Amazon Calibre issue?

jmmcg9 · 08-26-2020, 12:41 AM

I have been unsuccessful in loading the last two books I purchased from Amazon to my Calibre library. They are grayed out. Did something change in the file format for kindle books. The books are “A Furious Sky” and “Hoax”. Note I also purchased a couple of older NFL books that presented no issue. Both of the problem books are new releases. I am bummed as I am ready to load them on my Kobo Forma.
Thanks, Joe

DNSB · 08-26-2020, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmcg9

I have been unsuccessful in loading the last two books I purchased from Amazon to my Calibre library. They are grayed out. Did something change in the file format for kindle books. The books are “A Furious Sky” and “Hoax”. Note I also purchased a couple of older NFL books that presented no issue. Both of the problem books are new releases. I am bummed as I am ready to load them on my Kobo Forma.
Thanks, Joe

How did you transfer them from Amazon to your computer? If you used Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac, what version? What operating system are you using?

jmmcg9 · 08-26-2020, 04:37 PM

Hi David,
I downloaded the files from the Amazon “Manage your content and Devices” web page by clicking on the “Actions” box and selecting “Download & transfer via USB”. The files end up in my Download folder on my iMac (Catalina 10.15.6).
Then in Calibre I click on “Add books” and navigate to my Download folder. Normal Amazon books without the issue show up with the .azw or .azw3 extension and work ok. The new books are grayed out (filtered for “books”) unless I choose “All files”. Then I can select them but I get an error in Calibre about problems adding some files. Note when I “get info” about these files it says they are “TextEdit.app Document”. I have my iMac set to show file extensions. These files don’t show an extension when listed in a Finder window. In Calibre if I try to convert the file from the Convert Books menu, I get a message that the file has no e-book files.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Joe

gbm · 08-26-2020, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmcg9

Hi David,
I downloaded the files from the Amazon “Manage your content and Devices” web page by clicking on the “Actions” box and selecting “Download & transfer via USB”. The files end up in my Download folder on my iMac (Catalina 10.15.6).
Then in Calibre I click on “Add books” and navigate to my Download folder. Normal Amazon books without the issue show up with the .azw or .azw3 extension and work ok. The new books are grayed out (filtered for “books”) unless I choose “All files”. Then I can select them but I get an error in Calibre about problems adding some files. Note when I “get info” about these files it says they are “TextEdit.app Document”. I have my iMac set to show file extensions. These files don’t show an extension when listed in a Finder window. In Calibre if I try to convert the file from the Convert Books menu, I get a message that the file has no e-book files.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Joe

Install the KFX Input plugin, then delete and re-import.

bernie

jmmcg9 · 08-26-2020, 09:13 PM

Bernie,
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I tried it with no luck. Those two books are still grayed out.
Thanks
Joe

jmmcg9 · 08-26-2020, 09:54 PM

Here is the error I get when trying to add to Calibre. Note my iMac defaults to book extensions to filter down to e-books. I have to choose all files to make the download available to select. I have attached an image of the error.
Thanks,
Joe

shalym · 08-26-2020, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmcg9

I have been unsuccessful in loading the last two books I purchased from Amazon to my Calibre library. They are grayed out. Did something change in the file format for kindle books. The books are “A Furious Sky” and “Hoax”. Note I also purchased a couple of older NFL books that presented no issue. Both of the problem books are new releases. I am bummed as I am ready to load them on my Kobo Forma.
Thanks, Joe

Are you sure that they are completely downloaded? "Furious Sky" is 50 MB. Have you tried deleting the files from your Mac and re-downloading them?

Shari

jmmcg9 · 08-26-2020, 11:57 PM

Shari,
Good question, no I am not. However to test that possibility, I downloaded another book, Puckoon, from my Amazon account using the same method. It shows up as expected with a .azw3 extension. So my issue is in the download to my iMac from the Manage Content page in my Amazon account.for these two specific books. Note I can open them on my iPhone with the Kindle Reader app.
This brings me back to my original question. Has Amazon changed something in the file format? or DRM? Hopefully not for their sake as my solution would be to purchase from the Kobo Store instead.
Thanks,
Joe
PS I am reading A Furious Sky on my iPad. Good & timely book on the history of hurricanes in the USA. Highly recommended, maybe someone else will purchase and test the download....

jmmcg9 · 08-27-2020, 12:06 AM

Shari,
I forgot to mention that I did delete the files from my Mac and download again as mentioned by Bernie above. All of my Plug-ins are up to date, but my understanding is they don't come into play until I load the books to Calibre.
Thanks,
Joe

Barbara1955 · 08-27-2020, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shalym

Are you sure that they are completely downloaded? "Furious Sky" is 50 MB. Have you tried deleting the files from your Mac and re-downloading them?

Shari

It Not that big ...450 pages

gbm · 08-27-2020, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

It Not that big ...450 pages

A Furious Sky has 122 images in it.

I download the sample using my windows 10 VM with Kindle for PC 1.24.3 build 51068 with kfx turned off. It loaded up in the calibre ebook viewer on my Linux system with no problems.

bernie

Barbara1955 · 08-27-2020, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbm

A Furious Sky has 122 images in it.

