09-02-2020, 12:48 PM | #16 |
Enthusiast
Posts: 26
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Canada
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (phone), Kindle Paperwhite
|
The problems appeared in Kindle paperwhite 4, 2018. The biggest problem was that the links in toc didnt point to the correct location. I will probably be able to sort it out. Maybe there was a thread on this for fixed layout (sorry, fixed layout is much more appropriate for my ebook)?
I cant keep asking the guy for help, and will probably buy the latest paperwhite. |
09-02-2020, 12:57 PM | #17 |
Addict
Posts: 311
Karma: 3196258
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Madison, WI
Device: Kindle 5th Gen
|
I wasn't aware Paperwhite could even read a fixed-layout. Learn something new every day. Well, it seems you're ready for the inevitable pushback on that, but I wanted to add that while you may feel the book is best served that way, if Amazon disagrees you will still have a problem. In any case, the problem you're describing does not sound like one you'd be able to diagnose by trying different devices. Something has gone wrong earlier in the process.
ETA: I see now from another post this is a book of single-panel comics, I doubt Amazon would take issue with that being fixed-layout. Last edited by phillipgessert; 09-02-2020 at 03:16 PM. |
Advert | |
|
09-02-2020, 09:50 PM | #18 | ||
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
Posts: 11,468
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
|
Quote:
If you mean that you used Kindle Create...no, you can't mean that. Are you using Kindle Comic Creator, the old app? Amazon has basically d/ced using any fixed-layout ebooks on eInks. They do still allow the KKBC books to be read on eInks, but for anything made with KC, KTC, etc., they're limiting downloads to Fire tablets and all the "K4..." apps. K4iPAD, K4PC, K4Mac and so forth. Is that what you did? You used Kindle Comic Creator, the old Amazon app? From about 2012-2013? Quote:
Hitch |
||
09-02-2020, 10:27 PM | #19 |
Enthusiast
Posts: 26
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Canada
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (phone), Kindle Paperwhite
|
Thanks guys.
Ok, this guy sideloaded the mobi file I gave him- I don't think he used any tricks/hacks. My workflow was like this: I created the epub text files from scratch, in part copy/paste from a new project created in KCC (KCC downloaded a few months ago, ver 1.160, so it must be the latest version). I zipped the files into epub, validated the epub, and exported mobi with KP3. The only major difference to make it fixed layout is in content.opf: <meta content="comic" name="book-type"/> <meta content="true" name="zero-gutter"/> <meta content="true" name="zero-margin"/> <meta content="true" name="fixed-layout"/> <meta content="portrait" name="orientation-lock"/> <meta content="horizontal-lr" name="primary-writing-mode"/> <meta content="732x1196" name="original-resolution"/> This is in part described in the Amazon Kindle publishing guide. Not all of these lines are even necessary. KCC uses fixed layout, and it is an official app from Amazon, so I don't see a problem with using fixed layout in general. I acknowledge that Amazon may restrict download of my ebook to a selection of devices, e.g. may disable download to Kindle paperwhite. This is a separate (and major) issue. If this happens, would Amazon allow me to provide two versions of my ebook: one in fixed format to Android, iPhone, windows Kindle apps, and a reflow format for all others? I don't think this can be done with media queries, as they need to be placed in css not in opf file. Edited: Is there something wrong with using KCC? It is recommended in the guide on Amazon www for creating comic books. Edited:This is the solution to use for comic books when not using guided view. What am I missing? Last edited by impasto; 09-03-2020 at 12:49 AM. |
09-03-2020, 01:00 AM | #20 | |
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
Posts: 11,468
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
|
Quote:
You can try to create a "reflowable" comic, but the moment Amazon gets complaints, they'll reach out to you and they'll tell you to "fix" it, which means, make a fixed-layout MOBI. The version of KCC you're using is just the same old version they've had for a while. They're unlikely to update it, given they have Kindle Create, in which you can make Guided View. The thing you have to realize is that making a fixed-layout comic is shoehorning something that's basically a PDF into a reflowable environment. You'd probably be best off with Comixology--where comic-book readers know what to expect and all that--but if you want to sell on Amazon, directly (rather than Comixology, which they own), then yes, using KCC or KC is probably your path forward. Not sure why you went through all the brain-damage of making the ePUB, etc., though. Why not just use KCC with a PDF, or KC with a PDF? You won't get appreciably better results (for a comic) with the hand-coding--believe me, I know. Hitch |
|
Advert | |
|
09-03-2020, 02:01 AM | #21 | ||
Enthusiast
Posts: 26
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Canada
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (phone), Kindle Paperwhite
|
Quote:
You just wrote fixed layout won't be possible with kindle einks. Where is it stated how it works for iphone and android? What you wrote appears to mean that even though I'm able to sideload, I may not be able to have it available for download from amazon. Did I understand correctly? At this point I'm getting mixed up with all these scenarios - sorry. Could you re-state it please what is required for iphone: fixed or reflowable? And now I'm not even sure about Android phones? What am I to do to make it available as a second version of the book in reflowable layout on devices that dont accept fixed layout? I can easily prepare it (although it won't look as good as in fixed layout), and I will do it if I don't have another choice. Quote:
One more thought: I remember reading about programs that can send my epub (or mobi?) to my Kindle account. Is this equivalent to demonstrating that it will be available to download from amazon, or this is just another way of side-loading? |
||
09-03-2020, 09:19 AM | #22 | ||||||||
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
Posts: 11,468
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
|
Quote:
And secondly, with all due respect, you need more research-fu. You're all this way down the road, you've done a TON of work and now you're finding out that your file won't be downloadable by the millions of eInk readers? Dude... Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Hitch |
||||||||
09-03-2020, 09:59 AM | #23 | ||
Addict
Posts: 311
Karma: 3196258
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Madison, WI
Device: Kindle 5th Gen
|
Quote:
Quote:
Last edited by phillipgessert; 09-03-2020 at 04:49 PM. Reason: Added some clarification. |
||
09-03-2020, 10:33 PM | #24 | ||||
Enthusiast
Posts: 26
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Canada
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (phone), Kindle Paperwhite
|
Thanks for the new comments.
