Does .pdb even exist anymore?

benham · 12-14-2010, 09:30 PM

I have about 70 books for my Palm PDA in the .pdb format. Now Palm merged with HP and has no interest in handhelds. This is ok since there are much better ways to read ebooks. Can the .pdb files be converted to epub or PDF?

Thanks!

mdb139 · 12-14-2010, 09:42 PM

.pdb is a container format and could contain any number of content types. If these are books that were bought from Peanut Press (I think that's what it was originally) -- now eReader.com, they are still in business, though Fictionwise bought them and B&N bought Fictionwise (it's a mess). You can still read the content, though, on a number of platforms. Go to ereader.com and click on "Software" in the left colum.

Or, you can liberate the books and then use Calibre to convert them to a different format. Search for Dark Reverser for help with the former. We're not allowed to discuss the details of removing DRM here, but it's relatively straight-forward assuming you still have the credit card numbers used when the books were purchased.

Good luck!

DixieGal · 12-14-2010, 09:48 PM

Are you spying on me? Just last week, I downloaded the Ereader app and my old .pdb books from Fictionwise. Hate the reading app, but Calibre won't convert to ePub without removing DRM. I need to learn to do that so that I can read them in the Kindle app. But yes, it does seem that pdb is becoming obsolete. Like my many many EBW books. What was that format? OEM or something, I think?

BTW, the Ereader app for PC will still let you read them.

HarryT · 12-15-2010, 11:38 AM

What format are you asking about? As stated, "pdb" (like "prc") is simply a container format. We can't answer your question unless you tell us what actual eBook format you're referring to.

wayrad · 12-15-2010, 11:48 AM

It's pretty much bound to be either Ereader format or Mobi, and there are ways to deal with both.

Dark Reverser and Apprentice Alf are the gurus to consult.

HarryT · 12-15-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayrad

It's pretty much bound to be either Ereader format or Mobi, and there are ways to deal with both.

Dark Reverser and Apprentice Alf are the gurus to consult.

No - Mobi books use a "prc" extension, not "pdb". The commonly encountered pdb contents are PalmDoc and eReader, but there are others. That's why I asked the question.

daffy4u · 12-15-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

No - Mobi books use a "prc" extension, not "pdb". The commonly encountered pdb contents are PalmDoc and eReader, but there are others. That's why I asked the question.

Is there a way to tell?

HarryT · 12-15-2010, 12:49 PM

Yes. Open the book in a text editor, such as Windows Notepad. It will display as garbage, because it's a binary file of course, but almost at the start of the file there will be an 8 character string which identifies the format. For a Mobipocket book, for example, these say "BOOKMOBI", for eReader it's "PNRdPPrs" (from its original name "Peanut Reader / Peanut Press"), and for PalmDoc "TEXtREAd".

DixieGal · 12-15-2010, 01:01 PM

Mine are the "secure eraser" format from Fictionwise.

daffy4u · 12-15-2010, 01:08 PM

Thanks HarryT! I should have some old Peanut Press books backed up somewhere (probably on some 3.5 inch diskettes).

DaleDe · 12-15-2010, 03:32 PM

There is a full discussion of PDB in our wiki.

Dale

MCSwan · 12-15-2010, 04:41 PM

Can I get a link to the wiki? Searching for pdb gives me no results.

Never mind... found it. Followed wrong link of home page.

Hi, I'm a newbie!

wayrad · 12-15-2010, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

No - Mobi books use a "prc" extension, not "pdb".

Most do, but not all.

But I should have mentioned the possibility of it being unencrypted Palm DOC format.

benham · 12-17-2010, 09:54 AM

Thank you everyone for these responses. They are quite interesting. I thought .pdb was the format. All of my files were on Palm/Store which no longer exists. If they were supposed to get transferred over to Fictionwise, they did not. Got the runaround from HP/Palm who sent me to PocketGear who had no idea why they did that. I did discover that I need a Bluetooth adapter to hotsync my PDA. I also remembered that all of the files are backed up on my netbook. My daughter found a Bookshelf app for reading these on an iPod Touch, which I don't have but would like to get. I'll check out wiki.

