Email from Fictionwise (http://www.fictionwise) today:

Big news for eReader fans! MultiFormat eBooks at Fictionwise now include eReader (.pdb) as a format download option! The new files include full color covers and inline images, chapter and section selectors, and comprehensive metadata. eReader is available for all MultiFormat eBooks at Fictionwise--even for your past purchases ... that's over 19,000 files!

So it wasn't available before? That's interesting.

I think it was only available in "secure" format before.

Thanks for the heads-up on the new .pdb format.

I just checked and noticed the 'Kindle compatible (MOBI)' download format which converts well with my Mobi2IMP (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22178) to create a .IMP with cover image!

For a test ebook, selecting the 'Kindle compatible (MOBI)' delivers 'Verne-80-Days.prc', whereas selecting 'Mobipocket (PRC)' deilvers 'Verne-80-Days-mo.prc'. The eReader "PalmDOC" (.PDB) delivers 'Verne-80-Days.pdb' Only the first format (MOBI) has a cover image; neither of the latter two has a cover image.

Here is the verbose output when the 'Kindle compatible (MOBI)' .PRC is converted to .IMP:

Mobi2IMP (version 9.3b) Copyright (C) 2008 Nick Rapallo (nrapallo)
FULLFILENAME: E:\ebooks\Fictionwise\Verne-80-Days.prc
FILENAME : Verne-80-Days.prc
EXPLODEDIR : Verne-80-Days
DatabaseName: Around_the_World_in_80_Days
Version : 0
Type : BOOK
Creator : MOBI
baktime : -2082844800
# of records: 101
---------------------------------------------------
Image_Index: 0 - record-97 - 0 - 222132 - 59612 - 510 x 680
Image_Index: 1 - record-98 - 0 - 281744 - 11980 - 180 x 240
PDHEADER Version: 2
PDHEADER Length: 386440
PDHEADER NRecords: 95
PDHEADER Recsize: 4096
PDHEADER Unknown: 0
MOBIHEADER ciflg: 1
MOBIHEADER ciptr: 98
MOBIHEADER doctype: MOBI
MOBIHEADER length: 228
MOBIHEADER booktype: 2 - BOOK
MOBIHEADER codep: 1252
MOBIHEADER uniqid: 3901032878
MOBIHEADER ver: 4
MOBIHEADER exthflg: 80
MOBIHEADER codepage: 1252
MOBIHEADER language: 1033 - ENGLISH - ENGLISH_US
MOBIHEADER LONGTITLE: Around the World in 80 Days
EXTH doctype: EXTH
EXTH length: 268
EXTH n_items: 11
EXTH item: 100 (x64) - Author - 11 - Jules Verne
EXTH item: 101 (x65) - Publisher - 17 - Fictionwise, Inc.
EXTH item: 110 (x6e) - SubjectCode - 9 - FIC004000
EXTH item: 105 (x69) - Subject - 18 - Classic Literature
EXTH item: 109 (x6d) - Rights - 16 - Copyright ©
EXTH item: 111 (x6f) - Type - 5 - Novel
EXTH item: 103 (x67) - Description - 40 - Classic Literature. 62793 words long.
EXTH item: 300 (x12c) - 300 - 38 - 0x300000000000000800000000000000000edecbef41a9
EXTH item: 201 (xc9) - CoverOffset - 4 - 0x0000
------> Cover Image_Index: 0
EXTH item: 203 (xcb) - hasFakeCover - 4 - 0x0000
EXTH item: 202 (xca) - ThumbOffset - 4 - 0x0001
------> Version: 2 - 2 - DOC_COMPRESSED
---------------------------------------------------
Looking for filepos
Found all filepos
Adding name attributes
Fixing filepos attribute
FIXED IMAGE/TAGS: 0 - record-97.JPG + 13 padding = 537 x 680
Adding cover image: 'Verne-80-Days/record-97.JPG'
TITLE : Around the World in 80 Days
AUTHOR : Jules Verne
CATEGORY: Classic Literature
EBW 1150 ebook created!
REB 1200 ebook created!

So it wasn't available before? That's interesting.

Fictionwise only sold eReader format with DRM before. Added DRM-free eReader format to their Multiformat books is presumably a result of them buying eReader.

Thanks for the heads-up on the new .pdb format.

I just checked and noticed the 'Kindle compatible (MOBI)' download format which converts well with my Mobi2IMP (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22178) to create a .IMP with cover image!

For a test ebook, selecting the 'Kindle compatible (MOBI)' delivers 'Verne-80-Days.prc', whereas selecting 'Mobipocket (PRC)' deilvers 'Verne-80-Days-mo.prc'. The eReader "PalmDOC" (.PDB) delivers 'Verne-80-Days.pdb' Only the first format (MOBI) has a cover image; neither of the latter two has a cover image.

