Can't break DRM for Adobe

bookandtea · 08-20-2022, 03:00 PM

I bought a book that was advertised as epub, but it has DRM on it from Adobe, which means I can't convert it to PDF, which means I can't read it and take notes directly on it, which is going to make it much harder to study.

I'm using the latest version of Calibre (just downloaded) on my new MacBook Air (M2 running 12.4). I downloaded and installed Apprentice Alf's plug-in which says it will break the Adobe DRM. And yet...it isn't.

How do I get this file to PDF? Are there new plug-ins?

Sirtel · 08-20-2022, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookandtea

I bought a book that was advertised as epub, but it has DRM on it from Adobe, which means I can't convert it to PDF, which means I can't read it and take notes directly on it, which is going to make it much harder to study.

I'm using the latest version of Calibre (just downloaded) on my new MacBook Air (M2 running 12.4). I downloaded and installed Apprentice Alf's plug-in which says it will break the Adobe DRM. And yet...it isn't.

How do I get this file to PDF? Are there new plug-ins?

Did you open the .acsm file in Adobe Digital Editions first?

And if you have the latest Calibre, you'll have to install the latest version of the deDRM plugin, which is not the Alf version. Here:
https://github.com/noDRM/DeDRM_tools

DNSB · 08-20-2022, 04:24 PM

You might also want to use NoDRM's fork of the DeDRM code since that is supported. Apprentices Alf and Harper have passed the torch. Check NoDRM/DeDRM Tools.

If you downloaded an ePub textbook, it likely has Adobe's hardened DRM. See the attached matrix image.

clayesq · 08-31-2022, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Did you open the .acsm file in Adobe Digital Editions first?

Did I miss a memo? Since when am I having to unpack the ACSM? I never had any issues with conversion until v.6.

Thanks for your assistance!

JSWolf · 08-31-2022, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

You might also want to use NoDRM's fork of the DeDRM code since that is supported. Apprentices Alf and Harper have passed the torch. Check NoDRM/DeDRM Tools.

If you downloaded an ePub textbook, it likely has Adobe's hardened DRM. See the attached matrix image.

But I believe DeDRM 10.0.3 breaks the hardened DRM.

From the changelog for 10.0.3.

Quote:

Add support for books with the new ADE3.0+ DRM by merging #48 by a980e066a01. Thanks a lot! (Also fixes #96 on MacOS)

and in #48...

Quote:

The second commits adds support for ""hardened"" Adobe DRM and updates the documentation accordingly. In a nutshell, this so-called "hardened DRM" is just another layer of encryption on the encrypted key, using info that's fully available in rights.xml

So there's no need to worry if you get the new DRM or not.

Sirtel · 08-31-2022, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clayesq

Did I miss a memo? Since when am I having to unpack the ACSM? I never had any issues with conversion until v.6.

Thanks for your assistance!

The acsm file has always needed "unpacking", unless you use the deACSM plugin, which is relatively new development.

jhowell · 08-31-2022, 10:23 AM

To be clear ASCM files are not unpacked, they are fulfilled. The ASCM file contains information that Adobe Digital Editions uses to download the actual book from a server. It does not contain the actual book. The DeASCM plugin replicates the functionality of ADE in this regard.

Quoth · 08-31-2022, 02:51 PM

If you have a decent ereader app or Kobo eink, reading and taking notes on epub is FAR better than PDF. Annotations plugin or Kobo Utilities can read Kobo annotations back.

Also you can edit the config on a Kobo so an extra context menu item is on epubs and then export a plain text file with date, location, highlight and note for each annotation.

PDFs are really just for publishing or printing or "book replicas" on a big screen.

08-20-2022, 03:00 PM	#1
bookandtea Mint Magic Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2018 Device: Kobo Forma, Kindle Oasis	Can't break DRM for Adobe I bought a book that was advertised as epub, but it has DRM on it from Adobe, which means I can't convert it to PDF, which means I can't read it and take notes directly on it, which is going to make it much harder to study. I'm using the latest version of Calibre (just downloaded) on my new MacBook Air (M2 running 12.4). I downloaded and installed Apprentice Alf's plug-in which says it will break the Adobe DRM. And yet...it isn't. How do I get this file to PDF? Are there new plug-ins?

08-20-2022, 04:24 PM	#3
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 44,560 Karma: 167913281 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	You might also want to use NoDRM's fork of the DeDRM code since that is supported. Apprentices Alf and Harper have passed the torch. Check NoDRM/DeDRM Tools. If you downloaded an ePub textbook, it likely has Adobe's hardened DRM. See the attached matrix image. Attached Thumbnails

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08-31-2022, 10:23 AM	#7
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,013 Karma: 89771379 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlottesville, VA Device: Kindles	To be clear ASCM files are not unpacked, they are fulfilled. The ASCM file contains information that Adobe Digital Editions uses to download the actual book from a server. It does not contain the actual book. The DeASCM plugin replicates the functionality of ADE in this regard.

08-31-2022, 02:51 PM	#8
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,653 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	If you have a decent ereader app or Kobo eink, reading and taking notes on epub is FAR better than PDF. Annotations plugin or Kobo Utilities can read Kobo annotations back. Also you can edit the config on a Kobo so an extra context menu item is on epubs and then export a plain text file with date, location, highlight and note for each annotation. PDFs are really just for publishing or printing or "book replicas" on a big screen.