Converting to azk through KindlePreviewer

AThirstyMind · 06-26-2014, 09:06 AM

I know Kindle Previewer isn't the best viewer, but it seems to be good with old Kindle devices as well as the new ones. However, when I want to preview a file on the iPad or iPhone within the previewer, it won't convert... The message says: Kindle Previewer has failed to convert the book. What am I doing wrong? The preview files eventually show up on my Kindle app on the iPad after I email the mobi to my Kindle email... and yes I know I probably should be side-loading these. And of course once they get to the iPad app, the headings aren't the way I like them (bold, and bigger than I've styled them), but everything else is fine.

I guess I want the old version of Kindle Previewer back where it was so easy just to choose the devises and preview.

Any thoughts? My process in making a mobi is HTML, through Calibre, then to Sigil to clean up the CSS, validating the resultant ePub with IDPF, then uploading that ePub with Kindle Previewer for the mobi.

Doitsu · 06-26-2014, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AThirstyMind

Any thoughts? My process in making a mobi is HTML, through Calibre, then to Sigil to clean up the CSS, validating the resultant ePub with IDPF, then uploading that ePub with Kindle Previewer for the mobi.

Kindle Previewer rarely fails to compile a valid ePub. It usually first generates a .mobi file and then calls another executable (azkcreator.exe) to generate the .azk file.

If it fails during the first step, you can click Compilation Details (in the lower left corner of the Compiling eBook dialog box) to display the compilation log, which should help you to narrow down the problem.

AThirstyMind · 06-27-2014, 09:55 AM

Thanks Doitsu... for some reason I'm now able to convert from mobi to azk... it doesn't seem to work when I do the first pass... epub to Kindle Previewer to mobi and then preview. But if I then close out KP and Open Book using the mobi, then the mobi converts to azk. However... even though the file shows up in my documents folder, I can't for the life of me figure out how to preview it. It doesn't open when it converts in KP, it doesn't open (Windows says there isn't a program on my computer which will open it) just clicking on the file... I email it to my iPad, but it doesn't open there either. So I'm back to the question of How do I preview an azk file? Any help is appreciated.

Doitsu · 06-27-2014, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AThirstyMind

So I'm back to the question of How do I preview an azk file? Any help is appreciated.

You cannot preview AZK files with Kindle Previewer. You'll need to sideload them to your iPad or iPhone via iTunes.
1. Open iTunes and connect your iPad/iPhone.
2. Click Apps, scroll down to File Sharing, select the Kindle app and drag & drop the AZK file to Kindle Files.
3. Sync as usual.

AThirstyMind · 06-28-2014, 01:10 PM

Thanks again, Doitsu. I'll try that today.

Hitch · 06-28-2014, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AThirstyMind

Thanks again, Doitsu. I'll try that today.

n.b.: be forewarned, so you don't waste a crapload of time, this is the only way. You can't Dropbox it there, you can't email it to your device, etc. You MUST side-load it via iTunes. This drives me to distraction, as side-loading to iTunes is utterly counter-intuitive to me. I don't know why, but that app works exactly the opposite of how I think it should work. So drag out your cable. Phhlbbbft.

Hitch

JSWolf · 06-28-2014, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitch

n.b.: be forewarned, so you don't waste a crapload of time, this is the only way. You can't Dropbox it there, you can't email it to your device, etc. You MUST side-load it via iTunes. This drives me to distraction, as side-loading to iTunes is utterly counter-intuitive to me. I don't know why, but that app works exactly the opposite of how I think it should work. So drag out your cable. Phhlbbbft.

Hitch

When Apple changed iTunes to the current interface, they make iTunes much harder to use and very user unfriendly.

Hitch · 06-29-2014, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When Apple changed iTunes to the current interface, they make iTunes much harder to use and very user unfriendly.

Yeah, no kidding.

Hitch

JSWolf · 06-29-2014, 12:59 AM

When I first had to use the newer interface of iTunes to setup my mother's iPad Mini, it was a nightmare trying to find where to get out of the iTunes part of iTunes.

AThirstyMind · 06-29-2014, 09:00 AM

Well, since in all my years of formatting, none of my clients ever came to me with a problem uploading to Kobo (or anywhere else), I may try that side-load once, then call it done. Actually when I preview the file on my KindleFire, it pretty much instantly appears on my Kindle for iPad app. Hate the way the Chapter Headings turn out (too big and bold) but everything else is fine. All formatting intact. Thanks everyone. I just hate to run into a problem that I can't seem to solve.

DiapDealer · 06-29-2014, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AThirstyMind

Actually when I preview the file on my KindleFire, it pretty much instantly appears on my Kindle for iPad app. Hate the way the Chapter Headings turn out (too big and bold) but everything else is fine.

