KDP stripping custom fonts

[GJ Coop]

I have designed and coded websites for the last 5 years, so I am very familiar with HTML and CSS, probably having 5000 hours of working directly with coding. I think I generally know what I am doing.

I have published four separate books but they are each having the same issue: the embedded fonts are not showing up.

The custom fonts are being removed in the KDP conversion to .mobi format.

Here's the system I have used so far.

The original book was created in the latest Mac Pages on near new macbook running latest system software OSX 10.9.4.

Exported by Pages to calibre, latest version.

I spent some time getting rid of all the class and span junk from the CSS, simplifying it down to fewer classes. (The indent, center, sup, etc, work perfectly.)

Custom font, Oswald uploaded.

Added to manifest.

<item href="Fonts/Oswald-Regular.otf" id="Oswald-Regular.otf" media-type="application/vnd.ms-opentype"/>

added font-face to book.CSS

@font-face {
font-family: "Oswald";
font-style: normal;
font-weight: normal;
src: url(../Fonts/Oswald-Regular.otf);
}

h1 {
color: #6EC038;
font-family: "Oswald";
font-size: 112.5%;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
text-align: center;
text-indent: 0%;
}

.title {
color: #6EC038;
font-family: "Oswald";
font-size: 112.5%;
text-align: center;
text-indent: 0%;
}

added to the page

<h1 class="title">Day 1 | Port William Hut: almost feels like home</h1>

Looks correct in Calibre .epub version.

Validates in Calibre.

Looks correct in .mobi exported to Kindle desktop viewer.

Even even looks correct in KDP online previewer after uploading to Kindle Direct Publishing interface.

Actually looks fantastic.

When it goes through the KDP system and appears in the Kindle store, the css colour is still there but the font has reverted and the size is not correct, ie, is massively larger.

I have tried uploading .mobi created using Kindle previewer desktop app and they look good as well, but the same result.

I have contacted KDP with this specific question but they have said

Hello,

Generally Kindle does not support customized font. During conversion any font is converted to the Kindle compatible style and size.

In order to ensure that specified or embedded fonts convert as expected, be sure to follow the directions for customizing font in Section 3.1.9 of the Kindle Publishing Guidelines:

http://kindlegen.s3.amazonaws.com/Am...Guidelines.pdf

Please note this is an advanced content feature that may require you to submit content as an ePub or HTML. If these guidelines are not followed, Kindle devices may display your book using default device fonts to ensure readers are able to modify their reading preferences.

So I have actually had them reply that Kindle does not (generally) allow custom fonts. That can't be right, surely Kindle supports custom fonts.

Could someone please tell me where did my approach go wrong?

I've looked at other people's ebooks with embedded fonts, etc, they seem to be able to do it easy enough and after so much effort writing, designing, etc, it's frustrating.

[AnemicOak]

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[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GJ Coop

So I have actually had them reply that Kindle does not (generally) allow custom fonts. That can't be right, surely Kindle supports custom fonts.

KF8/AZW3 files support embedded fonts, old Mobi/AZW doesn't.

Someone else will know more, but IIRC if the fonts are obfuscated they won't work. Not sure about if they're encrypted.

[GJ Coop]

Brian

Oswald-Regular is a Google Web Font that is "free for commercial use", actually pretty commonly used, I use it on my websites.

I don't believe it is either encrypted or obfuscated, after all it is in the common domain.

Google FontsOpen Oswald in Google Fonts »
Oswald
Vernon Adams
SIL Open Font License, 1.1
Oswald is a reworking of the classic style historically represented by the 'Alternate Gothic' sans serif typefaces. The characters of Oswald have been re-drawn and reformed to better fit the pixel grid of standard digital screens. Oswald is designed to be used freely across the internet by web browsers on desktop computers, laptops and mobile devices.

[RbnJrg]

Try uploading an .epub (and not a .mobi) in KDP. A .mobi built with Calibre can have issues when you upload that ebook; try using Kindlegen (or Kindle Previewer) to build your .mobi from a previous .epub and first be sure that the .epub validates with EpubCheck.

[JSWolf]

have you tried uploading your pre-built combination Mobi/KF8 eBook to Amazon to see if they accept it as is?

[GJ Coop]

Originally Posted by RbnJrg

Try uploading an .epub (and not a .mobi) in KDP. A .mobi built with Calibre can have issues when you upload that ebook; try using Kindlegen (or Kindle Previewer) to build your .mobi from a previous .epub and first be sure that the .epub validates with EpubCheck.

I have tried that already.

I have tried uploading .mobi created using Kindle previewer desktop app and they look good as well, but the same result.

The .epub validates.

I have been working on this for a few weeks. I have pulled apart a few other people's ebooks with successfully embedded fonts to see how they have done it.

I have tried many possible options. For four different publications. Epubs built with Sigil. Epubs built with Calibre. Mobis built by Calibre. Mobis converted with Kindle previewer. Even .mobis converted by an online conversion.

The thing is that the mobis look good in the KDP previewer when uploaded, ie, on KDP's own site.

I would be grateful if anyone could find the fault with my process from my original post.

