Multiple versions of text in one EPUB?

[SueCampbell54]

My client wants to have selections of an alternate language within one epub. Book in English, but some characters speak French, they wish let the user choose to see those selections in French. But this would be a user selection. I know of no way to do this. Anybody?

This would be a regular reflowable epub. I suppose I could use a footnote and have the alternate text in a popup. Though I do not know if that would work in Kindle (I suspect not?).

SueC

[BobLevine]

Fixed layout would let you use a multi state object but I can’t think of any straight forward way to do this with reflowable.

[SueCampbell54]

Appreciate the quick response. Fixed layout is really not a good option for a novel. High percentage of folks read on a phone, largest numbers by far read on Kindle and even a kindle fire is a really small screen.  I doubt i will ever do a novel as fixed layout. I even have a hard time justifying books with lots of images as fixed layout. It still isn't well accepted, and eliminates too many readers.

I am wondering though, if the footnote idea would work.

[BobLevine]

I didn’t say it was a good choice, only pointing out that it’s the only choice for epub if you want that type of interactivity.

I’m sure something can be done, but I doubt it’s something you can do with InDesign. Someone who knows better might come along.

[Derek Cross]

I reckon hyperlinked footnotes are the way to go. I suggest you produce a shorter test reflowable text ePub (and convert it to mobi) before you commit yourself.

[BobLevine]

+1

That feature is not available on all readers so it's imperative to test it. I certainly hope this isn't something that the OP promised and is simply exploring at this point.

[SueCampbell54]

Thanks BobLevine and Derek Cross

I suspected as much. I'll test the foot notes idea. Though, yes, I have my doubts about it working on all readers—particularly kindle. This ebook stuff isn't for sissies.

No, I have not told them I can do it. They've asked for the feature and I told them I'd have to do some research. People think ebooks are magic. The dark arts teacher was missing when I went to magic school.

Possibly, I'll get them to go for a regular reflowable version (all one language). And then spring for an "enhanced" version too—fixed layout with multi-state objects (which sounds easy enough). It would be a good test to see if that's even something anyone would care about. I kinda doubt it. Thing about all these gee-whiz-bang things we can do is that the aren't really very marketable in the real world of publishing. (Few of us have National Geographic as clients.)