Not seeing the Manga improvements from the recent update.

quatermass · 11-30-2016, 04:00 PM

I have a new(ish) Voyage running 5.8.7 and, looking forward to trying the new Manga improvements, bought Lone Wolf And Cub #1 from the Kindle Store. I'm supposed to have faster page turns, zooming and panning, as well as press and hold for fast, continuous page turns. However, I'm getting none of this, manga reading is as kludgy as it always was. I've seen how it's supposed to be now in YouTube videos; nope. I've seen nothing in Settings that I need to turn on to initialize the improvements. Thoughts? Anyone else?

jhowell · 11-30-2016, 06:18 PM

I tried sending the free sample of the manga comic you indicated to my PW2 running 5.8.7 and did not see any of the enhanced features either. Looking on my kindle via USB I saw that the sample was delivered in AZW3 format. KFX format is required for the new manga reading features.

I purchased the free Shonen Jump Manga Starter Pack and it was delivered to my kindle in KFX format and does enable the new features. I suggest that you try that one and see if it works for you.

ETA: I tried another free (non-manga) comic, Avengers: Heroes Welcome #1 and that was delivered to my PW2 in AZW3 format and doesn't have the new features.

I don't see anything on the Amazon pages describing these comics to indicate which ones support the new reading features.

quatermass · 11-30-2016, 07:58 PM

Thanks. That's interesting. I'd think that a manga purchased from Amazon would be formatted to display the new features. I'll see if I can convert it to KFX in Calibre. Regardless, I'm returning the manga to Amazon as it's unacceptable that they'd sell product in the incorrect format for the new software.

jhowell · 11-30-2016, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quatermass

I'll see if I can convert it to KFX in Calibre.

That isn't going to work. There is no software available that can create the specialized coding of manga in KFX.

tomsem · 11-30-2016, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quatermass

Thanks. That's interesting. I'd think that a manga purchased from Amazon would be formatted to display the new features. I'll see if I can convert it to KFX in Calibre. Regardless, I'm returning the manga to Amazon as it's unacceptable that they'd sell product in the incorrect format for the new software.

The publisher needs to author it as 'manga', which changes the behavior: page order is reversed (proceeds from back to front), ability to turn on 'quadrant' navigation of page (TR, TL, BR, BL), fast page turn, etc. (Panels are read in 'S' rather than 'Z' pattern).

In this case, the publisher opted to make it a normal 'comic book', with panel navigation etc. These don't have the manga behavior and probably never will. Comic books have a larger page size and will have panel view etc that makes it work on smaller screens. Traditional manga pages are smaller and have fewer panels per page.

And it is not true about authoring. Kindle Comic Creator (free) will do it. There is an option to turn on 'manga' features or whatever they are called.

For an example: 'SILENCE' by Tanky (in KU).

jhowell · 11-30-2016, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

And it is not true about authoring. Kindle Comic Creator (free) will do it. There is an option to turn on 'manga' features or whatever they are called.

The Kindle Comic Creator only produces output in EPUB or KF8 format. In order to produce KFX format that will enable the new manga reading features on a kindle device the comic must be published through Amazon. Amazon doesn't make software available to do this conversion any other way.

Even with the book you mentioned if you send it directly to a kindle it will be delivered in KFX format and will support the manga features such as tap-and-hold for fast page turns. If you instead use the "Download & transfer via USB" you get an AZW3 file, which when sideloaded does not support tap-and-hold on the kindle.

AcidWeb · 12-01-2016, 01:34 AM

Just confirming that new pinch zoom and continuous page turning is available only in KFX format.

Old pinch zoom is little faster. IMHO still too slow to use it. Files created by KCC don't support it at all. Page turning speed also increased but it is visible only in bigger files.

tomsem · 12-01-2016, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhowell

The Kindle Comic Creator only produces output in EPUB or KF8 format. In order to produce KFX format that will enable the new manga reading features on a kindle device the comic must be published through Amazon. Amazon doesn't make software available to do this conversion any other way.

Even with the book you mentioned if you send it directly to a kindle it will be delivered in KFX format and will support the manga features such as tap-and-hold for fast page turns. If you instead use the "Download & transfer via USB" you get an AZW3 file, which when sideloaded does not support tap-and-hold on the kindle.

I was referencing Amazon's free authoring tool.

AcidWeb · 12-01-2016, 10:32 AM

I know.

And we talking about two different sets of features. Kindle Comic Creator enable/disable features that were available before 5.8.5.

There is no Manga ON/OFF switch on EPUB header level. Just other modes of Panel View. And regardless of the settings as long output file don't use KFX format new features implemented in 5.8.5 firmware will be not available.

tomsem · 12-01-2016, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcidWeb

I know.

And we talking about two different sets of features. Kindle Comic Creator enable/disable features that were available before 5.8.5.

There is no Manga ON/OFF switch on EPUB header level. Just other modes of Panel View. And regardless of the settings as long output file don't use KFX format new features implemented in 5.8.5 firmware will be not available.

This tool from Amazon, not the third party tool you are thinking of:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1001103761

EPub has nothing to do with it.

AcidWeb · 12-02-2016, 12:17 AM

I know...

This tool store unconverted book in EPUB format (not compressed). All publicly available Amazon publishing tools use EPUB as input.

tomsem · 12-03-2016, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcidWeb

I know...

This tool store unconverted book in EPUB format (not compressed). All publicly available Amazon publishing tools use EPUB as input.

Kindle Comic Creator from Amazon does not accept ePub. PDF and image formats only.

AcidWeb · 12-03-2016, 03:19 PM

Kindle Comic Creator use KindleGen to create MOBI. And KindleGen use EPUB as input.

