First Steps Towards a LaTeX to iBooks Conversions

27. 10 12 - 14:58 - Category:Software (English Text)
Today I made a little experiment with iBooks Author 2.0. The new version allows to insert formulas by typing LaTeX, but currently there is no way to automatically convert a LaTeX document to a iBooks Author document.

However, the following seems to be promising:
  • Create a simple documents (basically empty, some text) and insert a LaTeX formula.
  • Save the document, for example as Test.iba
  • Rename the document to Test.zip and in terminal type unzip Test.zip
  • From the unzipped folder Test open the file Test/index.xml.
  • In index.xml you will find your LaTeX formula at some place. Now, try to edit the latex within the index.xml (that is you edit the LaTeX source).
  • Save the file, zip the folder back to Test.zip (using zip in the Terminal not from Finder) and rename it back to Test.iba.
  • If you open the modified Test.iba you will see the document with the new formula.
Thus, it apears to be possible to write a LaTeX to IBA (iBooks Authors) converter.

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