I think I have a PID problem

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 02:20 PM

I'm trying really hard to get some Mobi pocket ebooks I unwittingly purchased to work on my prs505. I'm using Python25 and the mobidedrm002.py script (I've also tryed 005).

When I put no quotes around my PID I single quotes around my PID I get an "invalid file" message.

When I put single quotes I get an "invalid PID checksum" message.
I've been working at this for a few days now and can't seem to get anything to work.

I'm wondering if the PID I'm using, which I'm retrieving from within Calibre. I don't own a Kindle so is my PID valid or is that my problem?

wallcraft · 09-12-2009, 02:28 PM

How are you reading the MOBI ebooks? If you are using Windows MobiPocket Reader, then your PID is listed under "Reading Devices" (left pane).

AnemicOak · 09-12-2009, 02:32 PM

You need whatever PID was encoded into the books when you downloaded them. Can you go back to the retailers site and get it from there? Do you have the Mobi desktop software and do the books work in it? If so they have that PID encoded which you can get in that software by going to Help-->About

There is no need for any kind of quotes around the PID.

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 02:53 PM

Yes, I'm reading from the Mobipocket reader on windows and getting the PID from the "reading devices." I can get the PID fine, but I can't get the script to work.

I've heard that the quotes are necessary so I keep trying with and without them.

Any other suggestions?

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 03:04 PM

When I remove the quotes I still get the "invalid file" message. The book I'm trying to access is a .prc file, but I know that it's a compilation of several books. I bought a classic book set. Could that have anything to do with my problem?

Leep · 09-12-2009, 03:16 PM

You might want to recheck your command line - DOS is very fussy about some characters. An example that should work follows:

mobidedrm002.py "ebook file name.prc" "New ebook filename.prc" PID

Putting the ebook names in quotes should mitigate any character/space issues. Your PID needs to be entered all capital letters, and you should be in the directory where your ebook is located before you type your command line. in example, the DOS command: cd desktop\my ebook will move you to a folder on your desktop called my ebook.

Let us know if you are still having problems

wallcraft · 09-12-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccowie

When I remove the quotes I still get the "invalid file" message. The book I'm trying to access is a .prc file, but I know that it's a compilation of several books. I bought a classic book set. Could that have anything to do with my problem?

I think you may have an old MOBI ("TEXtREAd") ebook format, see Latest MobiDeDRM Patch. It seems that a very few ebooks use this format and are also DRMed. If so (and you can check with a text editor) I don't think there is any known way to strip the DRM.

What is the ebook's title? I may buy a copy just to see such an ancient ebook.

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 03:34 PM

When I use single or double quotes around the file name it gives a lengthier message and basically says the file or dir doesn't exist.
I've put the file I'm working on directly into my python25 directory to make things easier.

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 03:38 PM

I purchased the 3000 classic books for $20. As you probably know, they then need to be downloaded from the site. I've tried the Dickens and Stoker compilations.

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 03:45 PM

How do I check with a text editor? Can I simply open the prc file in notepad?

wallcraft · 09-12-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccowie

Can I simply open the prc file in notepad?

Yes. Then look near the start for BOOKMOBI or TEXtREAd.

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 04:37 PM

I can't see anything understandable when I open the file except for the author name.
I've also discovered that when I use the script it erases all the contents of the prc file.

I'm now getting a "no such file or directory" message.

I'm really appreciative of all the help here. It's really quite frustrating.

ccowie · 09-12-2009, 04:41 PM

Sorry about this - I looked again and it does indeed say BOOKMOBI

wallcraft · 09-12-2009, 05:44 PM

So far as I can tell mobidedrm should work on these ebooks. I suggest looking in the comments to the dark reverser's weblog for the brand new version 0.0.6. You might also upgrade to python 2.6, but 2.5 is supposed to be ok. In addition these comments might contain links to eBookUtility, which is a GUI wrapper for mobidedrm. You need to edit a text file to make it work without a Kindle.

ccowie · 09-13-2009, 09:44 AM

Well thanks for all the help friends, but I still can't seem to get this to work. I've now upgraded to Python 2.6 and have tried several scripts to no avail.

