How can Convert From AZW3 to MOBI without loosing Page Numbers?

woodhead52 · 09-03-2014, 01:48 PM

I'm kind of a Calibre newbie. I've used it for a while but mostly to store and organize my ebooks.

Recently when I converted a book from AZW3 in which page numbers were recognized to MOBI I lost my page numbers. I know that MOBI recognizes page numbers, so, I figure if it happens with this conversion it must be a setting in Calibre that I need to change. What settings do I need to change in Calibre when converting from one format to another to prevent loosing page number recognition.

I've tried to figure this out myself, I've looked at meta data and Book conversion, but with no luck. I'd appreciate some help.

I'm not sure this will help, but I don't see page numbers when looking at my books in the Calibre viewer even before the conversion, so, I'm not sure what to do. Also after conversion I transferred the book to my kindle via Calibre using my kindle email. Content wise everything else is good, just no page numbers.

eschwartz · 09-04-2014, 02:04 AM

Page numbers are created by a special .apnx file on the Kindle. It is only correct when used with a certain book, and conversion will make them no longer match.

What you desire is impossible.

DiapDealer · 09-04-2014, 01:43 PM

Do you absolutely NEED to convert from AZW3 to mobi in the first place? I'm just checking because you've indicated you have a Kindle Keyboard device in your profile. That device is already capable of reading AZW3/KF8 Kindlebooks (with the latest firmware).

woodhead52 · 09-05-2014, 01:03 AM

Thanks to both of you for your help on this. I really did not have to do the conversion. It was more for learning than practicality.

So, If I'm understanding what you both are saying, it's not possible to do a conversion and retain page number recognition.

DiapDealer · 09-05-2014, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodhead52

Thanks to both of you for your help on this. I really did not have to do the conversion. It was more for learning than practicality.

So, If I'm understanding what you both are saying, it's not possible to do a conversion and retain page number recognition.

I don't think you can with calibre, anyway. Maybe not with anything. If you have an apnx file with "real" page numbers (real as opposed to ball-park estimations), you can give that apnx file to the stand-alone version of KindleUnpack and it will output an epub that contains a pagemap.xml file. That epub can, in turn, be fed to kindlegen/kindle previewer which will produce a dual-purpose mobi/KF8 file that has the page information stored in a special section of its header file (that section gets stripped out on Amazon's end to create the apnx files for retail books) and can be used by devices/apps that support it. You could then use KindleUnpack to split that file into its mobi/azw3 pieces. I have no idea, though, if the mobi-only portion will retain that internal "actual" page info, or if it will just return to estimating the page info based on the byte-count algorithm that mobi always used before KF8 came to be. I suspect the latter.

eschwartz · 09-05-2014, 10:57 AM

And I suspect it will depend on whether you feed it an apnx...

(MOBI books fully support using apnx but you have to give it one.)

If you let calibre generate an apnx it will be a pseudo-guess. If kindleunpack can also generate an apnx fom the PAGE section, then you can manually sideload it. Presumably it matches both MOBI and AZW3 (or has one for each). If not, then the whole experiment was a waste of time.

I believe it has been ascertained that the Kindle will ignore pagemaps and PAGE sections.

DiapDealer · 09-05-2014, 11:09 AM

KindleUnpack can indeed create an apnx file from the Page section (if present). But this just all seems a bit like a long and winding driveway to a very small house to me.

KindleUnpack the AZW3 (using the apnx file) to get an epub with a pagemap file that kindlegen can use to create a dual purpose mobi/kf8 with a Page section that KindleUnpack can create an apnx file from (and give you a standalone mobi).

Seems like it would be much easier to just use the original AZW3/apnx, to me. If one NEEDS an old style mobi, I would presume one has a device it can be read on (and can utilize the new 'round-the-horn apnx file), so why not just use that device to download the old-style mobi and its apnx file to begin with?

eschwartz · 09-05-2014, 11:13 AM

Ah, so it is indeed possible, with a lengthy and valorous effort, to downgrade an AZW3 to a MOBI and retain page info. I knew there was a reason we paid those guys!

woodhead52 · 09-05-2014, 11:17 AM

Thanks again,

Sounds pretty complicated. Looks like I got way more learn'n ahead of me.

