Setting bookcover parameters with bookcover package given width and height information

Question

The following shows the bookcover dimensions I need:

I'm using the bookcover package and have the following so far:

\documentclass[
    coverwidth=8.447in,
    coverheight=11.236in,
    spinewidth=0.367in,
    flapwidth=0in,
    wrapwidth=0.591in,
%    trimmed % Show only trimmed part!
    ]{bookcover}

Do I have the parameters set correctly? I'm not clear how to account for the spine margins, for example, or if "coverheight" is the same as "Full Cover" or "Front Cover".

zwpagelayout.sty is one of the best package to typeset cover and spine and have easy documentation — MadyYuvi, Jan 16 '24 at 05:36
On ctan you can find it here: https://ctan.org/pkg/zwpagelayout — MS-SPO, Jan 16 '24 at 07:25
Off-topic, but closely related, since you are using KDP: When you are finished, print the PDF on a home inkjet printer, or office copier, not using "photo quality". Does not matter if it has to shrink to fit on the paper. Are the colors satisfactory? If not, re-work your colors. The print-on-demand color space is more limited than what you can see on a computer screen. — rallg, Jan 16 '24 at 19:58
@rallg This is a photography book too. Good to know. I was considering Lulu too but thought Amazon had better distribution. Also, note that there is a "Premium Color" option now for hardcovers through KDP. — E2R0NS, Jan 16 '24 at 20:00
I doubt if it matters which POD service you use. I have used POD several times, but never "premium color". Instead, I have softproof capability (this is outside TeX) to emulate POD colors on screen. You might try this: Load the finished cover PDF into a graphics program with color management (GIMP can do it), rasterized at 300dpi. Use softproof mode, with "US Web Coated (SWOP) v2" as color profile. Or, FOGRA39 is just as good. If working with real-life photos, possibly no visible difference. If working with intense colors, they will change. — rallg, Jan 16 '24 at 20:41
@rallg Softproof mode? How do I find that in GIMP or the US Web Coated (SWOP) v2 color profile? It's not coming up. — E2R0NS, Jan 17 '24 at 08:23

hair-splitter · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-16T12:45:43.000

1

The following settings correspond to the template shown.

\documentclass[
  coverwidth  = 8.447in,
  coverheight = 11.236in,
  spinewidth  = 0.367in,
  bleedwidth  = 0in,
  marklength  = 0.591in,
  ]{bookcover}
\letnamebookcoverpart{xspine}{spine}[0.062in,0.125in,0.062in,0.125in]
% The 'xspine' is an arbitrary name, which is the trimmed part of the spine.
% [<left margin>,<top margin>,<right margin>,<bottom margin>]
\letnamebookcoverpart{xfront}{front}[0.394in,0.125in,0.125in,0.125in]
\letnamebookcoverpart{xback}{back}[0.125in,0.125in,0.394in,0.125in]
\begin{document}
\begin{bookcover}
\begin{bookcoverelement}{color}{xspine}
color=lightgray
\end{bookcoverelement}
\begin{bookcoverelement}{color}{xfront}
color=lightgray
\end{bookcoverelement}
\begin{bookcoverelement}{color}{xback}
color=lightgray
\end{bookcoverelement}
\end{bookcover}
\end{document}

edited Jan 16 '24 at 12:45

answered Jan 16 '24 at 11:46

hair-splitter

2,741

What does the positioning of xspine, xfront, and xback represent when you say [0.062in,0.062in,0.062in,0.062in], for example? I mean what does the white between the grey xspine and grey xfront represent, for example? Or the white between the grey xfront and vertical red trim lines? – E2R0NS Jan 16 '24 at 12:07
xspine, xfront, and xback represent the margins indicated by the template? – E2R0NS Jan 16 '24 at 12:11
1

xspine is the margin-trimmed part of spine. If you compare the parameters with those specified in the template, you will understand. – hair-splitter Jan 16 '24 at 12:13
I wrote an explanation in the code. – hair-splitter Jan 16 '24 at 12:30
1

Got it. What about the white gap between the grey xfront and the vertical red trim marks? Is that accounting for the bleedwifth around the edge? – E2R0NS Jan 16 '24 at 12:37
1

You're right, it really wasn't fair, I looked it up. I corrected. – hair-splitter Jan 16 '24 at 12:46
So the three white sections in the template I provided are the grey sections in your version? – E2R0NS Jan 16 '24 at 18:12
Exactly right:) – hair-splitter Jan 16 '24 at 19:17
What does marklength refer to? I thought it produced the red marks but when I comment it out I still get them. – E2R0NS Feb 25 '24 at 17:41
If the marklength option is commented out, the default value of 10mm is used (see in http://mirrors.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/bookcover/bookcover.pdf) – hair-splitter Feb 26 '24 at 10:58

Setting bookcover parameters with bookcover package given width and height information

1 Answers1