Are sections of created ebooks encrypted?

Scrivener Scrivener for Windows
1

Hello everyone,

A few weeks ago I bought Scrivener, so I am a complete newbie with this exciting writing software.

However I want to know if when compiling an ebook (epub, …) sections of that compiled ebook are encrypted.

It is my intention after the book is compiled to lets say an “epub” format, I can fine tune the generated CSS/HTML code. I create question pages for our 8 year old daughter. After creating I like to add or alter images. Until a few weeks ago I did this with another application but the questions section is always encrypted, so it is impossible to change.

Despite the fact I can understand the property reason behind encrypting those question sections, it also limits the usage. That application does not allow images to be used properly. If they would not had encrypted it, I could have alter the question section, so they would look how I want it.

I like to add that I do not use any encryption or protection method to my created ebooks. I want to give the reader an optimal readers experience. I find Scrivener an excellent and powerfull writing tool, which is challenging to master.

Can you tell me if a Scrivener published ebook contains encrypted sections and if I can edit every section of the formatted and created ebook?

Thank you very much of your time and efforts spend on answering my question, which will be highly appreciated.

Have a nice day.

Chris

2

Have you managed to compile to epub with anything encrypted? I was not aware that Scrivener offered DRM protection for epub files. So, either someone will correct me or you are asking how can you stop it from completely doing what it doesn’t do at all.

3

Yes, to confirm, Scrivener does not use any encryption whatsoever. The format is deliberately designed to be open to post-compile editing in dedicated ePub editors—it’s at the moment not really meant to be final output anyway. But, as you can read in a recent blog post, we’re only getting more open about it making it even easier to edit these files once you’ve compiled them. Right now they are a bit… well like what you get when you save HTML from Word. It works, but it’s a huge mess to sort out the CSS.

Thanks, by the way, for leaving your books open and capable of being moved from one bookshelf to another as the years go by!

4

Thank you very much Steve and Amber for your information, which I appreciate very much.

I want to apologize for this very late reply…

I have no intention to encrypt the ebooks I create, on the contrary. Like Scrivener, I like them open and without any DRM. I do not want to bother the reader with security limits.

I encounter several times myself an ebook which I legally bought, which could not be read because of the DRM restrictions. This is very annoying and chase a way a reader forever.

I leave it up to the reader to buy my books or not. At least people will read them, which on itself will be very rewarding for myself.

To thank you for your help, I like to give here my very first story which was an exercise for one of the writer courses. It must have exactly 207 words, not a word more or less. It is between the ### lines. Please read it from top to bottom.

Lost in the fog

Friday evening the 13th of December 1968, somewhere between the villages Bridgend and Porthcrawl in Wales.

Rita, was driving in her Austin Morris, enclosed by darkness and fog. She could barely see the road in front of her. Knowing how treacherous this road could be, she cautiously drove home. The dense fog making her car wipers working overtime. She was overly concerned and wished to be in the cosy safety of her home.

At a small crossroad, she saw a strong light on her left side moving towards her. Forcefully, she stepped on the clutch and the brake pedals. Her car rumbling, pushing her body forward while hearing a loud abrasive noise of the wheels gliding over the road. Abruptly with a loud “bang” and hard “bump”, her car became to a stop. Then an uncomfortable silence filled the car while she realised she HAD an accident.

Fearful shivers ran over her body, when she stepped out of her car and walked to the front. She didn’t see any other car and there was no damage. Suddenly, she felt a burning pain when a knife entered from the back into her body, straight through her lovely heart. Another victim of the valley murderer.

Hope you enjoyed the story.

Wish you a very nice day and all the best. Thank you again for your information.

Chris

5

Thanks for sharing that! A rather ominous piece. :slight_smile:

I hear you on that score. I have around a hundred books that were purchased in the antediluvian era of Palm Pilots and so forth. The company that sold them went out of business ages ago, and at this point I’ve given up ever recovering them. The music industry went through this phase of locking down every song you buy—I wouldn’t be surprised if the publishing industry eventually sees the light on that as well.