The message I'm getting is "Error: no key found. Maybe the PID is incorrect."

I've tried it with several of the titles I have and I've checked - they are indeed MOBIBOOK.

Any new ideas?

09-12-2009, 02:20 PM	#1
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	I think I have a PID problem I'm trying really hard to get some Mobi pocket ebooks I unwittingly purchased to work on my prs505. I'm using Python25 and the mobidedrm002.py script (I've also tryed 005). When I put no quotes around my PID I single quotes around my PID I get an "invalid file" message. When I put single quotes I get an "invalid PID checksum" message. I've been working at this for a few days now and can't seem to get anything to work. I'm wondering if the PID I'm using, which I'm retrieving from within Calibre. I don't own a Kindle so is my PID valid or is that my problem?

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09-12-2009, 02:28 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	How are you reading the MOBI ebooks? If you are using Windows MobiPocket Reader, then your PID is listed under "Reading Devices" (left pane).

09-12-2009, 02:32 PM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	You need whatever PID was encoded into the books when you downloaded them. Can you go back to the retailers site and get it from there? Do you have the Mobi desktop software and do the books work in it? If so they have that PID encoded which you can get in that software by going to Help-->About There is no need for any kind of quotes around the PID.

09-12-2009, 02:53 PM	#4
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	Yes, I'm reading from the Mobipocket reader on windows and getting the PID from the "reading devices." I can get the PID fine, but I can't get the script to work. I've heard that the quotes are necessary so I keep trying with and without them. Any other suggestions?

09-12-2009, 03:04 PM	#5
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	When I remove the quotes I still get the "invalid file" message. The book I'm trying to access is a .prc file, but I know that it's a compilation of several books. I bought a classic book set. Could that have anything to do with my problem?

09-12-2009, 03:16 PM	#6
Leep Guru Posts: 739 Karma: 1018859 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Near Seattle Device: kindle1, K3, K3G (thanks MR), iTouch, Kindle Touch	You might want to recheck your command line - DOS is very fussy about some characters. An example that should work follows: mobidedrm002.py "ebook file name.prc" "New ebook filename.prc" PID Putting the ebook names in quotes should mitigate any character/space issues. Your PID needs to be entered all capital letters, and you should be in the directory where your ebook is located before you type your command line. in example, the DOS command: cd desktop\my ebook will move you to a folder on your desktop called my ebook. Let us know if you are still having problems

09-12-2009, 03:34 PM	#8
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	When I use single or double quotes around the file name it gives a lengthier message and basically says the file or dir doesn't exist. I've put the file I'm working on directly into my python25 directory to make things easier.

09-12-2009, 03:38 PM	#9
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	I purchased the 3000 classic books for $20. As you probably know, they then need to be downloaded from the site. I've tried the Dickens and Stoker compilations.

09-12-2009, 03:45 PM	#10
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	How do I check with a text editor? Can I simply open the prc file in notepad?

09-12-2009, 04:37 PM	#12
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	I can't see anything understandable when I open the file except for the author name. I've also discovered that when I use the script it erases all the contents of the prc file. I'm now getting a "no such file or directory" message. I'm really appreciative of all the help here. It's really quite frustrating.

09-12-2009, 04:41 PM	#13
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	Sorry about this - I looked again and it does indeed say BOOKMOBI

09-12-2009, 05:44 PM	#14
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	So far as I can tell mobidedrm should work on these ebooks. I suggest looking in the comments to the dark reverser's weblog for the brand new version 0.0.6. You might also upgrade to python 2.6, but 2.5 is supposed to be ok. In addition these comments might contain links to eBookUtility, which is a GUI wrapper for mobidedrm. You need to edit a text file to make it work without a Kindle.

09-13-2009, 09:44 AM	#15
ccowie Hiding with an ereader Posts: 391 Karma: 3987376 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kitchener Ontario Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS 950, Ipad 2, PRS 350	Well thanks for all the help friends, but I still can't seem to get this to work. I've now upgraded to Python 2.6 and have tried several scripts to no avail. The message I'm getting is "Error: no key found. Maybe the PID is incorrect." I've tried it with several of the titles I have and I've checked - they are indeed MOBIBOOK. Any new ideas?