KINDLE TOUCH cannot use dictionary with mobi format

rocknel · 11-29-2011, 08:07 PM

I just recieved Kindle TOUCH. I was told that it cannot use the dictionary popup if the document is not in AZW format.

I have converted my books into .mobi format using Calibre. And this is very hard to believe. Is anyone able to use dictionary with .mobi?

jpcapili · 11-29-2011, 08:29 PM

I haven't tested it yet on .azw, but why not send the .mobi to your device as a personal document? It's preferable than drag and drop using usb.

Skydog · 11-29-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocknel

I just recieved Kindle TOUCH. I was told that it cannot use the dictionary popup if the document is not in AZW format.

I have converted my books into .mobi format using Calibre. And this is very hard to believe. Is anyone able to use dictionary with .mobi?

I don't know who told you this but they do not know what they are talking about. It is NOT true. The dictionary functions the same with .mobi and .prc which essentially are the same as .azw.

rocknel · 11-29-2011, 09:29 PM

Unfortunately, I tested it and it seemed true. It was a comment by Amazon Customer Service.

I had documents in PDF, converted into .mobi using Calibre.

The dictionary popup says, "Dictionary not found for this book's language. To download a dictionary, go to Archived items."

Now, if I have Amazon convert the same PDF into AZW, it works.

I need to know if there is a workaround, since I have quite a few docments to cover. If it was only several, yes I would use their service and be done with it.

Stingo · 11-29-2011, 09:30 PM

Acutally Rocknel may be right. While trying to figure out the dictionary problem with the touch I converted a dictionary to mobi and changed the language coding. It would not work. Haven't tested enough to be sure.

gweminence · 11-29-2011, 09:38 PM

It's not true. It works for mobis. I've used it a hundred times already.

SCION · 11-29-2011, 09:41 PM

Dictionary works with .mobi; this thread prompted me to try it.

thebestjeter · 11-29-2011, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingo

Acutally Rocknel may be right. While trying to figure out the dictionary problem with the touch I converted a dictionary to mobi and changed the language coding. It would not work. Haven't tested enough to be sure.

And the Kindle Touch DOES support foreign dictionaries. I have two friends with KT and the foreign dictionaries work perfectly fine on their devices.

rocknel · 11-29-2011, 10:23 PM

Everyone, please prove me wrong.

AND I am not talking about foreign dictinaries. The default (New) Oxford dictionary does not work with .mobi.

Their home page lists .mobi as supported format and nothing is mentioned about dictionary limitation.

I am a bit disappointed with TOUCH. Hopefully, Amazon will update the software/firmware to improve performance and these issues. Otherwise, I may have to return it.

thebestjeter · 11-29-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocknel

Everyone, please prove me wrong.

AND I am not talking about foreign dictinaries. The default (New) Oxford dictionary does not work with .mobi.

Their home page lists .mobi as supported format and nothing is mentioned about dictionary limitation.

I am a bit disappointed with TOUCH. Hopefully, Amazon will update the software/firmware to improve performance and these issues. Otherwise, I may have to return it.

Make sure your mobi books have their metadata set to "English". Otherwise, the dictionary is not going to work.

Stingo · 11-29-2011, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebestjeter

And the Kindle Touch DOES support foreign dictionaries. I have two friends with KT and the foreign dictionaries work perfectly fine on their devices.

You must have missed the thread on the foreign dictionary problem. It doesn't bear repeating at length. Suffice it to say that some dictionaries are coded as english and will not be recognized for the foreign language. If your spanish dictionary is coded as English your touch will not recognize that you have a dictionary for books encoded in Spanish. If you download a dictionary that is properly encoded for the foreign language it will work. I know, I have two german dictionaries and two spanish on my touch and one is encoded correctly for its language and the other is not.

shinew · 11-29-2011, 11:06 PM

no problem here with MOBI format on the K4 Touch using any dictionary. Check what thebestjester says.

dbh2ppa · 11-30-2011, 12:45 AM

As long as the metadata for both the dictionary file and the book are correct, the touch handles it perfectly. I have right now in my k-touch .mobi books and dictionaries in spanish, english, french and italian, all working perfectly. If they're not working, check your files' metadata, modify it if necessary (I think there's a tool for that around these fora somewhere).

Japanese on the other hand just doesn't work. No spaces = no dictionary, and that sucks.

