23 Comments for InfoHesiveEP

• Oct 27 2009 9:30pm
  fran harter (Visitor)
  Hi,
  
  I visited your website and maybe i'm missing the answer to my question, but here it is.
  
  1. is there any way to protect ebooks, such as "User" and/or "Owner" passwords [like adobe has]?
  2. if there is any password setup, with encryption, what type is it?[example 40 bit, 128 bit]
  
  Thanks in advance.
• Oct 28 2009 3:03am
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Fran Harter, thank you for your questions about InfoHesiveEP.
  
  1. Yes, you can protect your eBooks in a number of ways when using InfoHesiveEP. The "Publisher's Key File" (.IHK) is designed so your readers may enjoy your publication but are unable to edit it in any way. Remember that this only applies to InfoHesiveEP eBooks - if you export to other formats like ePub you will not have the same protection. The Publisher's Key File encrypts your publication so that when you distribute it no one can edit it if they have InfoHesiveEP installed.
  
  There may be times however when you want colleagues to edit your publication, and all you need do in this scenario is distribute the .IHK file to them so they also have full editorial access to it.
  
  2. InfoHesiveEP allows you to password protect each publication so you can be assured they remain private. You can activate both compression and encryption by clicking "Settings" in the program menu, then "WorkSpace Preferences" "Compression and Encryption". Once at this program window you will find a full range of settings available to you, including encryption that ranges from 128 bit to 256 bit.
  
  I'm pleased to report serial number generation will be simplified so any user can generate serial numbers from within the program. This is currently being developed and will be made available as a free upgrade in the next few months.
  
  The extensive help file provides guidance on using all aspects of InfoHesiveEP, and we have an open forum where users discuss and exchange ideas about the program.
  
  You still have a few days before the Bits du Jour offer is live, so I'd suggest you take the program for a spin by using the fully functioning 30 day trial which you can download at:
  
  http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/infohesiveep/download/
  
  If you run into any difficulties when using the program we also offer free support ticketing to all trial users and licensees at:
  
  http://2brightsparks.com/help/index.php?action=user
  
  Thank you once again for your interest in our software.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Oct 28 2009 8:54am
  Fran Harter (Visitor)
  Mike,
  
  Thanks for the indepth explanation to my questions.
  
  I'll give the demo a try. (while waiting for next week's sale day).
• Oct 31 2009 3:23am
  Michael R (Visitor)
  Hello,
  
  I just donwloaded your demo-version, and at once liked the profesional looking workspace...
  
  Unfortunately I stumbled about two things the very first minutes:
  
  My first goal was to (1) import a (german) .chm-File, edit it a little and (2) save it as PDF-File:
  
  (1) My chm-File has some german special chars (äöüÄÖÜß) in the titles and I found out no text was displayed at all, if in any title of the tree-hierarchy of the text such a character did appear.
  
  For example: If a chapter was intended to be 'Anhänge' and has an article 'Anhang 1' in it, the chapter was displayed as 'Anhäe' and no text was displayed in 'Anhang 1' at all.
  
  (2) When exporting the file to a pdf-file I was wondering (a) why the resulting pdf-file did not have the directory-structure (i.e. chapters) of my imported (and in InfoHesiceEP correctly displayed) .chm-File. So the first page of the created PDF-File results in an empty page (probably because the chapter-pages of pdf-file can't be filled with text).
  
  Also the resulting pdf-file did not contain the pictures of my .chm-File (, which are also stored displayed in InfoHesiceEP correctly).
  
  Is this intended to be this way or about to be corrected in one of your quite often occuring (positve!!) updates?
  
  I first tried to ask this on your website, but as it seems one need a kind of support-ticket for doing this?
  
  Thank you...
• Oct 31 2009 5:22am
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Michael, thank you for your inquiry and for your positive comments. I'm sorry you found difficulty when importing a German .chm help file and exporting to PDF.
  
  When a .chm is imported into InfoHesiveEP and intended for export to PDF you will need to work on the "cover" page for the PDF which introduces your publication (the root Article). The German language .chm should otherwise import in the manner you anticipate however in your case it doesn't appear to have - we need to find out why.
  
