comparing ebook formats

[ChipAHoy]

The Calibre manual seems to indicate you can only compare the same file types of an ebook. Why would you have the same format of an ebook, twice, in your library?

I thought the conversion process was to convert one file type to another, like .mobi to .azw3?

Is there a way to compare one fiile type of a book to another file type of the book, like .mobi and .azw3?

[jhowell]

Comparing two files of the same format is used to determine what edits have been made between two versions of the same book.

It isn't practical to compare different formats because there are major differences dictated by the constraints of each format. For example, AZW3 does not preserve internal file names so it is likely that none of the files that make up the content will match up with the same book in EPUB format.

You could convert from one format to another so both files are in the same format for comparison, but this conversion will itself introduce new differences.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by ChipAHoy

Why would you have the same format of an ebook, twice, in your library?

The editor can be, and is, used as a standard alone program - i.e. no requirement for a calibre e-book library.

Originally Posted by ChipAHoy

I thought the conversion process was to convert one file type to another, like .mobi to .azw3?

Correct - but that has nothing to do with the editors file comparison functionality.

Originally Posted by ChipAHoy

Is there a way to compare one fiile type of a book to another file type of the book, like .mobi and .azw3?

If it was for the purpose of comparing the substantive content I would convert both to text. I'm unsure of the calibre editor can compare text files, but as a long term user of Beyond Compare I would probably use it.

I can't imagine me ever wanting to compare the markup of the same book in two different formats. What would it tell me that my eyeballs couldn't. Markup Mavens may disagree

BR