"old mobi" output with Calibre breaks hyperlinks with images

[type3secretion]

This was raised two years ago in this thread:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...rlinked+images

But there doesn't seem to have been an answer.

I compose books in Sigil, output as EPUB, read into Calibre, output as "old mobi" and upload to Kindle Direct. The images are fine but they are no longer hyperlinked in the mobi format output by Calibre (the ones I have hyperlinked in the EPUB).

I find that only the "old mobi" does this, but not the "new" or .azw3, i.e., the newer mobi formatting does preserve the hyperlinked images.

However, I use "old mobi" as it tends to minimize the "damage" of conversion (and headaches trying to fix it), except for this one feature (hyperlinked images; hyperlinked text is fine).

Is there a work around in the Calibre settings for "old mobi" that will preserve these hyperlinks?

I had posted this in another forum, but am trying to delete that as this seems the more appropriate location for this question)

[kovidgoyal]

The old mobi format does not support hyperlinked images.

[type3secretion]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The old mobi format does not support hyperlinked images.

Well, that's simple then!

[Notjohn]

Originally Posted by type3secretion

I compose books in Sigil, output as EPUB, read into Calibre, output as "old mobi" and upload to Kindle Direct.

That's unnecessarily complex. Epubs convert just fine on the KDP, so you can upload the same file there as you do anywhere else.