Thanks!

12-14-2010, 09:30 PM	#1
benham Guru Posts: 882 Karma: 5565888 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Townsend, WI Device: Palm TX, PRS-505 (BLUE)	Does .pdb even exist anymore? I have about 70 books for my Palm PDA in the .pdb format. Now Palm merged with HP and has no interest in handhelds. This is ok since there are much better ways to read ebooks. Can the .pdb files be converted to epub or PDF? Thanks!

12-15-2010, 11:48 AM	#5
wayrad Fanatic Posts: 551 Karma: 1121392 Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Device: HTC One M8	It's pretty much bound to be either Ereader format or Mobi, and there are ways to deal with both. Dark Reverser and Apprentice Alf are the gurus to consult. Last edited by wayrad; 12-15-2010 at 11:51 AM.

12-15-2010, 04:41 PM	#12
MCSwan Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Multiple	Can I get a link to the wiki? Searching for pdb gives me no results. Never mind... found it. Followed wrong link of home page. Hi, I'm a newbie! Last edited by MCSwan; 12-15-2010 at 04:44 PM.

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12-14-2010, 09:42 PM	#2
mdb139 Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 472468 Join Date: Dec 2005 Device: Android (Samsung Captivate)	.pdb is a container format and could contain any number of content types. If these are books that were bought from Peanut Press (I think that's what it was originally) -- now eReader.com, they are still in business, though Fictionwise bought them and B&N bought Fictionwise (it's a mess). You can still read the content, though, on a number of platforms. Go to ereader.com and click on "Software" in the left colum. Or, you can liberate the books and then use Calibre to convert them to a different format. Search for Dark Reverser for help with the former. We're not allowed to discuss the details of removing DRM here, but it's relatively straight-forward assuming you still have the credit card numbers used when the books were purchased. Good luck!

12-14-2010, 09:48 PM	#3
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Are you spying on me? Just last week, I downloaded the Ereader app and my old .pdb books from Fictionwise. Hate the reading app, but Calibre won't convert to ePub without removing DRM. I need to learn to do that so that I can read them in the Kindle app. But yes, it does seem that pdb is becoming obsolete. Like my many many EBW books. What was that format? OEM or something, I think? BTW, the Ereader app for PC will still let you read them.

12-15-2010, 11:38 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	What format are you asking about? As stated, "pdb" (like "prc") is simply a container format. We can't answer your question unless you tell us what actual eBook format you're referring to.

12-15-2010, 12:49 PM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes. Open the book in a text editor, such as Windows Notepad. It will display as garbage, because it's a binary file of course, but almost at the start of the file there will be an 8 character string which identifies the format. For a Mobipocket book, for example, these say "BOOKMOBI", for eReader it's "PNRdPPrs" (from its original name "Peanut Reader / Peanut Press"), and for PalmDoc "TEXtREAd".

12-15-2010, 01:01 PM	#9
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Mine are the "secure eraser" format from Fictionwise.

12-15-2010, 01:08 PM	#10
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	Thanks HarryT! I should have some old Peanut Press books backed up somewhere (probably on some 3.5 inch diskettes).

12-15-2010, 03:32 PM	#11
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	There is a full discussion of PDB in our wiki. Dale

12-17-2010, 09:54 AM	#14
benham Guru Posts: 882 Karma: 5565888 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Townsend, WI Device: Palm TX, PRS-505 (BLUE)	Thank you everyone for these responses. They are quite interesting. I thought .pdb was the format. All of my files were on Palm/Store which no longer exists. If they were supposed to get transferred over to Fictionwise, they did not. Got the runaround from HP/Palm who sent me to PocketGear who had no idea why they did that. I did discover that I need a Bluetooth adapter to hotsync my PDA. I also remembered that all of the files are backed up on my netbook. My daughter found a Bookshelf app for reading these on an iPod Touch, which I don't have but would like to get. I'll check out wiki. Thanks!