  Be mindful that the PDF medium is different to a .chm file in that it is often a document that is printed. A cover page (the root Article) is therefore required otherwise the publication would be incomplete - a little like buying a book without a cover. At it's most basic the cover would include the Title of the publication, the publisher, author, and perhaps an attractive graphic - all these elements can easily be added with the InfoHesiveEP editor. I will however discuss how InfoHesiveEP might better inform the user of the need for a cover page with the program's Project Manager.
  
  We would like to help you import your German language .chm using InfoHesiveEP so that you can export to PDF, however you will need to visit our support area and complete a support ticket at:
  
  http://www.2brightsparks.com/help/index.php?pf=usr
  
  There's an article that explains the support ticket sign-up process at:
  
  http://www.2brightsparks.com/help/index.php?action=kb&article=15
  
  Our online ticketing system ensures that support requests are logged and tracked properly. A record is kept of each support request for both the user and our staff to view. This results in more effective communication, and a faster resolution to issues. Support ticketing is free for both trial users and licensees.
  
  If we used this context at Bits du Jour for support there would be members of our team who would not view the issues you are reporting, and we couldn't review the files you have expressed difficulty with. When issues arise our aim is to resolve them as quickly as we can so all users of InfoHesiveEP benefit with a prompt update. We will therefore need to review your .chm file, try to replicate the issue ourselves, before we can seek a solution for you.
  
  Thank you for your interest in InfoHesiveEP and your understanding. We look forward to receiving your support ticket.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Oct 31 2009 12:43pm
  Mike G (Superstar)
  I'm impressed with this feature-rich, well-designed e-publishing utility and the equally impressive help documentation and support behind it.
  
  I have some documents in PDF format that are already converted to .doc format using other tools so I can access the power of MS Word to adjust fonts, paragraph and line breaks, hyphenation etc. to my specifications. Now I want to make page size and margins suitable for e-book readers such as the Sony Reader or Kindle, generate a table of contents and export the result to PDF, HTML or whatever format is compatible with the Sony Reader. (I have other tools to convert to Kindle format.)
  
  My primary goal is readability on dedicated e-book readers, not on a PC or other multi-function device. Is InfoHesiveEP an appropriate tool to handle some or all of what I'm trying to do?
• Oct 31 2009 2:13pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Mike, I'm glad to hear you're positive about InfoHesiveEP, and that you've found the help documentation useful.
  
  InfoHesiveEP will export "ePub" files which are read by the Kindle and the Sony eReader. PDF is only supported in a limited way on the Sony so that's not a great format to use. We've tested the ePub format right up to the very latest PRS-600 Sony Touch released last month and it works well.
  
  You do not need to change the page size or margins for eBook formats as once you have your publication formatted in InfoHesiveEP, it handles the conversion process for ePub. You will however need to prepare your documents in InfoHesiveEP rather than in Word or another word processor. That's because there are a number of formatting and style functions that are not supported in some formats like ePub, html etc.
  
  When for example you make formatting changes in a program like Word, they'll be some spurious information that you don't see on the page but still lies hidden in the background and remains in the file. When it comes to copying and pasting or importing, some of that previously hidden data may come to the fore in the form of formatting errors, and you'll need to tidy them up. That's why InfoHesiveEP sports an on-board editor.
  
  If you have ever tried to save a previously heavily formatted Word document as a fresh document using the "Save As" function, you may have noticed the file size shrinks considerably. That's because the act of saving as a new document tends to clear the unwanted spurious data - the same goes for many word processors and other editors.
  
  You'll therefore need to use InfoHesiveEP to work on your ePublication so that it looks professional and exactly how you want it. Remember that there are fewer formatting options because InfoHesiveEP has been optimized to export to so many varied file types. Once you've prepared your publication you'll be able to export to the format of your choice with confidence.
  
