Need to convert an e-book from exe to PDF

[jcarter]

Hi Tacit,
You always explain things so well. So its a program. Why do an e-book like that? Bizarre things, you hit the nail on the head.
So do you think I should use it? I have my Dell laptop with W7 on it. But Im leery of awkward stuff like this.

If somebody would/could turn this thing into a PDF file for me, I would willingly pay them, and I certainly would pay Janet the $50 for the license. I already did, and she reimbursed me.

Its not the cost Im worried about, its the ****convoluted mess**** that they have done with something that could be done with a PDF and read on all computers.
And all she needs to do is password protect it for the students.

Thank you again,
Jane

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

Jim, she (the book creator) didn't ask someone to create a program for her - it's a program that anyone can download in demo mode from a multitude of download sites.

QUOTE

Fast EBook Compiler is a publishing tool used to Create single compressed .exe file from a group of html files. It considers a given folder as a project and wraps all files up including subfolders into one package. Generated e-book doesn't require any installation and uses Internet Explorer installed on the user's PC to show its pages.

I was assuming that the lady didn't know how to write a program to do what "Fast Ebook Compiler" did. I think that's painfully obvious and true. I further suspect she had no idea what "Fast Ebook Compiler" would do or how incompatible it would make her html for non-Windows users. Her only reason to make such a 'contraption' was to protect her 'intellectual property.' Once her 'property' leaves her possession, it is no longer under her control. Since the files are displayed in IE (great choice, BTW ) they can be printed out and even/sold to anyone. Assuming there is a "Print to PDF" for Windows (as has been available on a Mac for over a decade), it could also be saved in that form. Maybe the "Fast Ebook Compiler" had a print CSS that changed the text to white! Yeah! That'll stop 'em!  

If all she had was html, she could have easily set up a site with a password requirement and let any browser on the planet use it! "Pay me 50 bucks and I'll mark your password and ID as having access to the rest of the site." She could probably have found all the PHP she needed with an Internet search. She could even have read a couple of books and done the PHP herself, for crying out loud! It is amazing how people try to make simple things complicated...and expect others to pay for it! OTOH, Windows has had a pretty good run...    

Of course, making the web site cost $50 to view would probably have encouraged some hackers to break in. Who wants to spend time breaking the protections of a free site?! I'd have to look at her writings to be sure, but she reminds me of some of the hundreds of letters my late Aunt collected from SCAMmers/con artists/thieves! Unfortunately, my Aunt thought those people really would tell her how to make millions on lotteries/accept thousands in cash from strangers/cure all her problems/etc. I think P.T. Barnum was right; "There's ... one born every minute!"

[jcarter]

What a totally convoluted mess.
I sure feel sorry for Windows users if they have to go to these lengths to protect their stuff.
Im a beginner at a lot of computer stuff, but I sure could take 600 pages and turn them into something readable for the computer world.

OK, somebody translate that thing and I will pay them and pay the author too.

Or should I just forget it, and go with the tutorial which comes with UltraFractal which is pretty darn good, its just a bit beyond me at the moment.
Or should I fire up the Dell, pay for that exe thing, and read/use it if it works?

Jane

[Xairbusdriver]

You've got the file. You've got the PC. You've got my permission. What more do you need?

It should be a simple 'double-click' or select the file and click the "Run" button or whatever elks they have to do on a PC. It will probably simply open IE (assuming it's still installed). If you were sent any kind of code or password, it should ask you to enter that. Hopefully, you'll get some kind of 'navigation' that will let you go to specific topics throughout the site.

This method of 'protecting' one's stuff is not particularly related to Windows users, BTW. It's simply the way the lady chose to do it. A convoluted scheme could just as well be done on a Mac! It's just a matter of not knowing how to make things easy for the end user. She probably just doesn't know a different way or how to find one.

[kimmer]

QUOTE(jcarter @ Apr 9 2012, 03:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a totally convoluted mess.
I sure feel sorry for Windows users if they have to go to these lengths to protect their stuff.
Im a beginner at a lot of computer stuff, but I sure could take 600 pages and turn them into something readable for the computer world.

OK, somebody translate that thing and I will pay them and pay the author too.

Or should I just forget it, and go with the tutorial which comes with UltraFractal which is pretty darn good, its just a bit beyond me at the moment.
Or should I fire up the Dell, pay for that exe thing, and read/use it if it works?

Jane

If you're willing to spend the money for the tutorial, then do so and fire up your PC. If you don't want to spend the money, then use the tutorial that came from UltraFractal. But asking someone else to translate copyrighted property borders on not being kosher (ie: not legal).

Just my non-legally binding opinion.

Also, check out these sources for tutorials:
http://www.ultrafractal.com/resources.html
http://www.wack.ch/fame/ufg/index.html
http://www.parkenet.org/jp/ufjumpstart.html

and more can be found at deviantART and through a google search.

