KindleUnpack (MobiUnpack): Extracts text, images and metadata from Kindle/Mobi files

[avid-e-reader]

OK, upgrading from Kindlegen 1.1.99 to 1.2 means the manifest entry is no longer needed, and the syntax that I didn't recognize in the <x-metadata> tag covers the need. Thanks for the help.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by avid-e-reader

I tried mentally comparing my original .opf with the generated one, and there was no entry in the manifest for the cover image file. After adding one, then it regenerates fine. Would that indicate a problem in the kindlegen? I guess there is a newer one... but seems to be an omission from the .opf -- unless the newer one doesn't need the manifest entry.

As I said, you seem to be using an old version of Kindlegen. I'd suggest using the latest version, which I think is 1.2.

The opf from mobiunpack does not include the cover image in the manifest, but it does include it in the EmbeddedCover tag.

As far as I know, the cover image shouldn't be necessary in the manifest. In opf files for Mobpocket Creator it wasn't needed, and I think caused problems if it was there. Similarly images linked from the html weren't included in the manifest (& aren't included in the manifest by mobiunpack).

Since it works fine with Kindlegen 1.2, and we're trying to create input for Kindlegen, not valid ePub source, I don't intend changing this behaviour. You are free to do so yourself, of course.

[I see you're sorted. Message Lag.]

[avid-e-reader]

Also, a curiosity question: the Kindle claims to be able to play .mp3 files. Has anyone verified that, and does mobiunpack deal with such files? I have a background idea of adding some .mp3 to one of my ebooks, if it works. Kindle claims some video support too, but I'm not interested in that.

Still a question if the mobi decoder works with .mp3 files embedded in the .mobi files? I'm about ready to start playing with adding such to one of my ebooks.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by avid-e-reader

Still a question if the mobi decoder works with .mp3 files embedded in the .mobi files? I'm about ready to start playing with adding such to one of my ebooks.

I've no idea how kindlegen does mp3 files. I rather doubt that the decoder will output them sensibly. If you have a sample Kindle file with an MP3 in it, it might be interesting to take a look at it.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by avid-e-reader

Still a question if the mobi decoder works with .mp3 files embedded in the .mobi files? I'm about ready to start playing with adding such to one of my ebooks.

At present, I think only iOS Kindle app can play embedded audio/video. On Kindle, you just see 'There is video content at this place that can be played only on supported Kindle devices and reader applications.'

Kindle's mp3 support is limited to background playing, or (if in audible folder) using the audiobook player.

My guess is that decoder will not extract audio/video files, but I haven't played with that. Let us know what you discover.

[pdurrant]

I've just uploaded version 31 to my post near the start of this thread.

This has no changes for Kindle/Mobipocket ebooks, but adds initial support for Kindle/Print Replica ebooks, outputting a PDF file, and also several mysterious data sections.

The sample Print Replica ebook I have contains only one PDF. It seems from the data stored that it's possible to have more than one PDF stored in a Print Replica ebook. I have tried to guess how this will work, but it's entirely possible that I've guessed wrong, and that the code will need tweaking once someone comes across such an ebook.

As with Kindle/Mobipocket books, this script only works on non-DRM Print Replica ebooks, which at the moment seems to be only the samples that can be downloaded from Amazon.

Feedback very welcome indeed.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Feedback very welcome indeed.

There was a typo that caused it to reject .azw4 file extensions. Now fixed, but version number not incremented.

[DaleDe]

Great job, there is an AZW4 wiki page now if you want to document anything.

Dale

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Great job, there is an AZW4 wiki page now if you want to document anything.

Thanks. I've added in what I know, which isn't much. Just enough to know how much I don't know!

[pdurrant]

I've now updated the Mobipocket Updater AppleScript to handle .azw4 (Print Replica) ebooks as well.

[avid-e-reader]

What about .ncx files? Seems mobiunpack doesn't generate one, even if one was using during creation of the book?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by avid-e-reader

What about .ncx files? Seems mobiunpack doesn't generate one, even if one was using during creation of the book?

A good point. And that data must be in there somewhere, as it can be used to navigate in a Kindle file.

All that's necessary is for someone to spend the time to work out where and in what format it's stored, document that, and then for someone to take that info and write code to decode the info and create an ncx file from it.

Good luck!

[avid-e-reader]

So mobiunpack actually creates this kindlegensrc.zip file somewhere along the line. I just found a (slightly tweaked) version of my .ncx file in there, in the "misc" directory. The tweaks are a reflection of the directory structure.

So it looks like the changes necessary would be threefold:
1) extract the .ncx file out of the kindlegensrc.zip and place it is a (newly created) misc directory, alongside the Images directory
2) reference the .ncx file in the <manifest> tag of the .opf file.
3) add a toc="toc" attribute to the <spine> tag of the .opf file.

I haven't looked at the source for mobiunpack, to know how hard or easy this would be, nor do I know what sort of source control is being used, or where it is located.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by avid-e-reader

So mobiunpack actually creates this kindlegensrc.zip file somewhere along the line. I just found a (slightly tweaked) version of my .ncx file in there, in the "misc" directory. The tweaks are a reflection of the directory structure.

So it looks like the changes necessary would be threefold:
1) extract the .ncx file out of the kindlegensrc.zip and place it is a (newly created) misc directory, alongside the Images directory
2) reference the .ncx file in the <manifest> tag of the .opf file.
3) add a toc="toc" attribute to the <spine> tag of the .opf file.

I haven't looked at the source for mobiunpack, to know how hard or easy this would be, nor do I know what sort of source control is being used, or where it is located.

The ncx in the kindlegensrc isn't the information in the Mobipocket file. The source files are just stored at the end of the file by kindlegen for mysterious purposes. They can be stripped from the Kindle ebook without losing the ncx navigation info in the file.

Perhaps MobiUnpack should be tweaked to also export any unknown binary data in the original file. Hmm...

[avid-e-reader]

A little more info: the <manifest> tag should probably look like:

<item href="misc/toc.ncx" id="toc" media-type="application/x-dtbncx+xml" />

but with the file name possibly different in different cases, based on the actual .ncx file name found? But here's something I don't understand: there is also a content.opf in the kindlegensrc.zip file, but it doesn't seem to match the one generated by mobiunpack.