  The best advice I can therefore give is to encourage you to try InfoHesiveEP so you can experience the whole process:
  
  http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/infohesiveep/download/
  
  InfoHesiveEP can be uninstalled at any time and we guarantee our software has no Spyware, Viruses, Trojans, Adware, or Malware:
  
  http://www.2brightsparks.com/nonasties.html
  
  To test on a Sony eReader simply copy the ePub file onto a USB thumb drive, pop it in the Sony eReader, and there's your publication in the eBook list ready to hit the stage.
  
  So, to sum up, yes, InfoHesiveEP will export to ePub which is read by the Sony eReader and many other formats including .mobi, PDF, HTML and CHM (Windows help file). PDFs and ePub files can be read on the iPhone using Stanza's iPhone eBook application, and .mobi's can be read on mobile phones and other hand held devices. Although you will need to carry out some editing and testing for any given format (that's a must for any publishing work-flow), I hope you'll find InfoHesiveEP provides you with the tools to get your message out to the widest possible audience.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 1 2009 2:38am
  Tom Colvin (Superstar)
  Every Sunday, I visit Bits du Jour and click on the Future Deals link. This gives me an opportunity to get a running start on any software that I may decide to download for myself. And it gives me an opportunity to alert my blog readers about software deals that might help them become more productive writers.
  
  I've been engrossed today with playing around with InfoHesiveEP. As it happens, I have several e-book ideas kicking around in my head -- and on my hard drive. Over the past hour, one of those e-books is beginning to take shape in InfoHesiveEP. I'm excited.
  
  I do have some observations/questions -- regarding formatting options. For very straight-forward material, the program provides the basics. I have been able to quickly understand the program and how it works -- and how to build pages with photos and links.
  
  However, I wonder:
  
  *** is it possible to wrap text around photos?
  *** Is it possible to work with columns?
  
  By the way, the comments and full responses here are turning into a bit of a tutorial about e-book publishing. That may be more than many will want -- but I'm certainly learning a lot!
• Nov 1 2009 5:31am
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Tom, it's great to hear you're putting InfoHesiveEP through its paces. Thanks for your positive feedback.
  
  I think there's an eBook in all of us - we've all got experiences, expertise, or creative work to share. My hope with InfoHesiveEP is that people take those nuggets of gold that too often lay hidden, and turn them into publications that enrich others. Even at the full price the program is more affordable than the overly-complex, developer based authorship tools out there.
  
  At present it is not possible to wrap text around photos using InfoHesiveEP. I believe this is because of the limited support of the function in some file formats like ePub, although I'll speak with our Project Manager about whether we might be able to incorporate this in a future release.
  
  For now you'll need to use tables to workaround this layout consideration. I've found creating a two column table with the image on the left or right allows me to place the text on the opposite side. This approach requires a little more time and thought as you'll want to ensure the text doesn't carry on below the height of the image as it doesn't look so great. I continue the text block until a natural sentence break that occurs close in line to the bottom edge of the image. I then continue the text below the table. Although this doesn't wrap text wrap around the image, it looks professional and is compatible with all the export formats supported by InfoHesiveEP.
  
  For columns, I think you're referring to table columns. Once a table has been created using the "Insert/Edit Table" function via the "Insert" menu, it is possible to drag the size of the table columns by hovering your mouse over the table. It is not however possible to define the exact percentage width of the table cells at present. Developing software is a compromise between delivering numerous features and ensuring the program is usable and not full with functions few use, and yet contributes to a feeling of being overwhelmed. Again, I'll discuss this with the team here to see whether that might be supported in a later release.
  
  I hope my comments are helpful, and good luck with your burgeoning ePublications and blog.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 1 2009 9:20am
  Tom Colvin (Superstar)
  Mike, you may be interested in reading the brief review I just posted on my blog at www.becoming-a-writer-seriously.com.
• Nov 1 2009 10:43am
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Tom, thanks for your blog review.
  
  The name InfoHesiveEP derives from a fusion of Information and adhesive. The EP stands for ePublisher.
  
