Getting Started with Calibre

[DLSieving]

I just installed Calibre 2.45.0 onto MacOS 10.9.5 Mavericks without problems and now I'd like to use it. I would like to try converting my Word 2011 for Mac .docx ebook to ePub. Sounds pretty simple, right? I've run into a couple of problems which I hope are not unique to me and me alone:

• My setup options were for a Generic, iPad-like Tablet. That was the only choice I had to make. Done. Now I'd like to use the software.
• Selected Convert Books.
• The Input Format drop-down has only one option: ePub. That's obviously a problem in my case, because ePub is my desired output format.
• ALL of the drop-down menu options along the toolbar are grayed out. That's obviously a problem for anyone trying to use this installation.
• I can't change the Preferences because all of the Preferences options are grayed out too.
• Made further progress by closing Convert Books and using Preferences from there.
• To be continued.

Sorry, no problems to report just yet. This post was premature, so consider it a log entry.

Dave

[itimpi]

The input format dropdown will be populated by the formats that you currently have for that book. If you are only offered epub then that will be because that is the only format you currently have for that book in the Calibrelibrary.

[HarryT]

Forgive the question, but have you imported your Word document into your Calibre library? The menu options operate on the currently-selected book, so until you have a book there to operate on, the conversion options won't show anything sensible.

[BetterRed]

@DLSieving - if you've not already done so, I suggest taking the time out to view these ==>> Video Tutorials

Best used interactively, i.e. watch a bit of the video, then do it... watch a bit...

BR

[DLSieving]

I'm up and running with Calibre now. Thanks for the help.

Sorry for the premature post but that's often what it takes to get me thinking clearly.

I got it working shortly after my first post, which is why it has a "never mind" ending (made famous by Gilda Radner of SNL), and because I could not figure out how to delete it. Calibre seems thus far to be the definitive solution for my project.

This thread really belongs one level up from its present location on the forum but I could not find a way to move it. It would be more accessible were an administrator to move it up.

Thanks again for the help!

Dave

[uncletoma]

Just a question: have you installed Kindle App on your tablet, right?
So, go on Amazon site, kindle section, manage your contents and device, devices tab, should be your tablet (or app), with an email @kindle.com (that you can manage as you like).
You can send your doc (it's a doc or docx file, right) via email to your kindle app with subject (mumble mumble... my brain isn't working good in those days) Convert.
It works for any kind of kindle (touch, pw, voyage), maybe can works for apps too.
You can try

[DLSieving]

Is it possible to embed more than one font family using Calibre? When I go to calibre => Preferences => Common Options, only one font family can be specified at Embed font family.

[kovidgoyal]

Add as many fonts as you like to the input document and then use Embed all referenced fonts.

[DLSieving]

Has anyone gotten errors like those shown below in Kindle Previewer?

• I'm assuming the problem was introduced through Calibre, since my production pipeline is Word.docx => HTML => Calibre => ePub => Kindle Previewer => .mobi
• I only make changes in Word and in Calibre; Kindle Previewer just takes Calibre's ePub as input and tries (successfully at first) to generate .mobi as output.

The last time I used Calibre, everything worked great. I thought I was fast on my way to publishing my eBook.

Then I made a few small changes to my Word.docx file.

• Changed the text formatting of a few custom TOC entries;
• Tried to embed more fonts (not sure if this worked);
• Changed a few of the TOC backlinks from the generic 'Start' bookmark to my custom 'CONTENTS' bookmark (and later back again after I got the error).

exported to HTML as before, imported to Calibre as before, chose all of the same settings that worked before and converted the book. This time I get the error:

• Kindle Previewer has failed to compile the book

Along with the following output:

Spoiler:

************************************************** ***********
Amazon kindlegen(MAC OSX) V2.9 build 1028-0897292
A command line e-book compiler
Copyright Amazon.com and its Affiliates 2014
************************************************** ***********

