10-28-2012, 08:48 AM | #136 |
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I discovered a new problem. I thought everything would work now and then found it didn't. But I've found the reason.
I installed Previewer 2.7. I installed the updated InDesign Plugin 0.972. This has two important changes over 0.971: 1. The font bug is fixed. They have done it by using font-size specified in rem instead of pt. Great news - no need in future for me to edit the output to correct this. 2. It allows the start postition to be set. You just insert a text anchor and during the export you say which text anchor the start postion should point at. So I output a new file from it from my tiny two page test book. It is supposed to start at the beginning of chapter 1. I put that .mobi file on my Kindle 3 Keyboard, running 3.4, and it didn't work. It started on the title page. I looked at the unpacked and unzipped kindlegen source and it looked correct to me. Next, without changing anything, I took the .opf file from the kindlegen source and dropped it onto the Previewer. It created a new file. I put that on my Kindle, and it worked perfectly. After some thought I looked at the Export to Kindle folder under plugins under the InDesign program and found kindlegen.exe there, as expected. Its date was from back in July. So they have failed to supply the new Kindlegen with the new plugin. I replaced the file with kindlegen.exe from 2.7, and went into InDesign and exported again. This time it all works!!!!!!!! So I am now in the happy position of being able to create books in InDesign with no editing of the output files being required. |
04-01-2013, 10:25 PM | #137 |
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My “problem” seems to be the reverse of this in that all my preview files function correctly, but the PURCHASED version does not open in the right spot – but I’m posting here (I know it's old) in the hope someone can help, because Amazon don’t seem to be able to (yet).
Summary: This applies to 2 books. (The only ones I have in KDP)
One of them opens to the first html file after the TOC html file (looking at my epub in Sigil), which happens to be the FIRST item linked in the TOC. The other opens to the second html file after the TOC html, which is also the FIRST item linked in the TOC. Both have a Guide entry as follows: Code:
<guide> <reference href="Text/titlepage.xhtml" title="Cover" type="cover" /> <reference href="Text/Green-Smoothie-Magic-MASTER-XREF-INC-SALADS_split_000.htm" title="Text" type="text" /> <reference href="Text/Green-Smoothie-Magic-MASTER-XREF-INC-SALADS_split_003.htm" title="Table Of Contents" type="toc" /> </guide> Code:
<guide> <reference href="Text/titlepage.xhtml" title="Cover" type="cover" /> <reference href="Text/132%20Delicious%20Salads%2C%20Dressings%20And%20Dips%20-%20Raiz%2C%20Gabrielle_split_001.htm" title="Table Of Contents" type="toc" /> <reference href="Text/132%20Delicious%20Salads%2C%20Dressings%20And%20Dips%20-%20Raiz%2C%20Gabrielle_split_000.htm" title="start" type="text" /> </guide> So I double-checked everything, reverted to using the “old” convert to Mobi in Calibre, re-uploaded and asked for a forced update of the purchased versions to my devices – still same issue (I cleared all the "last page read" settings before doing this). In the meantime, I have requested twice that Amazon double-check the opening points/Go To Beginning and told them exactly where they should expect them to open, and they have told me on two occasions that for them, the books are opening as I describe they should (one reply confirming they open before the TOC). I am happy to send anyone my uploaded Mobi and the purchased Mobi (it’s DRM-free). Unpacking the purchased azw version using KindleUnpack in Calibre shows the following entry in the OPF (note the 2 x type=”text”, the second one points to the correct anchor, the first points to the “wrong” opening; the devices are using the first obviously): Code:
<guide> <reference type="text" href="132_ Delicious Salads, Dressings And Dip - Raiz, Gabrielle.html#filepos33050" /> <reference type="toc" title="Table Of Contents" href="132_ Delicious Salads, Dressings And Dip - Raiz, Gabrielle.html#filepos6944" /><reference type="text" title="Text" href="132_ Delicious Salads, Dressings And Dip - Raiz, Gabrielle.html#filepos166" /> </guide> So as far as I can see, on conversion to azw format to go live in the Kindle Store, Amazon appear to be incorrectly adding another “start” location to the first Nav point after the TOC, when one is already specified. The fact that the tell me it is working OK for them tells me they must only be testing my uploaded files/preview files. Anyone downloading a sample will see it isn’t correct (both books are designed to open at the first page after the cover). Any ideas? Have you encountered this issue? How should I raise it to Amazon? The books in question are here (if you want to test the sample files yourself – or ask me for the full files Preview & Purchased to see the difference) http://amzn.com/B00952UYLO http://amzn.com/B00BQTE3PW Thanks for bearing with the long post ... and tell me if I should make this a new thread elsewhere. I've done lots of reading here and this seemed to be the thread where the experts (on this "start page" issue at least) hung out! Robert |
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04-02-2013, 05:36 AM | #138 | ||
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Updating with reply from KDP Support
I received a reply from KDP support - and it is as I thought. They casually "Add" a new "Start Reading Location" without telling us (the first Nav point after the TOC). Their reason is that this is "usually how it is done". Here is the reply (which is very polite!).
