Hosting a file for direct Kindle download?

jphphotography · 09-21-2010, 09:20 PM

I've noticed that while some sites (gutenberg etc) allow you to directly download .mobi files to your kindle I can't seem to get it to work hosting the file on my own site.

Does anybody know what the trick is to get this to work?

I have a website and I've tried uploading a .mobi file and even writing a simple html page with a link but when viewed on the kindle they either come up as "cannot load page" or it'll open the .mobi file in the webpage itself which results in just a bunch of garbage text.

I tried to use this page as a reference http://freekindlebooks.org/MagicCata...iccatalog.html

It looks like he just has a simple a href link to the .mobi file which is in the same directory as the magiccatalog.html file.

Any info would be appreciated.

SunLight · 09-21-2010, 09:35 PM

I was wondering about this concerning PDF downloads.

jphphotography · 09-21-2010, 10:45 PM

I don't think the kindle is able to do that, but then again until I found out that you can actually download .mobi books directly I didn't think that was possible either. So far it's only been .mobi files that I've seen work from a web link, you'd think though that any supported type should work but thus far I haven't been able to figure out how.

On the pages I've seen I've snooped the page source code and there does not seem to be anything special there that prompts the kindle to download and install it. Hopefully some of the "advanced" users like the ones who developed the SS hack will see this post and perhaps shed some light.

AnemicOak · 09-21-2010, 11:20 PM

When I did this for my K2 I just uploaded the Mobi files and had an HTML page with links that listed them to my web server space. When I clicked a link it would download, I did nothing special. Perhaps there is something up with your servers mime setting or something and it's trying to treat a Mobi file like it's HTML or something.

@SunLight; PDF's can't be directly downloaded. They must either be sideloaded or emailed to the Kindle (the PDF will be converted or not depending on how you do the email).

trekchick · 09-22-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jphphotography

I have a website and I've tried uploading a .mobi file and even writing a simple html page with a link but when viewed on the kindle they either come up as "cannot load page" or it'll open the .mobi file in the webpage itself which results in just a bunch of garbage text.
.

You need to define the MIME type on your web server. Either of these should work for Kindle books:

application/x-mobipocket-ebook
application/octet-stream

jphphotography · 09-22-2010, 09:55 PM

Thanks trekchick and AnemicOak, I was wondering if it was something like that but wasn't sure. I don't know how much control I have over my webspace when it comes to stuff like that, I'll have to look into it a little further.

Solicitous · 09-22-2010, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trekchick

You need to define the MIME type on your web server. Either of these should work for Kindle books:

application/x-mobipocket-ebook
application/octet-stream

That was the fix for me when I posted a similar issue a few weeks ago (and it suggested I fix the mime type). I havent downloaded PDFs at all, only .mobi and it works a charm (I all my ebooks running off the webserver on my HTPC).

MrPLD · 09-22-2010, 10:22 PM

Thanks folks, I'll be needing that trick too as I'm also selling our eBooks from our own WWW server and want to be sure it works 'right' for Kindle owners. Alas at the time of typing our WWW server has decided to be severed from the internet due to someone fiddling with the fibre backhaul

.

Paul.

jphphotography · 09-22-2010, 10:47 PM

How difficult is it to change the server-side mime type associations? I'm currently going through Canaca.com for my web space and have never had to dig that deep into the server side. I'm fairly technical but just have never messed around with server stuff, could anyone provide a rough how to? Doesn't need to be specific really, I'm just curious and this way if others stumble on to this thread there is a little more information.

Thanks,

trekchick · 09-22-2010, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jphphotography

Thanks trekchick and AnemicOak, I was wondering if it was something like that but wasn't sure. I don't know how much control I have over my webspace when it comes to stuff like that, I'll have to look into it a little further.

MIME types really are a server issue, but, you might _try_ to work around it by adding the content type to the link (e.g. TYPE="application/octet-stream"). It goes against my grain to suggest something without trying it out first, but I'm getting lazy in my old age.

jphphotography · 09-23-2010, 01:39 AM

@Trekchick
I wasn't sure where to specify the type in the link so I tried this but no luck, does the syntax look wrong to you? I know this was just an off the cuff suggestion so it's quite possible that it just won't work but I thought I'd follow up

Code:

<a href="www.yourwebsite.com/ebooks/test.mobi" TYPE="application/octet-stream">Click here</a>

MrPLD · 09-23-2010, 02:07 AM

jphphotography,

The syntax looks fine, did you try the application/x-mobipocket-ebook type though?

Paul.

DiapDealer · 09-23-2010, 07:52 AM

Adding the "type" param to hrefs is only a browser fallback option and won't override any server prefs that may already be defined.

Any of the AddType or AddHandler statements may be added to the .htaccess file (in the folder where the file is going to be served from--or the web root folder) to override server settings in the case where you don't have full control of your server configuration. Something like:
AddType application/x-mobipocket-ebook .mobi
should do the trick.

NOTE: this is all assuming your web server is Apache and your provider is not preventing Overrides. Don't mess if you don't know, as improperly written .htaccess files can render your site unusable.

EDIT: render it unusable until you fix or delete the bad .htaccess file--didn't mean to make it sound as drastic as I did.

emalvick · 09-23-2010, 12:18 PM

Couldn't one utilize Calibre to host a server and files locally? At the very least, one could temporarily set up Calibre, see that it works as a server, and then investigate it's setup and incorporate its features to your own server.

DiapDealer · 09-23-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Couldn't one utilize Calibre to host a server and files locally? At the very least, one could temporarily set up Calibre, see that it works as a server, and then investigate it's setup and incorporate its features to your own server.

