Text wrapping around pictures: yes on epub, no on mobi?

[kevin_y]

I have an HTML file with pictures being wrapped around with text, and Calibre successfully converted it into epub that retained the text-wrapping (screenshot of Google Play Books Android app). I converted the same HTML file to mobi, but the text-wrapping was not retained (screenshot of Kindle Android app). Notice the font size of the picture caption also differs in the two. The epub retains the correct font size from the HTML and the mobi doesn't. Am I missing something or is such text-wrapping not supported in mobi? The HTML file is from this Gutenberg book named "Trilby" (where the classic character "Svengali" came from). Only the HTML version of the book has the text-wrapping I mentioned. The epub and mobi versions do not.

[kovidgoyal]

Convert to azw3 not mobi

[kevin_y]

Kindle doesn't allow azw3 to be uploaded as personal documents. That's why I had to use mobi.

[kovidgoyal]

MOBI doesnt support CSS it's based on HTML 3. And you can send azw3 just fine using the USB connection.

[kevin_y]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

MOBI doesnt support CSS it's based on HTML 3. And you can send azw3 just fine using the USB connection.

Even if I copy the azw3 ebook to my Android phone, the Android Kindle app doesn't open it, as it is designed to only open ebooks in the Kindle cloud, which I can't upload the azw3 to.

EDIT:

I found a way to "side-load" the azw3 to the Kindle app. I copied the azw3 file to the phone's internal storage -> kindle folder. And it showed up in the Kindle app. It's not ideal, as I lose the advantage of the cloud; but I guess this would have to do. I guess iPhone users are out of luck on this one, as that thing's security probably wouldn't allow this.

One problem I've found with the side-loaded ebook is that when I try to copy text, I get the "exceeds the copy limit" error (screenshot).

The text-wrapping in the azw3 as seen on the Kindle Android app looks like this, which still doesn't look as good as it does on epub with the Google Play Books Android app.

[kevin_y]

I was able to "side-load" the azw3 to the Kindle app by copying it to the phone's internal storage -> kindle folder. One problem I've found is that when I try to copy text, I get the "exceeds the copy limit" error (screenshot). Also, the text-wrapping in the azw3 as seen on the Kindle Android app looks like this, which still doesn't look as good as it does on epub with the Google Play Books Android app.

[ps67]

Just to try: what happens if You convert Your book in KFX and then You copy it into Yours phone's internal storage -> kindle folder?

[kevin_y]

Originally Posted by ps67

Just to try: what happens if You convert Your book in KFX and then You copy it into Yours phone's internal storage -> kindle folder?

With the KFX format, the pictures look much bigger; but in landscape view, text-wrapping does work. However, while switching between landscape and portrait view, (1) some pictures may disappear, and/or (2) I may be taken to a totally different location in the book, and/or (3) the Kindle app may simply stop responding to my touch inputs in landscape view. It just feels completely wonky. None of these occur in any other versions (epub, mobi, azw3) of this same book. I used the latest Calibre 5.2.0 version and the latest KFX Output plugin version dated Sep-12-2020.

I'll try this later on my Android tablet. It'll probably work better with a larger screen, because it works beautifully on the desktop Windows Kindle application with none of the above issues (screenshot).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kevin_y

I was able to "side-load" the azw3 to the Kindle app by copying it to the phone's internal storage -> kindle folder. One problem I've found is that when I try to copy text, I get the "exceeds the copy limit" error (screenshot). Also, the text-wrapping in the azw3 as seen on the Kindle Android app looks like this, which still doesn't look as good as it does on epub with the Google Play Books Android app.

So wny not read the ePub as ePub since it works better?

[kevin_y]

Just want to add that the text-wrapping is intended to place the pictures right next to the correct text, just like in a physical book.

The kfx version of the book, when seen on desktop Windows Kindle app, shows correct placements of the picture and text. Each picture is right next to the text the describes it (screenshot):

But when seen on my Android phone (Galaxy S10), Kindle puts this picture at the wrong place. The text shown is actually from several paragraphs later (screenshot):

The epub version on the Android Google Play Books app also shows correct text/picture placements in both portrait (pic 1, 2) and landscape (pic 1, 2). The picture of Taffy is right next to the text "He was good-looking, with straight features..." And the picture of "the Laird of Cockpen" is right next to text that describes such.

[JSWolf]

So why are you not reading the ePub instead of trying to go through all this hassle reading it in the Kindle app?

[kevin_y]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So wny not read the ePub as ePub since it works better?

I've never used an epub reader as good as the Kindle reader, that's why. The latest Google Play Books Android app, for instance, can't even take you back to a previous view. And the Aldiko app can't zoom in pictures. I can get by if I don't have these requirements for an epub. But if I do, such as for this particular book, I have to get a Kindle version to avoid the headache.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kevin_y

I've never used an epub reader as good as the Kindle reader, that's why. The latest Google Play Books Android app, for instance, can't even take you back to a previous view. And the Aldiko app can't zoom in pictures. I can get by if I don't have these requirements for an epub. But if I do, such as for this particular book, I have to get a Kindle version to avoid the headache.

I've read the Pocketbook app for Android is supposed to be good for reading ePub.

[kevin_y]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've read the Pocketbook app for Android is supposed to be good for reading ePub.

The default font used by Pocketbook is always the boring Arial font which almost no author would use. I have to open the book on another epub reader that actually shows the book's original font, then go back to Pocketbook to choose a similar font. Such hassle is a deal breaker for me. Also, its search function shows results in the old-fashioned way: one by one by jumping from page to page. This is done much better in other readers like Kindle and Aldiko which show a list of excerpts of text containing the search word(s).