Pearson’s Standard eText Production Process
Four Components Content Manager FTP server Content Manager application Authoring application Viewer
Multiple Environments DEV (development) CERT (QA testing) PPE (Pre-Production Environment) - also used for eText test ingestions PROD (Production)
Content Manager Workflow Status tab, including History Standard eBook Workflow tab Simple eBook Workflow tab Offline Packaging tab Audio Text Synch Up tab Accessibility
Two Workflows Standard eBook Workflow XML extracted, processed via FileQA and Desktop Conversion Toolkit High-resolution printer PDFs Optional Basket, Hotspot or Audio spreadsheets Simple eBook Workflow Required TOC and optional Basket, Glossary, Hotspot or Audio spreadsheets High-resolution printer PDFs
Requirements Hi-Res Printer PDFs Table of Contents (XML or spreadsheet) Cover and other artwork Additional enhancements (links, glossary) FTP client Mac/Windows computer w/ browser
Resources Media server: net/ebookplus/spreadsheet.html net/ebookplus/spreadsheet.html Pearson Knowledge Base:
Hi-Res PDFs PDF 1.4, CMYK, cropped or uncropped If uncropped, must include valid trim box If cropped, do not crop by adjusting the media box From InDesign, export as PDF Optimizing highly recommended
Hi-Res PDFs (cont.) What you see is more or less what you get No spot colors, no replacement colors No hidden elements No larger than 30 MB for a single page PDF No larger than 300 MB for a multi-page PDF, with no single page larger than 30 MB
Table of Contents Standard eBook workflow uses extracted and transformed XML Simple eBook workflow uses formatted MS Excel spreadsheet template
Cover, Artwork & Icons Cover image as PNG and PDF at 150 dpi Typically MB file size ~1008 pixels wide Thumbnail in PNG format at 150 dpi 90 pixels wide, and proportionately high Navigationbar in PNG format at 150 dpi 120 pixels wide by 80 pixels high Should be provided by business unit
Additional Enhancements Other XML files from XID/ETMv2 Cross-reference, glossary links in regioninfo.xml Glossary Formatted MS Excel spreadsheets Cross-reference, glossary and links to external resources
Basic Ingestion into Content Manager Upload files to the Content Manager FTP server Ingest PDFs, XML into the Content Manager Ingest additional spreadsheets, as applicable Upload/publish to Authoring server
Content Manager FTP FTP client that supports SFTP protocol Individual account credentials required Contact Ann Sullivan or Tyler Suydam for FTP access accounts Create folders in appropriate location Must reset folder permissions
Prior to Processing XML Log into Content Manager application Click on Standard eBook workflow tab Enter ISBN into Identifier field Click Acquire Metadata button If metadata.xml successfully generated, use Global Book ID included in file
If Acquire Metadata fails... Log into Content Manager application Click on Standard eBook workflow tab Enter ISBN into Identifier field Select appropriate BU/SBU/Directory Click Validate Content Manager will fail, but will generate Global Book ID and folders Use generated Global Book ID in “placeholder” metadata.xml file
Custom TOC spreadsheet Not required if XML transformation through Compositor’s Toolbox is successful Creates eText table of contents Lists all of the PDFs to be included in eText Assigns hierarchy of folders and sub- folders Guidelines for Preparing Table of Contents Spreadsheet contains information about how to build the spreadsheet
Custom Basket spreadsheet Not required if Table of Contents and Glossary are the only baskets Required for any additional baskets, such as instructor or other resources BU may provide or may ask vendor to produce
Custom Hotspot spreadsheet Not needed for cross-reference or glossary links if regioninfo.xml successfully processed Links to externally-hosted rich media assets Use of relative or absolute URLs will depend on whether any “offline” package(s) will include rich media assets
Custom Hotspot spreadsheet (cont.) Role X/Y location, width/height entries Icons Alternate media link
Initial Ingestion Log into Content Manager application Click on Standard eBook workflow tab Enter enclosing folder into Identifier field Select appropriate BU/SBU/Directory Select appropriate language Select XML, PDF processing Click Create
Initial Ingestion (cont.) Automated messages Workflow status tab Low-res PDF processing Manage bookinfo Manage manifest Validate Page preview Upload/publish to Authoring server
Initial Ingestion (cont.) Perform PDF scaling Replace selected pages Process all chapters Process annotated PDF
Authoring Log into PROD1 Authoring: authoring.do authoring.do Search for eText by title, author, Book ID or Global Book ID Click on title to enter eText
Authoring Menu Review and Enter Book Metadata Make Verso / Recto selection, if necessary Specify eText Language and Interface Selections should agree, wherever possible If UI is Elementary, Toolbar Placement should be set to bottom Audio Text Synch enabled, if appropriate Other selections
Authoring Menu (cont.) Specify eText Interface Colors Specify SWF and Asset File Paths Upload Custom Icons Export Export for Distribution
Authoring Menu (cont.) Export Captures any edits made in the Authoring server, especially hotspots Same as creating a backup in the Content Manager When initiated from Content Manager, recorded in History Export for Distribution Create “offline” packages, such as CD/DVD, PSN, OCAS Configure UI selections
Authoring Menu (cont.) Review eText Pages, Region Hotspots and Zoom Areas Review pages, pagination, completeness, table of contents, baskets Resize and reposition hotspots ingested from spreadsheet and maybe adjust those from transformed XML Adjust or author zoom boxes
Editing Hot Spots On initial ingestion from a spreadsheet, hotspots are uniform size and neatly aligned to left edge of page. Double-click a hotspot to move or resize Adjust x/y or w/h in editing panel Guidance for sizing and positioning should be available in the Note field of the link editing panel
Authoring Hot Spots Additional hotspots can be created using tool Click-and-drag with tool to create a new hotspot, and to move or resize Creating new hotspot opens link panel Make appropriate selections from Link Type, Type and Role values Link Type selection controls available Type selections Enter appropriate Link Value
Authoring Hot Spots Adjust hotspot x/y or w/h in editing panel Add Media w/h and x/y or Link x/y as needed Entered Name becomes mouseover iPad check box Alternate media link for iPad/Android Ready-to-Publish check box
Authoring Glossary Links To create a glossary link, use link tool to create link and then click and drag the glossary term from the Glossary basket to the link editing panel Appropriate Glossary Entry ID value is automatically entered
Placing / Editing Icons Installing icons On initial ingestion from a spreadsheet, icons are neatly aligned to right edge Double-click an icon to move Icons cannot be resized Smaller icon artwork is possible, but associated regions will need to be edited Selecting, placing, authoring additional icons
Authoring Zoom Areas Can be ingested from marked PDFs Created in the Authoring environment using Zoom Area Tool Select tool and then click and drag Adjust x/y and w/h in editing panel Assign/re-assign sequence in editing panel BU provides guidance if not ingested Double-click to edit created zoom area
Re-positioning Audio Text Synch Icons Clicking Audio Text Synch Icon tool makes audio text regions appear and hotspots or icons disappear Double-click an icon and then click and drag to reposition icon or enter x/y values in editing panel Icon can be changed to a hotspot in editing panel by selecting Region for Flow Type
Preview Links When eText is ready for BU review, generate Authoring Preview links Instructor/Student, iPad Instructor/Student iPad previews for confirming functionality and icons
eText Best Practices Export from the Authoring server before making changes Create self-derivative Purge previous versions in Content Manager Preserve XML and logs