Help with converting to IMP format

[sofbal14]

I there ~ my name is Christy and I just got an ebookwise 1150 for Christmas. I have never used an ebook reader before and am loving this little gadget.

The only place I have seen to buy books in the imp format is from fictionwise. I was wondering if I could buy books in other formats and convert them to the imp format? I am very unfamiliar with this whole process so I would need someone to walk me through step by step.

Thanks so much for your help.

[surrealmind]

Welcome, I'm also new to the eBookwise and am really loving the experience. You can convert other ebook formats, but it's not entirely simple. That is, there's nothing you can just click to make it happen. This means you will have to experiment with some of the solutions described in various places on mobileread (links to follow). The advantage is that once you learn a solution, it will be easy to work with files because you will have been forced to learn the process inside out. Not that that eases the pain of the learning curve.

I've not actually tried any of the format conversion tools myself yet, aside from the eBookwise website's free tool for .html and Word documents. The instructions for this process are here: <http://www.ebookwise.com/servlet/mw?....htm&si=43#ETI>.

Now, if you want to buy newer books that aren't available at fictionwise, it sounds like the easiest and nicest conversion is from the Microsoft Reader format (.lit), which is available at several ebooks stores such as Books on Board: <http://www.booksonboard.com/index.html?ebooks=ebooks>. Again, the process is not as easy as just click and go, but nrapallo has made a program and written up detailed instructions on how to remove the DRM (copy protection) and convert .lit files to .imp in one fell swoop, which you can read about and download here: <https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20592>. As I said before, I have not tried this, but it seems like the simplest conversion from a commercial format, and people have said that it gives really nice results, so this would be my first choice. There are quite a few steps involved, but if you take a deep breath and work through them one by one, it seems like it should be fairly straightforward. lol, if you are not so technologically inclined, you could always ask your kids or spouse for help with stuff like creating empty files. (BTW, all this assumes you are using a Windows; if you're on a Mac, I'm not sure what tools are available).

Now, as far as getting the converted books onto your eBookwise--if you can figure it out, impserve is really slick. See: <https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28363>.

Otherwise, if that looks too daunting you can use the $15 eBookwise Librarian (aka GEB Librarian) by simply dragging the converted books into a folder (see second link below). For buying/install eBookwise Librarian, check out <http://www.ebookwise.com/servlet/mw?...bi=28181&si=43>. For the brief, easy instructions on using the eBookwise Librarian to transfer your converted .imp files, check out: <https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21069>. Just remember that the GEB Librarian they're referring to is only an older version of eBookwise Librarian, so the process should be just the same.

Hope this helps. Really, the only step-by-step instructions possible are those included with the links above.

[surrealmind]

Any luck? I've finally had a go of converting .lit files myself, and in order to do it, you'll have to install two programs first. I'm not sure if that's clear from the links above. Anyway, the first program is eBook Publisher <http://www.ebooktechnologies.com/support_download.htm>, the other is Convert Lit <http://dukelupus.pri.ee/convertlit.php>. Install both these before trying nrapallo's program for converting .lit to .imp.

There are a lot of steps in all, but as I suspected, it is not bad once you've got everything set up. I have not tried a DRM'd (copy-protected) .lit file yet though, so I don't know what that will add to the process. You use the Convert Lit program above to remove the DRM, but it looks like you may have to install Microsoft's Reader software in order to do it. (See HarryT's response here, for example: <https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...ght=convertlit>).

I thought I had seen a thread that better summarized the process of removing DRM using Convert Lit, but I just can't find it now. Also, it seems like there's a shorter summary of the DRM'd .lit to .imp process somewhere, but I can't find that either. Anyway, hopefully I can report more on this when I get a chance to buy a book and try it. Again, the number of steps involved can be off-putting -- perhaps irreparably so if one is not computer-inclined -- but once everything is installed, it is really slick, at least for the DRM-free .lit files I've tried.

[surrealmind]

You do need Microsoft Reader software with a Microsoft Passport/Live ID to remove DRM. (*If, in theory, one wanted to remove DRM*). Microsoft Reader is a pretty painless install, though you'll have to use Internet Explorer.