[GUI Plugin] APNX Generator

[kiwidude]

@user_none - it crossed my mind to do something like that a little while ago but went no further with it. You might also consider something a little more generic that would allow pulling other metadata from the book as well into a custom column - such as the request by dwanthny to get the Calibre version used to convert the EPUB, Only if it fits in with what you have in mind of course.

[Ron.]

Originally Posted by user_none

I'm glad you've found a way to get it working with Kindle4PC. A lot of people are going to be happy about this. Unfortunately I can't get this method to work with the Kindle for Mac app

It doesn't work with calibre generated ASIN numbers, why I don't know, to many characters who knows...

I uploaded a sample.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by user_none

Let me think about how to go about making a new plugin that will calculate page count. I don't want to limit it to only MOBI files.

Thank you for taking this under consideration. It would be a great addition to Calibre.

[user_none]

Originally Posted by Ron.

It doesn't work with calibre generated ASIN numbers, why I don't know, to many characters who knows...
I uploaded a sample.

Page numbers on Kindle for Mac are only shown after the application contacs amazon over an encrypted connection. It will then write value. So far I have only been able to see page numbers for Amazon provided files. Page numbers will show on Amazon files using calibre genrated APNX.

[adamselene]

Originally Posted by user_none

Page mapping in the Kindle for Mac app is dependent on two things. An encrypted question and answer between the app and https://kindle-app-services.amazon.com. A value which appears to be a result of this exchange is written to ~/Library/Application Support/Kindle/storage/.kindle-info .

The .kindle-info file holds a variety of different things. For instance, on my system removing the following will cause the app to ask me to agree to the Terms of Use.

[0TB-ZJBABgbzb3ZgZPBKZP0vbs0gB4Zb:bK0B0hZOBHbYZNBtZDBablZYZKbUbk0U]

That's an encoding of a variable called “eulaVersionAccepted”. I can't test the OSX app right now, but if you tell me what the other value is that got added, I can tell you what the name of the variable is.

[user_none]

Originally Posted by adamselene

That's an encoding of a variable called “eulaVersionAccepted”. I can't test the OSX app right now, but if you tell me what the other value is that got added, I can tell you what the name of the variable is.

Here are the variables it writes to the .kindle-info file.

0Gb3bsZaZ4bOBS010B04ZMbNZ80a0Kb8:b80K0cZy0vBO0bBabRB5bm0MZu0pbr0S
0TB-ZJBABgbzb3ZgZPBKZP0vbs0gB4Zb:bK0B0hZOBHbYZNBtZDBablZYZKbUbk0U
BPBJbcbIZdZiZvZeZR04Bj0ibv0bB_Bj:ZI03ZxbMbtBp0-BaZfBsb7Bq0mZuBSbhZ3Bs09bg0_Z-0T0pbwZt05ZFBeZFZP0wB1BpbdZXBqZDbgbZBcbGbjbyBEZfZYbm0CB1ZI04ZLBQbmbfb70Lbt02ba0a08BsZxbjZiZLZTZI0VZRbb07ZhBy0bBib8bXb5ZDbZBRB4ZhbXBHZK0nbcBJbE0ABU0yBjZ9bRZyB0BG0S0q05B_bibjBFbQ0B08BV0cZQBD0NBqb6Z2BdBcbw0cbXBiZIZpByBAZnZIbhZgB3BV0lBA08bNBE0h0SbV
ZlBg0yZyB5ZBBEbkBXBLZZZH0GZabNBf:BXb50_BwbR0PZw02b1BuBHBEBVba0hBZBE0xBW0NZZB0Zu0Nbt0k0cbcbVB9bYBd

I don't think knowing what these values are is going to be much help. What we know is the calibre APNX files work on the Kindle. They work wtih Amazon provided ebooks. calibre APNX and Amazon APNX files do not work with calibre MOBI files.

We also know that Amazon controls the display of page numbers and won't display them until the Kindle for Mac app has communicated with Amazon first. So either Amazon is actively blocking page number from displaying with non-Amazon content. Or there is something that the Kindle for Mac app doesn't like with the calibre MOBI files that is preventing the feature form working.

[rogerinnyc]

Here's an odd one. On some of the books I buy from Amazon (that don't come with their own .apnx files), when I send the book (without DRM) to my K3 from Calibre using the fast parser method, all is good. For example, R.J. Ellory's "A Quiet Belief in Angels" comes out at 563 pages -- more than the 416 pages that Amazon's UK site lists -- but still usable as a reference point. If, however, I check the plug-in box to generate an apnx with a more accurate page count (albeit more slowly), when I open the book, no matter where (e.g. preface, chapter 1 or chapter 12), I'm always on page 1 of 2. Same result if I use the more recent stand-alone apnx generator plug-in.

This is not the case with all books -- just some. Most of the time the more accurate and slower method is exactly that. But I cannot figure out why, in some instances, I need to turn off that option to get a meaningful page count.

[user_none]

Originally Posted by rogerinnyc

If, however, I check the plug-in box to generate an apnx with a more accurate page count (albeit more slowly), when I open the book, no matter where (e.g. preface, chapter 1 or chapter 12), I'm always on page 1 of 2. Same result if I use the more recent stand-alone apnx generator plug-in.

The pluging is just an interface to the Kindle interfaces APNX generator. The only difference is the plugin should always default to the more accurate parser.

Can you open a bug at https://bugs.launchpad.net/calibre and attach on or two of the problem files? Once you open a bug you can mark it as private so the files are not publically accessible. If you're not comfortable doing this can you email me the files at john at nachtimwald.com

[rogerinnyc]

Files emailed to you. Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide.

[user_none]

Found the issue. The MOBI file you sent me does not use <p> tags. It only uses <div> tags. The accurate parser assumed all paragraphs are <p> tags. I modified the parser to include tags that start with d. This will throw off the output a little bit (del tags for instance) but the trade off is worth it. The parser will need to be rewritten in the future to truly accommodate div tags. This change should be in calibre 0.7.57.

[rogerinnyc]

I wouldn't know a <p> tag from a <div> tag if it bit me on the leg, but thanks for the sleuthing and Calibre fix/update to come. Your program -- and the support you provide -- is amazing! Thanks again.

[saxondawg]

Pardon me if this has already been asked. When I let Calibre send a book to my Kindle via e-mail--which is free through wireless--the .apnx is not sent with it. Yet I don't believe I can e-mail an .apnx by itself from Calibre, can I? Is there a way to have the .apnx generated and e-mailed with the book?

Many thanks.

[user_none]

Originally Posted by saxondawg

Is there a way to have the .apnx generated and e-mailed with the book?

No. (making message longer due to minimum length limit).

[elblong]

Dear User_none,

is there any way to tell the plugin to start the count from a defined page?
Usually the pdf's start with cover, index etc.
When the book comes with pg one the pdf is already at pg nine.

Is there any way to shuffle this?

Greetings from germany... Cheers!

Elblong

[user_none]

Originally Posted by elblong

Dear User_none,
is there any way to tell the plugin to start the count from a defined page?

No. There is a tool in another APNX thread somwhere around here that lets you specify page locations.

Also, I had to remove the change that included div tags in the more accurate calculation. It was causing very wrong numbers in too many books.