Attentive newbie seeks Sigil -> Kindle advice . . .

[bfollowell]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Except for the fact that--unless Kovid has addressed this--Calibre-generated MOBI's are not readable on any "Kindle for X" device, because Calibre-generated MOBI's do not have adequate space in the headers to accommodate the second layer of encryption required for a file to be read on anything other than the device. Calibre is a library system, and a damn fine one, but it is NOT a production tool for professional production (for Kindle books for SALE).

HTH
Hitch

I've seen this mentioned before and I can say that this is definitely not true, at least for me.

I have Kindle4PC and I've never had the first problem with any of my Calibre conversions displaying.

I can't vouch for any of the other Kindle4whatever apps.

- Byron

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by bfollowell

I've seen this mentioned before and I can say that this is definitely not true, at least for me.

I have Kindle4PC and I've never had the first problem with any of my Calibre conversions displaying.

I can't vouch for any of the other Kindle4whatever apps.

- Byron

Byron:

And this is after they've been run through KDP, and have DRM attached? Because we're talking about files being made for commercial sale through Amazon, and whether Calibre-creation leaves enough room for the 2nd layer of encryption required for DRM on "Kindle For X" apps--not whether or not you can read a Calibre-created MOBI directly on your own K4PC. Kovid reads this forum, I'm pretty sure he'll pipe up if he fixed it.

Hitch

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by st_albert

Just to be clear:

Also, I have seen it stated by several people that Mobipocket Creator (MS-windows only?) can also convert from epub, but I have not been able to make that work for me.
(snippage for brevity)

1. Make sure you ONLY use headers h1-h2-h3 for the TOC entries you want (reason for this later, or use 9a, below);
2. Make your entire ePUB in Sigil, importing your html files as you go, using the "add existing item" option.
3. Finish up your ePUB, don't bother adding the Cover page.
4. Download MobiPocket Creator. Install.
5. Unzip your ePUB.
6. Double-click the OPF.
7. KA-BLAMMO!! Your entire book will open in front of you in MobiPocket Creator.
8. Drag-n-drop your cover into MBP Creator.
9. Use MBP Creator to make a html.TOC with headers 1-2-3 only, or,
10. Alternative: Point MPCreator to an existing html.toc by editing the Guide Properties section. (n.b.--the toc.ncx will already be in the appropriate folder inside the "My Publications" folder of your MBPCreator dir)
11. Click "Build."
12. KA-BLAMMO! You have a fully-functional PRC file.

And that is the Hitch Quick-n-Dirty Learner's Permit How-To for using an ePUB to make a PRC file. My commercial process isn't actually like this; I make MOBI's, which I create using ePUBs->NoteTab clip->Previewer, but this process does work. I haven't done it this way in a while, but I believe this is right.

There are some Kindle quirks you have to account for, of course; certain CSS is blithely ignored by KindleGen/MobiGen; you have to hard-code images to the size you want them to display, or they are enlarged to the size of the device/viewer, etc....but the mechanics of the process are sound.

HTH
Hitch

[st_albert]

Thanks, Hitch!

I suspected that it involved unzipping the epub first.

What I've been doing, since i work mostly in linux, is to first make a good epub for the rest of the world (and even Apple, if that's possible) using Sigil. When that's done, I edit a copy of that epub, again using Sigil, to make it suitable for kindlegen.

I.e. remove the CoverPage.xhtml, add the TOC.xhtml in the right place, other little tweaks as necessary and save.

I still have to unpack it and adjust content.opf to point the "cover" guide item to the cover image itself (instead of the .xhtml page I removed) and for completeness, change the title= of the text guide item to "Start Reading. Then rezip, and run it through kindlegen, and I'm done.

Almost takes longer to describe it than to do it.

[bfollowell]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Byron:

And this is after they've been run through KDP, and have DRM attached? Because we're talking about files being made for commercial sale through Amazon, and whether Calibre-creation leaves enough room for the 2nd layer of encryption required for DRM on "Kindle For X" apps--not whether or not you can read a Calibre-created MOBI directly on your own K4PC. Kovid reads this forum, I'm pretty sure he'll pipe up if he fixed it.

Hitch

Hitch,

No, that's not after. Sorry, I misunderstood. I just saw what I thought was a blanket statement about Calibre converted files not working with the Calibre4 apps. I missed the fact that you were talking about files for commercial sale. I was speaking only of just "normal", personal-use files.

- Byron

[Oldpilot]

using a .html file that is linked to a separate .css file.

Personally, I'd just upload the html file, though with the style sheet integral to it. Why go through all those other steps?

(If you have images, then you zip the html together with the images and upload the zip file.)

[KevinH]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Except for the fact that--unless Kovid has addressed this--Calibre-generated MOBI's are not readable on any "Kindle for X" device, because Calibre-generated MOBI's do not have adequate space in the headers to accommodate the second layer of encryption required for a file to be read on anything other than the device. Calibre is a library system, and a damn fine one, but it is NOT a production tool for professional production (for Kindle books for SALE).

HTH
Hitch

Hi Hitch,

Could you please be very specific about what extra header information is needed ... is this simply the extended header info where metadata is stored on mobi ebooks or something else? As far as I know, all Kindle DRM ebooks store part of the information needed to decode the DRM in extended header metadata values. Is this what you are referring to? If something else, can you please supply the specifics of what you need.

I am sure it would be quite easy to make a mobi to mobi converter that adds in an extended header with whatever fields you need added to the extended header and in whatever order you want them.

KevinH

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Hi Hitch,

Could you please be very specific about what extra header information is needed ... is this simply the extended header info where metadata is stored on mobi ebooks or something else? As far as I know, all Kindle DRM ebooks store part of the information needed to decode the DRM in extended header metadata values. Is this what you are referring to? If something else, can you please supply the specifics of what you need.

I am sure it would be quite easy to make a mobi to mobi converter that adds in an extended header with whatever fields you need added to the extended header and in whatever order you want them.

KevinH

Kevin:

Sorry--we're so busy lately I don't drop in as often as I used to; I think it's the "Rowling Effect," as I've come to call it.

To answer your question, I don't really know. Or, rather, to not answer your question; it's the 2nd layer of encryption that causes the problems. The Calibre books work fine with the devices; but not with the "Kindle For.." apps, because of that 2nd layer (which, if memory serves, is really only an encryption key...IF memory serves, which it mayn't; this was all about 8,9 months ago).

And really--it's pretty easy to make a MOBI or a PRC file from an epub, particulary one generated with Sigil, so I have never given it much further thought. If I'd relied upon Calibre to do my conversions for me, I wouldn't know half of what I do today...so I'm actually rather glad it didn't work; and if it does now, good for everyone who wants to use it, but I'll stick with our internal clips and programs. When everything happening occurs behind the curtain, it's too time-consuming to fix a problem. This is no slam at Kovid--I love Calibre and use it for my completed books Catalog, and for my personal stuff. But commercial production is better accomplished with tools that are designed for it, IMHO.

Hitch