Problems with Mobi page numbers

marvmax · 08-31-2008, 11:47 PM

From what I've read around this site I switched to using Mobi reader from Microsoft Reader. I like it except for one thing. The pages don't make any since. Here's an example. Let's say that I'm on pg 333 and I want to go back and see something at the beginning of the chapter. I go to the table of contents then if I try to "navigate" back to the pg it is now impossible. Because the pages don't make any since. The only thing that I can do is go to the beginning of the chapter and then page forward until I'm at the right page. Now it might be any page number below 333 say 222 or something.

Also if I want to go back to look at something earlier in the chapter I have to be careful because if I start paging back fast Mobi seems to suddenly make huge jumps and I'm lost. I've never been able to figure out how it works. Sometimes electronic do hickies will since when you're pressing fomething continously so instead of going back by 1 it will start making bigger jumps to go faster, but I haven't been able to figure out if this is what is happeneing or not.

I'm getting a little perturbed with it. I didn't realize this happened until I gleefully downloaded all Mobi format books and got rid of my M$ formatted books, because I generally try not to use M$ products if I can at all avoid it. Then I discovered this page problem and it's starting to get so annoying that I'm considering going back to the M$ Reader. I can't right now because I downloaded all those Tor books that were offered free (that I learned about from this site Thanks guys) and they were all Mobi formated, so I'll stay with this until I get through those books at the very least.

I'm hoping that someone can help. Me.

pdurrant · 09-01-2008, 03:44 AM

Mobipocket page numbers are stable until you switch font size. However, the best way to do what you want is to use the Back command. Mobipocket readers keep track of where you were when you move to a new position using the menus. So you can switch to somewhere using the table of contents, and then just use the back command to get back to where you were reading.

Paul

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvmax

From what I've read around this site I switched to using Mobi reader from Microsoft Reader. I like it except for one thing. The pages don't make any since. Here's an example. Let's say that I'm on pg 333 and I want to go back and see something at the beginning of the chapter. I go to the table of contents then if I try to "navigate" back to the pg it is now impossible. Because the pages don't make any since. The only thing that I can do is go to the beginning of the chapter and then page forward until I'm at the right page. Now it might be any page number below 333 say 222 or something.

Also if I want to go back to look at something earlier in the chapter I have to be careful because if I start paging back fast Mobi seems to suddenly make huge jumps and I'm lost. I've never been able to figure out how it works. Sometimes electronic do hickies will since when you're pressing fomething continously so instead of going back by 1 it will start making bigger jumps to go faster, but I haven't been able to figure out if this is what is happeneing or not.

I'm getting a little perturbed with it. I didn't realize this happened until I gleefully downloaded all Mobi format books and got rid of my M$ formatted books, because I generally try not to use M$ products if I can at all avoid it. Then I discovered this page problem and it's starting to get so annoying that I'm considering going back to the M$ Reader. I can't right now because I downloaded all those Tor books that were offered free (that I learned about from this site Thanks guys) and they were all Mobi formated, so I'll stay with this until I get through those books at the very least.

I'm hoping that someone can help. Me.

tompe · 09-01-2008, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Mobipocket page numbers are stable until you switch font size.

No, they are not. Going forward 100 pages and then backward 100 pages will not get you back to the position you started with.

HarryT · 09-01-2008, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

No, they are not. Going forward 100 pages and then backward 100 pages will not get you back to the position you started with.

There are actually two different issues. The first is that, as Tommy says, going backwards through the book does not precisely reproduce the page breaks of going forwards. The second - more significant - issue, is that using the "goto page x" feature will take you to a different - sometimes quite radically different - page than you'll reach if you simple go through the book a page at a time to get to "page x". Doing a "goto page x" will always take you to the same place (for a given "x"), but if won't be the same page that's numbered "x" by reading the book a page at a time.

These bugs exist in all versions of the MobiPocket Reader. They don't matter if you just want to read a book from start to finish, but they can be significant if you want to jump around in a book. The best thing to do is to use bookmarks - they do work reliably.

Sparrow · 09-01-2008, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The best thing to do is to use bookmarks - they do work reliably.

I find that sometimes my CyBook wont let me set bookmarks - the little ribbon icon doesn't appear.
I was reading a book recently and setting bookmarks quite happily - but then it stopped. I could delete all bookmarks ok, but not set any more.
It was quite a long book, and I wondered if it struggled once I'd got quite a way into it.

