Converting mobi to epub for Google play books

tomassan · 03-25-2014, 02:32 AM

Hi all!

I have been trying to convert a .mobi book to .epub to upload and read using the Chrome book reader integrated into Google play books. However is the table of contents useless.

The table of contents inside the book does not link to any chapter in the book, all I get is a selection of the word I click on.

The table of contents that I can view from the buttons in the top right field only contains one item, a link to the front page.

I have done the conversion using Calibre and an on-line tool, and both give the same result.

Toxaris · 03-25-2014, 04:58 AM

In an ePUB the TOC is derived from the NCX. You can regenerate a TOC/NCX based on header tags in the file with a good editor like Sigil.

tomassan · 03-28-2014, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

In an ePUB the TOC is derived from the NCX. You can regenerate a TOC/NCX based on header tags in the file with a good editor like Sigil.

Ok, good to know, I am not so familiar with the parts of an .epub. I installed Sigil and recreated the .ncx file and all looks good in .epub reader but still not in Google books. One peculiar thing is that the TOC shown in Google reader (in Chrome) actually shows page numbers. This, and that the replaced .ncx lead me to believe that Google uses some other metadata and builds it's TOC from that.

So, my question is, what else might I look for? I have noticed that the part files (the .html) has very different naming and are placed differently in the structure of the .epub, don't know if such things matter for compliancy with a certain .epub version?

Any ideas and suggestions appreciated!

Regards,
Tomas

mrmikel · 03-28-2014, 06:50 AM

I'm wondering if you have paths to the various sections that point to the file system on your computer instead of internally to the epub. Links should go something like ../Text/filename.ext, not c:/.....

That could account for it working on the computer and not elsewhere. Also, file systems differ and Files and files are the same on some systems and not at all on others.

tomassan · 04-01-2014, 08:44 AM

I think I have found one major difference, in the book where a TOC is presented, there is a file apparentlu making out the structure of the book, where each entry in the TOC is made out of a <div class="booktitlepage"> element, referencing an html file. This file is named part0001.html, don't know if that is a requirement, because the filenames in the other file is in the form of 'CR!GCAHFYZRAS695CC10FM23ZPK64ZF_split_000.html'

Anybody recognizes this? Could there be a glitch in the way Calibre converts to epub format?

Regards,
Tomas

eschwartz · 04-01-2014, 02:57 PM

part001.html is likely from an azw3-to-epub conversion. CR!{long_long_string_of_random_letters}_split_000. html is almost definitely from a MOBI-to-EPUB conversion.

This is just based on how the two formats internally identify sections in the book. It shouldn't make any difference, however if you like, you can rename the files. Sigil can bulk rename files to match a numbering sequence.

03-25-2014, 02:32 AM	#1
tomassan Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: nexus 7/nexus 4	Converting mobi to epub for Google play books Hi all! I have been trying to convert a .mobi book to .epub to upload and read using the Chrome book reader integrated into Google play books. However is the table of contents useless. The table of contents inside the book does not link to any chapter in the book, all I get is a selection of the word I click on. The table of contents that I can view from the buttons in the top right field only contains one item, a link to the front page. I have done the conversion using Calibre and an on-line tool, and both give the same result.

04-01-2014, 08:44 AM	#5
tomassan Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: nexus 7/nexus 4	Partial success!! I think I have found one major difference, in the book where a TOC is presented, there is a file apparentlu making out the structure of the book, where each entry in the TOC is made out of a <div class="booktitlepage"> element, referencing an html file. This file is named part0001.html, don't know if that is a requirement, because the filenames in the other file is in the form of 'CR!GCAHFYZRAS695CC10FM23ZPK64ZF_split_000.html' Anybody recognizes this? Could there be a glitch in the way Calibre converts to epub format? Regards, Tomas

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03-25-2014, 04:58 AM	#2
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	In an ePUB the TOC is derived from the NCX. You can regenerate a TOC/NCX based on header tags in the file with a good editor like Sigil.

03-28-2014, 06:50 AM	#4
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	I'm wondering if you have paths to the various sections that point to the file system on your computer instead of internally to the epub. Links should go something like ../Text/filename.ext, not c:/..... That could account for it working on the computer and not elsewhere. Also, file systems differ and Files and files are the same on some systems and not at all on others.

04-01-2014, 02:57 PM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	part001.html is likely from an azw3-to-epub conversion. CR!{long_long_string_of_random_letters}_split_000. html is almost definitely from a MOBI-to-EPUB conversion. This is just based on how the two formats internally identify sections in the book. It shouldn't make any difference, however if you like, you can rename the files. Sigil can bulk rename files to match a numbering sequence.

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