You can (and many do), but the Kindle can only access web servers running on port 80. Since it's not easy getting Calibre's content server to run on port 80, you have to have the ability (and the know how) to redirect port 80 requests at your router to 8080 (or somesuch) on your Calibre machine. It can be a bit much for some.

As for examining Calibre's content server setup -- unless you're intimately familiar with Python (and CherryPy) -- that's easier said than done.

09-21-2010, 09:20 PM	#1
jphphotography Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 27246 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon SK, Canada Device: Kindle 3 6" 3G + wifi, Sony PRS-300, iTouch 4G, Galaxy S Vibrant	Hosting a file for direct Kindle download? I've noticed that while some sites (gutenberg etc) allow you to directly download .mobi files to your kindle I can't seem to get it to work hosting the file on my own site. Does anybody know what the trick is to get this to work? I have a website and I've tried uploading a .mobi file and even writing a simple html page with a link but when viewed on the kindle they either come up as "cannot load page" or it'll open the .mobi file in the webpage itself which results in just a bunch of garbage text. I tried to use this page as a reference http://freekindlebooks.org/MagicCata...iccatalog.html It looks like he just has a simple a href link to the .mobi file which is in the same directory as the magiccatalog.html file. Any info would be appreciated.

09-23-2010, 01:39 AM	#11
jphphotography Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 27246 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon SK, Canada Device: Kindle 3 6" 3G + wifi, Sony PRS-300, iTouch 4G, Galaxy S Vibrant	@Trekchick I wasn't sure where to specify the type in the link so I tried this but no luck, does the syntax look wrong to you? I know this was just an off the cuff suggestion so it's quite possible that it just won't work but I thought I'd follow up Code: <a href="www.yourwebsite.com/ebooks/test.mobi" TYPE="application/octet-stream">Click here</a>

09-23-2010, 07:52 AM	#13
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,548 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Adding the "type" param to hrefs is only a browser fallback option and won't override any server prefs that may already be defined. Any of the AddType or AddHandler statements may be added to the .htaccess file (in the folder where the file is going to be served from--or the web root folder) to override server settings in the case where you don't have full control of your server configuration. Something like: AddType application/x-mobipocket-ebook .mobi should do the trick. NOTE: this is all assuming your web server is Apache and your provider is not preventing Overrides. Don't mess if you don't know, as improperly written .htaccess files can render your site unusable. EDIT: render it unusable until you fix or delete the bad .htaccess file--didn't mean to make it sound as drastic as I did. Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-23-2010 at 08:22 AM. Reason: typo

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09-21-2010, 09:35 PM	#2
SunLight Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 36 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	I was wondering about this concerning PDF downloads.

09-21-2010, 10:45 PM	#3
jphphotography Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 27246 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon SK, Canada Device: Kindle 3 6" 3G + wifi, Sony PRS-300, iTouch 4G, Galaxy S Vibrant	I don't think the kindle is able to do that, but then again until I found out that you can actually download .mobi books directly I didn't think that was possible either. So far it's only been .mobi files that I've seen work from a web link, you'd think though that any supported type should work but thus far I haven't been able to figure out how. On the pages I've seen I've snooped the page source code and there does not seem to be anything special there that prompts the kindle to download and install it. Hopefully some of the "advanced" users like the ones who developed the SS hack will see this post and perhaps shed some light.

09-21-2010, 11:20 PM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	When I did this for my K2 I just uploaded the Mobi files and had an HTML page with links that listed them to my web server space. When I clicked a link it would download, I did nothing special. Perhaps there is something up with your servers mime setting or something and it's trying to treat a Mobi file like it's HTML or something. @SunLight; PDF's can't be directly downloaded. They must either be sideloaded or emailed to the Kindle (the PDF will be converted or not depending on how you do the email).

09-22-2010, 09:55 PM	#6
jphphotography Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 27246 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon SK, Canada Device: Kindle 3 6" 3G + wifi, Sony PRS-300, iTouch 4G, Galaxy S Vibrant	Thanks trekchick and AnemicOak, I was wondering if it was something like that but wasn't sure. I don't know how much control I have over my webspace when it comes to stuff like that, I'll have to look into it a little further.

09-22-2010, 10:22 PM	#8
MrPLD Author's pet-geek Posts: 933 Karma: 1040670 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: North Queensland, Australia Device: Kindle 3 Wifi, Onyx Boox M96	Thanks folks, I'll be needing that trick too as I'm also selling our eBooks from our own WWW server and want to be sure it works 'right' for Kindle owners. Alas at the time of typing our WWW server has decided to be severed from the internet due to someone fiddling with the fibre backhaul . Paul.

09-22-2010, 10:47 PM	#9
jphphotography Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 27246 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon SK, Canada Device: Kindle 3 6" 3G + wifi, Sony PRS-300, iTouch 4G, Galaxy S Vibrant	How difficult is it to change the server-side mime type associations? I'm currently going through Canaca.com for my web space and have never had to dig that deep into the server side. I'm fairly technical but just have never messed around with server stuff, could anyone provide a rough how to? Doesn't need to be specific really, I'm just curious and this way if others stumble on to this thread there is a little more information. Thanks,

09-23-2010, 02:07 AM	#12
MrPLD Author's pet-geek Posts: 933 Karma: 1040670 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: North Queensland, Australia Device: Kindle 3 Wifi, Onyx Boox M96	jphphotography, The syntax looks fine, did you try the application/x-mobipocket-ebook type though? Paul.

09-23-2010, 12:18 PM	#14
emalvick Groupie Posts: 166 Karma: 5358 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Davis, CA Device: Kindle 3	Couldn't one utilize Calibre to host a server and files locally? At the very least, one could temporarily set up Calibre, see that it works as a server, and then investigate it's setup and incorporate its features to your own server.