Info:I9026ption: (hidden) amazon creator tool or pipeline
Info:I9014ption: -verbose: Verbose output
Info(prcgen):I1048: Unpacking ePub file
Info(prcgen):I1047: Added metadata dc:Title "Book Title"
Info(prcgen):I1047: Added metadata dcate "0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00"
Info(prcgen):I1047: Added metadata dc:Creator "Unknown"
Info(prcgen):I1047: Added metadata dc:Contributor "calibre (2.45.0) [http://calibre-ebook.com]"
Info(cssparser):I10004: @rules other than @import, @charset and @font-face are not supported.
Info(prcgen):I1052: Kindle support cover images but does not support cover HTML. Hence using the cover image specified and suppressing cover HTML in content. URL: /var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/titlepage.xhtml
Info(prcgen):I1002: Parsing files 0000173
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_000.html
Warning(htmlprocessor):W28003: Value specified for CSS property in content is not supported by Kindle readers. Please refer Kindle Publishing Guidelines about usage of property: 'position: relative' in file: /var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/stylesheet.css
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_001.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_002.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_003.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_004.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_005.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_006.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_007.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_008.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_009.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_010.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_011.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_012.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_013.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_014.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_015.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_016.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_017.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_018.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_019.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_020.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_021.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_022.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_023.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_024.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_025.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_026.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_027.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_028.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_029.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_030.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_031.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_032.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_033.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_034.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_035.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_036.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_037.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_038.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_039.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_040.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_041.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_042.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_043.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_044.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_045.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_046.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_047.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_048.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_049.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_050.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_051.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_052.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_053.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_054.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_055.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_056.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_057.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_058.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_059.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_060.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_061.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_062.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_063.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_064.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_065.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_066.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_067.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_068.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_069.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_070.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_071.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_072.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_073.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_074.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_075.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_076.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_077.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_078.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_079.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_080.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_081.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_082.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_083.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_084.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_085.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_086.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_087.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_088.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_089.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_090.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_091.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_092.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_093.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_094.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_095.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_096.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_097.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_098.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_099.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_100.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_101.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_102.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_103.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_104.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_105.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_106.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_107.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_108.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_109.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_110.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_111.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_112.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_113.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_114.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_115.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_116.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_117.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_118.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_119.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_120.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_121.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_122.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_123.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_124.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_125.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_126.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_127.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_128.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_129.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_130.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_131.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_132.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_133.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_134.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_135.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_136.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_137.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_138.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_139.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_140.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_141.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_142.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_143.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_144.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_145.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_146.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_147.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_148.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_149.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_150.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_151.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_152.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_153.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_154.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_155.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_156.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_157.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_158.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_159.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_160.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_161.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_162.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_163.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_164.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_165.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_166.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_167.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_168.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_169.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_170.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_171.html
Info(prcgen):I1003: Parsing file URL: PA3_W11_split_172.html
Info(prcgen):I1015: Building PRC file
Info(prcgen):I1006: Resolving hyperlinks
Info(prcgen):I1010: Writing hyperlinks
Warning(prcgen):W14001: Hyperlink not resolved: /var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/PA3_W11_split_000.html#link1
Warning(prcgen):W14001: Hyperlink not resolved: /var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/PA3_W11_split_000.html#link2
Warning(prcgen):W14001: Hyperlink not resolved: /var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/PA3_W11_split_000.html#link3
Warning(prcgen):W14002: Some hyperlinks could not be resolved.
Info(prcgen):I1049: Building table of content URL: /var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/toc.ncx
Error(prcgen):E24010: Hyperlink not resolved in toc (One possible reason can be that the link points to a tag with style display:none):/var/folders/3_/09sbnxrn3z13wb5lnt0st9840000gq/T/mobi-G9Aq7f/PA3_W11_split_000.html#link2
Error(prcgen):E24001: The table of content could not be built.
Info(prcgen):I1016: Building enhanced PRC file
Info(prcgen):I1007: Resolving mediaidlinks
Info(prcgen):I1011: Writing mediaidlinks
Info(prcgen):I1009: Resolving guide items
Info(prcgen):I1038: MOBI file could not be generated because of errors!

