Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 and KFX in calibre

[marwin74]

Thank you for your hard work with this! For the first time I can use my non Kindle device with my Amazon purchases. Amazing! Thanks!

[Ubtree]

I use Calibre with a Kindle, and although I am basically competent when it comes to PCs, I've been struggling to understand the issues surrounding using Calibre with the .kfx format.

I have installed the latest versions of Calibre, the .kfx input plugin and the DeDRM plugin, and I understand how to download e-books using Kindle for PC 1.7 (instead of the latest version) and how to transfer them into Calibre. And I share everyone's frustration at how clunky this is compared with transferring .mobi files directly from Kindle to PC using a USB cable.

Is it the case that, even with the .kfx input plugin and the latest DeDRM, it is still not possible to transfer files from the Kindle to Calibre nor to transfer to Calibre .kfx files downloaded using the latest version of Kindle for PC?

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Ubtree

Is it the case that, even with the .kfx input plugin and the latest DeDRM, it is still not possible to transfer files from the Kindle to Calibre nor to transfer to Calibre .kfx files downloaded using the latest version of Kindle for PC?

Yes, that is the case. Amazon updated the DRM used in Kindle for PC and e-ink Kindle firmware and DeDRM does not currently handle it. (It is up to individual developers to take an interest, come up with solutions and contribute them to that project on Apprentice Harper's GitHub. Nothing has been forthcoming so far.)

[Ubtree]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Yes, that is the case. Amazon updated the DRM used in Kindle for PC and e-ink Kindle firmware and DeDRM does not currently handle it. (It is up to individual developers to take an interest, come up with solutions and contribute them to that project on Apprentice Harper's GitHub. Nothing has been forthcoming so far.)

Thank you for the confirmation. I'll just have to keep hoping!

And thank you for all the work that you yourself do for the community.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Ubtree

I understand how to download e-books using Kindle for PC 1.7 (instead of the latest version) and how to transfer them into Calibre. And I share everyone's frustration at how clunky this is compared with transferring .mobi files directly from Kindle to PC using a USB cable.

To each their own, I guess. I find it much easier to use Kindle for PC with calibre. In a pinch, I'd download from the website before transferring files from the device itself. I have a Kindle Touch just in case other options stop working, but that would be last resort.

[megthered]

I don't have a Kindle device and use Calibre for my ebooks, except now I can't.
I have downloaded Kindle 1.17 but it won't register or download over the 1.25. I have downloaded DeDrm and the KFX plugin but it doesn't work with 1.25. I have followed the directions exactly and I don't know what more I can do. This hasn't been a problem previously, but the KFX is eliminating Kindle books as an option for me. I don't mind reading on the Kindle app, but it's just the principal of Amazon.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by megthered

I don't have a Kindle device and use Calibre for my ebooks, except now I can't.
I have downloaded Kindle 1.17 but it won't register or download over the 1.25. I have downloaded DeDrm and the KFX plugin but it doesn't work with 1.25. I have followed the directions exactly and I don't know what more I can do. This hasn't been a problem previously, but the KFX is eliminating Kindle books as an option for me. I don't mind reading on the Kindle app, but it's just the principal of Amazon.

You need to uninstall higher versions, to install a lower version. In many cases, your settings (and books) are preserved

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by megthered

I have downloaded Kindle 1.17 but it won't register or download over the 1.25.

Are you on a Mac or PC?

I just now installed Kindle for PC version 1.17 over version 1.25 on my PC and was able to register it and download books without any problems.

[johnelle]

I had been living on the edge by letting Kindle update and keeping up with the plugins. However today without asking it updated itself to 1.26 and even though I updated the plug-in to 6.6.3 no joy.

...two steps back

Dear Amazon: I PAID for these books and the tools I use to manage them is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!

[lkmiller]

Yup, still need to stick with 1.24 or earlier to work with Alf's tools.

[rbpeirce]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

Yup, still need to stick with 1.24 or earlier to work with Alf's tools.

Not quite true. I've used Mac 1.25.2 by making renderer-test unexecutable and downloading but not opening before transferring to Calibre. I haven't tried 1.26.1 yet.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by rbpeirce

Not quite true. I've used Mac 1.25.2 by making renderer-test unexecutable and downloading but not opening before transferring to Calibre. I haven't tried 1.26.1 yet.

That's Mac only though and it adds some gotchas. Mind, I can't recall if 1.25 is required on 64-bit only MacOS.

Kindle 1.17 downloads AZW3 files and Kindle 1.19 - 1.24 downloads KFX files that work with DeDRM tools without further tinkering. Unless there's a need for higher versions, easier to just stick with those.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by rbpeirce

Not quite true. I've used Mac 1.25.2 by making renderer-test unexecutable and downloading but not opening before transferring to Calibre. I haven't tried 1.26.1 yet.

It works on Mac 1.26.1 as well.

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

... Kindle 1.17 downloads AZW3 files and Kindle 1.19 - 1.24 downloads KFX files that work with DeDRM tools without further tinkering. Unless there's a need for higher versions, easier to just stick with those.

Not sure what tinkering you're referring to. As long as you download without opening (right-click>Download or menu bar File>Download instead of double-clicking the book), you get a perfectly normal KF8/azw3 that works fine with Alf without further tinkering.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by odamizu

Not sure what tinkering you're referring to. As long as you download without opening (right-click>Download or menu bar File>Download instead of double-clicking the book), you get a perfectly normal KF8/azw3 that works fine with Alf without further tinkering.

Yeah, I'm aware. I just couldn't think of the proper term to use. Closest I could think of was tinkering and fine print so went with the former.

Besides, afaik, that trick only works for Macs. Those on Windows still need to stick to K4PC 1.24 or lower.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

.. Besides, afaik, that trick only works for Macs. Those on Windows still need to stick to K4PC 1.24 or lower.

Not denying it only works for Mac. True that Windows users still need to stick to K4PC 1.24 or lower. But that doesn't mean Mac users should be discouraged from using 1.25+. Downloading without opening is not a big deal. Some people do that anyway for reasons having nothing to do with DeDRM.