HarryT · 09-01-2008, 05:26 AM

The normal reason for being unable to set bookmarks is a corrupt filesystem - you might wish to do a "chkdsk" on both the internal and external disks.

pdurrant · 09-01-2008, 05:34 AM

Oh, I see - I was thinking of using the "Goto Page..." menu item.

Yes, Mobipocket does have a 'feature' that it will jump quicker backwards than forwards after a few page turns.

Paul

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

No, they are not. Going forward 100 pages and then backward 100 pages will not get you back to the position you started with.

FizzyWater · 09-01-2008, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

No, they are not. Going forward 100 pages and then backward 100 pages will not get you back to the position you started with.

Even just reading as normal, the page numbers go out of wack...and that's without changing font sizes. I first read Mobipocket books on my PDA, and I was forever getting jacked up page numbers while reading. I might open a book and it says there are a total of 500 pages, then as I'm reading, I'd look down and be on page 600, and not be close to finished. I gave on on meaningful page numbers and just bookmarked.

It really wasn't that big a problem for me, since I tend to read books in big gulps anyway. The only time I found it frustrating was when I'd touch something and end up at the end of the book, or something like that, and couldn't easily find where I'd been.

The eBookwise is really my favorite reader when it comes to being able to recover my place when I jump somewhere I didn't mean to by mistake. That "BACK" option on the status bar saved me lots of frustration over the years.

marvmax · 09-01-2008, 09:15 PM

Thanks for the comments. You all have set my mind at ease that something is not screwed up. I do mostly read from start to finish with books that I read on my PDA since it is mostly fiction. The really coolest thing about all readers I've come across is that you immediately go to where you were last reading when you stopped. So that works fine. I rarely think when I'm reading, "Hey I may want to read this again" then book mark it, it's just sometimes I'll want to jump back and review, and that is kind of a hassle with mobi pocket, but I really like other features.

What is my favorite feature I can sense you all wondering? I like to change the color scheme at night when I read in bed to a black background and green lettering. There is less light to bug my wife, and it feels so retro; it takes me back to the early days with the first CRT screens. I just love it.

I'm such a geek it scares me sometimes.

08-31-2008, 11:47 PM	#1
marvmax Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Device: iPod Touch 8gb	Problems with Mobi page numbers From what I've read around this site I switched to using Mobi reader from Microsoft Reader. I like it except for one thing. The pages don't make any since. Here's an example. Let's say that I'm on pg 333 and I want to go back and see something at the beginning of the chapter. I go to the table of contents then if I try to "navigate" back to the pg it is now impossible. Because the pages don't make any since. The only thing that I can do is go to the beginning of the chapter and then page forward until I'm at the right page. Now it might be any page number below 333 say 222 or something. Also if I want to go back to look at something earlier in the chapter I have to be careful because if I start paging back fast Mobi seems to suddenly make huge jumps and I'm lost. I've never been able to figure out how it works. Sometimes electronic do hickies will since when you're pressing fomething continously so instead of going back by 1 it will start making bigger jumps to go faster, but I haven't been able to figure out if this is what is happeneing or not. I'm getting a little perturbed with it. I didn't realize this happened until I gleefully downloaded all Mobi format books and got rid of my M$ formatted books, because I generally try not to use M$ products if I can at all avoid it. Then I discovered this page problem and it's starting to get so annoying that I'm considering going back to the M$ Reader. I can't right now because I downloaded all those Tor books that were offered free (that I learned about from this site Thanks guys) and they were all Mobi formated, so I'll stay with this until I get through those books at the very least. I'm hoping that someone can help. Me.

09-01-2008, 05:26 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,662 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	The normal reason for being unable to set bookmarks is a corrupt filesystem - you might wish to do a "chkdsk" on both the internal and external disks. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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09-01-2008, 09:15 PM	#9
marvmax Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Device: iPod Touch 8gb	Thanks for the comments. You all have set my mind at ease that something is not screwed up. I do mostly read from start to finish with books that I read on my PDA since it is mostly fiction. The really coolest thing about all readers I've come across is that you immediately go to where you were last reading when you stopped. So that works fine. I rarely think when I'm reading, "Hey I may want to read this again" then book mark it, it's just sometimes I'll want to jump back and review, and that is kind of a hassle with mobi pocket, but I really like other features. What is my favorite feature I can sense you all wondering? I like to change the color scheme at night when I read in bed to a black background and green lettering. There is less light to bug my wife, and it feels so retro; it takes me back to the early days with the first CRT screens. I just love it. I'm such a geek it scares me sometimes.


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