MfGames Writing

MfGames Writing[1] is a JavaScript (well, TypeScript) tool for creating EPUB and PDF documents out of source files. It can be installed via `npm` and uses the Node ecosystem to transform[2] the source files.

I have more detailed introductions, reasons for this library, and how to customize it both on the above link or on my blog[3].

package.json

MfGames Writing uses the `package.json` file to provide things like the name of the project and it's version (it has the ability to put the version in the legal page). Below is a basic shell of that file:

{
  "name": "allegro",
  "version": "0.41.0",
  "private": true,
  "description": "\"Allegro\" is a novel by D. Moonfire.",
  "author": {
    "name": "D. Moonfire"
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0",
  "repository": {
    "type": "git",
    "url": "git+https://src.mfgames.com/fedran-sources/allegro.git"
  },
  "homepage": "https://fedran.com/allegro/"
}

One that is set up, you have to install the required packages.

npm install @mfgames-writing/format @mfgames-writing/weasyprint-format @mfgames-writing/epub2-format @mfgames-writing/clean-theme

That sets up the PDF and EPUB format and uses a simplistic theme.

publication.json

The `publication.json` file is used to control the formats being generated and where everything is:

{
  "metadata": {
    "title": "Allegro",
    "author": "D. Moonfire",
    "language": "en",
    "theme": "@mfgames-writing/clean-theme",
    "outputDirectory": ".",
    "outputFilename": "allegro-{{edition.version}}.{{edition.ext}}"
  },
  "editions": {
    "epub": {
      "format": "@mfgames-writing/epub2-format",
      "ext": "epub"
    },
    "pdf": {
      "format": "@mfgames-writing/weasyprint-format",
      "isbn": "",
      "images": {
        "grayscale": true,
        "opaque": true
      },
      "ext": "pdf"
    }
  },
  "contents": [
    {
      "element": "chapter",
      "number": 1,
      "directory": "src/chapters",
      "source": "/^chapter-\\d+.md$/",
      "start": true,
      "page": 1
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Automation

Here is the a starting point for Just[4] using MfGames Writing:

build: build-epub build-pdf

build-epub:
    mfgames-writing build epub

build-pdf:
    mfgames-writing build pdf

With the above components, generating the output would just require running `just build` to create it. The resulting files are put into the project root as `//allegro-*.pdf` and `//allegro-*.epub`.

Footer

Below are various useful links within this site and to related sites (not all have been converted over to Gemini).