[jcarter]

I have no problem with paying for what I use. Its just how to use it.  I assumed that things would translate, AFTER I had purchased it. And when it wouldnt, I ran the question here.
I sure felt pretty darn dumb about this exe stuff.

So if there is nothing bizarre about doing this with my Dell, and you have assured that it will work OK, then I will go ahead with it.
And then I will have both the PDF and this e-book.

This certainly has been an educational experience with files and stuff that I had no clue about.
Thank god for Macs, most of the time we dont have to deal with this sort of thing!

Also thanks for the tuts, there are a couple here which I hadnt seen yet.
Jane

[Paddy]

QUOTE(jcarter @ Apr 9 2012, 09:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So if there is nothing bizarre about doing this with my Dell, and you have assured that it will work OK, then I will go ahead with it.
And then I will have both the PDF and this e-book.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "And then I will have both the PDF and this e-book." What PDF? You cannot turn the .exe file (an application) into a PDF. While it's not clear whether she used the full-featured version of the program (which one used to be able to purchase) or the demo version still available for download, several of the "features" mentioned include the ability to stop users from selecting, copying and printing text and utilizing right click contextual menus. So even if you had Acrobat installed under Windows and the Adobe PDF Printer available in IE, it won't work, assuming that the author had indeed disabled the ability to print. Of course, I suppose there is always the option of taking screen shots of each page...

[jcarter]

Oh, I meant the supplied PDF inst. manual which comes with the program, in addition to the exe thing.

I downloaded "The Unarchiver" from the app store, but this is the message it gives me,,,,,,,"The contents of the file "ufcourses3.exe" cannot be extracted with this program"
I will probably purchase it from her, the $50 is cheap for the 600 or so pages in it, from what the other people learning UF say.
But will discuss it with the author first to make absolutely sure that it will work on my Dell, it seems to be a very odd way to publish anything, but I will give it a try. She reimbursed me before. So I know she is honest.

Jane

[Jack W]

QUOTE(jcarter @ Apr 10 2012, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, I meant the supplied PDF inst. manual which comes with the program, in addition to the exe thing.

I downloaded "The Unarchiver" from the app store, but this is the message it gives me,,,,,,,"The contents of the file "ufcourses3.exe" cannot be extracted with this program"
I will probably purchase it from her, the $50 is cheap for the 600 or so pages in it, from what the other people learning UF say.
But will discuss it with the author first to make absolutely sure that it will work on my Dell, it seems to be a very odd way to publish anything, but I will give it a try. She reimbursed me before. So I know she is honest.

Jane

It's not an archive Jane.

Strictly a MS executable program. ****.exe
Just like Apple apps are ****.app

[SylviarWriter1]

QUOTE(jcarter @ Apr 9 2012, 07:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I cannot see what is in it, If I could take screenshots, I certainly would, but its gibberish galore.

I have a Dell, what would happen if I gmailed the exe file over to it, would something there be able to read it?

A classmate has offered to translate it into a PDF for me, I wonder what he would have that would enable him to do that?

Thank you for any help that I can get this doggone book readable!  I would willingly send her a check for the $50 if I could use it.
Jane

Hi,
I came here hoping to find out how to extract an .exe ebook. It opens, I can see the contents (except some pages are acting weird - it's a 2005 version and struggles to open in Windows 10.) but it won't let me copy. I tried the 'copy' option - no go. I tried CTRL+C and still no go. However, right clicking does let me View the Source Code - it's an HTML document, right?

And lo and behold, there's the html for each page opened in Notepad. I saved it as html and was able to open the page in my browser. From there, I can simply select, copy the screen and save it in Word or Notepad without all the html code. Voila! AND keep all the graphic layout for a pdf. Perfect!

I was a tad ticked that I'd have to go through each page and retype them, or print and scan (which I still could do. I just wouldn't be able to edit it without paying Adobe) Then I thought I'd have to delete all the html code manually until it dawned on me I can simply open in a browser, copy and paste back. It's so simple.

A bit of a challenge for you, however, if you have 600 pages. But maybe a better alternative to having someone transcribe it all.

Once you get it into a fresh document, you can turn it into a pdf.

Hope this works for you, too.

As far as .exe files go, for awhile way back when, it was a popular way to create ebooks that people couldn't "steal", but it's been awhile since I've seen this format. People now just opt for pdf which makes way more sense. Who wants to buy something that you can't even print?

Sylvia

[Xairbusdriver]

"it's an HTML document, right?" Basically, it just has a different suffix to prevent most web browsers from opening it. I'm sure there are some proprietary bits in there for Kindle type docs.

BTW, a Mac can also run .exe files, usually in Terminal, of course. You can often find them in an app's "macOS" directory. Of course, if it's a Windows app, it won't run without Windows also installed.

BTW, #2:
Welcome AboaRd, Sylvia!