Convert FB2 to ORG

Why Convert FB2 to Org-mode?

Converting FB2 ebooks to Org-mode format is valuable for Emacs users who want to integrate book content into their knowledge management workflow, extract text for annotation and note-taking, or repurpose ebook content for documentation projects. Org-mode's plain text format makes it ideal for version control, collaborative editing, and multi-format publishing.

FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based ebook format extremely popular in Russia and Eastern Europe. It excels at storing fiction with rich metadata including author information, cover images, annotations, and structured chapters. However, FB2's XML structure makes manual editing cumbersome, and the format is primarily designed for reading rather than active content manipulation.

Org-mode is a plain text markup language built into Emacs that has evolved from a simple outliner into a comprehensive authoring and organization system. It combines note-taking, task management, literate programming, and publishing capabilities in a single format. The Org-mode community is exceptionally active, and the format can be exported to HTML, LaTeX, PDF, EPUB, and many other formats.

Key Benefits of Converting FB2 to Org-mode:

• Emacs Integration: Leverage the full power of Org-mode in Emacs
• Knowledge Management: Add notes, tags, and links to book content
• Version Control: Track changes with Git and other VCS
• Multi-Format Export: Convert to HTML, LaTeX, PDF, EPUB, ODT
• Task Integration: Add TODO items and deadlines to content
• Literate Programming: Embed executable code blocks (Babel)
• Plain Text Benefits: Universal compatibility and longevity

Practical Examples

Example 1: Book Chapter Conversion

Input FB2 file (book.fb2):

<section>
  <title>Chapter 1: The Beginning</title>
  <p>It was a dark and stormy night.</p>
  <p>The wind howled through the trees.</p>
  <emphasis>Important text</emphasis>
</section>

Output Org-mode file (book.org):

* Chapter 1: The Beginning

It was a dark and stormy night.

The wind howled through the trees.

/Important text/

Example 2: Metadata Preservation

Input FB2 metadata:

<title-info>
  <book-title>The Great Adventure</book-title>
  <author>
    <first-name>John</first-name>
    <last-name>Smith</last-name>
  </author>
  <date>2024</date>
</title-info>

Output Org-mode header:

#+TITLE: The Great Adventure
#+AUTHOR: John Smith
#+DATE: 2024
#+LANGUAGE: en
#+OPTIONS: toc:nil

Example 3: Structured Content

Input FB2 with annotations:

<annotation>
  <p>This book tells the story of...</p>
</annotation>
<epigraph>
  <p>"To be or not to be"</p>
  <text-author>Shakespeare</text-author>
</epigraph>

Output Org-mode:

#+BEGIN_QUOTE
This book tells the story of...
#+END_QUOTE

#+BEGIN_QUOTE
"To be or not to be"
-- Shakespeare
#+END_QUOTE

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 Org-mode?

A: Org-mode is a plain text markup language and major mode for Emacs. Created by Carsten Dominik in 2003, it's used for note-taking, task management, project planning, authoring, and literate programming. Org files can be exported to HTML, LaTeX, PDF, EPUB, and many other formats.

Q: Will chapter structure be preserved?

A: Yes! FB2's section and title elements are converted to Org-mode headings (* for top-level, ** for subsections, etc.). The hierarchical structure of your book is maintained, making it easy to navigate with Emacs outline commands and folding.

Q: What happens to images in FB2?

A: FB2 stores images as Base64-encoded data within the XML. During conversion, images are extracted and saved as separate files, with Org-mode image links pointing to them. You can view images inline in Emacs with org-display-inline-images.

Q: Do I need Emacs to use Org files?

A: While Emacs provides the best experience, Org files are plain text and can be edited in any text editor. Tools like Pandoc can convert Org to other formats without Emacs. However, features like TODO management, folding, and Babel require Emacs.

Q: Can I convert Org-mode to other formats?

A: Yes! Org-mode has excellent export capabilities. From Emacs, use C-c C-e to access the export menu for HTML, LaTeX, PDF, ODT, Markdown, and more. Pandoc also supports Org as both input and output format for additional conversion options.

Q: How can I edit Org files without Emacs?

A: VS Code has Org-mode extensions, Vim has vim-orgmode plugin, and Atom has org-mode package. For viewing, many tools can render Org to HTML. However, Emacs remains the most powerful editor for Org-mode files.

Q: Is formatting preserved during conversion?

A: Yes! Bold, italic, and other text formatting from FB2 is converted to Org equivalents (*bold*, /italic/, =code=). Paragraphs, lists, and basic tables are also preserved. Some complex FB2 elements may be simplified or converted to plain text.