Quote:
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What is annoying is the hours of work I've put into it and the questions I've asked (and the confirmation from Amazon that my files worked as I say they should!) and only now do they explain that the Preview File created in the Bookshelf may still have changes made to its functionality. Maybe it took a while before it escalated to a Tier 2 support rep. It might be a small point - avid readers will always skip back to the front of an ebook in my anecdotal experience - if the book is good - I still want control on that "Opening Page" post-purchase, it's an important first impression. |
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04-02-2013, 06:14 AM | #139 |
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Hmm.. I suspect that what's happening it that Amazon's tools are looking at your uploaded book and seeing that the start of reading position is right at the start of your book. And they've coded an assumption that in that case the creator has NOT set a start of reading position, and so set it to a 'sensible' value. You could test this by having a start of reading position set before the TOC but after the very first position in the book.
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04-02-2013, 07:46 AM | #140 | |
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Quote:
Anyway, I did post an update (with Amazon KDP Support's answer) but it is stuck in moderation queue. Essentially I need to rework my thinking around the placing of the TOC and front matter -- but Amazon could at least help by having their Preview files perform as per the final "customer version". Thanks for helping out! |
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04-02-2013, 08:02 AM | #141 |
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Are you sure this is the case? The samples you showed seems to place the start of text at the start of book. (Unless those "..._split_000.htm" files weren't the first file in the book.)
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04-02-2013, 08:16 AM | #142 | ||
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Quote:
If you look at the later one that I unpacked, which is the purchased version, you'll see: Code:
<reference type="text" href="132_ Delicious Salads, Dressings And Dip - Raiz, Gabrielle.html#filepos33050" /> I wish my update had been posted (I guess it may come out of the mod's queue at some point!) as the KDP rep admitted that they add it, but here's the snippet: Quote:
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04-02-2013, 08:41 AM | #143 |
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04-02-2013, 09:24 AM | #144 | |
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Hi pdurrant - no worries, I'm sorry I'm not being clear
The structure is like this:
In the epub these are all separate html files. I now have another response from Amazon (to which I replied yes): Quote:
Hopefully at least now I know what is going on, I'll be able to adjust the book architecture as needed for future books without asking Amazon to manually reset the SRL - bit tedious. And hopefully this informs anyone else looking at this. |
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04-02-2013, 09:48 AM | #145 |
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OK, that's clear now. You are indeed setting the start to the beginning of the book (the cover isn't part of the book in Kindle formats), and Amazon is noticing this and is generating an 'appropriate' start position.
It's nice that they've got back to you about this point, so hopefully your problems with this title will now be sorted out to your satisfaction. I suspect that if you set a start position that isn't the very first bit of the text in the book, Amazon will leave the start position alone. But this is just an educated guess. I haven't tested it recently. |
04-03-2013, 05:53 AM | #146 | |
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Yes I wanted to set the start to the very first piece of text (not necessarily the cover itself, but immediately after) and as far as Amazon's Guidelines suggest, then the start point can be set (though they don't specific the technical process for this).
BUT what they don't explain is that it would need to be set in a specific way, as if it comes before the TOC then they will override that and make the start point happen after the TOC (and it looks like the first Anchor). As you say, I haven't tried "in the middle of some text" before the TOC in which case, would it work? I'm not sure it would, as the rep's response (in my post #142) seemed to suggest they would always look at the "Start of content" as being after the TOC and therefore will force that if there isn't one already. I had a response back from my "yes" response to their offer to reset the SRL: Quote:
Tnx for your input |
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04-05-2013, 09:44 PM | #147 | ||
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Cover Something else Introduction TOC Half-title Chapter 1 Amazon set the SRL to Chapter 1, which was problematic, as the Intro contained a clue to an actual (real) treasure hunt, the clues for which were scattered not only throughout the book but in physical places that you couldn't possibly find had you not read the Introduction's clues. As it turns out--mostly--Amazon has now changed their PW (Publishing Workflow, which is everything that occurs after the author clicks "save and publish") to set the SRL to the first "content" that they perceive after the TOC. Ignoring, as it were, the half-title page. We argued with them at some length, and I asked them to tell me exactly when they'd made this change, as we have hundreds of books out there from the end of last year with SRL's that we set, in the ePUB, somewhere in the frontmatter, as authors are convinced that everyone really does want to read their dedication, acknowledgments, thanks, etc., (even though our data doesn't indicate this). Now, three weeks later, a different conversion house with a different Tech Acct Rep wrote to Amazon, and were told precisely the opposite--that the SRL could be set wherever they wanted. (Of course: they were also told that FF could not be made in landscape, so...take that for what it's worth). This is a real conversion house, doing lots o'biz, so it's not some fly-by-night nobody that was told this gibberish. I've asked for clarification (from the Veep of Digital Services, directly, on the damn phone, BTW), and I still don't have a coherent answer as to what's real. Because the PW occurs after the upload, after the alleged 'conversion,' after you are able to download the preview book (which worked perfectly, for the book in question), you can't see what has occurred to your book unless/until you actually buy it. Now, this might be all well and good for the average DIY'er, but I have zero desire to buy 800 books a year that I already HAVE sitting here because Amazon thinks that the authors who are uploading Word files are so damn stupid that they can't be trusted to set their own SRL bookmark! I mean... I've instructed my crews to set all SRL's, no exception, after the TOC. What irritates the holy hell out of me is that this means that if we have something that must have the SRL set to it, that's frontmatter, we have to put it AFTER the Table of Contents, which makes the thing look like Amateur Hour. And worse, the constant "yes you can," "no you can't," and when I put together a carefully constructed timeline of all the inconsistent and outright contradictory answers I'd received from the Mgr. of Digital Services, I still don't have an answer. Frustrating isn't the word. No wonder Josh sold to Firebrand. Between Amazon, which up until lately I've really loved, B&N (worst customer service in the WORLD), Apple (no standard is too good that we can't break just to be "cooler") and Kobo ("We're not using Calibre," "oh, wait, yes we are")...it's a freaking miracle I'm not bald. Hitch RANT-RANT-RANT not over. |
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04-05-2013, 10:03 PM | #148 | |
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Thanks Hitch - that one had me rolling in the aisles! Goodness I feel your frustration.
