Mysterious font information in AZW3 file

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

Hmmm, but what if they used @media in their files to direct slightly different CSS for each Amazon version.

Doesn't Amazon interpret the @media, then generate new CSS per each (MOBI + KF8 + KFX)? Or does it still carry the same CSS over to all 3 versions?

Amazon leaves the @media as is for KF8. I've seen some self-published eBooks where the CSS was only @media queries. I would think that for Mobi, it's converted to inline styles. KFX I have no idea.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by salty-horse

I may be confused about what "KF8" is. I only know of the KFX bundle, and AZW3. Which one is considered KF8?

What do you mean by "monospace font"? Just the font-family: monospace style? I don't care about that, since I replace these with a computery non-monospaced font.

KF8 is Amazon's name for what Calibre calls AZW3.

As for monospace, it's font-family: monospace; and the sans-serif is font-family: sans-serif;

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The ePub does not set a font/font style formost of the main text. That's not an issue.

That is untrue. Most of the paragraphs in that book use class x04-Body-Text which according to the CSS you posted includes font-family: serif.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's where they use sans-serif and monospace that you miss out in the KF8. The sans-serif you can lose and not be an issue. But the monospace is used for messages.

I agree. Losing the monospace font causes the text messages to no longer stand out.

The discarding of all font selections from the KF8 format by Amazon appears to have been triggered by the publisher's setting a font style (serif, sans-serif, or monospace) for every paragraph in the book.

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

Hmmm, but what if they used @media in their files to direct slightly different CSS for each Amazon version.

Doesn't Amazon interpret the @media, then generate new CSS per each (MOBI + KF8 + KFX)? Or does it still carry the same CSS over to all 3 versions?

Only the effects of media queries appear in MOBI and KFX since neither format really supports CSS. However media queries are carried over into KF8 format, so if the publisher was doing that it would be visible there. It is not in this case.

Originally Posted by salty-horse

I may be confused about what "KF8" is. I only know of the KFX bundle, and AZW3. Which one is considered KF8?

KF8 (kindle format 8) is Amazon's name for the format that calibre calls AZW3.

Originally Posted by salty-horse

What do you mean by "monospace font"? Just the font-family: monospace style?

Yes.

Originally Posted by salty-horse

I don't care about that, since I replace these with a computery non-monospaced font.

It's really old-school to associate text messages with a monospace font. I personally would have chosen italics for that in this book.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jhowell

That is untrue. Most of the paragraphs in that book use class x04-Body-Text which according to the CSS you posted includes font-family: serif.

My mistake. I went based on that the calibre editor preview shows my chosen font.

I agree. Losing the monospace font causes the text messages to no longer stand out.

The text messages really do need to stand out.

The discarding of all font selections from the KF8 format by Amazon appears to have been triggered by the publisher's setting a font style (serif, sans-serif, or monospace) for every paragraph in the book.

Amazon is too heavy handed and the publisher botched it with setting the body text to serif when it should not be set at all.

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by salty-horse

I may be confused about what "KF8" is. I only know of the KFX bundle, and AZW3. Which one is considered KF8?

I wrote a little summary about MOBI/KF8/KFX here:

• 2019: "Epub-problems in tablets" (Post #29)

MOBI (KF7) is the original Kindle 1+2+DX format.

KF8 is Kindle 3+.

KFX is the latest/newest Amazon format.

Since then, after ~15 years, Amazon has finally phased out MOBI:

• "MOBI support for reflowable files ending on June 28, 2021"

Originally Posted by jhowell

Only the effects of media queries appear in MOBI and KFX since neither format really supports CSS. However media queries are carried over into KF8 format, so if the publisher was doing that it would be visible there. It is not in this case.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by jhowell

It's really old-school to associate text messages with a monospace font. I personally would have chosen italics for that in this book.

I'd use a Sans font for any modern text messages and only use a Monospace font for something on a typewriter, telegraph, telex/teleprinter or a Terminal window/console, or text only OS screen.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I'd use a Sans font for any modern text messages and only use a Monospace font for something on a typewriter, telegraph, telex/teleprinter or a Terminal window/console, or text only OS screen.

Actually, the original font was not monospace. The font used in the pBook is "Briem Akademi Std" and it looks OK as a text message font. I've put most of the fonts back into the ePub.

[Quoth]

Droid Sans, DejaVu Sans (both free) or Arial (nearly free) are all fonts that look fine for modern "text message" fonts.

Though I see loads of sites offer "Briem Akademi Std" as free download. It doesn't look like any font I've ever seen on anything displaying messages and looks bold by default. Seems a poor choice to me.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Droid Sans, DejaVu Sans (both free) or Arial (nearly free) are all fonts that look fine for modern "text message" fonts.

Though I see loads of sites offer "Briem Akademi Std" as free download. It doesn't look like any font I've ever seen on anything displaying messages and looks bold by default. Seems a poor choice to me.

That's the same font as on the cover. And after embedding this font, I like it.

[JSWolf]

I just did one thing with the text message font. I changed it to the semibold version. Now it's Briem Akademi Std Semibold.

[Notjohn]

body {
widows: 1;
orphans: 1;
margin-top: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-left: 0;
text-align: justify;
}

We used regularly to get beaten up on the KDP community for using "justify" at the body level, which is why I added it to each paragraph style./

Is it no longer the case that Amazon (KDP) forbids it?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

body {
widows: 1;
orphans: 1;
margin-top: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-left: 0;
text-align: justify;
}

We used regularly to get beaten up on the KDP community for using "justify" at the body level, which is why I added it to each paragraph style./

Is it no longer the case that Amazon (KDP) forbids it?

If Amazon is forcing justification in every paragraph style, then that would be a rather stupid thing to do. On a Kindle, if you do use text-align: justify; in every paragraph style, can that be overridden in the Aa menu to left justified?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

body {
widows: 1;
orphans: 1;
margin-top: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-left: 0;
text-align: justify;
}

We used regularly to get beaten up on the KDP community for using "justify" at the body level, which is why I added it to each paragraph style./

Is it no longer the case that Amazon (KDP) forbids it?

Actually, NJ, Amazon also forbids it on "every" paragraph style, too. You know, if you leave it off the text justifies by default. There's really no reason to beat up the customer with it.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If Amazon is forcing justification in every paragraph style, then that would be a rather stupid thing to do. On a Kindle, if you do use text-align: justify; in every paragraph style, can that be overridden in the Aa menu to left justified?

No, their "body" default--you won't see it in the file, but trust me, it's there--is justified, but it IS overridable. IF you do not force (ha) the issue.

Hitch

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

body {
widows: 1;
orphans: 1;
margin-top: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-left: 0;
text-align: justify;
}

We used regularly to get beaten up on the KDP community for using "justify" at the body level, which is why I added it to each paragraph style./

Is it no longer the case that Amazon (KDP) forbids it?

Barbarian! I never specify justification since I prefer left justified but others prefer full justification though, to me, full justification without micro-justification is cold pancakes and no honey.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Barbarian! I never specify justification since I prefer left justified but others prefer full justification though, to me, full justification without micro-justification is cold pancakes and no honey.

Well, Ye Olden Days of Kindle "justification" are, happily, pretty far gone now. The Enhanced Typesetting does have kerning and other niceties, so it's far less barbarous on the eyes.

Hitch