Converting lit to mobi

Nigs · 09-09-2010, 11:11 AM

Hi

I have obviously got myself a Kindle and well impressed I am. I have purchased a few from Amazon.co.uk but my sister has passed me a few books in the lit format. I have read some posts here and see that they can indeed be converted and went ahead and downloaded Calibre. And there is the problem.

The Help button does not work. Everything just does nothing. I click to tick a box and it does nothing. I get it to the point where I have chosen the file to convert clicked OK and waited and waited adn waited and waited. Does it really take over 20 minutes to convert?

Can someone please help me out here as I feel I am wasting my time with Calibre even though it has been highly recommended?

Thanks in advance!

HarryT · 09-09-2010, 11:12 AM

Do the LIT files have DRM?

Nigs · 09-09-2010, 11:13 AM

No, they don't. I was emailed a zipped folder with just a few .lit books that Amazon don't have for sale.

Will this have an affect on the way Calibre works?

cvkemp · 09-09-2010, 11:15 AM

calibre will convert them for you.

http://calibre-ebook.com/

HarryT · 09-09-2010, 11:18 AM

An alternative way to do it would be to use "ConvertLIT" to "explode" the LIT file to its OEB source, and then Mobipocket Creator to convert it to Mobi format. Both are free tools.

Nigs · 09-09-2010, 11:19 AM

But I am using Calibre.

Nigs · 09-09-2010, 11:19 AM

But I have Calibre already. It is impossibly slow

HarryT · 09-09-2010, 11:21 AM

You may wish to ask for assistance in the Calibre forum.

Tiersten · 09-09-2010, 11:22 AM

Have you actually opened them to check they don't have DRM?

chilady1 · 09-09-2010, 11:25 AM

I have no problem converting .lit into .mobi using Calibre, provided as others have indicated there is no DRM. That's another discussion entirely. I add the books into Calibre and then basically convert them. It's pretty straight forward - I wouldn't claim its the fastest process but it is by no means slow either. I tend to bulk conversions where I can go away and come back and all files have been coverted. If you need more details, I would suggest posting your question/issue in the Calibre forum. Good Luck!

Vertigo · 09-09-2010, 11:29 AM

If you can't even click tick boxes then it sounds to me like something is badly wrong with your installation. I would uninstall it, download the latest version again and re-install it, then see what happens.

I have been using Calibre for some time now, and whilst it can be slow to start and sometimes a little slow to respond, it has not been a problem.

One thing to mention is that you don't tend to see any immediate feedback when the conversion is complete, as it does the conversion in a background process. After you have clicked OK in the conversion dialog take a look in the bottom right. If it says "Jobs: 1" and the little whirly thing is whirling (

) then all is OK. Wait until it finishes whirling and says "Jobs: 0" and then take a look you should find you now have the old lit format and the new mobi one. It can take a while depending on the size of book and speed of computer but mine (an old laptop) generally completes within a minute.

HarryT · 09-09-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

One thing to mention is that you don't tend to see any immediate feedback when the conversion is complete, as it does the conversion in a background process. After you have clicked OK in the conversion dialog take a look in the bottom right. If it says "Jobs: 1" and the little whirly thing is whirling (

) then all is OK. Wait until it finishes whirling and says "Jobs: 0" and then take a look you should find you now have the old lit format and the new mobi one.

And, of course, while the job is running you can double click the spinning wheel and see a list of the jobs and what it's actually doing, in a pop-up window.

Nigs · 09-09-2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

And, of course, while the job is running you can double click the spinning wheel and see a list of the jobs and what it's actually doing, in a pop-up window.

As I said nothing happens. The job list icon does not move.

I am trying the others that have been mentioned here.

HarryT · 09-09-2010, 11:51 AM

Let's just go through a quick check list.

You've installed Calibre.
You've dragged your LIT book onto the "Library" window and had it show up in the window.
You've right clicked the book in the library window, and selected "Convert eBooks", then "Convert Individually". This should open a new window saying "Convert <book title>".
In the top right corner of this window you've chosen an output format of "MOBI", and then clicked the "OK" button.

All OK so far?

Now, back on the main Calibre window, in the lower right corner, in should says "Jobs:1" with a spinning wheel alongside it. Wait until that changes back to "Jobs:0" and your conversion should be finished.

