Kindle for Apple formatting not playing nicely...

[Oxford-eBooks]

Before I confinue to beat my face against this can I get a sanity check from the great and the good?

For some reason image sizing is NOT being honoured on the Kindle App for iPad for me. 100% as expected in a browser, on the Kindle Previewer and Kindle for Android.

ePub(2) built directly with xhtml and css, so little or no conversion shennanegans.
Loaded the ePub to the iPad and Android through their Kindle emails - so we're getting the "consumer experience".

Here's a snippet of HTML

<p>TESTING ICONS <img class = "img_1em5" src = 'images/y-s.png' alt ="Yellow Icon"/>1.5em <img class = "img_2em" src = 'images/y-s.png' alt ="Yellow Icon"/>2.5em</p>

and the associated CSS

.img_1em5{
	height:1.5em;
	vertical-align:bottom;
	object-fit:contain;
}
.img_2em{
	height:2em;
	vertical-align:bottom;
	object-fit:contain;
}

I've stripped my test right back to the actual recommended code on the Kindle guideline page (inline images): https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/to...5V4YX5X8GRGXWV

The only appreciable difference is that I'm using a css class for the two different sizes rather than just formatting the root IMG tag as the instrux does.

I've even tried humouring it by making my class names img.img_1em5 etc. No dice! Imags look like they're rendering 1:1 pixel size.

WHAT AM I MISSING!!! ARGGHHH!!!

I just want to add that I'm not new to all this, 12yrs plus doing this for a living and STILL finding Apple a PITA.

[jhowell]

When you email an EPUB to Amazon it is converted to two Kindle formats: KF8 and MOBI. KF8 supports HTML5 and CSS and is roughly equivalent to EPUB 2. MOBI only supports the ancient HTML 3 and is much less powerful. Most of the original formatting is stripped out when producing MOBI.

Most Kindle apps and devices support KF8 and will receive the document in that format. Those that do not, which includes the Kindle for iOS app, receive MOBI instead and so will not render the document as well.

[Oxford-eBooks]

Thanks jhowell: That was the answer that I most dreaded to hear but was also most expecting to hear.

Let's just set aside the incandescnt rage at Amazon and hurling things about the room for a moment while I compose myself and ask calmly why on earth Amazon are still rendering MOBI on their iOS apps despite having dropped the format. I even tried sending a MOBI to the iPad and got a message telling me not to.

It sounds to me like they've just knobbled their entire format because how can we produce content that works on one app but not on another?

Does anyone know if they plan to update the iOS app any time soon?

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Oxford-eBooks

Thanks jhowell: That was the answer that I most dreaded to hear but was also most expecting to hear.

Let's just set aside the incandescnt rage at Amazon and hurling things about the room for a moment while I compose myself and ask calmly why on earth Amazon are still rendering MOBI on their iOS apps despite having dropped the format. I even tried sending a MOBI to the iPad and got a message telling me not to.

It sounds to me like they've just knobbled their entire format because how can we produce content that works on one app but not on another?

Does anyone know if they plan to update the iOS app any time soon?

You must have missed
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=329
and the many other posts where jhowell has explained this.

[Oxford-eBooks]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

You must have missed
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=329
and the many other posts where jhowell has explained this.

Indeed I did miss it! Didn't come up in my searches. Maybe I was being too specific. Gonna grab a calming camomile tea and read... looks like a good thread.

... sooooooo, does that mean there's NO way to set image size by EM on iOS devices? Or is there some webkit trick... or... anything? :sob:

Bottom line may be that the iOS version will look junk and the client can't sell exclusively on KDP Select.

[jhowell]

A key factor here is that by importing your own EPUB you are creating a "personal document" which Amazon handles very differently from a book published on the Amazon platform.

Had the same EPUB been published it would have been converted to latest Kindle format (KFX) and would render the same in the iOS app as it does in the Android app and the Kindle Previewer.

[Oxford-eBooks]

Originally Posted by jhowell

A key factor here is that by importing your own EPUB you are creating a "personal document" which Amazon handles very differently from a book published on the Amazon platform.

Had the same EPUB been published it would have been converted to latest Kindle format (KFX) and would render the same in the iOS app as it does in the Android app and the Kindle Previewer.