  In your blog you mention that the program doesn't turn out eBooks with fancy graphics. Just to be clear, users can in fact insert the most fancy graphics imaginable, just not complex print publication type layouts that Adobe's Acrobat Pro outputs. Again, this isn't so much a shortcoming of InfoHesiveEP as a restriction of the many formats it supports. I've found that restrictions can however be a powerful drive in the creative process!
  
  Something I forgot to mentioned that your readers might also find valuable is that the eBooks produced with InfoHesiveEP are royalty free - the author has the right to produce and distribute as many copies of their eBooks as they wish from a single license.
  
  Thanks again for the review - I hope you continue to explore InfoHesiveEP's potential and enjoy wide readership with your new publications.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 2 2009 2:12pm
  Peter pereh (Visitor)
  Hello Mike,
  
  will we see any version of 'SyncBack' here, too?
• Nov 2 2009 5:19pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Peter, thanks for your question. We've no current plans to promote SyncBackSE or SyncBackPro at Bits du Jour in the foreseeable future.
  
  To widen the scope of my response about pricing, all customers purchasing InfoHesiveEP or any of our other software will enjoy generous volume discounts for three or more licenses. The discounts are automatically applied when you visit the store. Upon request we also offer special discounts for three or more licenses for Educational Institutions and non-profit organizations.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 3 2009 1:57pm
  Jeff Greene (Visitor)
  Hi Mike, it looks like the imported pdfs lose their outlining (pdf bookmarks); only page number list in the outliner pane are present after the import. It's a lot of work to re-outline it... Are you going to fix this any time soon?
• Nov 3 2009 2:36pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Jeff Greene, thanks for your question.
  
  PDF import is a notoriously difficult process to pull off well - we often review how Adobe Acrobat Professional handles this in comparison to InfoHesiveEP, and you might be surprised to hear that InfoHesiveEP holds its own very well when it comes to importing.
  
  Unfortunately the meta data that is saved as PDF Bookmarks is unavailable during the import stage. This means authors will need to spend time making editorial changes when they repurpose documents they have imported.
  
  You'll be pleased to hear that a future free upgrade to InfoHesiveEP that is planned for release in the next month will deliver improved PDF import.
  
  The following section from the InfoHesiveEP help file runs through a few additional issues relating to PDF import which I hoe proves of interest:
  
  "...When documents are imported as PDFs into InfoHesiveEP they are often subject to unique formatting conventions that are only supported by the PDF format. PDFs for example often have layers that correspond to different elements of the publication (eg. images, text etc.).
  
  One of the jobs of InfoHesiveEP is to provide you with formatting and editing tools that assist you as you rebuild your publication so that it delivers a professional and attractive presentation in a different format to the original. HTML for example does not support layers, so when a PDF is imported and contains text and image elements in unexpected areas, you will need to reformat the document using tables so they better match the original."
  
  One of the challenges with any import is that program files quite often contain hidden data that the user doesn't see. PDFs are no different in this area and maintain a great deal of hidden information including bookmarks, annotations, and previous drafts made during the creation process within the actual published file. This was a great surprise to us. We've tried our hardest to handle these issues, but once in a while spurious information raises its head. This is why an on-board editor is essential when importing PDF documents.
  
  I hope this information proves helpful and thanks again for your interest in InfoHesiveEP!
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 3 2009 3:04pm
  Julie Julie (Visitor)
  Exactly now, in what format would I save stuff to get it to read on a Kindle2?
  
  Mike, InfoHesive has sure generated interest here. I hope you are having a successful day.
  
  Cheers, Julie
• Nov 3 2009 3:29pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Julie, you'll need to export to the .Mobi file format. Here's how:
  
  Run InfoHesiveEP then:
  
  1. Click the File menu and choose either Export Article or Export WorkSpace.
  
  2. Choose the .Mobi format from the drop down menu "Save as type".
  
  3. Connect your Kindle to your computer using USB.
  
  4. Copy the .mobi file to the "Documents" folder of your Kindle.
  
  There's an article on our site called "Publish to the Kindle" which provides an overview of all things Kindle that might also prove interesting:
  
  http://www.2brightsparks.com/resources/articles/publish-to-the-kindle.html
  
  We've been very pleased with the response thus far. I hope you're also having a successful day!
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 3 2009 3:55pm
  Vern View (Visitor)
  I have some software documentation to produce and distribute.
  
