Source format?

JimLL · 03-09-2012, 02:53 PM

I loaded a .doc document into Calibre and tried to convert it. I got an error saying there was no "source format" to use.

1. I haven't got a clue what a "source format" is.

Assuming I need one:

2. I haven't got a clue where or how to get such a thing, and the Helps go on and on about Font size rescaling, Paragraph spacing, Page Setup, Heuristic Processing, etc., but I found nothing about - "source formats" --- If they are going to require something, they should at least have an easy to find explanation of how to lay your hands on one. If it's in the program, it should be in the helps.

Help?

susan_cassidy · 03-09-2012, 03:01 PM

.doc is the source format. I don't think Calibre does .doc conversions. Try saving the document as filtered HTML, and use that as input to Calibre.

Shack70 · 03-09-2012, 03:05 PM

Get the Send to Kindle app and Amazon will convert it. Select the free conversion and when on Wifi it will show on your Kindle.

dwig · 03-09-2012, 03:07 PM

"Source format" is the format of the document used as the source for the conversion. The calibre error message is a bit terse and means "there is no acceptable source format for this book".

Calibre does not accept .doc and .docx format files as the source for conversion. Simply open the .doc in MS Word or WordPad and resave as an RTF. If you are using MS Word you can also save as "HTML Filtered". Add the HTML or RTF file to calibre and you'll find that it can then convert it.

JSWolf · 03-09-2012, 03:08 PM

When converting from a Word document, you'd be best to save as RTF, load into Wordpad, resave as RTF, convert the RTF to ePub, use Sigil to clean up to the ePub and then use Calibre to convert the final ePub to Mobi.

The problem is that Word documents are a heck of a mess and once converted to an eBook format, they will need cleaning up. ePub is the best format for this and it can be converted to Mobi.

JimLL · 03-10-2012, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

.doc is the source format. I don't think Calibre does .doc conversions. Try saving the document as filtered HTML, and use that as input to Calibre.

Thanks. I stumbled across a place to select .doc as an input. I don't know if I could ever find it again. But I saw a place somewhere to add formats. I just don't see how to work it - what to look for.

I'm getting a whole other set of problems trying to go through HTML. Getting as many HTML files as there are chapters in my document. I'll look for an HTML editor to see if I can figure that out.

JimLL · 03-10-2012, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shack70

Get the Send to Kindle app and Amazon will convert it. Select the free conversion and when on Wifi it will show on your Kindle.

The KindleGen app doesn't do chapters, making navigation a royal pain. At least not on anything I've sent up.

JimLL · 03-10-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When converting from a Word document, you'd be best to save as RTF, load into Wordpad, resave as RTF, convert the RTF to ePub, use Sigil to clean up to the ePub and then use Calibre to convert the final ePub to Mobi.

The problem is that Word documents are a heck of a mess and once converted to an eBook format, they will need cleaning up. ePub is the best format for this and it can be converted to Mobi.

As I mentioned in another post, I'm looking for a way to have a TOC. Can you get that going through RTF? I was of the impression that Calibre needed Chapter headings set in order to get a TOC. To me, using Calibre is like being set down in a foreign city and trying to find your way somewhere. Too many alleys, etc.

Sigil is giving me a different set of problems.

JimLL · 03-10-2012, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

.doc is the source format. I don't think Calibre does .doc conversions. Try saving the document as filtered HTML, and use that as input to Calibre.

I tried loading that collection of HTMLs into Calibre. Lo and behold it sort of worked. Calibre automatically made up a ZIP of the whole mess and apparently used it to construct the .mobi. That works in my Kindle, giving me the chapter-at-a-time navigating ability, but it didn't actually install a TOC. Oddly, if I page back far enough I find working (non-blue) links to chapters embedded at the top of the text. But I can't jump to it.

At least I can use the navigator to speed through when I'm re-reading. Maybe there is still a way to get a TOC.

itimpi · 03-11-2012, 02:06 PM

Note that on a Kindle the real TOC is at the END of the book and not the start. There should be a key that can bring this up easily.

JimLL · 03-11-2012, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

Note that on a Kindle the real TOC is at the END of the book and not the start. There should be a key that can bring this up easily.

Thanks. I know about that, but there is also a place in the conversion setup to tell it to put it at the top where a normal book often has it. I'd assume you know about that.

