Kindle - html to Kindle format - do links to anchors work?

Rasczak · 05-27-2008, 03:22 AM

So far as I know, the programs for file conversion in the tutorials I've seen are only for Windows. Linux user here.

Anyway, I have a book that I can only find in .pdf. It isn't copyrighted or anything, just not very popular.

To get the thing on my Kindle, I'm planning on copying the text from the .pdf file and html-izing it. Will I be able to use link and anchor tags to make a table of contents that will work once I convert the thing by emailing it to Amazon to push back to my Kindle?

JSWolf · 05-27-2008, 03:36 AM

What you can do is try running Wine and see if Mobipocket Creator and Mobipocket Reader work. Then you can use them on your computer.

But, the problem will be that your PDF won't convert well if you just copy/paste. In fact, most PDF won't convert without errors.

Rasczak · 05-27-2008, 04:26 AM

Indeed, its a real pain in the okole. The ' and " characters do weird things. I have mixed results with wine, but I'll give it a try.

Rasczak · 05-27-2008, 04:45 AM

No dice. Wine doesn't seem to like the .msi file.

tompe · 05-27-2008, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasczak

So far as I know, the programs for file conversion in the tutorials I've seen are only for Windows. Linux user here.

Anyway, I have a book that I can only find in .pdf. It isn't copyrighted or anything, just not very popular.

To get the thing on my Kindle, I'm planning on copying the text from the .pdf file and html-izing it.

In linux there is pdftotext to get the text and it can produce a simple html file using the flag -htmlmeta

pilotbob · 05-27-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasczak

To get the thing on my Kindle, I'm planning on copying the text from the .pdf file and html-izing it.

Why don't you try Amazon's conversion service? It will cost $.10 if you want the document wisperneted [new word?] to your Kindle. It is free if you want it just emailed to you.

BOb

wallcraft · 05-27-2008, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Why don't you try Amazon's conversion service?

This is definitely worth trying. This service makes the Kindle independent of your Desktop O/S, and the result can be very good on some PDFs (not so good on others).

JSWolf · 05-27-2008, 01:18 PM

To be honest, if you are going to have an eBook viewer, then you really do need to also have Windows. Why not just suck it up and install Windows as a dual-boot and be done with it?

pilotbob · 05-27-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To be honest, if you are going to have an eBook viewer, then you really do need to also have Windows. Why not just suck it up and install Windows as a dual-boot and be done with it?

Actually, most of the conversion stuff that is outthere is perl and/or python which will run on the big three. So, I'm not sure why you are having a hard time finding non-windows stuff. The two most popular I can think of are mobiperl bundle and the calibre bundle... both of which are cross platform.

BOb

Jack B Nimble · 05-27-2008, 02:53 PM

I disagree with the comments that having an ebook reader requires a Windows computer, but I will say that you need to be careful of the ebook products you choose.

I do have both a Windows machine and my Macs. I don't put personal information on the windows box as it is my gaming machine, so it is online with a lot of software that I cannot trust. For years I have used macs for all of my ebook tasks:

eReader: purchasing, reading, converting and file transfers.
iSilo: converting and file transfers.
eBookwise: purchasing, converting and file transfers.

I even managed my Sony Reader on my mac, for the few months I had it.

Having said that, I specifically chose products that had tools available for my mac. The Kindle, with on-unit shopping, direct dowdloads, and online conversions would seem to do a great job of removing the dependence on a specific desktop platform. I would reiterate the earlier suggestions that you try the perl scripts, Calibre or Amazon's email conversion.

If you are able to extract the text, don't be afraid of a two-step process. You may not be able to go directly to Kindle format, but you may be able to get the data into a format that the online Kindle conversion can easily handle. It is not as convenient, but it sounds like this is a bit of a one-off, so it may be a small matter in the long run.

Good luck, and let us know how it works out.

Jack

Rasczak · 05-27-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To be honest, if you are going to have an eBook viewer, then you really do need to also have Windows. Why not just suck it up and install Windows as a dual-boot and be done with it?

I already have an ebook viewer - my Kindle. I don't use Linux because its free, I use it because I like it better than Windows for daily computer stuff. Dual booting for one funtionality just isn't conventient or desirable for me.

As for the question above about emailing - that's the goal. I already have the text lifted from the .pdf. And I plan to email it once I have everything cleaned up and just the way I like it.

My original question was whether the links to anchors will work so I'll have a fuctional table of contents when Amazon sends the kindle file back.

