Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre

[NJTECHGUY]

Originally Posted by jhowell

There is definitely some confusion here. KFX format uses a set of files for each book instead of a single file as most other formats do. When a azw8 file is imported into calibre the KFX Input plugin locates the rest of the files that make up the book and places them into a ZIP archive with the extension ".kfx-zip". That is then passed to the DRM removal plugin for processing.

If DRM removal is successful the KFX Input plugin then combines all of the components of the book into a single KFX file and changes the extension to ".kfx". If the DRM removal fails then that will not happen. So seeing KFX in calibre after import indicates success and seeing KFX-ZIP indicates failure.



I doubt that the publication data is a factor in this case. It is more likely a question of whether a particular book has DRM that is locked to a specific Kindle app/device or not. Books obtained from the new Kindle for Mac app that are not locked in that way should be able to have their DRM removed.

Mine is locked with the new Kindle for Mac app should I uninstall the plugins and try again cause I keep getting a kfx zip

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by NJTECHGUY

Mine is locked with the new Kindle for Mac app should I uninstall the plugins and try again cause I keep getting a kfx zip

That is likey due to the book being locked to the app, which will be the case for most books. Only a small subset of books downloaded using the latest Kindle for Mac app will import as KFX. For the rest DRM removal is not currently possible even with the latest available plugins. For those books you will need to use one of the other methods described in the first post of this thread.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by maddz

Now that's interesting, a azw8 novel imports from K4Mac as a KFX file if you use import as archive, but a graphic novel doesn't. If you import as All files it imports as an archive...

Selecting Archive in the import wizard doesn't 'see' the awz8 archive file as an archive even though the file type is a Stuffit Expander file. Weird. I wonder if it's a function of size.

@maddz: Thank you for your PMs explaining what you're doing. I tried importing azw8 as archive, but that doesn't work on my Mac. When I select archive as the format, the azw8 is grayed out and not selectable.

That said, I used the ASIN you provided to search for the book on Amazon's web site. On the book's web page under Product Details it says: Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited. I believe this is why you were able to deDRM the book, and not because it was imported as an archive. See this post.

If you are able to deDRM ebooks that do not have Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited, let us know.

Originally Posted by jhowell

... I doubt that the publication data is a factor in this case. It is more likely a question of whether a particular book has DRM that is locked to a specific Kindle app/device or not. Books obtained from the new Kindle for Mac app that are not locked in that way should be able to have their DRM removed.

I believe this is exactly why maddz got KFX rather than KFX-ZIP. I looked up the ASIN and it says: Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited, i.e., book not locked to a specific device or app and can be opened by any Kindle device or app.

Originally Posted by NJTECHGUY

Mine is locked with the new Kindle for Mac app should I uninstall the plugins and try again cause I keep getting a kfx zip

Originally Posted by jhowell

That is likey due to the book being locked to the app, which will be the case for most books. Only a small subset of books downloaded using the latest Kindle for Mac app will import as KFX. For the rest DRM removal is not currently possible even with the latest available plugins. For those books you will need to use one of the other methods described in the first post of this thread.

@NJTECHGUY: This ↑↑↑ See this post.

[maddz]

So the moral of this is to check 'Product details' before buying. If you see an entry for 'Simultaneous device usage: unlimited' between 'File size' and 'Text to speech', you're OK to buy. If not, try purchasing the book elsewhere and hope you can match (or better) the Amazon price.

I checked various books in my Kindle library, and it's hit or miss whether a title has 'Simultaneous device usage: unlimited' enabled or not. I rather suspect it's down to whether the publisher has allowed it or not; even books I purchased in 2013 generally don't have it.

This does have implications for people who need to use something like a Braille reader for their reading. It may actually mean this is contravening accessibility rights legislation.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by maddz

So the moral of this is to check 'Product details' before buying. If you see an entry for 'Simultaneous device usage: unlimited' ... I rather suspect it's down to whether the publisher has allowed it or not; even books I purchased in 2013 generally don't have it.

"Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited" is Amazon's version of DRM-free. I.e., you can read the ebook on any Kindle device; it's not locked to a specific user's Kindle account.

When a publisher wants to offer their books DRM-free, it gets: "Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited".

[maddz]

I swear I asked this before, but I can't find it here (it may have been elsewhere). Does anyone have a list of Kindle models that still support download-and-transfer-via-USB (and are likely to for a while)?

I'm looking at Cash Converters/Computer Exchange with a view to getting a cheap but working non-wi-fi enabled Kindle. If necessary, I could try Ebay as well as long as I can get through the registration process... I can get 3rd/4th Gen Kindles at £20 or less (usually missing charge cables but I have plenty of micro SD lurking around the house anyway).