[?] added in Kindle

mnj · 10-15-2012, 02:44 AM

I have some books I have downloaded in mobi format and added to Calibre. I have then copied the books to a basic (not touch-screen) Kindle.

The books look fine in the viewer built into Calibre but when I open the books in the Kindle there are many [?] (squares with a question mark inside) and if I open them in FBReader there are many [] (empty squares).

I think it is mostly where there could be quotation marks - but they are not there in the viewer - and I am not completely sure that the squares are at the exact same places in the Kindle and the FBReader.

What can be wrong and what can I do to fix it ?

theducks · 10-15-2012, 11:02 AM

Classic missing character (in the font set).
This can be aggravated by not have a code page declared in the source document (and Calibre guessed wrong). Try forcing the CP in the Conversions 'look and feel' screen

mnj · 10-16-2012, 11:27 PM

Thanks for answering.
Please forgive me for asking simple questions:

Conversions where ?
I cannot see any "look and feel" screen when I press the meny button on the Kindle.

I DID do a conversion from the "original" mobi book to an epub book - but it was the mobi I uploaded t the Kindle and both the mobi and the epub looks OK in the Calibre viewer.

theducks · 10-17-2012, 12:12 AM

This is a Calibre forum.
Conversions L&F is in Calibre

You need to set a CP and convert from the original SOURCE again

cybmole · 10-17-2012, 12:26 AM

he began with pirated? mobi files & does not have the original source, I guess

"some books I have downloaded in mobi format and added to Calibre"

mnj · 10-18-2012, 04:22 AM

Thanks for he answers

Most likely pirated - at least downloaded for free.

So - since I do not have an original without the [] I cannot fix it to read it on a Kindle ?

With any luck it will work on a Nook which I plan to buy - it already looks OK on the Kobo reader in my Android phone.

cybmole · 10-18-2012, 06:05 AM

you need the book to be NOT in mobi format in order to easily edit it.
if you have it in epub you could look for the character that is not working, and search/find/replace it for one that does work, after conversion. it's a bit trial & error until to get the hang of it.
you might spot it with your current file IF you convert that to back epub with calibre & then load it into sigil for editing, but if the damage is already done you need a better quality source.

switch to nook & all your mobi problems will go away

meanwhile you test by loading .epub into (free) adobe Digital Editions on PC - if it looks OK there AND looks ok in calibre viewer, THEN it will probably be OK on Nook also

mnj · 10-18-2012, 07:57 AM

Thanks - I will play a bit around with that. I can test the Adobe Digital when I get back home I got it on an old PC. On my laptop I am using Ubuntu Linux and I think that I cannot get the Adobe Digital for that.

10-15-2012, 02:44 AM	#1
mnj Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: None	[?] added in Kindle I have some books I have downloaded in mobi format and added to Calibre. I have then copied the books to a basic (not touch-screen) Kindle. The books look fine in the viewer built into Calibre but when I open the books in the Kindle there are many [?] (squares with a question mark inside) and if I open them in FBReader there are many [] (empty squares). I think it is mostly where there could be quotation marks - but they are not there in the viewer - and I am not completely sure that the squares are at the exact same places in the Kindle and the FBReader. What can be wrong and what can I do to fix it ?

10-18-2012, 06:05 AM	#7
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	you need the book to be NOT in mobi format in order to easily edit it. if you have it in epub you could look for the character that is not working, and search/find/replace it for one that does work, after conversion. it's a bit trial & error until to get the hang of it. you might spot it with your current file IF you convert that to back epub with calibre & then load it into sigil for editing, but if the damage is already done you need a better quality source. switch to nook & all your mobi problems will go away meanwhile you test by loading .epub into (free) adobe Digital Editions on PC - if it looks OK there AND looks ok in calibre viewer, THEN it will probably be OK on Nook also Last edited by cybmole; 10-18-2012 at 06:09 AM.

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10-15-2012, 11:02 AM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,803 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Classic missing character (in the font set). This can be aggravated by not have a code page declared in the source document (and Calibre guessed wrong). Try forcing the CP in the Conversions 'look and feel' screen

10-16-2012, 11:27 PM	#3
mnj Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: None	Thanks for answering. Please forgive me for asking simple questions: Conversions where ? I cannot see any "look and feel" screen when I press the meny button on the Kindle. I DID do a conversion from the "original" mobi book to an epub book - but it was the mobi I uploaded t the Kindle and both the mobi and the epub looks OK in the Calibre viewer.

10-17-2012, 12:12 AM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,803 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	This is a Calibre forum. Conversions L&F is in Calibre You need to set a CP and convert from the original SOURCE again

10-17-2012, 12:26 AM	#5
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	he began with pirated? mobi files & does not have the original source, I guess "some books I have downloaded in mobi format and added to Calibre"

10-18-2012, 04:22 AM	#6
mnj Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: None	Thanks for he answers Most likely pirated - at least downloaded for free. So - since I do not have an original without the [] I cannot fix it to read it on a Kindle ? With any luck it will work on a Nook which I plan to buy - it already looks OK on the Kobo reader in my Android phone.

10-18-2012, 07:57 AM	#8
mnj Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: None	Thanks - I will play a bit around with that. I can test the Adobe Digital when I get back home I got it on an old PC. On my laptop I am using Ubuntu Linux and I think that I cannot get the Adobe Digital for that.