I'm a bit hesitant if I should be replying to some of the comments. I noticed some people are quite passionate to convince others, and I don't want you to think I'm an ungrateful listener. So please treat my responses as FYI. I don't have any intention of changing your minds. I'm just explaining my rationale. What car is better: subaru wrx or corvette? There is no right or wrong here. Subaru is better in rally driving, but corvette is better in road racing. To me it's similar with fixed layout and reflowing. The former is better for image heavy ebooks, and the latter for text or text with occasional images. Quote:
There is another reason, which might be due my lack of experience: I'm unable to get rid of wide white margins. Real estate on a phone screen is precious. I tried a few things, including negative margins, resets in css, and <meta content="true" name="zero-margin"/> in content.opf So far no luck when I display it on my phone. Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Do you share these results? A link? That would be super informative to read. Last edited by impasto; 09-03-2020 at 10:41 PM. |
||||
09-03-2020, 10:53 PM | #25 |
Addict
Posts: 311
Karma: 3196258
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Madison, WI
Device: Kindle 5th Gen
|
<snip> My reply here was all snark and not particularly helpful. Apologies.
Last edited by phillipgessert; 09-03-2020 at 11:24 PM. |
09-03-2020, 11:39 PM | #26 |
Enthusiast
Posts: 26
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Canada
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (phone), Kindle Paperwhite
|
|
09-04-2020, 02:07 AM | #27 | ||||||||
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
Posts: 11,468
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
|
Quote:
Quote:
You have a book that is entirely images. In your circumstance, sure...perhaps FXL is the 'best" route. We just made 4 books for someone, with comic panels, one to a page and I would never have cut him off from the entire eInk reading market by making that set of ebooks in FXL. Quote:
Yes, I'm well aware that you have to tap-zoom images in reflowable ebooks--but on the other hand, it would gain you easy entrance to the literally millions of eInks. To me, that's a pretty no-brainer trade-off, but hey, it's your book. The other problem is, you're entirely focused, as I suspected on PHONES. I mean...there's an entire Kindleverse of devices out there, aside from Phones, which are the very smallest of "Kindle" screens. (My operating assumption is that you haven't coded this to operate in panel view, as you apparently only have one image/panel per page.) So, yes, you eliminate a keystroke, the tap prior to the zoom and the tap to close it. (For reference, for those who don't work in these formats, Amazon's own Kindle Comic Creator and Kindle Kids' Book Creator, which enable panel view, do NOT allow further panel zooming or page-based pinch-zooming.) Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Hitch |
||||||||
09-12-2020, 11:06 PM | #28 |
Guru
Posts: 727
Karma: 10216666
Join Date: Jul 2017
Device: Boox Nova 2
|
Uhh, maybe I'm incredibly naive here but aren't the gajillions of manga available on the Kindle store and work on the eInk readers fixed layout? I no longer have my Kindle PW but I seem to remember that being the case.
If the book you're making is strictly images I'd take a look at how those do it. |
09-13-2020, 12:24 AM | #29 | |
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
Posts: 11,468
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
|
Quote:
Hitch |
|
09-13-2020, 11:03 PM | #30 | |
Enthusiast
Posts: 26
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Canada
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (phone), Kindle Paperwhite
|
Quote:
From what Hitch wrote, it sounds I should be able to get my fixed layout (without panels), as Im coding html myself, and not relying on KCC. I dont know how to examine how this manga file was created. Last edited by impasto; 09-13-2020 at 11:11 PM. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Kindle Previewer: Differences between Kindle and iPhone/iPad modes | Jackwritesbooks | Kindle Formats | 5 | 06-22-2011 12:25 PM |
10 (awesome?) Features Android Phones have that the iPhone does not | RockdaMan | Android Devices | 21 | 05-23-2011 09:37 AM |
HTC Android Phones and Kindle for Android ? | Kevin2960 | Android Devices | 42 | 11-26-2010 08:12 AM |