[GJ Coop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

have you tried uploading your pre-built combination Mobi/KF8 eBook to Amazon to see if they accept it as is?

Amazon KDP do not appear to accept files in KF8.

We accept the following formats:

Word (DOC or DOCX)
HTML (ZIP, HTM, or HTML)
MOBI (MOBI)
ePub (EPUB)
Rich Text Format (RTF)
Plain Text (TXT)
Adobe PDF (PDF)

I do admit that it seems strange that amazon do not accept upload of a file type that the ebook will eventually appear as when customers buy it.

I'm not actually sure that it is a file format issue. It might be something else to cause the single embedded font to not be accepted.

[susan_cassidy]

Personally, I would not want a custom font in a book. I like the Kindle default font just fine.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Personally, I would not want a custom font in a book. I like the Kindle default font just fine.

But, there are reasons for having an embedded font. Take the eBook 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It uses a number of embedded fonts to duplicate the look of the pBook and it works very well. I would not want to have to give that up knowing what I was missing.

Another reason for embedded fonts is that you need specific character(s) not available in the default font.

[GJ Coop]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Personally, I would not want a custom font in a book. I like the Kindle default font just fine.

I can see your point of view Susan.

On the other hand I don't think it's unreasonable to think that in 2014 I could have my title page and chapter headings for my series of ebooks in a different font.

I have two reasons for wanting this. I believe my book looks more professional, I personally prefer sans serif headings and title pages. Secondly, I would like my ebook to match any future printed book.

I do not want to put a lot of different fonts in an ebook, although I can't see why I shouldn't be able. I am wanting one extra font in one style.

Paper books, generally, do not exhibit the same font on the cover or title page as is found in the main text.

I think the point I am making is that plenty of other people do this, it happens to thousands of books which are, I suppose, uploaded correctly to KDP every week.

I can't see why that when I follow what I think is the correct procedure, the code validates, it looks right in KDP's own previewer once it has been uploaded, it then looks quite different on the Amazon?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GJ Coop

Amazon KDP do not appear to accept files in KF8.

It's my understanding they accept the hybrid file that Kindle Previewer creates which contains a KF8/AZW3, Mobi/AZW and the original source.

You say it's correct on preview, but not correct after it goes through KDP. Are you uploading the hybrid file and is what you're downloading after to look at the KF8 or the Mobi? If you're somehow getting the Mobi (depends on what you're downloading to) it won't show your fonts since old Mobi doesn't support embedded fonts like KF8 does. Sorry if I missed it, but what are you viewing and downloading the "bad" file with?

[GJ Coop]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

It's my understanding they accept the hybrid file that Kindle Previewer creates which contains a KF8/AZW3, Mobi/AZW and the original source.

You say it's correct on preview, but not correct after it goes through KDP. Are you uploading the hybrid file and is what you're downloading after to look at the KF8 or the Mobi? If you're somehow getting the Mobi (depends on what you're downloading to) it won't show your fonts since old Mobi doesn't support embedded fonts like KF8 does. Sorry if I missed it, but what are you viewing and downloading the "bad" file with?

AO

I am converting my .epub file with the latest version of Kindle Previewer and uploading that file which is created. That comes with a .mobi suffix. [In any case KDP does not allow you to upload KF8/AZW3 files directly.]

That uploaded file, a .mobi, must have the full font information attached because I can see the font correctly with the Previewer during the uploading process.

Then I am viewing the result, what the public sees, on my ebook page, in Kindle cloud viewer.

I'm trying to post a screenshot, once I work out how to attach it.

[GJ Coop]

Here are the two screenshot views that are causing me so much of an issue.

One has a sans serif font with different sizes and looks similar to any title page that you would see in a printed book. This is from the KDP preview after uploading the file for publication. This is what I would like.

The other image is from Amazon Kindle Cloud viewer, what the public see.

This retains some properties from my CSS style declaration: color; text-align; text-indent; margins; etc, but two other CSS properties, font-size; font-family; are stripped.

So what goes?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GJ Coop

AO

I am converting my .epub file with the latest version of Kindle Previewer and uploading that file which is created. That comes with a .mobi suffix. [In any case KDP does not allow you to upload KF8/AZW3 files directly.]

That uploaded file, a .mobi, must have the full font information attached because I can see the font correctly with the Previewer during the uploading process.\

That .mobi should be a hybrid file that contains Mobi (Mobi7), KF8 (Mobi8)and the ePub source files (you can use the KindleUnpack plugin for Calibre to split it into parts & see). So in theory when someone buys they get either an AZW (old Mobi, no embedded fonts supported) or AZW3/KF8 (with embedded fonts) depending on what their device or app supports.

I don't know if the Cloud Viewer supports KF8 & embedded fonts or not. If it doesn't and it only supports the older format you'll never see your embedded fonts with that viewer no matter what you do. Perhaps someone here knows what formats the Cloud Viewer supports.


EDIT: If this post is still accurate then the Cloud Reader only supports old Mobi (azw/Mobi7)
http://leeds-ebooks.co.uk/blog/2013/...upporting-kf8/