Convert FB2 to SVG

Why Convert FB2 to SVG?

Converting FB2 ebooks to SVG vector graphics is useful for creating visual representations of book content, generating cover images, creating infographics from book data, or building interactive web-based book previews. SVG's scalable nature ensures your graphics look sharp on any device, from mobile phones to high-resolution displays.

FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based ebook format extremely popular in Russia and Eastern Europe. While it excels at storing structured text content with rich metadata, converting to SVG allows you to transform that content into visual graphics that can be embedded in websites, used in presentations, or incorporated into design projects.

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is a web standard for vector graphics that scales perfectly to any size without pixelation. Unlike raster formats (JPEG, PNG), SVG files are resolution-independent and remain crisp at any zoom level. SVG files are also XML-based, making them editable with text editors and compatible with web technologies like CSS and JavaScript.

Key Benefits of Converting FB2 to SVG:

• Infinite Scalability: Vector graphics scale without quality loss
• Web Integration: Directly embed in HTML pages
• Visual Representation: Transform text into graphics
• Small File Size: Efficient for simple graphics
• Editable Graphics: Modify with vector editing tools
• Responsive Design: Adapts to any screen size
• Accessibility: Maintains searchable text content

Practical Examples

Example 1: Book Cover to SVG

Input FB2 cover metadata:

<coverpage>
  <image l:href="#cover.jpg"/>
</coverpage>
<binary id="cover.jpg" content-type="image/jpeg">
  /9j/4AAQSkZJRg... (Base64 data)
</binary>

Output SVG graphic:

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
     width="600" height="800">
  <image href="data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQ..."
         width="600" height="800"/>
  <text x="300" y="750"
        text-anchor="middle"
        font-size="24" fill="white">
    Book Title
  </text>
</svg>

Example 2: Text Content Visualization

Input FB2 chapter:

<section>
  <title>Chapter 1</title>
  <p>First paragraph of text.</p>
  <p>Second paragraph of text.</p>
</section>

Output SVG text layout:

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
     width="500" height="300">
  <rect width="500" height="300"
        fill="white" stroke="black"/>
  <text x="20" y="40"
        font-size="20"
        font-weight="bold">Chapter 1</text>
  <text x="20" y="80" font-size="14">
    First paragraph of text.
  </text>
  <text x="20" y="110" font-size="14">
    Second paragraph of text.
  </text>
</svg>

Example 3: Book Metadata Infographic

Input FB2 metadata:

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

Output SVG infographic:

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
     width="400" height="200">
  <rect width="400" height="200"
        fill="#f0f0f0"/>
  <text x="200" y="40"
        text-anchor="middle"
        font-size="24"
        font-weight="bold">
    The Great Adventure
  </text>
  <text x="200" y="80"
        text-anchor="middle">
    by John Smith
  </text>
  <circle cx="100" cy="140" r="30"
          fill="#3498db"/>
  <text x="100" y="180"
        text-anchor="middle">
    Sci-Fi
  </text>
</svg>

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 SVG format?

A: SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is an XML-based vector image format standardized by the W3C in 1999. Unlike raster images, SVG uses mathematical descriptions of shapes, making graphics infinitely scalable without quality loss. SVG is natively supported by all modern web browsers and can include text, animations, and interactivity.

Q: Why would I convert FB2 to SVG?

A: Converting FB2 to SVG is useful for creating visual representations of book content, generating scalable cover images for websites, creating infographics from book metadata, building interactive previews, or designing promotional materials. SVG ensures graphics remain crisp on any display resolution.

Q: Will text content be preserved?

A: Yes! Text from FB2 is converted to SVG <text> elements, maintaining readability and searchability. However, SVG is primarily a graphics format, so complex text layouts may be simplified. For lengthy books, consider converting individual chapters or pages to separate SVG files.

Q: Can I edit the SVG after conversion?

A: Absolutely! SVG files can be edited with vector graphics software like Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape (free), Figma, or even text editors since SVG is XML-based. You can modify colors, fonts, sizes, add elements, or apply effects without quality loss.

Q: What happens to images in FB2?

A: Images embedded in FB2 (typically Base64-encoded) are converted to SVG <image> elements. They can be embedded as data URIs or saved as separate files and referenced. Cover images and illustrations are preserved in the SVG output.

Q: Can I use SVG files on websites?

A: Yes! SVG has native browser support and can be embedded directly in HTML using <img>, <object>, or inline <svg> tags. SVG files work perfectly for responsive web design, scaling automatically to fit any screen size while maintaining quality.

Q: How do SVG file sizes compare to images?

A: For simple graphics and text, SVG files are typically smaller than equivalent PNG or JPEG images. However, very complex SVG files with many elements can become large. SVG can also be compressed as SVGZ (gzip) for even smaller file sizes.