We really can't expect these kind of devices to recognize the language from the text alone... not yet anyway.

dwig · 11-30-2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocknel

...
I had documents in PDF, converted into .mobi using Calibre.

The dictionary popup says, "Dictionary not found for this book's language. To download a dictionary, go to Archived items."

Now, if I have Amazon convert the same PDF into AZW, it works.
...

You've drawn the wrong conclusion. This does NOT prove that the problem is caused by any different between MOBI and AZW per se.

The error message very specifically states that is a mismatch between the converted document's language specification and the language specifications in the available dictionary(s). Apparently the Amazon conversion specs the converted document with a language that matches an available dictionary and the calibre conversion doesn't.

rocknel · 11-30-2011, 11:11 AM

OK, I am still investing, but I think I found the solution.

1. After you convert into .mobi with Calibre, you need to set the language manually to be ENGLISH. If this is set to be blank, it does not work.

2. Transferring the data has to be done via Calibre. Copying only .mobi file does not work.

Every .mobi book file has to have a property set to be English specifically, and this info is not included into .mobi file itself.

11-29-2011, 08:07 PM	#1
rocknel Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle	KINDLE TOUCH cannot use dictionary with mobi format I just recieved Kindle TOUCH. I was told that it cannot use the dictionary popup if the document is not in AZW format. I have converted my books into .mobi format using Calibre. And this is very hard to believe. Is anyone able to use dictionary with .mobi?

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11-29-2011, 08:29 PM	#2
jpcapili Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 24968 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Kindle Touch 3G	I haven't tested it yet on .azw, but why not send the .mobi to your device as a personal document? It's preferable than drag and drop using usb.

11-29-2011, 09:29 PM	#4
rocknel Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle	Unfortunately, I tested it and it seemed true. It was a comment by Amazon Customer Service. I had documents in PDF, converted into .mobi using Calibre. The dictionary popup says, "Dictionary not found for this book's language. To download a dictionary, go to Archived items." Now, if I have Amazon convert the same PDF into AZW, it works. I need to know if there is a workaround, since I have quite a few docments to cover. If it was only several, yes I would use their service and be done with it.

11-29-2011, 09:30 PM	#5
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	Acutally Rocknel may be right. While trying to figure out the dictionary problem with the touch I converted a dictionary to mobi and changed the language coding. It would not work. Haven't tested enough to be sure.

11-29-2011, 09:38 PM	#6
gweminence Fat Guy Posts: 408 Karma: 24165 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	It's not true. It works for mobis. I've used it a hundred times already.

11-29-2011, 09:41 PM	#7
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	Dictionary works with .mobi; this thread prompted me to try it.

11-29-2011, 10:23 PM	#9
rocknel Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle	Everyone, please prove me wrong. AND I am not talking about foreign dictinaries. The default (New) Oxford dictionary does not work with .mobi. Their home page lists .mobi as supported format and nothing is mentioned about dictionary limitation. I am a bit disappointed with TOUCH. Hopefully, Amazon will update the software/firmware to improve performance and these issues. Otherwise, I may have to return it.

11-29-2011, 11:06 PM	#12
shinew Addict Posts: 309 Karma: 1008082 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NYC Device: Kindle PW, K4 Touch, iPad2, Samsung Galaxy S II	no problem here with MOBI format on the K4 Touch using any dictionary. Check what thebestjester says.

11-30-2011, 12:45 AM	#13
dbh2ppa Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: kindle	As long as the metadata for both the dictionary file and the book are correct, the touch handles it perfectly. I have right now in my k-touch .mobi books and dictionaries in spanish, english, french and italian, all working perfectly. If they're not working, check your files' metadata, modify it if necessary (I think there's a tool for that around these fora somewhere). Japanese on the other hand just doesn't work. No spaces = no dictionary, and that sucks. We really can't expect these kind of devices to recognize the language from the text alone... not yet anyway.

11-30-2011, 11:11 AM	#15
rocknel Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle	OK, I am still investing, but I think I found the solution. 1. After you convert into .mobi with Calibre, you need to set the language manually to be ENGLISH. If this is set to be blank, it does not work. 2. Transferring the data has to be done via Calibre. Copying only .mobi file does not work. Every .mobi book file has to have a property set to be English specifically, and this info is not included into .mobi file itself.

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