I've tried to get it to work either way, top or bottom - over and over again. Sometimes it will do one and sometimes it won't, which was the point in my OP.

There should be a key? Where?

One of the biggest problems I have is that it somehow keeps loading up some old version of the "book" from who knows where and showing me that instead of showing me the thing I'm actually working on. Why would anyone program it to do that?

I finally got an HTML that didn't have a certain block I didn't want. But when I tried to work with it I kept getting the old one instead. 3 or 4 times I have used a search utility to find everything on the computer with that name and just delete them all, but the minute I try another conversion it starts hiding copies of the thing all over the place again. How do you deal with that?

As for the TOC itself, I'm wondering if I need to put something in the "xpath expression" box, but I haven't found anything that tells in plain English what that's all about. Just bits and pieces, always under some other subject. I'm amazed when I mark the option to force a TOC and it completely ignores it. Surely _someone_ knows what's going on here?

HarryT · 03-12-2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

Note that on a Kindle the real TOC is at the END of the book and not the start. There should be a key that can bring this up easily.

You can put the TOC wherever you want it. Personally I always put it at the start in the eBooks that I create; I prefer it that way.

JSWolf · 03-12-2012, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You can put the TOC wherever you want it. Personally I always put it at the start in the eBooks that I create; I prefer it that way.

When you convert an ePub to Mobi using Calibre, the ToC generated from toc.ncx is placed at the back with a link to it.

HarryT · 03-12-2012, 01:50 PM

I do it the other way around, though; I start off with Mobi (created by "Kindlegen") and then convert that to ePub.

JSWolf · 03-12-2012, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I do it the other way around, though; I start off with Mobi (created by "Kindlegen") and then convert that to ePub.

Bad idea. Very bad idea.

If you find you need/want to fix up the ePub, then you have a Mobi that's in need of fixing. So the way to fix the Mobi is to convert the ePub to Mobi. So it's just better to start with the ePub and convert from there.

You want an editable source format that is good for all the versions you plan on making. ePub is that source format.

03-09-2012, 02:53 PM	#1
JimLL Cynic Posts: 75 Karma: 51078 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Kindle	Source format? I loaded a .doc document into Calibre and tried to convert it. I got an error saying there was no "source format" to use. 1. I haven't got a clue what a "source format" is. Assuming I need one: 2. I haven't got a clue where or how to get such a thing, and the Helps go on and on about Font size rescaling, Paragraph spacing, Page Setup, Heuristic Processing, etc., but I found nothing about - "source formats" --- If they are going to require something, they should at least have an easy to find explanation of how to lay your hands on one. If it's in the program, it should be in the helps. Help?

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03-09-2012, 03:01 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	.doc is the source format. I don't think Calibre does .doc conversions. Try saving the document as filtered HTML, and use that as input to Calibre.

03-09-2012, 03:05 PM	#3
Shack70 Guru Posts: 775 Karma: 1043626 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: York, Pa Device: Kindle Fire 10", Honor 8 Android Phone	Get the Send to Kindle app and Amazon will convert it. Select the free conversion and when on Wifi it will show on your Kindle.

03-09-2012, 03:07 PM	#4
dwig Wizard Posts: 1,613 Karma: 6718479 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Paradise (Key West, FL) Device: Current:Surface Go & Kindle 3 - Retired: DellV8p, Clie UX50, ...	"Source format" is the format of the document used as the source for the conversion. The calibre error message is a bit terse and means "there is no acceptable source format for this book". Calibre does not accept .doc and .docx format files as the source for conversion. Simply open the .doc in MS Word or WordPad and resave as an RTF. If you are using MS Word you can also save as "HTML Filtered". Add the HTML or RTF file to calibre and you'll find that it can then convert it.

03-09-2012, 03:08 PM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,931 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	When converting from a Word document, you'd be best to save as RTF, load into Wordpad, resave as RTF, convert the RTF to ePub, use Sigil to clean up to the ePub and then use Calibre to convert the final ePub to Mobi. The problem is that Word documents are a heck of a mess and once converted to an eBook format, they will need cleaning up. ePub is the best format for this and it can be converted to Mobi.

03-11-2012, 02:06 PM	#10
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Note that on a Kindle the real TOC is at the END of the book and not the start. There should be a key that can bring this up easily.

03-12-2012, 01:50 PM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I do it the other way around, though; I start off with Mobi (created by "Kindlegen") and then convert that to ePub.

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