Normally page numbers are no big deal, however, the book I choose to experiment with is a cookbook and it has page number look up references in many of the recipes. Even though it's an ebook the page number references are not hyper linked... So, to research them it's necessary to use the menu "Go To" function to access the page quickly. Without page number recognition, well, you're $h!t outta luck. Heh, heh.

09-03-2014, 01:48 PM	#1
woodhead52 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Device: Kindle with Keyboard	How can I convert from AZW3 to MOBI without loosing Page Numbers? I'm kind of a Calibre newbie. I've used it for a while but mostly to store and organize my ebooks. Recently when I converted a book from AZW3 in which page numbers were recognized to MOBI I lost my page numbers. I know that MOBI recognizes page numbers, so, I figure if it happens with this conversion it must be a setting in Calibre that I need to change. What settings do I need to change in Calibre when converting from one format to another to prevent loosing page number recognition. I've tried to figure this out myself, I've looked at meta data and Book conversion, but with no luck. I'd appreciate some help. I'm not sure this will help, but I don't see page numbers when looking at my books in the Calibre viewer even before the conversion, so, I'm not sure what to do. Also after conversion I transferred the book to my kindle via Calibre using my kindle email. Content wise everything else is good, just no page numbers. Last edited by woodhead52; 09-03-2014 at 01:59 PM.

09-05-2014, 11:09 AM	#7
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,568 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	KindleUnpack can indeed create an apnx file from the Page section (if present). But this just all seems a bit like a long and winding driveway to a very small house to me. KindleUnpack the AZW3 (using the apnx file) to get an epub with a pagemap file that kindlegen can use to create a dual purpose mobi/kf8 with a Page section that KindleUnpack can create an apnx file from (and give you a standalone mobi). Seems like it would be much easier to just use the original AZW3/apnx, to me. If one NEEDS an old style mobi, I would presume one has a device it can be read on (and can utilize the new 'round-the-horn apnx file), so why not just use that device to download the old-style mobi and its apnx file to begin with? Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-05-2014 at 11:18 AM.

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09-04-2014, 02:04 AM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Page numbers are created by a special .apnx file on the Kindle. It is only correct when used with a certain book, and conversion will make them no longer match. What you desire is impossible.

09-04-2014, 01:43 PM	#3
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,568 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Do you absolutely NEED to convert from AZW3 to mobi in the first place? I'm just checking because you've indicated you have a Kindle Keyboard device in your profile. That device is already capable of reading AZW3/KF8 Kindlebooks (with the latest firmware).

09-05-2014, 01:03 AM	#4
woodhead52 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Device: Kindle with Keyboard	Thanks to both of you for your help on this. I really did not have to do the conversion. It was more for learning than practicality. So, If I'm understanding what you both are saying, it's not possible to do a conversion and retain page number recognition.

09-05-2014, 10:57 AM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	And I suspect it will depend on whether you feed it an apnx... (MOBI books fully support using apnx but you have to give it one.) If you let calibre generate an apnx it will be a pseudo-guess. If kindleunpack can also generate an apnx fom the PAGE section, then you can manually sideload it. Presumably it matches both MOBI and AZW3 (or has one for each). If not, then the whole experiment was a waste of time. I believe it has been ascertained that the Kindle will ignore pagemaps and PAGE sections.

09-05-2014, 11:13 AM	#8
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Ah, so it is indeed possible, with a lengthy and valorous effort, to downgrade an AZW3 to a MOBI and retain page info. I knew there was a reason we paid those guys!

09-05-2014, 11:17 AM	#9
woodhead52 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Device: Kindle with Keyboard	Thanks again, Sounds pretty complicated. Looks like I got way more learn'n ahead of me. Normally page numbers are no big deal, however, the book I choose to experiment with is a cookbook and it has page number look up references in many of the recipes. Even though it's an ebook the page number references are not hyper linked... So, to research them it's necessary to use the menu "Go To" function to access the page quickly. Without page number recognition, well, you're $h!t outta luck. Heh, heh.

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