html file read as zip

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 08:03 AM

I"m trying to use Calibre to convert saved html files to Mobi - to read on my Kindle.
I found some step by step instructions, but I'm running into trouble. When I select the file as a "book" and go to conversion, the original format shows as .zip - not as .html

Can someone help me out here?
Thanks!

itimpi · 01-05-2011, 08:06 AM

This is normal. As an HTML file may have many assocaited files (more html files, images, stylesheets etc) Calibre collects them all together and puts them into a ZIP file.

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 08:07 AM

Thnks.
What's the best output format for the Kindle? MOBI?

itimpi · 01-05-2011, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newmarket2

Thnks.
What's the best output format for the Kindle? MOBI?

That is its native format and therefore normally the best one.

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 08:13 AM

OK, got it on the Kindle but when I opened it there was no formatting.
In the future, when I have an article to save, I can 'PRINT' it to create a mostly-text file, but for all the files I"ve saved at html, is there a way to preserve the formatting?

itimpi · 01-05-2011, 08:16 AM

The formatting in the MOBI file should match the HTML file. Did you open the HTML file in a browser to check that it had formatting in the first place?

If the formatting relied on something esoteric such as Javascript then that would tend to not make it through to the MOBI file. Standard HTML formatting and stylesheet formatting should be OK.

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 08:18 AM

Yes, I opened it from Firefox and it was nicely formatted - as the page appeared originally before I saved it

DoctorOhh · 01-05-2011, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newmarket2

Yes, I opened it from Firefox and it was nicely formatted - as the page appeared originally before I saved it

Make sure you save the page as html only.

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Make sure you save the page as html only.

It was saved as a single html file. So, that's not the problem

DoctorOhh · 01-05-2011, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newmarket2

It was saved as a single html file. So, that's not the problem

Does the Mobi file you create work in calibre's viewer? In Mobipocket Reader? If you view the html's source are there any frames or javascript fetching the text?

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Does the Mobi file you create work in calibre's viewer? In Mobipocket Reader? If you view the html's source are there any frames or javascript fetching the text?

Walt,
When I view the output using Calibre, it's still got pages of links before I get to the text.
In the future, I can use the PRINT option from the web page and eliminate most of that stuff, but I've got tons of saved articles I'd like to get onto the Kindle - so I'd like to solve this problem.
Thanks
Michael

Newmarket2 · 01-05-2011, 12:26 PM

Here's more detail that might help.
I start with ADD BOOKS. I choose ADD BOOKS FROM A SINGLE DIRECTORY
I change the FILE type to ALL HTML BOOKS which isn't really necessary but removes files like .pdf from the list.
I select a file (I've checked - this article is in a single .htm file and displays properly when opened with any browser)
I then click on VIEW.
I then click CONVERT. The input format says it is ZIP (even though it is .HTM) and I set the output format as .MOBI
The conversion runs.
I then VIEW using the Calibre viewer, which opens correctly but there is no formating.... just a bunch of the links from the top of the .htm page, followed by the article itself.
I also just downloaded the mobi reader and same situation...... not formatted, but text is readable.
I can live with this, but given the number of articles I've got to read, I'd prefer a better solution. Or, to know that there isn't a better solution.

cybmole · 01-05-2011, 03:17 PM

links followed by text is what I'd expect to see in an ebook,

is the article text neatly formatted ? if so, then what is the issue exactly - waht other formatting are you trying to preserve?

as a comparative test, try emailing the html as an attachment to your free kindle address & let amazon convert it and wi-fi it to your kindle.

compare that with the calibre output.

also try open the html file with MS word & see how it looks in word.
you can, in word, delete any unwanted stuff then save it as html before adding it to calibre.

maybe you could post an example, as an attachment, if these are publicly available web articles

01-05-2011, 08:03 AM	#1
Newmarket2 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	html file read as zip I"m trying to use Calibre to convert saved html files to Mobi - to read on my Kindle. I found some step by step instructions, but I'm running into trouble. When I select the file as a "book" and go to conversion, the original format shows as .zip - not as .html Can someone help me out here? Thanks!

01-05-2011, 03:17 PM	#13
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	links followed by text is what I'd expect to see in an ebook, is the article text neatly formatted ? if so, then what is the issue exactly - waht other formatting are you trying to preserve? as a comparative test, try emailing the html as an attachment to your free kindle address & let amazon convert it and wi-fi it to your kindle. compare that with the calibre output. also try open the html file with MS word & see how it looks in word. you can, in word, delete any unwanted stuff then save it as html before adding it to calibre. maybe you could post an example, as an attachment, if these are publicly available web articles Last edited by cybmole; 01-05-2011 at 03:20 PM.

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01-05-2011, 08:06 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	This is normal. As an HTML file may have many assocaited files (more html files, images, stylesheets etc) Calibre collects them all together and puts them into a ZIP file.

01-05-2011, 08:07 AM	#3
Newmarket2 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	Thnks. What's the best output format for the Kindle? MOBI?

01-05-2011, 08:13 AM	#5
Newmarket2 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	OK, got it on the Kindle but when I opened it there was no formatting. In the future, when I have an article to save, I can 'PRINT' it to create a mostly-text file, but for all the files I"ve saved at html, is there a way to preserve the formatting?

01-05-2011, 08:16 AM	#6
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	The formatting in the MOBI file should match the HTML file. Did you open the HTML file in a browser to check that it had formatting in the first place? If the formatting relied on something esoteric such as Javascript then that would tend to not make it through to the MOBI file. Standard HTML formatting and stylesheet formatting should be OK.

01-05-2011, 08:18 AM	#7
Newmarket2 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	Yes, I opened it from Firefox and it was nicely formatted - as the page appeared originally before I saved it

01-05-2011, 12:26 PM	#12
Newmarket2 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	Here's more detail that might help. I start with ADD BOOKS. I choose ADD BOOKS FROM A SINGLE DIRECTORY I change the FILE type to ALL HTML BOOKS which isn't really necessary but removes files like .pdf from the list. I select a file (I've checked - this article is in a single .htm file and displays properly when opened with any browser) I then click on VIEW. I then click CONVERT. The input format says it is ZIP (even though it is .HTM) and I set the output format as .MOBI The conversion runs. I then VIEW using the Calibre viewer, which opens correctly but there is no formating.... just a bunch of the links from the top of the .htm page, followed by the article itself. I also just downloaded the mobi reader and same situation...... not formatted, but text is readable. I can live with this, but given the number of articles I've got to read, I'd prefer a better solution. Or, to know that there isn't a better solution.