You import images to Kindle Comic Creator. Book created in Kindle Comic Creator is saved as uncompressed EPUB. And that is forwarded to KindleGen to create MOBI file.

jhowell · 12-03-2016, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Kindle Comic Creator from Amazon does not accept ePub. PDF and image formats only.

Yes, it does. From the Kindle Comic Creator User Guide:

Quote:

1.2 Supported Page Formats

You can add pages to your book from a PDF file or by converting images. Kindle Comic Creator accepts files in .pdf, .jpg/.jpeg, .tif/.tiff, .ppm, or .png formats.

You can also open book files that use Amazon’s comic book formatting (see the Kindle Publishing Guidelines for more on these specifications) or were created with Kindle Comic Creator. These book files can be in .epub, .opf or .mobi formats.

jhowell · 12-03-2016, 06:53 PM

More relevant to the original topic...

I have been experimenting with free and sample comics and as far as I can tell the fast page turn and pinch-zoom features work on all comics delivered in KFX format on e-ink kindles. It doesn't matter if the page order is RTL or LTR.

I have found that comics that contain pop-up panels are delivered in KFX format to the Kindle for Android app, but only as AZW3 to e-link devices. I took a couple of these KFX comics and copied them to my e-ink kindle. After doing do I found that they all supported fast page turns and pinch-zoom, but there was no way to activate the individual panel view. It looks like Amazon still has some work to do in their comic implementation.

11-30-2016, 06:18 PM	#2
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,026 Karma: 90000009 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlottesville, VA Device: Kindles	I tried sending the free sample of the manga comic you indicated to my PW2 running 5.8.7 and did not see any of the enhanced features either. Looking on my kindle via USB I saw that the sample was delivered in AZW3 format. KFX format is required for the new manga reading features. I purchased the free Shonen Jump Manga Starter Pack and it was delivered to my kindle in KFX format and does enable the new features. I suggest that you try that one and see if it works for you. ETA: I tried another free (non-manga) comic, Avengers: Heroes Welcome #1 and that was delivered to my PW2 in AZW3 format and doesn't have the new features. I don't see anything on the Amazon pages describing these comics to indicate which ones support the new reading features. Last edited by jhowell; 11-30-2016 at 07:02 PM.

12-01-2016, 10:32 AM	#9
AcidWeb KCC Co-Author Posts: 845 Karma: 765434 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Poland Device: Kindle Oasis 2	I know. And we talking about two different sets of features. Kindle Comic Creator enable/disable features that were available before 5.8.5. There is no Manga ON/OFF switch on EPUB header level. Just other modes of Panel View. And regardless of the settings as long output file don't use KFX format new features implemented in 5.8.5 firmware will be not available. Last edited by AcidWeb; 12-01-2016 at 10:45 AM.

12-02-2016, 12:17 AM	#11
AcidWeb KCC Co-Author Posts: 845 Karma: 765434 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Poland Device: Kindle Oasis 2	I know... This tool store unconverted book in EPUB format (not compressed). All publicly available Amazon publishing tools use EPUB as input. Last edited by AcidWeb; 12-02-2016 at 01:40 PM.

12-03-2016, 03:19 PM	#13
AcidWeb KCC Co-Author Posts: 845 Karma: 765434 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Poland Device: Kindle Oasis 2	Kindle Comic Creator use KindleGen to create MOBI. And KindleGen use EPUB as input. You import images to Kindle Comic Creator. Book created in Kindle Comic Creator is saved as uncompressed EPUB. And that is forwarded to KindleGen to create MOBI file. Last edited by AcidWeb; 12-03-2016 at 03:23 PM.

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11-30-2016, 04:00 PM	#1
quatermass Member Posts: 21 Karma: 283190 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: kindle	Not seeing the Manga improvements from the recent update. I have a new(ish) Voyage running 5.8.7 and, looking forward to trying the new Manga improvements, bought Lone Wolf And Cub #1 from the Kindle Store. I'm supposed to have faster page turns, zooming and panning, as well as press and hold for fast, continuous page turns. However, I'm getting none of this, manga reading is as kludgy as it always was. I've seen how it's supposed to be now in YouTube videos; nope. I've seen nothing in Settings that I need to turn on to initialize the improvements. Thoughts? Anyone else?

11-30-2016, 07:58 PM	#3
quatermass Member Posts: 21 Karma: 283190 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: kindle	Thanks. That's interesting. I'd think that a manga purchased from Amazon would be formatted to display the new features. I'll see if I can convert it to KFX in Calibre. Regardless, I'm returning the manga to Amazon as it's unacceptable that they'd sell product in the incorrect format for the new software.

12-01-2016, 01:34 AM	#7
AcidWeb KCC Co-Author Posts: 845 Karma: 765434 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Poland Device: Kindle Oasis 2	Just confirming that new pinch zoom and continuous page turning is available only in KFX format. Old pinch zoom is little faster. IMHO still too slow to use it. Files created by KCC don't support it at all. Page turning speed also increased but it is visible only in bigger files.

12-03-2016, 06:53 PM	#15
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,026 Karma: 90000009 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlottesville, VA Device: Kindles	More relevant to the original topic... I have been experimenting with free and sample comics and as far as I can tell the fast page turn and pinch-zoom features work on all comics delivered in KFX format on e-ink kindles. It doesn't matter if the page order is RTL or LTR. I have found that comics that contain pop-up panels are delivered in KFX format to the Kindle for Android app, but only as AZW3 to e-link devices. I took a couple of these KFX comics and copied them to my e-ink kindle. After doing do I found that they all supported fast page turns and pinch-zoom, but there was no way to activate the individual panel view. It looks like Amazon still has some work to do in their comic implementation.

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