MobileRead Forums - View Single Post

Jaws · 09-06-2024, 02:28 PM

This is a quirk that I haven't seen mentioned here, and it's a quirk of Kindle for PC (but directly related to importing KFX files). I'm wondering if this is "just something" resulting from programmers not anticipating a workflow or a necessary consequence... and, fortunately, I've found a workaround that works for me if it's an actual glitch/problem.

Kindle for PC (stretching back a lot of versions, but definitely up to 2.3.0) has trouble fully downloading newly-added books during sync if a book was deleted in the Kindle library at the 'zon since the last sync. I run Kindle for PC from a command script (batch file) that does the overwrite-the-update-file-with-trash-to-prevent-automatic-updates dance — but it's not open while I'm in the account at the 'zon, only after I sign out of that account. This results in what appears to be an adequate sync, but trying to read the book (to check editions, for example, which can be a real problem in the 'zon's online interface) in either Kindle for PC or by importing into Calibre through KFX-Input results in a read failure. I get the same behavior if I attempt to open a second Kindle for PC session while the first one is open — and once if I ran Kindle for PC directly (without using that batch file). If I shut down Kindle for PC and look at the "downloaded files" in the folder, the filenames are there, but are 0 bytes in length (sometimes the AZW is a fraction of the successful-download-size of the ebook).

The question: Is anyone else seeing this, or is it an artifact of however I've got my machine and accounts set up, and of my process of logging off the the 'zon (in my browser) at any moment I'm not actually engaging on the 'zon?

The workaround: Close Kindle for PC and restart it. I'm mentioning this because this may not be the only related glitch. Or maybe it's a feature, not a bug.

Possible cause: Some session flag somewhere in Kindle for PC, triggered by the delete-a-book process when not logged in to the 'zon account, that tells the sync function "wait a minute, I'm deleting something asynchronously"... and doesn't get reset upon finishing the deletion, but instead is reset only on Kindle for PC program start. That's nothing that can be managed outside of the 'zon itself, but it may be something to keep an eye on (if it's a correct understanding).

09-06-2024, 02:28 PM	#752
Jaws JCL Punch-Card Collector Posts: 76 Karma: 34468 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Antarctica Device: Aggressively Device Independent	Quirk, Question, Possible Workaround This is a quirk that I haven't seen mentioned here, and it's a quirk of Kindle for PC (but directly related to importing KFX files). I'm wondering if this is "just something" resulting from programmers not anticipating a workflow or a necessary consequence... and, fortunately, I've found a workaround that works for me if it's an actual glitch/problem. Kindle for PC (stretching back a lot of versions, but definitely up to 2.3.0) has trouble fully downloading newly-added books during sync if a book was deleted in the Kindle library at the 'zon since the last sync. I run Kindle for PC from a command script (batch file) that does the overwrite-the-update-file-with-trash-to-prevent-automatic-updates dance — but it's not open while I'm in the account at the 'zon, only after I sign out of that account. This results in what appears to be an adequate sync, but trying to read the book (to check editions, for example, which can be a real problem in the 'zon's online interface) in either Kindle for PC or by importing into Calibre through KFX-Input results in a read failure. I get the same behavior if I attempt to open a second Kindle for PC session while the first one is open — and once if I ran Kindle for PC directly (without using that batch file). If I shut down Kindle for PC and look at the "downloaded files" in the folder, the filenames are there, but are 0 bytes in length (sometimes the AZW is a fraction of the successful-download-size of the ebook). The question: Is anyone else seeing this, or is it an artifact of however I've got my machine and accounts set up, and of my process of logging off the the 'zon (in my browser) at any moment I'm not actually engaging on the 'zon? The workaround: Close Kindle for PC and restart it. I'm mentioning this because this may not be the only related glitch. Or maybe it's a feature, not a bug. Possible cause: Some session flag somewhere in Kindle for PC, triggered by the delete-a-book process when not logged in to the 'zon account, that tells the sync function "wait a minute, I'm deleting something asynchronously"... and doesn't get reset upon finishing the deletion, but instead is reset only on Kindle for PC program start. That's nothing that can be managed outside of the 'zon itself, but it may be something to keep an eye on (if it's a correct understanding).