Convert FB2 to BBCode

Why Convert FB2 to BBCode?

Converting FB2 ebooks to BBCode format is ideal for sharing fiction content in online forums and bulletin board systems. BBCode is the standard markup language for most forum platforms, making it perfect for posting book excerpts, fan fiction, literary discussions, and story sharing in online communities popular in Eastern Europe and beyond.

FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based ebook format extremely popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, designed specifically for fiction with rich metadata. While excellent for ebook readers, FB2's XML structure is not suitable for direct posting in forums. BBCode provides a safe, forum-friendly alternative that preserves basic formatting while being easy to post and read.

Many authors, particularly in CIS countries, use forums to share their work, post chapters of ongoing stories, or engage with readers. Converting FB2 to BBCode allows authors to preserve formatting (bold, italic, chapter headers) while making content compatible with forum platforms. This is especially popular in literary communities, fan fiction forums, and book discussion boards.

The conversion process extracts text and structure from FB2 XML and transforms it into BBCode tags. Book titles become large headings, chapters are formatted with size tags, emphasis becomes [b] or [i] tags, and quotes are converted to [quote] blocks. While complex metadata won't be preserved, the readable content and essential formatting are maintained for forum posting.

Key Benefits of Converting FB2 to BBCode:

• Forum Compatible: Works with phpBB, vBulletin, SMF, and other platforms
• Safe Formatting: No XSS or security risks from user content
• Preserved Styling: Maintains bold, italic, headings, and basic formatting
• Easy Sharing: Post book chapters and excerpts with formatting
• Human Readable: Plain text with simple markup tags
• Community Friendly: Ideal for literary forums and fan fiction sites
• Cross-Platform: BBCode works across most forum software

Practical Examples

Example 1: Book Chapter Conversion

Input FB2 file (novel.fb2):

<section>
  <title>Chapter One: The Beginning</title>
  <p>It was a <strong>dark and stormy</strong> night.</p>
  <p>The wind howled through the trees.</p>
  <emphasis>She knew her life would never be the same.</emphasis>
</section>

Output BBCode for forum posting:

[size=150][b]Chapter One: The Beginning[/b][/size]

It was a [b]dark and stormy[/b] night.

The wind howled through the trees.

[i]She knew her life would never be the same.[/i]

Example 2: Book Metadata and Annotation

Input FB2 metadata:

<title-info>
  <book-title>The Great Adventure</book-title>
  <author>
    <first-name>Ivan</first-name>
    <last-name>Petrov</last-name>
  </author>
</title-info>
<annotation>
  <p>An epic tale of courage and discovery.</p>
</annotation>

Output BBCode:

[size=200][b]The Great Adventure[/b][/size]
[i]by Ivan Petrov[/i]

[quote]An epic tale of courage and discovery.[/quote]

Example 3: Epigraph and Dialogue

Input FB2 with epigraph:

<epigraph>
  <p>"In the beginning was the Word"</p>
  <text-author>Gospel of John</text-author>
</epigraph>
<section>
  <p>"Where are we going?" she asked.</p>
  <p>"To find the truth," he replied.</p>
</section>

Output BBCode:

[quote]"In the beginning was the Word"
— Gospel of John[/quote]

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"To find the truth," he replied.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is FB2 format?

A: FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based ebook format created in Russia in 2004. It's designed for storing fiction with rich metadata including author info, genres, cover images, and structured content. FB2 is extremely popular in Eastern Europe and CIS countries, supported by readers like FBReader, Cool Reader, and Calibre.

Q: What is BBCode?

A: BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language used in forums and bulletin boards. It uses bracket tags like [b]bold[/b] and [url]link[/url] to format text. Created as a safer alternative to HTML, BBCode prevents security issues while allowing users to format their posts with bold, italics, links, images, and more.

Q: Will chapter structure be preserved?

A: Yes! FB2's section and title elements are converted to BBCode size and bold tags. Chapters become large, bold headings, and the structure is maintained through spacing and formatting. While not as structured as FB2's XML hierarchy, the visual organization is preserved for forum reading.

Q: Can I post the entire book in a forum?

A: Technically yes, but consider: 1) Copyright - posting full copyrighted books without permission may be illegal, 2) Forum limits - many forums have post length limits, 3) User experience - very long posts are hard to read. It's better to post chapters, excerpts, or samples. For fan fiction or original work, check forum rules first.

Q: Do all forums support the same BBCode tags?

A: No, BBCode isn't standardized. While basic tags ([b], [i], [url], [img]) work almost everywhere, advanced tags vary by forum software. phpBB, vBulletin, SMF, and other platforms each have slightly different BBCode implementations. Some forums add custom tags like [spoiler] or [table]. Always check your forum's BBCode guide.

Q: What happens to FB2 metadata?

A: FB2 metadata (author, title, genre, date) is converted to formatted text at the beginning of the BBCode output. The book title becomes a large heading, author names are italicized, and annotations are formatted as quote blocks. While metadata isn't preserved in a structured way, it's included as readable text.

Q: How are images from FB2 handled?

A: FB2 images (cover, illustrations) are embedded as Base64 data. During conversion, images are extracted and converted to [img]URL[/img] tags. However, you'll need to upload these images separately to an image host (Imgur, forum attachments, etc.) and replace placeholder URLs with actual image links before posting.

Q: Can I edit BBCode manually after conversion?

A: Absolutely! BBCode is plain text, so you can edit it in any text editor or directly in the forum's post editor. This is recommended - you can adjust formatting, add forum-specific tags, fix conversion issues, and customize the output for your specific forum's requirements and community style.