I specifically told Calibre NOT to generate a table of contents in every way I could find in the preferences and settings and this worked perfectly before. I have my own TOC, so Calibre should do NOTHING that has anything to do with a table of contents. It worked the first time but now Calibre (or possibly Kindle Previewer because of something that Calibre did) has forgotten how NOT to generate a table of contents and I'm getting errors I don't care about that are blocking successful book compilation.

[eschwartz]

Well, what does that file look like? And if you edit the book with calibre's Editor and run Check Book, what warnings or errors does it show?

P.S. Stop exporting HTML in Word. calibre can convert DOCX --> EPUB, or open DOCX directly in the editor and save as EPUB (avoids CSS flattening) and does a far better job than the garbage that Word calls HTML exporting.

[kovidgoyal]

Let me get this straight, you've got an error about a broken link, and you say that one of the changes you made to your docx file was changing links, and yet you conclude that the problem must be in calibre?

And as Eli said, dont export to html, use docx directly:
http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/conv...word-documents

Finally, if you want detailed help you need to follow the instructions here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=186697

[DLSieving]

eschwartz:

I solved the problem using the MacOS Time Machine to recover a prior version of the source file (Word.docx) in which I had used horizontal rules as chapter markers, created before I had gone back in to try to clean up the formatting around the hard page breaks. Apparently I had hit on a good solution the last time around, so I'll leave those areas alone and only change what I need to change based on the conversion results.

In response to your suggestion, I converted the source Word.docx file two different ways.

• The first way is to use Word's Web Page Preview and then export the HTML from my web browser (Safari) and import the HTML into Calibre.
• The second way is to import the Word.docx directly into Calibre as you suggested.
• The crucial benefit to your and kovidgoyal's way is that it carries the Word metadata.

I'll start importing Word.docx directly into Calibre from now on as you suggested.

kovidgoyal:

Thanks for the confirming advice about importing Word.docx directly into Calibre. I'll take this advice going forward as I mature my conversion procedure.

And thanks especially for your earlier advice about the semantics of Embed referenced fonts under calibre => Preferences => Common Options, which for better clarity should read something like Embed all fonts used in the source document.

[DLSieving]

My eBook project has reached a state of extreme polish thanks mainly to Calibre, BBEdit and not least the heroic contributors to this thread. Everything looks great in Kindle Previewer, the Kindle App and in iBooks. My only remaining hurdles pertain to font obfuscation and font licensing.

• Is font obfuscation even needed for KDP given that the Kindle Previewer compiles the ePub into an encrypted Mobi file?
• Is font obfuscation automatic in Calibre?
• If not, how and where in the production pipeline should I do this (before or after Calibre)?
• Once a font has been obfuscated or encrypted, do I still need to license it before using it in a published eBook, or does the license I acquired for personal use suffice?
• If I go to the foundry and buy the font outright, do I still need to obfuscate it?

I'm posting this here because I couldn't find a suitable font-related thread and because I've gotten so many great replies in this thread to my earlier questions.

Thanks in advance!

Dave

[kovidgoyal]

You dont need to do obfuscation for KDP, only if you are distributing EPUB and the font you are using has a license that requires it. calibre itself doesn't do obfuscation (IMO obfuscation is a totally meaningless bit of theatre), but if you use it with a book with already obfuscated fonts, it will preserve that obfuscation.

[DLSieving]

Thanks, kovidgoyal, for the great answers.

On close reading, I deduce or infer that:

1. I don't need to worry about font obfuscation as long as I publish with DRM.
2. I don't need to buy individual font licenses as long as I publish with DRM.

I realize that point #2 above represents a legal question that may vary with the individual font. This is my first serious pass at publishing eBooks, however, and I just want to know:

• Will I need to research each of the fonts I'm using - freely available in MS Word for Mac 2011 - to ascertain their licensing requirements before publishing a book that uses them in DRM-protected form (such as on KDP)?

in advance!

Dave