AHA!!!! Now you're talking. The client is VERY happy with what he's seeing on the Android. So, job done. It kind of feels a little bit like a leap of faith to have to tell them that "it'll be okay" when the consumer downloads onto their iOS device. I'd understand if they get a bit itchy about not actually being able to see it because it DOES mess up very very badly in plenty of exciting and interesting ways.
Is there a reliable way to preview on an iOS device pre-market?

I'd be happy with "if it looks right in Kindle Previewer then it'll be RIGHT for the consumer"

[JSWolf]

The solution (IMHO) is to find good program to read ePub that you like.

[Oxford-eBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The solution (IMHO) is to find good program to read ePub that you like.

Not up to me, it's up to the consumer!

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Oxford-eBooks

Is there a reliable way to preview on an iOS device pre-market?

Amazon expects you to use their Kindle Previewer and trust that it renders books correctly for the various device types that you can choose in the program. In practice it is more or less correct for recent apps and devices and grossly inaccurate for showing how books will look on older ones.

The Kindle Previewer has an "Export" option to create files that can be sideloaded on older devices and on the Kindle for iOS app. You need to click on the "Save as type" field to select either .mobi (for old Kindles) or .azk (for the iOS app).

You can sideload a .azk file to the Kindle app on an iOS device using the file sharing feature of iTunes. This will give you are better idea of how the file will look when published, but it won't be exactly correct because these days Enhanced Typesetting (KFX format) is used almost everywhere.

If you want to see how a book looks with Enhanced Typesetting on an actual device your only option is to create a KFX file from the EPUB and sideload it on to the app or device. Unfortunately Amazon does not provide a way to create KFX format, other than actually publishing a book.

My KFX Output plugin for calibre can do it, but it takes knowledge of calibre and plugins to make it work. If you choose to try that then use the CLI interface to produce the a KFX file that most accurately matches what you would get by publishing on Amazon.

[Oxford-eBooks]

Superb answer jhowell - Thanks, I can sleep now.
I have to admit that it came as a bit of a shock to see the screenshots from the iOS device when I'd been under the assumption that I'd been "doing it right all these years".
I suspect that there's no need to hobble this particular project for the sake of some older devices. I think we'll go with the attitude (it'll be true for this project at least - it concerns hiking up mountains and things) that if you're using this title then you're going to be going into things prepared with decent kit. Maybe a discrete disclaimer in the description and intro that formatting may be different on older devices to avoid negative reviews from anyone who walks off a cliff becuase some icons look s little shonky!

[noelbon]

I thought this was a very helpful exchange!!

===

Hello,

Greetings from Amazon Kindle direct Publishing.

Please understand that the preview file provided for iOS devices will look different than the final file delivered to your customer. The delivered file will match the Android and Fire Devices preview.

Also, please understand that this is a known issue and we don't have an estimated timeline on when this will be fixed completely.

In case you have any further query or doubt please write us again we will be happy to assist you.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in this regards.

Thanks for using Amazon KDP,

Your feedback helps us improve our service.

===

Problem solved! We just have to wait till they fix it and simply trust Kindle Previewer 3 in the mean time!

[Quoth]

The preview from Amazon are not reliable for mobi, azw3 or KFX Kindle eink, iOS App or Android App.

Only "buying" the published ebook really tells you what it's like. It's time Amazon KDP offered actual download for any device selected by the author/publisher, for a book before it's live. The download preview after upload is pointless.

Also the Kindle Previewer and other Kindle applications don't run on Linux.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by noelbon

Please understand that the preview file provided for iOS devices will look different than the final file delivered to your customer. The delivered file will match the Android and Fire Devices preview.

Unless the iOS app has changed due to Apple removing restrictions, the ebook can't look the same on Kindle iOS app as on the Android Kindle App. The Fire should be nearly the same or identical to Android.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Quoth

It's time Amazon KDP offered actual download for any device selected by the author/publisher, for a book before it's live. The download preview after upload is pointless.

That depends on the author/publisher having a large assortment of devices for testing including many no longer sold by Amazon. It would work for you but not for the vast majority. An online preview with accurate emulation of the various device types would be more useful.