Books Starting at Chapter 1 - Page 2

Bookstooge · 08-19-2022, 08:30 AM

For me, my azw3 books, converted from epub and sideloaded to my oasis, usually open at chapter 1. Not 100% of the time, but I'd say about 90% of the time. I've just gotten to the point where I accept it and push the back button until the cover shows up

Kusuri · 08-19-2022, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Yeah. Remove the DRM and sideload. Books open at the cover.

for me, they don't.
i read tons of lightnovels who have a cover on the first page, and its always skipping those. tried mobi and epub, happens with both (normal kindle reader app and jailbreak apps)

Sirtel · 08-19-2022, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookstooge

For me, my azw3 books, converted from epub and sideloaded to my oasis, usually open at chapter 1. Not 100% of the time, but I'd say about 90% of the time. I've just gotten to the point where I accept it and push the back button until the cover shows up

Hmm weird then.

I tried on my Oasis yesterday. Almost all the books I tried opened on the first page after the cover. Only one opened at the first chapter.

My Oasis has been offline for years. I wonder if that makes a difference? Otherwise it will probably remain a mystery.

JSWolf · 08-19-2022, 09:45 AM

So who is the idiot at Amazon that decided that eBooks on a Kindle aren't allowed to open at the first page?

Quoth · 08-20-2022, 06:51 AM

Statistically the bigger an organisation, the more likely it will have an idiot in charge of something and can survive it.

Bookstooge · 08-20-2022, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Hmm weird then.

I tried on my Oasis yesterday. Almost all the books I tried opened on the first page after the cover. Only one opened at the first chapter.

My Oasis has been offline for years. I wonder if that makes a difference? Otherwise it will probably remain a mystery.

I registered my oasis when I bought it and then put it in airplane mode. Hasn't touched the internet since at least '17. A mystery it is then. If the culprit gets tracked down though, I'll be curious as to what the solution is.

Notjohn · 08-22-2022, 11:02 AM

You can always page back, of course.

I once borrowed Erik Larson's book about the Galveston Hurricane from the state e-brary, fulfilled at Amazon, and was puzzled by references to people who hadn't previously been introduced. I finally discovered that Mr Larson had written an essential prologue, which the KDP version skipped over because it wasn't Chapter One.

JSWolf · 08-22-2022, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notjohn

You can always page back, of course.

I once borrowed Erik Larson's book about the Galveston Hurricane from the state e-brary, fulfilled at Amazon, and was puzzled by references to people who hadn't previously been introduced. I finally discovered that Mr Larson had written an essential prologue, which the KDP version skipped over because it wasn't Chapter One.

Why does Amazon think this is a good idea when it it a terrible idea?

Quoth · 08-22-2022, 12:56 PM

Also some people confuse Prologue (not skipable) with Preface (sometimes best skipped esp. if book of dead person). So we recommend that "Prologue" be called "Chapter 1" or whatever.

But Amazon are crazy not opening the book at the start, or at least just after the cover. It's so arrogant!

j.p.s · 08-22-2022, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Also some people confuse Prologue (not skipable) with Preface (sometimes best skipped esp. if book of dead person). So we recommend that "Prologue" be called "Chapter 1" or whatever.

But Amazon are crazy not opening the book at the start, or at least just after the cover. It's so arrogant!

amazon has plenty of arrogance, but in this case I suspect they did a study years ago and concluded that most people just wanted an ebook to open for the first time at the beginning of the first chapter. That probably got implemented without considering subtleties like prologues. Well, I guess arrogance does play a part, since it is technically possible for the author/publisher to set the initial opening position and amazon imposes its own.

JSWolf · 08-22-2022, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.p.s

amazon has plenty of arrogance, but in this case I suspect they did a study years ago and concluded that most people just wanted an ebook to open for the first time at the beginning of the first chapter. That probably got implemented without considering subtleties like prologues. Well, I guess arrogance does play a part, since it is technically possible for the author/publisher to set the initial opening position and amazon imposes its own.

Do you know how to set where the a KF8 eBook opens?

j.p.s · 08-22-2022, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do you know how to set where the a KF8 eBook opens?

No, I do not know.

Skydog · 08-22-2022, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Yeah. Remove the DRM and sideload. Books open at the cover.

Never in my experience with any sideloaded books, azw3 or converted epub => azw3.

thiago.eec · 08-22-2022, 05:59 PM

I have a Kindle Paperwhite 7th Gen.

This works 100% of time here:

If the source of your sideloaded book is an EPUB or AZW3, you can check the opf file for the <guide> section and set the bold entry:

Code:

<guide>
    <reference href="text/part0002.html#unrHhdowLssGAxfyCOhMBbB" title="start" type="text"/>
    <reference href="titlepage.xhtml" title="Cover" type="cover"/>
    <reference href="text/part0034.html#uAaqBmMhAvqGpEMFJtLckR9" title="Table of Content" type="toc"/>
</guide>

It doesn't matter the title, the file name, the ID (#someID) or anything like that. What matter is type="text". The file referenced with this type is going to be the first page displayed when you first open the book on your kindle device.