  Can I incorporate (import) Flash files into Infohesive? For example, in a print publication, the Flash file would show the initial screen shot, but in an electronic distribution, the user could click on it to show a screen movie. Does that make sense?
  
  Thanks for any information.
• Nov 3 2009 5:02pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Vern, you can associate any files with your InfoHesiveEP Help File including Flash files.
  
  The "Help and Project" WorkSpace allows you to add "File Items" via the Outliner menu. You can link to these File Items from anywhere in your publication. This may prove useful if you are providing a Flash tutorial which you reference in several places within your help file.
  
  Select a Topic in the Outliner, then "New File Item". This will insert a link to a data file (your Flash file) into the current WorkSpace. When you initially save an InfoHesive Help and Project File, each File Item is copied to a special Assets folder that should be distributed along with the .IFH file.
  
  You can easily find out where this folder is located via the menu "View" "View Assets Folder". When the intended audience clicks the File Item in a distributed help file using the InfoHesiveEP Viewer, they will be able to view the file on their local computer.
  
  Note for any given file your audience will require the program to view/read that file. In the case of a Flash file that is not a problem as almost all computers have it installed by default, but some users may not have a program to read certain file types (for example a user may not have Excel installed). It's just a question of knowing your audience.
  
  Note that it is not possible to insert File Items into InfoHesiveEP eBook WorkSpaces as the eBook format is intended to be a single, self contained, and relatively small file that can be easily distributed.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Nov 3 2009 5:45pm
  Vern View (Visitor)
  Okay, so I can't use it to create PDF or CHM files with embedded Flash video. I can just link to those files. That's understandable.
  
  What is your licensing policy if I want to install on my desktop, laptop, and/or home (3) computers?
• Nov 3 2009 7:42pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Vern, we try to be as generous as possible for home users. A single InfoHesiveEP licensee can install the program on up to five computers. Installing the program on a server counts as one installation. Your license is indefinite for the version you have purchased.
  
  All minor upgrades are free. For major upgrades there may be a small upgrade fee, but this will be in line with our low pricing policy. Although licensees are advised to upgrade to the latest version, there is no requirement to do so.
  
  View the InfoHesiveEP changes pages for details about the frequency and level of previous upgrades:
  
  http://www.2brightsparks.com/infohesive/ihep-changes.html
  
  We place no restriction on moving your license from one computer to another, as long as the program is not installed on more than 5 computers/devices for personal use. If you need to install the program on more than 5, an additional license would need to be purchased from our store.
  
  If InfoHesiveEP is used for commercial purposes, a separate license must be purchased for each installation.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software
• Jan 6 2010 2:52pm
  Heather Vilistus (Visitor)
  I usually produce our publications using Quark Xpress, importing graphics and photos from Illustrator and photoshop, then generating a pdf which we post online. Is it possible for me to flow text in to InfoHesive from Quark Xpress and import graphics, or would it entail, basically reformatting and starting from scratch in InfoHesive.
• Jan 6 2010 4:43pm
  Mike de Sousa (2BrightSparks Pte Ltd Vendor)
  Hi Heather, thanks for your interest in InfoHesiveEP. The brief answer is that you'll need to try this workflow yourself using the 30 day trial of InfoHesiveEP that's available here:
  
  http://www.2brightsparks.com/assets/software/InfoHesiveEP_Setup.exe
  
  We haven't tested InfoHesiveEP with Quark Express, which as you are aware is a full blown professional publication authoring environment. I guess it all depends exactly how Quark Express handles the export/copy of text and images. InfoHesiveEP can copy rich text and html, however be aware the conversion to PDF will always require editorial work to make it look presentable because the PDF format is so very different from other formats.
  
  I hope that helps as you ponder on the best solution for your needs.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  Mike de Sousa
  2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
  www.2brightsparks.com
  
  Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software

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