It's hard enough being a DIY publisher with only two Kindle books right now, though both top-sellers, one of them made #1 in the entire Top 100 free, not that it made any money, but that's a LOT of folks not getting the experience I *thought* I had so cleverly designed - though not as clever as your treasure hunt clue. Nice. I really appreciate you sharing that info about their workflow. What the bleeding point of having a "preview file" then? Grrrr. I can tell you, even though I *can* buy our own books to check, you then have to go through the tortuous process of requesting the forced update (which always seems to take TWO emails from KDP to do it. Like Microsoft, they insist on asking "Are you SURE?"). So it is by no means instant - and if it still doesn't fly the way you want it ... then there goes another 24-48 hours minimum going through the same process. Funnily enough, I had this reply a few hours back from KDP: Quote:
One thing I've thought of is to have a"mini-TOC" at the start, correctly tagged as the proper TOC, then another full-TOC where I want it. Then the SRL can come after the first TOC. Would that work do you think? Or look even more amateur! Tnx for the added info, and ... I enjoyed the rant! |
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04-06-2013, 03:58 AM | #149 |
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Thanks for the details, Hitch. Goodness, that's stupid.
What on earth are they doing, touching the files after the preview stage in KDP? What on earth are they doing, fiddling with start of text when it's been deliberately set to something? I sympathise with your frustration at the lack of clarity. |
04-06-2013, 06:11 AM | #150 | ||||||
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And, no matter what, 800 books +/- times anywhere from $2.99 to $5.99...that adds up; ranging from $2400 to $4800 annual or thereabouts. Sure, we'd pass it on to our customers, but when you look at it at first glance, it seems like a petty charge, doesn't it? (Until you do the math, figure out all the brain-damage involved in getting the "new" "real" file, post-PW, etc.), and worse, wouldn't it say to you, were you the poor non-tecchie client, that this booberoo firm doesn't know what it's doing? ("Well, gosh, Amazon screws around with the files, so we HAVE TO buy the book to be SURE it looks like what you approved?" OMFG! I can't even imagine how I'd spin that to sound remotely non-incompetent!). Quote:
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I can't say how crazy-making it's made me (my staff could probably tell you tales at length, though...). I mean: bearing in mind that for all intents and purposes, I owe my entire business to Amazon, because it was when they listed us as a Professional Conversion House that we just...took off like crazy. Moreover, like it or not, they patently drive the self-publishing tsunami that washes up on all our shores. Imagine what it takes to get me to the point where I pick up the phone, and rant at The, not "a," but THE, Veep of Digital Products and Operations. To be fair, this was also in conjunction (time-wise, not issue-wise) with a KQN (Kindle Quality Notice) issued for one of our superstar authors, for--wait for it--TWO typos (one real one, one a Brit spelling/usage difference) in a book with 256,000 (yes: TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-SIX THOUSAND) words. I nearly blew a gasket. I forget the real math now, but I worked out that it was a one-tenth of one-one-millionth of 1 percent error rate, or something like that, and read them the riot act about that, too. Given the absolutely unreadable drivel that is posted there daily by untrained writers, uploaded in Word, not proofread, not edited, and barely something that would get a passing grade in a Freshman High School (in the US, this is age 14, basically) Creative Writing class, to send a KQN to one of our clients--someone who's made hundreds of millions of bucks publishing books, over TWO TYPOS? I just flipped out. And this was from a SCAN. 2 errors, out of a quarter-million words? Crap, man, I'll take those numbers ANY day. So, sorry, I've really been the UberRanter today. I'll shaddup now, but...long and short of it, don't plan on your SRL working. ASSUME it will go wonky if it's not Chapter 1, or at least, a page of text AFTER the TOC. If you make a book that's different than this, ensure you buy it, dl it, and check it. </rant> Hitch |
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