Does it matter which software used to create mobi?

[impasto]

I'm trying to prepare an ebook to upload to amazon. It's a collection of single panel cartoons, and fixed layout format seems appropriate. Started with Kindle Comic Creator, but couldnt do toc properly, and it was bugging me that KCC was overriding some files. Switched to Sigil, but still not good enough to my liking. Ended up writing html and epub from scratch, mostly based on the book by Paul Salvette (very good!), and it works.
Now, could Amazon give me trouble that Im not using Amazon-authorized software, eg KCC to create the mobi file?

[hobnail]

Don't know the answer to your question but you could give your ebook a test drive with Kindle Previewer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.ht...cId=1000765261

[Notjohn]

I've never uploaded a "mobi" to the KDP platform. I simply remove the included cover from my validated epub and upload the streamlined version.

[Quoth]

Don't upload a mobi to Amazon. Their recommendation is an epub2 or failing that, a docx that uses styles properly.
With ALL sellers / distributors of ebooks the cover is a separate upload at higher resolution than what is sensible in the epub. Typically twice resolution in both directions.

[impasto]

Thanks for the comments.
Why not uploading mobi? I realize I'll need to provide epub to other sites, but it's ok. I worry the automatic conversion by Amazon from epub to mobi may introduce compression artifacts to my images (just like KCC does). After all, my book is a collection of cartoon-style images, not a book of text.

This is going to be my first upload to Amazon, and I didnt realize there was a choice of epub2 and mobi, is it so? I thought mobi was mandatory.
Thanks.

[jhowell]

There is a difference between the e-book formats that Amazon accepts from publishers and the formats that it later delivers to customers. For a fixed-layout book you should either produce an EPUB file that follows the Amazon Kindle Publishing Guidelines or use Amazon's Kindle Create, Kindle Comic Creator, or Kindle Kids' Book Creator software.

If you choose produce an EPUB yourself you need to make it meet Amazon's proprietary requirements for fixed layout. If you do not do that the result may fail to render properly on some apps or devices.

You can use Amazon's kindlegen or Kindle Previewer software to convert your fixed-layout EPUB into a Master MOBI for publishing purposes. The Master MOBI will contain the original EPUB, a MOBI7 conversion and a KF8 conversion of the original, all in one file. (This is different from the older meaning of MOBI which refers to the original MobiPocket format, now called MOBI7 by Amazon. That format does not support fixed layout at all.)

However, it is pointless to do that since Amazon will produce the same result if you just upload the EPUB. In fact they will extract the EPUB from the Master MOBI to perform further format conversions for newer devices.

[impasto]

thanks, very useful info.
I may upload as epub as you guys suggest.

May I assume that whatever Amazon does later on, doesn't affect image quality, i.e. they do not further compress images? This is very important to me - I bought one graphic novel on Amazon, and the compression artifacts are pretty bad. So bad that IMO the book should be revised.

FYI, I validate my epubs, and use Kindle Previewer 3, and upload the mobi to my Android phone for inspection. I plan to test the final version on a friend's iphone and a Kindle reader before uploading to Amazon.

[Quoth]

No, it's up to you to make sure the image formats and sizes are compatible.

But only use FIXED layout for 10" tablets. It's terrible on phone apps and real ereaders. Actually Amazon won't even deliver a fixed layout to most actual Kindles. It's for the Fire and apps, not real ereaders.

I use the "Tablet" page option on Calibre as that leaves imported image at the original resolution.
The test purchase downloaded ebook from Amazon in mobi, azw or kfx on a wide range of real kindles have been fine from the epub2 upload.

I make sure images work on a Kindle Keyboard, PW3, Kobo Libra 7" (epub), Sony PRS350 5" (epub) and on the Lithium app on a 6" Android phone. Sometimes I check on an an old 5" phone.

I preview in the Calibre viewer with the window reduce so it's roughly like a PW3 or Libra.

You can use an image large enough for a 300 dpi Libra 7" and have it scale, or use a fixed size smaller image. Old ereaders will get very slow if the image is too large, even if rescaled to fit.

In general, ereaders are for text and more than a small image can be a problem. A fully illustrated or pictorial book really needs a tablet.

I'm not impressed with the Kindle Previewer. Calibre is better. Testing on real kindles and kobos and a phone app like Lithium is better.
The Kindle apps on iOS and Android are designed mainly for downloads from Amazon. A 3rd party epub viewer is more use to preview as you upload epub2 to KDP anyway.

[impasto]

Ok, thanks. I wonder if Amazon provides some feedback to the publisher (me) if there is a problem with a specific device or category of devices? After I upload the book, that is.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by impasto

Ok, thanks. I wonder if Amazon provides some feedback to the publisher (me) if there is a problem with a specific device or category of devices? After I upload the book, that is.

Yes--you'll receive a Kindle Quality Notice, ordering you to FIX the book. If you get that, it means that someone or someones complained. Worse, people leave bad reviews.

The software you use ABSOLUTELY affects the outcome and yes, Amazon can give you crap about using non-approved or "third party apps."

For fixed-layout, you should not be making this by hand. Not without a ton more experience. If you followed Paul's directions, great--but Paul wrote that book a while back and I don't remember what he said about fixed-layout.

That's my $.02, for what it's worth, but there are some folks who foolishly think I know what I'm doing. ;-)

Hitch

[impasto]

Scary but fair. I sure hope not to get such notice.