If you have an EPUB3 file, it usually has the same <guide> section in the opf, but in case it doesn't, you must look for the TOC file (usually toc.xhtml; to be sure: it is marked on the opf with properties="nav"). There, look for this:

Code:

<nav hidden="" id="landmarks" epub:type="landmarks">
    <h1 class="calibre4" id="calibre_pb_1">Guia</h1>
    <ol class="calibre5">
      <li class="calibre6">
        <a class="calibre7" href="cover_page.xhtml" epub:type="cover">Capa</a>
      </li>
      <li class="calibre6">
        <a class="calibre7" href="part0000.xhtml#aid-1" epub:type="titlepage">Folha de rosto</a>
      </li>
      <li class="calibre6">
        <a class="calibre7" href="part0088.xhtml#uDGp5c4xU8pnuYlEtOpUzGE" epub:type="copyright-page">Página de créditos</a>
      </li>
      <li class="calibre6">
        <a class="calibre7" href="part0001.xhtml#toc" epub:type="toc">Sumário</a>
      </li>
      <li class="calibre6">
        <a class="calibre7" href="part0003.xhtml#udUOo9WWW6Y5YZFfflORBe3" epub:type="bodymatter">Início</a>
      </li>
    </ol>
  </nav>

Here, you need to set the RED entry. The property used is epub:type="bodymatter". Again: it doesn't matter the text between the tags, the file name, the ID (#someID) or anything like that. Just use epub:type="bodymatter" to reference the file you want to be first viewed.

JSWolf · 08-22-2022, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

Never in my experience with any sideloaded books, azw3 or converted epub => azw3.

My experience is the same. DRM or no DRM, synced or side loaded, they won't open at the first page.

08-22-2022, 05:59 PM	#29
thiago.eec Wizard Posts: 1,292 Karma: 1428263 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Goiânia - Brazil Device: iPad, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis	I have a Kindle Paperwhite 7th Gen. This works 100% of time here: If the source of your sideloaded book is an EPUB or AZW3, you can check the opf file for the <guide> section and set the bold entry: Code: <guide> <reference href="text/part0002.html#unrHhdowLssGAxfyCOhMBbB" title="start" type="text"/> <reference href="titlepage.xhtml" title="Cover" type="cover"/> <reference href="text/part0034.html#uAaqBmMhAvqGpEMFJtLckR9" title="Table of Content" type="toc"/> </guide> It doesn't matter the title, the file name, the ID (#someID) or anything like that. What matter is *type="text". The file referenced with this type is going to be the first page displayed when you first open the book on your kindle device. If you have an EPUB3 file, it usually has the same <guide> section in the opf, but in case it doesn't, you must look for the TOC file (usually toc.xhtml; to be sure: it is marked on the opf with properties="nav"). There, look for this: Code: <nav hidden="" id="landmarks" epub:type="landmarks"> <h1 class="calibre4" id="calibre_pb_1">Guia</h1> <ol class="calibre5"> <li class="calibre6"> <a class="calibre7" href="cover_page.xhtml" epub:type="cover">Capa</a> </li> <li class="calibre6"> <a class="calibre7" href="part0000.xhtml#aid-1" epub:type="titlepage">Folha de rosto</a> </li> <li class="calibre6"> <a class="calibre7" href="part0088.xhtml#uDGp5c4xU8pnuYlEtOpUzGE" epub:type="copyright-page">Página de créditos</a> </li> <li class="calibre6"> <a class="calibre7" href="part0001.xhtml#toc" epub:type="toc">Sumário</a> </li> <li class="calibre6"> <a class="calibre7" href="part0003.xhtml#udUOo9WWW6Y5YZFfflORBe3" epub:type="bodymatter">Início</a>* </li> </ol> </nav> Here, you need to set the RED entry. The property used is epub:type="bodymatter". Again: it doesn't matter the text between the tags, the file name, the ID (#someID) or anything like that. Just use epub:type="bodymatter" to reference the file you want to be first viewed.

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08-19-2022, 08:30 AM	#16
Bookstooge Member Retired Posts: 805 Karma: 2091358 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Kindle Oasis 1st Gen, PB Era	For me, my azw3 books, converted from epub and sideloaded to my oasis, usually open at chapter 1. Not 100% of the time, but I'd say about 90% of the time. I've just gotten to the point where I accept it and push the back button until the cover shows up

08-19-2022, 09:45 AM	#19
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	So who is the idiot at Amazon that decided that eBooks on a Kindle aren't allowed to open at the first page?

08-20-2022, 06:51 AM	#20
Quoth Still reading Posts: 15,004 Karma: 111111255 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Statistically the bigger an organisation, the more likely it will have an idiot in charge of something and can survive it.

08-22-2022, 11:02 AM	#22
Notjohn mostly an observer Posts: 1,519 Karma: 996810 Join Date: Dec 2012 Device: Kindle	You can always page back, of course. I once borrowed Erik Larson's book about the Galveston Hurricane from the state e-brary, fulfilled at Amazon, and was puzzled by references to people who hadn't previously been introduced. I finally discovered that Mr Larson had written an essential prologue, which the KDP version skipped over because it wasn't Chapter One.

08-22-2022, 12:56 PM	#24
Quoth Still reading Posts: 15,004 Karma: 111111255 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Also some people confuse Prologue (not skipable) with Preface (sometimes best skipped esp. if book of dead person). So we recommend that "Prologue" be called "Chapter 1" or whatever. But Amazon are crazy not opening the book at the start, or at least just after the cover. It's so arrogant!