.nocx file not surviving sync to Kindle

[ElMiko]

When I open an EPUB-to-MOBI conversion in the calibre viewer, it shows nested chapter headings in the TOC navigation panel as intended (for both the EPUB and the converted MOBI). But when I sync it to my K4, the TOC navigation bar only shows the first level of chapter headings (<h1>).

Help?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by ElMiko

When I open an EPUB-to-MOBI conversion in the calibre viewer, it shows nested chapter headings in the TOC navigation panel as intended (for both the EPUB and the converted MOBI). But when I sync it to my K4, the TOC navigation bar only shows the first level of chapter headings (<h1>).

I can't help but the calibre viewer essentially does a quick and dirty conversion to epub of any book it views. So your mobi is converted before viewing in calibre.

[ElMiko]

@dwanthny—Thanks for the tip... that, at least, explains part of it! Is the reason you can't help because you don't have a Kindle or because I've left out some relevant information. If it's the latter (or both, even), please let me know—it wouldn't be the first time that i've effectively asked an incomplete question.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by ElMiko

@dwanthny—Thanks for the tip... that, at least, explains part of it! Is the reason you can't help because you don't have a Kindle

I don't have a kindle and I'm not familiar with the details of any of their formats.

Good Reading!

[kovidgoyal]

MOBI has no support for nested entries in NCX (on Amazon's renderer's anyway). Use azw3.

[apastuszak]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

MOBI has no support for nested entries in NCX (on Amazon's renderer's anyway). Use azw3.

So, now that KF8 is here, are you pulling less of your hair out Kovid?

Is it now possible to covert an ePub to azw3 and not lose any formatting?

Andy

[kovidgoyal]

I assume you are being sarcastic

Let's just say that amazon cannot even make their own software render azw3 the same across devices. They use completely different render stacks on different devices, you can get some idea by downloading the Kindle Previewer and looking at all the frameworks it bundles. And I wont even get into all the internal idiocies in the KF8 format design that it took forever to reverse engineer.

Still, KF8 is better than MOBI

[ElMiko]

@kovid—Thanks for explaining that to me (so simple even I can grasp it!). Is there any way to, using calibre's conversion dialogue, un-nest the ncx file?

[kovidgoyal]

If you're using MOBI use the go to table of contents action which will take you to the inline table of contents (as opposed to the ncx toc), which will have all entries.

[ElMiko]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If you're using MOBI use the go to table of contents action which will take you to the inline table of contents (as opposed to the ncx toc), which will have all entries.

@kovid - I take it you mean when using the kindle device. (I always have the "add an Inline TOC" option checked in calibre, so big thanks for that functionality!)

I'm just curious if there's a way to get calibre to re-align the ncx file during conversion from epub, or is parsing the various </navpoint> end tags too complex?

[kovidgoyal]

There's no point in doing so. The MOBI file has a perfectly functional inline TOC and no other format suffers from this limitation.

[ElMiko]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

There's no point in doing so. The MOBI file has a perfectly functional inline TOC and no other format suffers from this limitation.

I understand your point, it's just that it isn't a TOC that's navigable from the main body of the book without going into a dropdown menu (in order to access the inline TOC). Nevertheless, something tells me that, particularly with the growing popularity of touch screens, the directional-arrows-based navigation will eventually go the way of all flesh, rendering my question even more moot.... but who knows?

As always, thanks for your patience and your help!