At which point in the above process is the problem occurring?

sachinwalia · 09-09-2010, 07:59 PM

There use to a windows only application called Book Designer or something. I remember I converted some of my lit files into lrf (sony reader format). I think it might support mobi as well.

09-09-2010, 11:11 AM	#1
Nigs Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle	Converting lit to mobi Hi I have obviously got myself a Kindle and well impressed I am. I have purchased a few from Amazon.co.uk but my sister has passed me a few books in the lit format. I have read some posts here and see that they can indeed be converted and went ahead and downloaded Calibre. And there is the problem. The Help button does not work. Everything just does nothing. I click to tick a box and it does nothing. I get it to the point where I have chosen the file to convert clicked OK and waited and waited adn waited and waited. Does it really take over 20 minutes to convert? Can someone please help me out here as I feel I am wasting my time with Calibre even though it has been highly recommended? Thanks in advance!

09-09-2010, 11:29 AM	#11
Vertigo Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Highlands of Scotland Device: Kobo H2O edition 2	If you can't even click tick boxes then it sounds to me like something is badly wrong with your installation. I would uninstall it, download the latest version again and re-install it, then see what happens. I have been using Calibre for some time now, and whilst it can be slow to start and sometimes a little slow to respond, it has not been a problem. One thing to mention is that you don't tend to see any immediate feedback when the conversion is complete, as it does the conversion in a background process. After you have clicked OK in the conversion dialog take a look in the bottom right. If it says "Jobs: 1" and the little whirly thing is whirling () then all is OK. Wait until it finishes whirling and says "Jobs: 0" and then take a look you should find you now have the old lit format and the new mobi one. It can take a while depending on the size of book and speed of computer but mine (an old laptop) generally completes within a minute.

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09-09-2010, 11:12 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Do the LIT files have DRM?

09-09-2010, 11:13 AM	#3
Nigs Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle	No, they don't. I was emailed a zipped folder with just a few .lit books that Amazon don't have for sale. Will this have an affect on the way Calibre works?

09-09-2010, 11:15 AM	#4
cvkemp Loving life Posts: 1,412 Karma: 7991496 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Hot Springs Village, Arkansas Device: PaperWhite 5,iPhone 13, IPad, MacBook Air	calibre will convert them for you. http://calibre-ebook.com/

09-09-2010, 11:18 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	An alternative way to do it would be to use "ConvertLIT" to "explode" the LIT file to its OEB source, and then Mobipocket Creator to convert it to Mobi format. Both are free tools.

09-09-2010, 11:19 AM	#6
Nigs Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle	But I am using Calibre.

09-09-2010, 11:21 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You may wish to ask for assistance in the Calibre forum.

09-09-2010, 11:22 AM	#9
Tiersten Guru Posts: 987 Karma: 8641 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi	Have you actually opened them to check they don't have DRM?

09-09-2010, 11:25 AM	#10
chilady1 I devour books! Posts: 789 Karma: 1285226 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Air, Kindle 3/Kobo Aura HD, iPhone 6	I have no problem converting .lit into .mobi using Calibre, provided as others have indicated there is no DRM. That's another discussion entirely. I add the books into Calibre and then basically convert them. It's pretty straight forward - I wouldn't claim its the fastest process but it is by no means slow either. I tend to bulk conversions where I can go away and come back and all files have been coverted. If you need more details, I would suggest posting your question/issue in the Calibre forum. Good Luck!

09-09-2010, 11:51 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Let's just go through a quick check list. You've installed Calibre. You've dragged your LIT book onto the "Library" window and had it show up in the window. You've right clicked the book in the library window, and selected "Convert eBooks", then "Convert Individually". This should open a new window saying "Convert <book title>". In the top right corner of this window you've chosen an output format of "MOBI", and then clicked the "OK" button. All OK so far? Now, back on the main Calibre window, in the lower right corner, in should says "Jobs:1" with a spinning wheel alongside it. Wait until that changes back to "Jobs:0" and your conversion should be finished. At which point in the above process is the problem occurring?

09-09-2010, 07:59 PM	#15
sachinwalia Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 26 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Device: iPhone 4, iPad, Kindle Fire, Kindle SO	There use to a windows only application called Book Designer or something. I remember I converted some of my lit files into lrf (sony reader format). I think it might support mobi as well.

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