Here is the verbose output when the 'Kindle compatible (MOBI)' .PRC is converted to .IMP:

Mobi2IMP (version 9.3b) Copyright (C) 2008 Nick Rapallo (nrapallo)
FULLFILENAME: E:\ebooks\Fictionwise\Verne-80-Days.prc
FILENAME : Verne-80-Days.prc
EXPLODEDIR : Verne-80-Days
DatabaseName: Around_the_World_in_80_Days
Version : 0
Type : BOOK
Creator : MOBI
baktime : -2082844800
# of records: 101
---------------------------------------------------
Image_Index: 0 - record-97 - 0 - 222132 - 59612 - 510 x 680
Image_Index: 1 - record-98 - 0 - 281744 - 11980 - 180 x 240
PDHEADER Version: 2
PDHEADER Length: 386440
PDHEADER NRecords: 95
PDHEADER Recsize: 4096
PDHEADER Unknown: 0
MOBIHEADER ciflg: 1
MOBIHEADER ciptr: 98
MOBIHEADER doctype: MOBI
MOBIHEADER length: 228
MOBIHEADER booktype: 2 - BOOK
MOBIHEADER codep: 1252
MOBIHEADER uniqid: 3901032878
MOBIHEADER ver: 4
MOBIHEADER exthflg: 80
MOBIHEADER codepage: 1252
MOBIHEADER language: 1033 - ENGLISH - ENGLISH_US
MOBIHEADER LONGTITLE: Around the World in 80 Days
EXTH doctype: EXTH
EXTH length: 268
EXTH n_items: 11
EXTH item: 100 (x64) - Author - 11 - Jules Verne
EXTH item: 101 (x65) - Publisher - 17 - Fictionwise, Inc.
EXTH item: 110 (x6e) - SubjectCode - 9 - FIC004000
EXTH item: 105 (x69) - Subject - 18 - Classic Literature
EXTH item: 109 (x6d) - Rights - 16 - Copyright ©
EXTH item: 111 (x6f) - Type - 5 - Novel
EXTH item: 103 (x67) - Description - 40 - Classic Literature. 62793 words long.
EXTH item: 300 (x12c) - 300 - 38 - 0x300000000000000800000000000000000edecbef41a9
EXTH item: 201 (xc9) - CoverOffset - 4 - 0x0000
------> Cover Image_Index: 0
EXTH item: 203 (xcb) - hasFakeCover - 4 - 0x0000
EXTH item: 202 (xca) - ThumbOffset - 4 - 0x0001
------> Version: 2 - 2 - DOC_COMPRESSED
---------------------------------------------------
Looking for filepos
Found all filepos
Adding name attributes
Fixing filepos attribute
FIXED IMAGE/TAGS: 0 - record-97.JPG + 13 padding = 537 x 680
Adding cover image: 'Verne-80-Days/record-97.JPG'
TITLE : Around the World in 80 Days
AUTHOR : Jules Verne
CATEGORY: Classic Literature
EBW 1150 ebook created!
REB 1200 ebook created!

Well what the heck?! The mobi and prc look to be identical except kindle owners rate a cover image? That file works fine on my cybook, why do they even have the two different ones? And why doesn't the prc file rate a cover image? sigh.

Thanks for this, I shall get the kindle version from now on.

Well what the heck?! The mobi and prc look to be identical except kindle owners rate a cover image? That file works fine on my cybook, why do they even have the two different ones? And why doesn't the prc file rate a cover image? sigh.

Thanks for this, I shall get the kindle version from now on.

I do know that the PRC version of Multiformat is a Mobipocket ebook that's a couple generations out of date. The Kindle version is the latest Mobipocket format.

I think they haven't changed the PRC version because they didn't want to hurt customers who might still be using an older MobiReader on their PDA.

I see. Maybe some older readers can't handle the cover image? In that case of course they should keep the older version available. I just wish I had known . . . but now I do :)

I see. Maybe some older readers can't handle the cover image?

I don't think it's that so much as the fact they're now using a better MobiPocket creation tool.

Baen are much the same; their older Mobi books with a ".prc" extension are rather primitive and lack navigation links, etc. Their more modern Mobi books (with a ".mobi" extension) have proper cover images, working nav links, etc.

I don't think it's that so much as the fact they're now using a better MobiPocket creation tool.

Baen are much the same; their older Mobi books with a ".prc" extension are rather primitive and lack navigation links, etc. Their more modern Mobi books (with a ".mobi" extension) have proper cover images, working nav links, etc.

