[GUI Plugin] APNX Generator

[user_none]

Create Amazon APNX page mapping file from within calibre without having to send them to a Kindle.

Main Features

• Create APNX from selected book in the calibre library.
• Create APNX from files outside calibre library.

Change Log

• 1.1.0
  • Restructure to work with new plugin loading API.
• 1.0.1
  • Sanitize file name.
  • Use the 'Save to disk' template for generating file names for items in library.
• 1.0.0
  • Initial release.

Special Notes

• Requires calibre version 0.7.53 or later.

Usage

• Using calibre library:
  1. Select books.
  2. Click APNX button.
  3. Specify location to save generated APNX files.
• Using files outside of calibre:
  1. Click down arrow next to APNX button.
  2. Select file any MOBI, AZW or PRC file stored on your computer.
  3. Specify location to save generated APNX file.

[mrsquash]

Thank you! I've been waiting for this. I didn't want to have to re-send and re-index hundreds of books that were already on my K3. I've got a lot of public-domain books, as well as many epub books that I purchased for my Sony, de-DRMed, and converted to mobi for the Kindle so naturally they don't have Amazon-generated apnx files.

Previous to this plug-in I've re-sent several books at the top of my TBR list to the Kindle in order to get the calibre-generated apnx files. They were all re-indexed by the Kindle, which took time and got me wondering as to whether the Kindle's index database was clearing out the junk from the previous, overwritten version before adding the data from the newly re-indexed versions I had just sent. Some posts I've seen here seem to suggest that there was a good chance that it wasn't, and that this could possibly slow down searches and perhaps other Kindle functions, but I was too lazy to really try to find out.

I've used goaspy's apnx generator on a few titles and just added the resulting apnx file to the K3 and that worked fine (thanks goaspy!), no re-indexing, but the prospect of going to Amazon to look up the number of pages, and then loading the book to get the location count, for hundreds of books, made that option less than attractive. More laziness, I guess.

And I've got nothing against locations. I was perfectly happy with them, but if you can have both, why not? I find myself using page numbers more than the locations these days; saves me a little mental arithmetic.

Thanks again!

[sapphiresilver]

Anybody know how to get page numbers working on kindle for ipad? Most of the books I've bought don't have page numbers, so it would be great if I could use this plugin to make the APNX files for my mobi books in Calibre. I just don't know where to put the files on the ipad, or what to name them.

[tamahome]

Hi. I still can't get the page numbers to show up, even by converting the Calibre Quick Start Guide to mobi, and putting both the mobi and apnx in the Kindle for PC folder (My Kindle Content) . I've given them the same basenames, and even tried renaming the mobi file to azw.

[Ron.]

Thanks for the plug in , but calibre generated apnx files don't work with kindle for PC or the kindle iPhone app. I have tried them before, must be something different about them.

[user_none]

Originally Posted by Ron.

Thanks for the plug in , but calibre generated apnx files don't work with kindle for PC or the kindle iPhone app. I have tried them before, must be something different about them.

There exactly the same as what's sent to the Kindle and they work on the Kindle. I will look into why they don't work for apps.

[Ron.]

Originally Posted by user_none

There exactly the same as what's sent to the Kindle and they work on the Kindle. I will look into why they don't work for apps.

I meant different from the amazon generated apnx files

[mrsquash]

Originally Posted by tamahome

Hi. I still can't get the page numbers to show up, even by converting the Calibre Quick Start Guide to mobi, and putting both the mobi and apnx in the Kindle for PC folder (My Kindle Content) . I've given them the same basenames, and even tried renaming the mobi file to azw.

Yeah, there's something strange going on there. I chose an Amazon-purchased book that had no page number file (Scott Nicholson's excellent "The First") and generated an APNX for it using the new calibre plugin, then copied that to the "My Kindle Content" folder. Kindle4PC displayed page numbers for the book, no problem.

I then took a non-Amazon mobi file, generated the APNX, and copied both to the "My Kindle Content" folder. This time, no page numbers displayed in K4PC. However, when I copied that book and APNX file to my K3, the page numbers did display.

This is no problem for me, since I only use K4PC to check out samples and for its usefulness in deDRMing my purchases. What little reading of mobi files that I do on my PC is done with mobipocket's reader, which generates its own page numbers. I read pretty much all of my books on the Kindle, but can see where this could be a problem for others who use apps.

[tamahome]

I really want it to work on iPad, but I figure the pc/mac application is a good test. Even giving both files the same timestamp didn't work. Hmmm...

[Shack70]

Can't get plugin to install. Get this when I do:

calibre, version 0.7.49
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>InvalidPlugin</b>:No valid plugin found in C:/Users/Robert Shacklock/Downloads/plugin_apnx_generator.zip

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\preferences\plugins.py", line 281, in add_plugin
File "site-packages\calibre\customize\ui.py", line 379, in add_plugin
File "site-packages\calibre\customize\ui.py", line 94, in load_plugin
InvalidPlugin: No valid plugin found in C:/Users/Robert Shacklock/Downloads/plugin_apnx_generator.zip

Running Windows 7

[user_none]

Originally Posted by Shack70

Can't get plugin to install. Get this when I do:

Read the special notes in red.

[Shack70]

Originally Posted by user_none

Read the special notes in red.

Updated and now working thanks

[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]

When I agree it writes it back to the file. The .kindle-info file appears to be a settings file with encrypted values.

At this point I can't see taking the time to look into this further as it's highly application specific and the APNX's work on the Kindle. This tells me that the files APNX's that are being generated are fine but Amazon is doing more within the app before it will use an APNX. Worst case when you open a book it checks with Amazon if it's one of theirs and will only load the APNX if this is the case. If this is the case then there isn't really any way around it.

[Ron.]

Understandable, thanks for taking the time to look into it.

[tamahome]

Amazon!!! *shakes his fist*