Thanks for all the replies.

HarryT · 05-28-2008, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasczak

My original question was whether the links to anchors will work so I'll have a fuctional table of contents when Amazon sends the kindle file back.

Thanks for all the replies.

Link/anchor hyperlinks certainly work just fine in MobiPocket books; it's really just a matter of how good a job the Kindle conversion service does on your book - all I can really suggest is that you try it and see!

If you do have a Windows machine available on which to run MobiPocket creator yourself, that will give you a great deal more flexibility than relying on an automated conversion service.

HarryT · 05-28-2008, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Actually, most of the conversion stuff that is outthere is perl and/or python which will run on the big three. So, I'm not sure why you are having a hard time finding non-windows stuff. The two most popular I can think of are mobiperl bundle and the calibre bundle... both of which are cross platform.

BOb

That's very true, Bob, but MobiPocket Creator (which only runs on Windows) is perhaps the best conversion tool out there for creating MobiPocket format books. I find it to be considerably more flexible than the command-line tools, plus the fact it has many capabilities that the Perl and Python tools don't.

tompe · 05-28-2008, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's very true, Bob, but MobiPocket Creator (which only runs on Windows) is perhaps the best conversion tool out there for creating MobiPocket format books. I find it to be considerably more flexible than the command-line tools, plus the fact it has many capabilities that the Perl and Python tools don't.

What capabilities does it have that are missing from other tools?

You can run mobigen in Wine also for conversion.

HarryT · 05-30-2008, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

What capabilities does it have that are missing from other tools?

The ability to directly import and convert numerous different input formats.
A very nice "GUI" editor for the OPF file.

Not vital, of course, but a real time-saver.

05-27-2008, 03:22 AM	#1
Rasczak Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oahu Device: Kindle	Kindle - html to Kindle format - do links to anchors work? So far as I know, the programs for file conversion in the tutorials I've seen are only for Windows. Linux user here. Anyway, I have a book that I can only find in .pdf. It isn't copyrighted or anything, just not very popular. To get the thing on my Kindle, I'm planning on copying the text from the .pdf file and html-izing it. Will I be able to use link and anchor tags to make a table of contents that will work once I convert the thing by emailing it to Amazon to push back to my Kindle?

05-27-2008, 02:53 PM	#10
Jack B Nimble Groupie Posts: 154 Karma: 672 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Tapwave Zodiac, eBookwise 1150	I disagree with the comments that having an ebook reader requires a Windows computer, but I will say that you need to be careful of the ebook products you choose. I do have both a Windows machine and my Macs. I don't put personal information on the windows box as it is my gaming machine, so it is online with a lot of software that I cannot trust. For years I have used macs for all of my ebook tasks: eReader: purchasing, reading, converting and file transfers. iSilo: converting and file transfers. eBookwise: purchasing, converting and file transfers. I even managed my Sony Reader on my mac, for the few months I had it. Having said that, I specifically chose products that had tools available for my mac. The Kindle, with on-unit shopping, direct dowdloads, and online conversions would seem to do a great job of removing the dependence on a specific desktop platform. I would reiterate the earlier suggestions that you try the perl scripts, Calibre or Amazon's email conversion. If you are able to extract the text, don't be afraid of a two-step process. You may not be able to go directly to Kindle format, but you may be able to get the data into a format that the online Kindle conversion can easily handle. It is not as convenient, but it sounds like this is a bit of a one-off, so it may be a small matter in the long run. Good luck, and let us know how it works out. Jack Last edited by Jack B Nimble; 05-27-2008 at 02:55 PM.

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05-27-2008, 03:36 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,370 Karma: 136466962 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What you can do is try running Wine and see if Mobipocket Creator and Mobipocket Reader work. Then you can use them on your computer. But, the problem will be that your PDF won't convert well if you just copy/paste. In fact, most PDF won't convert without errors.

05-27-2008, 04:26 AM	#3
Rasczak Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oahu Device: Kindle	Indeed, its a real pain in the okole. The ' and " characters do weird things. I have mixed results with wine, but I'll give it a try.

05-27-2008, 04:45 AM	#4
Rasczak Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oahu Device: Kindle	No dice. Wine doesn't seem to like the .msi file.

05-27-2008, 01:18 PM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,370 Karma: 136466962 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	To be honest, if you are going to have an eBook viewer, then you really do need to also have Windows. Why not just suck it up and install Windows as a dual-boot and be done with it?

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