download?

bbcode broke epubs to begin with. That is why it was removed.

3760117 Uh, no it didn't, at least not if you used a conversion program. I never had a problem with it until the site update...even hyperlinks still worked on my Kindle Paperwhite if I had wi-fi enabled.

Even assuming you made the change for e-readers compatible with the epub format, the Kindle is still the most popular e-reader on the market and the change effectively ruined trying to read stories on it in the writers' intended format. If the site isn't willing to revert the changes, we should at least have the option to download epubs that haven't been altered.

3760093 No italics, no bold, no hyperlinks, no text size options. The paragraph formatting and line spacing and whatnot are all still fine, it's just anything that used bbcode doesn't register.

3760043 This is not the place to ask. The site has an FAQ, and if you can't find your answer in there, ask knighty himself. I see you're also talking with Meeester, too, so maybe you could move that to a PM?
I'm going to put this thread on lock. Message me with questions.

3760308

I see you're also talking with Meeester, too

A reply != a conversation yo