I download the sample using my windows 10 VM with Kindle for PC 1.24.3 build 51068 with kfx turned off. It loaded up in the calibre ebook viewer on my Linux system with no problems.

bernie

So I have this: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Harv...s%2C158&sr=8-1

40,336 pages had no problems downloading to PC [slow internet mps3] or Calibre Converting it 3x 52.4 MB

Deskisamess · 08-27-2020, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

It Not that big ...450 pages

Publication Date : August 4, 2020
Publisher : Liveright; Illustrated Edition (August 4, 2020)
File Size : 50962 KB
Word Wise : Enabled
Print Length : 415 pages
Language: : English
ASIN : B07ZTTHPB8
Enhanced Typesetting : Enabled
Text-to-Speech : Not enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Lending : Not Enabled

50962 KB=50 mb

jmmcg9 · 08-27-2020, 11:13 AM

Barbara,
I downloaded the Harvard Complete Classics and it shows up as a normal book. No issues. This may solve my problem. If I start reading those classics I may never need to download another book!

I think this tells me the issue is related to the images. I still have my Kindle Oasis. I tried to load the book from The Kindle to Calibre. I found the book file buried inside a couple of folders (I think it was .kfx). I loaded that file but still got errors. I did notice that there were a lot of other files on the kindle for this book compared to other books. So I am guessing that there is something different about Kindle books with extensive images. I wonder if there are any clues about these differences in these files that I can detect before I commit to purchasing the book on Amazon?
Thanks,
Joe

Barbara1955 · 08-27-2020, 12:11 PM

You have 7 days to return a ebook for refund. When I run into ones I cant convert to epub I return & buy else where.

08-26-2020, 12:41 AM	#1
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Amazon Calibre issue? I have been unsuccessful in loading the last two books I purchased from Amazon to my Calibre library. They are grayed out. Did something change in the file format for kindle books. The books are “A Furious Sky” and “Hoax”. Note I also purchased a couple of older NFL books that presented no issue. Both of the problem books are new releases. I am bummed as I am ready to load them on my Kobo Forma. Thanks, Joe

08-26-2020, 09:54 PM	#6
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Error message Here is the error I get when trying to add to Calibre. Note my iMac defaults to book extensions to filter down to e-books. I have to choose all files to make the download available to select. I have attached an image of the error. Thanks, Joe Attached Thumbnails

08-26-2020, 11:57 PM	#8
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Amazon Calibre issue? Shari, Good question, no I am not. However to test that possibility, I downloaded another book, Puckoon, from my Amazon account using the same method. It shows up as expected with a .azw3 extension. So my issue is in the download to my iMac from the Manage Content page in my Amazon account.for these two specific books. Note I can open them on my iPhone with the Kindle Reader app. This brings me back to my original question. Has Amazon changed something in the file format? or DRM? Hopefully not for their sake as my solution would be to purchase from the Kobo Store instead. Thanks, Joe PS I am reading A Furious Sky on my iPad. Good & timely book on the history of hurricanes in the USA. Highly recommended, maybe someone else will purchase and test the download.... Attached Thumbnails

08-27-2020, 12:06 AM	#9
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Shari, I forgot to mention that I did delete the files from my Mac and download again as mentioned by Bernie above. All of my Plug-ins are up to date, but my understanding is they don't come into play until I load the books to Calibre. Thanks, Joe Attached Thumbnails

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Calibre issue: not detecting any books on Amazon Fire 10.1" (10th Gen.)	imladenol	Amazon Kindle	11	08-14-2020 02:42 AM
Amazon Highlights issue	Josieb1	Amazon Kindle	9	08-24-2014 06:28 AM
Alt Hist Issue 2 currently Free on Amazon.com	Mark Lord	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	0	08-02-2012 03:43 PM
CA group boycotts Amazon over tax issue	L.J. Sellers	News	41	08-18-2011 05:00 PM

08-26-2020, 04:37 PM	#3
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Hi David, I downloaded the files from the Amazon “Manage your content and Devices” web page by clicking on the “Actions” box and selecting “Download & transfer via USB”. The files end up in my Download folder on my iMac (Catalina 10.15.6). Then in Calibre I click on “Add books” and navigate to my Download folder. Normal Amazon books without the issue show up with the .azw or .azw3 extension and work ok. The new books are grayed out (filtered for “books”) unless I choose “All files”. Then I can select them but I get an error in Calibre about problems adding some files. Note when I “get info” about these files it says they are “TextEdit.app Document”. I have my iMac set to show file extensions. These files don’t show an extension when listed in a Finder window. In Calibre if I try to convert the file from the Convert Books menu, I get a message that the file has no e-book files. Any thoughts? Thanks, Joe

08-26-2020, 09:13 PM	#5
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Bernie, Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I tried it with no luck. Those two books are still grayed out. Thanks Joe

08-27-2020, 11:13 AM	#14
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	Barbara, I downloaded the Harvard Complete Classics and it shows up as a normal book. No issues. This may solve my problem. If I start reading those classics I may never need to download another book! I think this tells me the issue is related to the images. I still have my Kindle Oasis. I tried to load the book from The Kindle to Calibre. I found the book file buried inside a couple of folders (I think it was .kfx). I loaded that file but still got errors. I did notice that there were a lot of other files on the kindle for this book compared to other books. So I am guessing that there is something different about Kindle books with extensive images. I wonder if there are any clues about these differences in these files that I can detect before I commit to purchasing the book on Amazon? Thanks, Joe

08-27-2020, 12:11 PM	#15
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	You have 7 days to return a ebook for refund. When I run into ones I cant convert to epub I return & buy else where.