repacking mobi error

Xabache · 10-31-2010, 05:22 PM

unzip a standard mobi file
rezip the resulting 4 folders and 1 file, without the unzip folder
rename to a mobi extension. does not open in kindle pc

can mobi files not be repacked? is there a special utility to do this? I am trying to create my own mobi files without a utility like pocket or ecub using only the raw files and a winrar utility

but for my demo i am unpacking an ecub created perfectly functional mobi file. i can take it apart but why cant i run it after putting all the pieces back together?

wallcraft · 10-31-2010, 08:51 PM

A MOBI file isn't a renamed ZIP file, it is a PRC file (originally designed for a Palm PDA).

An ePub is a ZIP file, renamed .epub, but the first file in the ZIP Container MUST be ‘mimetype’ which holds the MIME type for the ZIP Container (i.e., “application/epub+zip”). The file MUST NOT be compressed nor encrypted and there MUST NOT be an extra field in its ZIP header.

Xabache · 11-01-2010, 07:47 AM

Hmm very interesting thank you, I did not know this.

So then, what i want to do is create a mobi file from its constituent folders and files, that one finds when one unzips a mobi. it may not be a zip but it can be unzipped into these components. so i am going to create these components exactly as they are there, for ease of mass production. then put them into a mobi file or as you say prc. how can i do this?

how do i turn these four folders and .opf file into a mobi without using one of the conventional do it all clients, i only want to pack them, i will create their ingredients myself.

wallcraft · 11-01-2010, 07:51 AM

I suggest using the MobiPocket toots, either MobiPocket Creator or the command line tool kindlegen. See http://www.mobipocket.com/dev/.

DiapDealer · 11-01-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

that one finds when one unzips a mobi. it may not be a zip but it can be unzipped into these components.

I fear that you are still confused. A mobi file cannot be unzipped. If it can be unzipped... it wasn't a mobi file. Mobi's must be unpacked... with MobiPerl tools or MobiUnpack.

You may be thinking of an OEBPS compliant archive (almost an epub) that can be used to create a mobi. But once it's been turned into mobi: winzip, winrar, 7zip, or any standard archiving program won't be able to do anything with it.

Exml · 08-13-2012, 10:45 PM

Quote:

But once it's been turned into mobi: winzip, winrar, 7zip, or any standard archiving program won't be able to do anything with it.

Then why when I convert an ePub into .mobi using kindelGen I can unpack/uncompress it with 7zip?

Although I can't with WinZip.

Must be some kind of compression that's not used a lot.

DiapDealer · 08-13-2012, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exml

Then why when I convert an ePub into .mobi using kindelGen I can unpack/uncompress it with 7zip?

Although I can't with WinZip.

Must be some kind of compression that's not used a lot.

Kindlegen includes the zipped up source as part of the produced file. You are only unzipping the original source (which is included as one of the database records) ... not the actual mobi.

Exml · 08-14-2012, 03:52 AM

Thank you DiapDealer for your answer, I guess that makes sense cause the file produced was twice the size of the unzipped folder, I was wondering how that was possible

Can I ask where did you get that info ? (not that I don't trust you, but is there a doc that explains that).

Thanks again for your answer.

DiapDealer · 08-14-2012, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Can I ask where did you get that info ?

From methodically and systematically dismantling the files produced by kindlegen. I know of no document that plainly states that kindlegen's output includes a zip file of the original source, but honestly ... proof is in the pudding, so to speak.

One thread down is a discussion about a tool that can be used to strip the source package from kindlegen's output.

Exml · 08-14-2012, 03:38 PM

Thank you.

10-31-2010, 05:22 PM	#1
Xabache Carbon Reserve Posts: 44 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PC	repacking mobi error unzip a standard mobi file rezip the resulting 4 folders and 1 file, without the unzip folder rename to a mobi extension. does not open in kindle pc can mobi files not be repacked? is there a special utility to do this? I am trying to create my own mobi files without a utility like pocket or ecub using only the raw files and a winrar utility but for my demo i am unpacking an ecub created perfectly functional mobi file. i can take it apart but why cant i run it after putting all the pieces back together?

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10-31-2010, 08:51 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	A MOBI file isn't a renamed ZIP file, it is a PRC file (originally designed for a Palm PDA). An ePub is a ZIP file, renamed .epub, but the first file in the ZIP Container MUST be ‘mimetype’ which holds the MIME type for the ZIP Container (i.e., “application/epub+zip”). The file MUST NOT be compressed nor encrypted and there MUST NOT be an extra field in its ZIP header.

11-01-2010, 07:47 AM	#3
Xabache Carbon Reserve Posts: 44 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PC	Hmm very interesting thank you, I did not know this. So then, what i want to do is create a mobi file from its constituent folders and files, that one finds when one unzips a mobi. it may not be a zip but it can be unzipped into these components. so i am going to create these components exactly as they are there, for ease of mass production. then put them into a mobi file or as you say prc. how can i do this? how do i turn these four folders and .opf file into a mobi without using one of the conventional do it all clients, i only want to pack them, i will create their ingredients myself.

11-01-2010, 07:51 AM	#4
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I suggest using the MobiPocket toots, either MobiPocket Creator or the command line tool kindlegen. See http://www.mobipocket.com/dev/.

08-14-2012, 03:52 AM	#8
Exml Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kindle	Thank you DiapDealer for your answer, I guess that makes sense cause the file produced was twice the size of the unzipped folder, I was wondering how that was possible Can I ask where did you get that info ? (not that I don't trust you, but is there a doc that explains that). Thanks again for your answer.

08-14-2012, 03:38 PM	#10
Exml Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kindle	Thank you.

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