Do I have to convert to kepub? - Page 3

JSWolf · 12-15-2025, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Most of those spans and divs are added when converting from ePub to kepub. They are mostly used for locations for annotations and highlights. For non-Kobo devices, they are do-nothing code. Some people prefer to convert to ePub and then edit allowing calibre to convert the ePub on the fly when sending to the Kobo device.

No need to convert to ePub. Just download the eBooks as ePub.

DNSB · 12-15-2025, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

No need to convert to ePub. Just download the eBooks as ePub.

If I already have the book as kepub, I'm not going to bother downloading an ePub when de-kepubifying is so simple.

JSWolf · 12-16-2025, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

If I already have the book as kepub, I'm not going to bother downloading an ePub when de-kepubifying is so simple.

It's easier to download the ePub because of the ASCM Input plugin.

DNSB · 12-16-2025, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's easier to download the ePub because of the ASCM Input plugin.

Not quite right, Jon. To download the ePub when I already have the kepub requires me to open a web browser, login to Kobo's website, go through the steps to get to the book I want and then download either the ePub or the .acsm file (nonDRMmed gets the ePub, DRMmed gets the .acsm file). Then I need to add either download option to calibre.

Kepub? I purchase the book, sync my Kobo, open calibre and connect the Kobo to my computer, run Obok, select the books and I'm done.

Either workflow works and I don't really care which I use since, for me, removing the kepub bits and bobs requires minimal effort.

joblack · 12-18-2025, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluepeter

No, you don't. Epub will work fine on a Kobo.

No, you can't zoom into images. It really sucks.

Sirtel · 12-18-2025, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joblack

No, you can't zoom into images. It really sucks.

Depends on your reading material. It sucks if you read a lot of books with images/maps/diagrams etc. If not, then it doesn't matter much.

DNSB · 12-19-2025, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joblack

No, you can't zoom into images. It really sucks.

99% of my reading material has the cover image and possibly the title page as an image.

OTOH, I will use kepub for books that have images especially ones where I have downloaded a high-resolution image for maps. Most of the images inside books are relatively low resolution so zooming in is just a good way of seeing pixels.

John F · 12-19-2025, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

99% of my reading material has the cover image and possibly the title page as an image.

OTOH, I will use kepub for books that have images especially ones where I have downloaded a high-resolution image for maps. Most of the images inside books are relatively low resolution so zooming in is just a good way of seeing pixels.

I would say 99% of my material has a cover image. The cover page as an image is much less, I'm guessing 25%. A good majority have an image of the author.

I use kepub exclusively and very seldom zoom.

cgsmom · 12-19-2025, 08:04 PM

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but I have a related question. After being a member of Mobileread since 2011, I have just purchased my first Kobo. I bought a Clara Colour. When I copy books from Amazon using Calibre it asks me if I want to convert to kepub. If I am copying books from Barnes & Noble it does not ask. I am assuming that it is just copying the epub file. Is this going to cause me any problems? I’m sure I will have other questions as I get used to the new system.

Hasdrubal_Lector · 12-19-2025, 10:24 PM

Welcome to Kobo-world. No, It won't cause problems. Kepub is the proprietary Kobo version of epub. Both work on your Kobo. The kepub enables several features that are not available if you use epub. Have you installed the Kobo Utilities plugin on Calibre? It is a very helpful plugin. There are plenty of threads in this forum to help you get the most use out of your Kobo.

Enjoy your Clara. They are nice little ereaders.

JSWolf · Yesterday, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hasdrubal_Lector

Welcome to Kobo-world. No, It won't cause problems. Kepub is the proprietary Kobo version of epub. Both work on your Kobo. The kepub enables several features that are not available if you use epub. Have you installed the Kobo Utilities plugin on Calibre? It is a very helpful plugin. There are plenty of threads in this forum to help you get the most use out of your Kobo.

Enjoy your Clara. They are nice little ereaders.

But the average novel doesn't need these extra features and ePub (RMSDK) has better typesetting.

Unless you need to zoom in on images or have footnotes, you don't need KePub over ePub.

Sirtel · Yesterday, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But the average novel doesn't need these extra features and ePub (RMSDK) has better typesetting.

Unless you need to zoom in on images or have footnotes, you don't need KePub over ePub.

Epubs are more rigid in respecting the css than kepubs. In some cases, when there are stupid css rules like embedded body font on the paragraph level, this results in the user not being able to change the font of the book on their device. For the folks who don't want to get into editing the css of their books, it's easier to just use kepub with such books.

OTOH, kepubs on an unmodified Kobo don't display any embedded fonts (like those used in chapter headings or blockquotes) unless you select Publisher Default, and then you'll lose your preferred font for the main text. Epubs (when intelligently formatted) do display embedded fonts for special sections while allowing the user-selected font for the rest. For kepubs to behave the same way one must use a patch.

Jedi · Yesterday, 12:21 PM

The only thing I like converting to kepub is that everything in the book loads faster.

JSWolf · Yesterday, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jedi

The only thing I like converting to kepub is that everything in the book loads faster.

If you want kerning, ligatures, and hyphenation, its not noticeably faster.

Kamikuza · Today, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That is not correct. KF8 works. There's no kerning or ligatures. But you can simulate hyphens using the Hyphenate This! plugin. It adds soft hyphens that simulate hyphenation.

I've not seen any of these quirks. And I've not read of any of these quirks. What re these quirks? In most cases, quirks are due to the code for the eBook.

As for editing the eBook, it's a lot easier to edit ePub then KePub as you don't have to deal with all of the spans in the KePub. This is why it's best to download the ePub and let calibre convert to KePub if that's what you want.

Last time I tried KF8 it either didn't work at all or messed with my layout and css. I'm doing things differently now, I'll try it again.

I use HyphenateThis! with the epub to mobi conversion. It's an additional couple of steps though--and you have to clear it out of pages with SVG or it breaks AT LEAST the font control...

Calibre messes with me too, basically seems to rewrite my css completely and screws up layout, so I use Kindle Previewer to convert to mobi

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12-19-2025, 08:04 PM	#39
cgsmom Addict Posts: 374 Karma: 4000001 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: USA Device: Kindle Colorsoft, Nook GL4+, Nook GL4, Kindle Oasis 3, iPhone 14	I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but I have a related question. After being a member of Mobileread since 2011, I have just purchased my first Kobo. I bought a Clara Colour. When I copy books from Amazon using Calibre it asks me if I want to convert to kepub. If I am copying books from Barnes & Noble it does not ask. I am assuming that it is just copying the epub file. Is this going to cause me any problems? I’m sure I will have other questions as I get used to the new system.

12-19-2025, 10:24 PM	#40
Hasdrubal_Lector Member Posts: 24 Karma: 599840 Join Date: Dec 2024 Location: Mid-Atlantic Region Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Libra 2, iPad 8, Clara BW	Welcome to Kobo-world. No, It won't cause problems. Kepub is the proprietary Kobo version of epub. Both work on your Kobo. The kepub enables several features that are not available if you use epub. Have you installed the Kobo Utilities plugin on Calibre? It is a very helpful plugin. There are plenty of threads in this forum to help you get the most use out of your Kobo. Enjoy your Clara. They are nice little ereaders.

Yesterday, 12:21 PM	#43
Jedi Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: EU Device: Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Libra 2	The only thing I like converting to kepub is that everything in the book loads faster.