Mobipocket convert in mass?

[sirdouglas]

Okay, I just posted a question about My Ebook Library, and now about Mobipocket. First, I love the program and would love to have all my books organized within it. The problem is that I have hundreds of books (mostly in PDF, a few in LIT) and it will take days to go through each one and converting into Mobipocket. Isn't there a way to convert an entire folder of books all at once? This would remove hours of hassle. Or is there something similar to Mobipocket, cuz I love it!

Thanks,

Doug

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by sirdouglas

Okay, I just posted a question about My Ebook Library, and now about Mobipocket. First, I love the program and would love to have all my books organized within it. The problem is that I have hundreds of books (mostly in PDF, a few in LIT) and it will take days to go through each one and converting into Mobipocket. Isn't there a way to convert an entire folder of books all at once? This would remove hours of hassle. Or is there something similar to Mobipocket, cuz I love it!

Thanks,

Doug

Is this the same question I just answered? Hmm... anyway... if there is a command line way to add books to Mobipocket then you could do it with a batch file.

BOb

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Is this the same question I just answered? Hmm... anyway... if there is a command line way to add books to Mobipocket then you could do it with a batch file.

BOb

Do you have a link to the post where you previously answered this question?

[sirdouglas]

Eek, batch file? Unfortunately I'm not that knowledgeable with this computer stuff.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

Do you have a link to the post where you previously answered this question?

I basically said the same thing... someone asked how to get all their .PRC files into a database... I recommend a batch file that would add them all to calibre since you can add files to the calibre db using a command line command.

I also stated that is Mobipocket allowed for this then the batch file could add the files to the MP software too. But, I don't know if there is a command line API (or any API) for the Mobipocket reader software.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by sirdouglas

Eek, batch file? Unfortunately I'm not that knowledgeable with this computer stuff.

Don't be scared. A batch file is nothing more than a series of commands that you would type into the command prompt all place together. You can do some basic things to each file with a simple for command.

A simple example. Lets say to add a .PRC file to Mobipocket you could do this at the command line:

mobireader /add MYfilename.prc

So, you could use the following command to add all the .prc files in a folder:

for %%i in (*.prc) do mobireader /add %%i

If you put than in a batch file named add2mobi.bat then you can just run that bat file anytime by double clicking it.

BOb

[sirdouglas]

Okay, so your saying this will be able to convert all the pdfs within a certain folder and subfolders into mobipocket format (.prc)? I think I'm going to need a little bit more specific step by step instructions though. Starting with "start" click on "run", type "cmd" and hit enter.... and go from there Is that a good start?

Thanks!

Doug

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by sirdouglas

Okay, so your saying this will be able to convert all the pdfs within a certain folder and subfolders into mobipocket format (.prc)?

No, that was just an example. I would have to research to see if mobipocket reader can be controlled from the command line. Then you would have to write to "actual" commands to do it. It all hinges on mobi pockets command line API. Or, pehaps they have a stand alone command line tool if the reader software doesn't have an API.

BOb

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sirdouglas

Okay, I just posted a question about My Ebook Library, and now about Mobipocket. First, I love the program and would love to have all my books organized within it. The problem is that I have hundreds of books (mostly in PDF, a few in LIT) and it will take days to go through each one and converting into Mobipocket. Isn't there a way to convert an entire folder of books all at once? This would remove hours of hassle. Or is there something similar to Mobipocket, cuz I love it!

Thanks,

Doug

PDF doesn't really convert all that well. So that's going to mean that once you go PDF to Mobipocket, you'll need to go Mobipocket to HTML in order to edit the HTML for the errors introduced via the conversion process. Also, f the PDF has DRM, forget converting then.

As for LIT, you can explode the LIT into it's component parts after you've remove the DRM using ConvertLIT and lit2oeb to explode it. Then use Mobipocket Publisher to load the OEB file and generate a PRC. But I don't know of any way easy way to automate the process.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

No, that was just an example. I would have to research to see if mobipocket reader can be controlled from the command line. Then you would have to write to "actual" commands to do it. It all hinges on mobi pockets command line API. Or, pehaps they have a stand alone command line tool if the reader software doesn't have an API.

They have a command line tool, mobigen. It is best to give it OEB (a .opf file) or ePub as input (ePub import is new and a little flaky). So a command line chain can get you from LIT to MOBI (clit.exe to remove DRM, lit2oeb, and finally mobigen). ConvertLIT can also explode to OEB, but lit2oeb is now supposed to be better (I have always used ConvertLIT and it usually works well). The other option is MobiPerl's lit2mobi, which again needs a DRM-free LIT as input.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

They have a command line tool, mobigen. It is best to give it OEB (a .opf file) or ePub as input (ePub import is new and a little flaky).

Does mobigen convert a PDF to mobi like the reader software does? I think that is what the OP said he has most of.

BOb

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Does mobigen convert a PDF to mobi like the Reader software does?

No. I think the Reader must have a PDF to HTML initial step before (effectively) calling mobigen. One possibility is Calibre's any2epub, although I have not tried it on PDFs and mobigen's ePub import is not yet all that good (e.g. does not read the toc.ncx file).

[kovidgoyal]

mobopicket has a pdf2xml tool that they use. its based on xpdf, so its source is available somewhere on the mobipocket dev site, i forget where.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

mobopicket has a pdf2xml tool that they use. its based on xpdf, so its source is available somewhere on the mobipocket dev site, i forget where.

It is at http://www.mobipocket.com/dev/pdf2xml/. The binary, pdf2xml.exe, is included with Windows MobiPocket Reader and Creator.

Searching for pdf2xml on MobiPocket forums I found the following:

the easiest way is to put all your pdfs in the same folder and to drag and drop the folder on the Desktop Reader window. This way, the Desktop Reader will convert all your pdfs and put the prc files in the My Documents\My eBooks folder.

So perhaps we are making this harder than it needs to be.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

So perhaps we are making this harder than it needs to be.

Well, brilliant. That's the answer then. Just drop a folder full of your ebooks to the reader and viola... no batch file required.

BOb