Calibre generating KF8 not the same as Kindlegen

[Zeebra]

Not sure where to put this question, I was just curious about the KF8 support in Calibre. I took the same ePub file and generated a mobi file once with Kindlegen and once with Calibre. The output is very different. In the Kindlegen version, I can see preserved formatting, whereas in the Calibre version it seems to lose the formatting (see example of the big "A" as the first letter of the text).

I have attached a screenshot to show what I'm talking about. Is there a way I can get Calibre to generate the mobi output to be the same as Kindlegen?

[kovidgoyal]

calibre does not have "emulating kindlegen" as a goal. I can give you plenty of examples of epub files that kindlegen will mess up and calibre will not. And epub files that calibre will mess up in one way and kindlegen in another. And epub files that neither will mess up. Conversion is not an exact science.

[Zeebra]

But in my particular example above, why doesn't Calibre keep the formatting as in the ePub? When I look at the ePub file it looks closer to what Kindlegen made. I'm just curious, I thought Calibre was now keeping the advanced text formatting for KF8? I can't seem to get Calibre to ever keep the publisher fonts for a book either, whereas with Kindlegen it seems to work.

[JSWolf]

Given the two samples, I think overall that the Kindlegen sample looks awful. The only thing wrong with the Calibre sample the the header is off. But then the header is off in both samples.

Are you sure though that what you generated with Calibre is actually an AZW3 (KF8) and not a Mobipocket file?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Zeebra

Not sure where to put this question, I was just curious about the KF8 support in Calibre. I took the same ePub file and generated a mobi file once with Kindlegen and once with Calibre. The output is very different. In the Kindlegen version, I can see preserved formatting, whereas in the Calibre version it seems to lose the formatting (see example of the big "A" as the first letter of the text).

I have attached a screenshot to show what I'm talking about. Is there a way I can get Calibre to generate the mobi output to be the same as Kindlegen?

That KG drop cap almost hit my floor whereas the Calibre title is only off a bit

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by Zeebra

But in my particular example above, why doesn't Calibre keep the formatting as in the ePub? When I look at the ePub file it looks closer to what Kindlegen made. I'm just curious, I thought Calibre was now keeping the advanced text formatting for KF8? I can't seem to get Calibre to ever keep the publisher fonts for a book either, whereas with Kindlegen it seems to work.

I have no clue. A screenshot does not provide any information about the problem. Open a bug report and attach the file. Every epub with embedded fonts that I have ever converted preserves its fonts in azw3.

[Zeebra]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given the two samples, I think overall that the Kindlegen sample looks awful. The only thing wrong with the Calibre sample the the header is off. But then the header is off in both samples.

Are you sure though that what you generated with Calibre is actually an AZW3 (KF8) and not a Mobipocket file?

The calibre version has no drop-cap at all. In the original ePub verison (Ballantine book from the library), the drop cap is huge as in the kindlegen version. This seems to happen with all Ballatine books I've ever converted from ePub to mobi with calibre. With Kindlegen they always have the drop caps and embedded fonts.


I have the KF8 option turned on in calibre. Not at my computer right now but it's something like "generate both" option you put in calibre.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Zeebra

The calibre version has no drop-cap at all. In the original ePub verison (Ballantine book from the library), the drop cap is huge as in the kindlegen version. This seems to happen with all Ballatine books I've ever converted from ePub to mobi with calibre. With Kindlegen they always have the drop caps and embedded fonts.

If the Ballantine book looks like the Kindlegen version then there is something wrong with that book. All you can do is follow Kovid's advice and "Open a bug report and attach the file."

[JSWolf]

I've found the book and will attempt to convert it via Calibre 0.8.59 and Kindlegen to see what it is I get.

[JSWolf]

I've done my own conversions and here are the resulting screen shots.

The first one is the ePub in ADE. The second is a Calibre conversion to AZW3 (combination KF8/Mobi) viewed in the latest Kindle for PC. The third is a Kindlegen conversion and viewed in Kindle Previewer.

The Kindlegen version botched the dropcap and while Calibre also did not get it correct, at least it's not silly looking.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've done my own conversions and here are the resulting screen shots.

The first one is the ePub in ADE. The second is a Calibre conversion to AZW3 (combination KF8/Mobi) viewed in the latest Kindle for PC. The third is a Kindlegen conversion and viewed in Kindle Previewer.

The Kindlegen version botched the dropcap and while Calibre also did not get it correct, at least it's not silly looking.

And nobody got the 2 horizontal rules (around the title) placed correctly

Kindlegen seems to have font baseline issues but your version is closer to tolerable than the OP's version


I have had success with titles (Text block class) with top and bottom rules by coding the Top and Bottom Borders (width and color) and padding (top and Bottom to space away, right and left to extend past the text)

[JSWolf]

And I even double checked with a sample from B&N and the sample also got the two lines wrong. That's just poor eBbook making.

[Zeebra]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And I even double checked with a sample from B&N and the sample also got the two lines wrong. That's just poor eBbook making.

Why is your original ePub screwed up? When I look in Adobe Digital Editions it looks like this:




Also my Kindlegen output has the top and bottom line around Harry in Kindle previewer as well.



The fact that we can get different results off the same ebook sort of scares me.

[JSWolf]

I've attached the sample as downloaded by B&N. So hopefully Kovid can fix things if possible.

[Jeff L]

My experience has been that when Calibre replaces a Dropcap with a Raised Initial, that you're looking at an older mobi conversion, not a KF8.