Differences between Mobipocket Creator and Calibre

AlexBell · 07-03-2009, 08:32 AM

With help from frabjous I've just converted an HTML file into a mobi file, and have noticed some differences between how Mobipocket Creator renders the file and Calibre renders the file.

In no particular order
- Calibre seems read and display HTML better - e.g. Mobipocket Creator does not show smallcaps while Calibre does
- Calibre accepts two classes applied to a tag, while Mobipocket Creator ignores them both
- Calibre does not indent the first word in a paragraph, while Mobipocket Creator does
- Caliber enforces full justification, which over rides the settings on my Cybook, while Mobipocket Creator does not.

Are these observations valid? Or is it just that it was the first file I've converted and I didn't do it right?

If the differences are real are there any others I should know about?

Regards, Alex

Nate the great · 07-03-2009, 08:39 AM

The first is true. MobiCreator won't use CSS files.

I don't now about the second, but the last 2 can be changed in calibre. There are check boxes. They can also be set in the html source.

kovidgoyal · 07-03-2009, 10:37 AM

calibre and mobipocket reader use completely different algorithms to convert to MOBI. As you explore, you are likely to find many more differences, but as Nate the great pointed out, your last two differences can be changed via a setting in the conversion dialog.

AlexBell · 07-04-2009, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The first is true. MobiCreator won't use CSS files.

I'm sorry, Nate, but this is simply not so - even though I've seen it repeated several times.

I uploaded a very beginning EbookTemplate.html and ebook.css to the Workshop forum recently. Mobipocket Creator built a prc file from them which amongst other things recognised CSS classes for bold and italic and rendered the text bold or italic. It did not recognise a class for smallcaps, though Calibre did - hence the mention in my post here.

Regards, Alex

AlexBell · 07-04-2009, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

calibre and mobipocket reader use completely different algorithms to convert to MOBI. As you explore, you are likely to find many more differences, but as Nate the great pointed out, your last two differences can be changed via a setting in the conversion dialog.

Thanks. I'll explore some more. I gather that no list of differences is available, so perhaps I'll be able to post one in future.

Regards, Alex.

Nate the great · 07-04-2009, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I'm sorry, Nate, but this is simply not so - even though I've seen it repeated several times.

I uploaded a very beginning EbookTemplate.html and ebook.css to the Workshop forum recently. Mobipocket Creator built a prc file from them which amongst other things recognised CSS classes for bold and italic and rendered the text bold or italic. It did not recognise a class for smallcaps, though Calibre did - hence the mention in my post here.

Regards, Alex

Now this is a head scratcher. I've tried CSS files before with MobiCreator. It didn't work. I guess I need to find out what was broken.

pdurrant · 07-04-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Now this is a head scratcher. I've tried CSS files before with MobiCreator. It didn't work. I guess I need to find out what was broken.

Mobipocket Creator converts /some/ CSS into explicit coding in the Mobipocket file. Perhaps you just tried something that doesn't get converted, or perhaps it was an older version of Mobipocket Creator.

kovidgoyal · 07-04-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Thanks. I'll explore some more. I gather that no list of differences is available, so perhaps I'll be able to post one in future.

Regards, Alex.

I'm sure many people would find that useful.

AlexBell · 07-04-2009, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Mobipocket Creator converts /some/ CSS into explicit coding in the Mobipocket file. Perhaps you just tried something that doesn't get converted, or perhaps it was an older version of Mobipocket Creator.

Yes, Mobipockets rendering of CSS is not only limited but also idiosyncratic - an HTML/CSS combination written in compliance to Mobipocket conventions does not validate according to W3C standards. So far as I've been able to find out so far W3C standard compliant HTML/CSS is much more likely to work with Calibre - though I certainly haven't finished exploring yet.

Regards, Alex

AlexBell · 07-04-2009, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Now this is a head scratcher. I've tried CSS files before with MobiCreator. It didn't work. I guess I need to find out what was broken.

I'm certainly not an expert with HTML/CSS, but if you like to post or private mail the markup which doesn't work I'd be happy to look at it.

Regards, Alex

07-03-2009, 08:32 AM	#1
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Differences between Mobipocket Creator and Calibre With help from frabjous I've just converted an HTML file into a mobi file, and have noticed some differences between how Mobipocket Creator renders the file and Calibre renders the file. In no particular order - Calibre seems read and display HTML better - e.g. Mobipocket Creator does not show smallcaps while Calibre does - Calibre accepts two classes applied to a tag, while Mobipocket Creator ignores them both - Calibre does not indent the first word in a paragraph, while Mobipocket Creator does - Caliber enforces full justification, which over rides the settings on my Cybook, while Mobipocket Creator does not. Are these observations valid? Or is it just that it was the first file I've converted and I didn't do it right? If the differences are real are there any others I should know about? Regards, Alex

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07-03-2009, 08:39 AM	#2
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	The first is true. MobiCreator won't use CSS files. I don't now about the second, but the last 2 can be changed in calibre. There are check boxes. They can also be set in the html source.

07-03-2009, 10:37 AM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,851 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre and mobipocket reader use completely different algorithms to convert to MOBI. As you explore, you are likely to find many more differences, but as Nate the great pointed out, your last two differences can be changed via a setting in the conversion dialog.

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