Well, the two files look identical other than the cover image, and they both have a prc extension. So if it's not a question of compatibility with older readers, I don't see the point in offering the two options. It's not like they explain what the difference is and why you'd choose one over the other (if they do, I didn't find it).

This very thread says all the older, already purchased books will now be available in the new eReader version (and by the way they list THREE .pdb versions), so clearly it's possible to make the kindle version available for every book (if they're not already doing so).

It's easy to see if the non-Kindle file is in an older format; open it in a text editor like "NotePad"; it'll look like garbage but in the first few characters of the file you'll see an 8-character text string. If this says "TEXtREAD", the file is the older format which doesn't support nav links, etc; if it says "BOOKMOBI" the file is in the modern format.

Would it or would it not make a difference in terms of compatibility with older readers? Seems to me that's the question. If it does, then the two versions make sense. If not, then I don't see the point. Very simple.

Very, VERY old versions, perhaps; but they'd need to be SERIOUSLY old.

The Fictionwise bookshelf has a "bulk download" feature, so last week when the formats were made available, I downloaded all of mine in both pdf and imp formats. Saved them to a CD-ROM. Previously, with my EB-1150, I could only save books to the eBookwise librarian and hope the company never shut down the bookshelf.

Have I told you how happy I am with eBookwise/Fictionwise? On Tues, my reader crashed and burned - literally, the battery or something heated up and cooked a black spot on the screen. I got the email this morning that a new one was on the way yesterday, along with FedEx tracking info so that I can watch it cross the country. I got mine originally for Christmas, so the 90 day warranty was expired, and I expected to have to buy another reader. The support staff at eBookwise were kind, helpful, and never even mentioned the expired warranty.

Just giving props where due...

Very, VERY old versions, perhaps; but they'd need to be SERIOUSLY old.

Here are the various versions of the different .PRC and .PDB formats supported by Fictionwise:

eReader Format: Verne-80-Days-er.pdb ( PPrs / PNRd type) - I have no compatible reader for this format!
PalmDoc Format: Verne-80-Days.pdb ( TEXt / REAd type)
PDHEADER Version: 2
Version: 2 - 2 - DOC_COMPRESSED
Kindle Compatible (MOBI): Verne-80-Days.prc ( BOOK / MOBI type)
PDHEADER Version: 2
MOBIHEADER ver: 4
Version: 2 - 2 - DOC_COMPRESSED
Mobipocket (PRC) format: Verne-80-Days-mo.prc ( BOOK /MOBI type)
PDHEADER Version: 2
MOBIHEADER ver: 2
Version: 2 - 2 - DOC_COMPRESSED

It seems that the Mobipocket .PRC is ver 2 whereas the Kindle compatible (MOBI) is ver 4 (and has a cover image and includes EXTH).

More detailed information in the text file below (just the verbose output of Mobi2IMP).

I don't think it's that so much as the fact they're now using a better MobiPocket creation tool.

Baen are much the same; their older Mobi books with a ".prc" extension are rather primitive and lack navigation links, etc. Their more modern Mobi books (with a ".mobi" extension) have proper cover images, working nav links, etc.

There may be another difference. In Palm based products there is typically a limit to images of 64K bytes and in MobiPocket devices that are not running on Palms the images can be larger. The limit of 64K may no longer be true of Palm's either but was true in the recent past.

Dale

There may be another difference. In Palm based products there is typically a limit to images of 64K bytes and in MobiPocket devices that are not running on Palms the images can be larger. The limit of 64K may no longer be true of Palm's either but was true in the recent past.


But the documentation for the MobiPocket format still says 64K (actually it says 61K or something like that). The Kindle format that is not strictly MobiPocket format does not have to follow this.

My Palm T5 has the limit at least.

There may be another difference. In Palm based products there is typically a limit to images of 64K bytes and in MobiPocket devices that are not running on Palms the images can be larger. The limit of 64K may no longer be true of Palm's either but was true in the recent past.

Dale


It's pretty easy to make all the images less than 64kb. That shouldn't be a problem. But it seems Palm devices also have a limit on total file size, so that if a file had a lot of images, it could be too large for a Palm device. (This according to error messages I've gotten from mobi creator.)

Assuming there is a good reason for having two versions, dare I say . . . it'd be nice to have an explanation of the difference and why someone would choose one over the other.

edit:
Maybe I'm not being as clear as I think I am. I am not asking an explanation from anyone here. I'm just stating an opinion that it would be good if fictionwise explained the difference in the two prc files they offer, and the three pdb files they offer, and explained in what situations a person would choose which. I wrote and asked the difference between the two prc file types. They didn't write back, yet.

I guess that I will be buying ebooks from Fictionwise now