Best free software to read .prc on PC?

Brazos_Jack · 07-14-2008, 08:26 AM

What is the best free software to read .prc files on a PC running Windows XT?

These are free out-of copywright books. No passwords or locks involved.

I've been downloading books from places like ManyBooks.net in anticipation of getting a Cybook very soon and I would like to be able to view them on a PC in the mean time.

HarryT · 07-14-2008, 08:29 AM

You'll have to be more specific about what format you're talking about. A "PRC" file is just a "container" (like a ZIP file) and can contain any type of data at all.

If these are MobiPocket format books (MobiPocket can use a "PRC" file extension), then the Windows MobiPocket Reader is very good.

wallcraft · 07-14-2008, 09:11 AM

For MobiPocket books, Windows Mobipocket Reader is a good choice, but it makes a copy of all your ebooks in its primary directory (My eBooks\Mobipocket). It can also import some other formats and convert them to MOBI for you.

Two alternatives are FBReader (Open Source) and uBook (trial version is free).

Brazos_Jack · 07-15-2008, 12:32 AM

Thanks Wallcraft,

I downloaded both the Windows Mobipocket Reader the the Mobipocket Creator last night. They seem to work fine. I've only been able to convert TXT files though. I tried one MSWord file and it failed so I just "Saved AS" to TXT and then used the Creator.

wallcraft · 07-15-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazos_Jack

I tried one MSWord file and it failed so I just "Saved AS" to TXT and then used the Creator.

You need Word installed to convert .doc files in Creator. Saving as HTML (e.g. in OpenOffice) may be better than TXT. All Creator does, apparently, is use Word's save as html and then imports the HTML.

Argel · 07-19-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazos_Jack

Thanks Wallcraft,

I downloaded both the Windows Mobipocket Reader the the Mobipocket Creator last night. They seem to work fine. I've only been able to convert TXT files though. I tried one MSWord file and it failed so I just "Saved AS" to TXT and then used the Creator.

I've found - for myself at least - that Word HTML files work just fine with Creator.

DMcCunney · 07-19-2008, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

You need Word installed to convert .doc files in Creator. Saving as HTML (e.g. in OpenOffice) may be better than TXT. All Creator does, apparently, is use Word's save as html and then imports the HTML.

Mobi rips input files to HTML in the first place, and uses that as source to build a Mobi file.

You can import plain text, but you lose fonts, text attributes, images, links and the like.

Mobi also imports RTF files if Word is installed. When you browse to the directory where the file you want is located, it looks for .doc files by default, but if you change that to "All files" and select an RTF file, it works fine.
______
Dennis

Lemurion · 09-18-2008, 05:03 PM

Even though it's only the trial that's free-- uBook is incredible. Best reader I've ever seen and I wish it were ported to everything.

HarryT · 09-19-2008, 05:13 AM

uBook isn't very good for MobiPocket books - internal hyperlinks (footnotes, TOC, etc) within the book don't work, and you don't see page breaks.

For other types of file it works very well indeed, but Mobi Reader is, I think, a heck of a lot better for Mobi files.

JeffElkins · 09-19-2008, 03:04 PM

I'm suprised no one has mentioned FBReader. It does a fine job with DRM-free .mobi/.prc files.

JayCeeEll · 09-23-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffElkins

I'm suprised no one has mentioned FBReader. It does a fine job with DRM-free .mobi/.prc files.

Someone has - see post #3

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Two alternatives are FBReader (Open Source) and uBook (trial version is free).

07-14-2008, 08:26 AM	#1
Brazos_Jack Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas & Saudi Arabia Device: Palm	Best free software to read .prc on PC? What is the best free software to read .prc files on a PC running Windows XT? These are free out-of copywright books. No passwords or locks involved. I've been downloading books from places like ManyBooks.net in anticipation of getting a Cybook very soon and I would like to be able to view them on a PC in the mean time. Last edited by Brazos_Jack; 07-14-2008 at 08:27 AM. Reason: change notification

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07-14-2008, 08:29 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You'll have to be more specific about what format you're talking about. A "PRC" file is just a "container" (like a ZIP file) and can contain any type of data at all. If these are MobiPocket format books (MobiPocket can use a "PRC" file extension), then the Windows MobiPocket Reader is very good.

07-14-2008, 09:11 AM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	For MobiPocket books, Windows Mobipocket Reader is a good choice, but it makes a copy of all your ebooks in its primary directory (My eBooks\Mobipocket). It can also import some other formats and convert them to MOBI for you. Two alternatives are FBReader (Open Source) and uBook (trial version is free).

07-15-2008, 12:32 AM	#4
Brazos_Jack Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas & Saudi Arabia Device: Palm	Thanks Wallcraft, I downloaded both the Windows Mobipocket Reader the the Mobipocket Creator last night. They seem to work fine. I've only been able to convert TXT files though. I tried one MSWord file and it failed so I just "Saved AS" to TXT and then used the Creator.

09-18-2008, 05:03 PM	#8
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	Even though it's only the trial that's free-- uBook is incredible. Best reader I've ever seen and I wish it were ported to everything.

09-19-2008, 05:13 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	uBook isn't very good for MobiPocket books - internal hyperlinks (footnotes, TOC, etc) within the book don't work, and you don't see page breaks. For other types of file it works very well indeed, but Mobi Reader is, I think, a heck of a lot better for Mobi files.

09-19-2008, 03:04 PM	#10
JeffElkins Guru Posts: 780 Karma: 1416 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Kobo Clara 2E/HD, Kindle PW	I'm suprised no one has mentioned FBReader. It does a fine job with DRM-free .mobi/.prc files.

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