Which is your go-to tool for converting epub to azw3: calibre or kindlegen?

kleinjar · 10-22-2015, 08:36 AM

Converting epub to azw3 via command line for personal reading on a kindle, that is.

I'd like to just pick one and stick with it for batch converting ebooks, and only use the other one in case of really problematic conversions.

Which in your experience is better / more consistently faithful to the original? Which converter would you choose if you could use only one of them from now on? Particularly asking about the command line tool ebook-convert vs kindlegen.

Notjohn · 10-22-2015, 09:13 AM

If it's not for publication, I use Calibre, but I save as MOBI because that works with the Send to Kindle app.

eschwartz · 10-22-2015, 10:08 AM

I use calibre, partly because it is already installed, partly because it includes workarounds for common coding failures in ebooks. calibre does quite a bit of normalizing to make sure books look right.

But this is all for personal reading.

For someone publishing on the KDP, it is still best to use kindlegen... simply because Amazon insists. Not sure why else someone would need to use kindlegen.

AcidWeb · 10-22-2015, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Not sure why else someone would need to use kindlegen.

Fixed-layout books.

eschwartz · 10-22-2015, 12:26 PM

OK, granted, Fixed-layout books.

Because calibre doesn't create Fixed-layout books.

But for a conversion job that could be done by either...

Notjohn · 10-23-2015, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcidWeb

Fixed-layout books.

Now you have given me the opening, is it possible to include a hyperlink in Kindle comic creator? That is, do hyperlinks work?

There's a forlorn formatter on the KDP forums asking this question, and nobody answers him.

AcidWeb · 10-23-2015, 06:24 AM

No idea. Used Amazon KC2 for 5 minutes tops.

Hitch · 10-23-2015, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Now you have given me the opening, is it possible to include a hyperlink in Kindle comic creator? That is, do hyperlinks work?

There's a forlorn formatter on the KDP forums asking this question, and nobody answers him.

{SIGH}. You cannot put a link inside ANY panel or content that has panel view or pop-up RM. No can do. It screws with the JSON, essentially.

He can have one or the other. A link, or a panel that enlarges. Can't have both.

Hitch

Notjohn · 10-24-2015, 05:38 AM

Thank you. I'll post it, with a hat tip, if I can find the question again.

kleinjar · 10-26-2015, 08:48 AM

Thanks for the replies. I just remembered why I was using kindlegen in terminal instead of ebook-convert: kindlegen doesn't mess with the negative margins that I set in the epub. Calibre seems to zero it.

I set negative margins using EbokJunkie's script here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...4&postcount=27 (thanks EbokJunkie)

Negative margins because I find the default paperwhite margins too large.

eschwartz · 10-26-2015, 10:39 AM

Have you tried using the options to disable ebook-convert messing with the margins?

Just pass a negative value to --margin-{top,bottom,left,right}

kleinjar · 10-27-2015, 05:42 AM

"--margin-left -8 --margin-right -8"
I regret to say it doesn't work. Neither does using --extra-css to include negative margins. I'm sad because ebook-convert seems to preserve more of the input formatting than kindlegen, otherwise.

Notjohn · 10-27-2015, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitch

{SIGH}. You cannot put a link inside ANY panel or content that has panel view or pop-up RM. No can do. It screws with the JSON, essentially.

He can have one or the other. A link, or a panel that enlarges. Can't have both.

Hitch

Juan says:

>Thank you very much for the reply.

kleinjar · 10-27-2015, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Juan says:

>Thank you very much for the reply.

OMG make your own thread though

Notjohn · 10-28-2015, 06:48 AM

I will bear that in mind when next you are looking for information.

10-22-2015, 08:36 AM	#1
kleinjar Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 14210 Join Date: Jul 2015 Device: none	Which is your go-to tool for converting epub to azw3: calibre or kindlegen? Converting epub to azw3 via command line for personal reading on a kindle, that is. I'd like to just pick one and stick with it for batch converting ebooks, and only use the other one in case of really problematic conversions. Which in your experience is better / more consistently faithful to the original? Which converter would you choose if you could use only one of them from now on? Particularly asking about the command line tool ebook-convert vs kindlegen. Last edited by kleinjar; 10-22-2015 at 08:40 AM.

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10-22-2015, 09:13 AM	#2
Notjohn mostly an observer Posts: 1,519 Karma: 987654 Join Date: Dec 2012 Device: Kindle	If it's not for publication, I use Calibre, but I save as MOBI because that works with the Send to Kindle app.

10-22-2015, 10:08 AM	#3
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)	I use calibre, partly because it is already installed, partly because it includes workarounds for common coding failures in ebooks. calibre does quite a bit of normalizing to make sure books look right. But this is all for personal reading. For someone publishing on the KDP, it is still best to use kindlegen... simply because Amazon insists. Not sure why else someone would need to use kindlegen.

10-22-2015, 12:26 PM	#5
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)	OK, granted, Fixed-layout books. Because calibre doesn't create Fixed-layout books. But for a conversion job that could be done by either...

10-23-2015, 06:24 AM	#7
AcidWeb KCC Co-Author Posts: 845 Karma: 765434 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Poland Device: Kindle Oasis 2	No idea. Used Amazon KC2 for 5 minutes tops.

10-24-2015, 05:38 AM	#9
Notjohn mostly an observer Posts: 1,519 Karma: 987654 Join Date: Dec 2012 Device: Kindle	Thank you. I'll post it, with a hat tip, if I can find the question again.

10-26-2015, 08:48 AM	#10
kleinjar Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 14210 Join Date: Jul 2015 Device: none	Thanks for the replies. I just remembered why I was using kindlegen in terminal instead of ebook-convert: kindlegen doesn't mess with the negative margins that I set in the epub. Calibre seems to zero it. I set negative margins using EbokJunkie's script here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...4&postcount=27 (thanks EbokJunkie) Negative margins because I find the default paperwhite margins too large.

10-26-2015, 10:39 AM	#11
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)	Have you tried using the options to disable ebook-convert messing with the margins? Just pass a negative value to --margin-{top,bottom,left,right}

10-27-2015, 05:42 AM	#12
kleinjar Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 14210 Join Date: Jul 2015 Device: none	"--margin-left -8 --margin-right -8" I regret to say it doesn't work. Neither does using --extra-css to include negative margins. I'm sad because ebook-convert seems to preserve more of the input formatting than kindlegen, otherwise.

10-28-2015, 06:48 AM	#15
Notjohn mostly an observer Posts: 1,519 Karma: 987654 Join Date: Dec 2012 Device: Kindle	I will bear that in mind when next you are looking for information.

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