That's the result of a Personal Document synchronization. Which is not the same thing as sideloading the azk file. If you truly want to verify what the KF8 book will look like on iOS devices you MUST sideload the azk using iTunes. Nothing else will suffice.

Hitch · 06-29-2014, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That's the result of a Personal Document synchronization. Which is not the same thing as sideloading the azk file. If you truly want to verify what the KF8 book will look like on iOS devices you MUST sideload the azk using iTunes. Nothing else will suffice.

Yup. What he said. ^

Hitch

AThirstyMind · 06-30-2014, 10:23 AM

Yes, I knew that... but I hate iTunes, so confusing. But I'll give it a try. Thanks again all.

DaleDe · 06-30-2014, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitch

n.b.: be forewarned, so you don't waste a crapload of time, this is the only way. You can't Dropbox it there, you can't email it to your device, etc. You MUST side-load it via iTunes. This drives me to distraction, as side-loading to iTunes is utterly counter-intuitive to me. I don't know why, but that app works exactly the opposite of how I think it should work. So drag out your cable. Phhlbbbft.

Hitch

This is certainly a pain. Amazon needs to modify the app so that it presents itself as an open option for AZK files.

Dale

EditorOne · 01-05-2015, 01:27 PM

I know the focus here is on the question of previewing azk on the Kindle Previewer--and I know you can't do that. You must sideload through itunes to preview. So maybe my question belongs in another forum--if so, push me in the right one.

I asked previously about foreign language fonts and got some good responses. that problem is resolved. Throughout the project, I have successfully converted the files to epub for Nook (with Kovid's expanded CSS) and to mobi through Kindle Previewer AND multiple times to azk with KP. I have lived with the faith that the azk would work even without the ability to preview it in an iOS device--hopeless optimist that I am. (I'm working on actually viewing the files in a used first generation iPad I ordered from eBay--fingers crossed that it works.)

The problem now is that KP is consistently failing to convert to azk. Previously, it would fail the first time but work the second time. Of course this was with versions that required some kind of post-conversion editing--content, not css. Now that the file is REALLY finished without the need for any additional editing, KP is not doing the job. I even uninstalled and re-installed a fresh download hoping it was a glitch that would be fixed by the new file. Didn't work.

The epub files validate with Sigil, Calibre, and IDPF. Any thoughts?

06-26-2014, 09:06 AM	#1
AThirstyMind A Thirsty Mind Posts: 92 Karma: 2546 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lubec, Maine Device: Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone	Converting to azk through KindlePreviewer I know Kindle Previewer isn't the best viewer, but it seems to be good with old Kindle devices as well as the new ones. However, when I want to preview a file on the iPad or iPhone within the previewer, it won't convert... The message says: Kindle Previewer has failed to convert the book. What am I doing wrong? The preview files eventually show up on my Kindle app on the iPad after I email the mobi to my Kindle email... and yes I know I probably should be side-loading these. And of course once they get to the iPad app, the headings aren't the way I like them (bold, and bigger than I've styled them), but everything else is fine. I guess I want the old version of Kindle Previewer back where it was so easy just to choose the devises and preview. Any thoughts? My process in making a mobi is HTML, through Calibre, then to Sigil to clean up the CSS, validating the resultant ePub with IDPF, then uploading that ePub with Kindle Previewer for the mobi.

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06-27-2014, 09:55 AM	#3
AThirstyMind A Thirsty Mind Posts: 92 Karma: 2546 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lubec, Maine Device: Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone	Thanks Doitsu... for some reason I'm now able to convert from mobi to azk... it doesn't seem to work when I do the first pass... epub to Kindle Previewer to mobi and then preview. But if I then close out KP and Open Book using the mobi, then the mobi converts to azk. However... even though the file shows up in my documents folder, I can't for the life of me figure out how to preview it. It doesn't open when it converts in KP, it doesn't open (Windows says there isn't a program on my computer which will open it) just clicking on the file... I email it to my iPad, but it doesn't open there either. So I'm back to the question of How do I preview an azk file? Any help is appreciated.

06-28-2014, 01:10 PM	#5
AThirstyMind A Thirsty Mind Posts: 92 Karma: 2546 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lubec, Maine Device: Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone	Thanks again, Doitsu. I'll try that today.

06-29-2014, 12:59 AM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	When I first had to use the newer interface of iTunes to setup my mother's iPad Mini, it was a nightmare trying to find where to get out of the iTunes part of iTunes.

06-29-2014, 09:00 AM	#10
AThirstyMind A Thirsty Mind Posts: 92 Karma: 2546 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lubec, Maine Device: Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone	Well, since in all my years of formatting, none of my clients ever came to me with a problem uploading to Kobo (or anywhere else), I may try that side-load once, then call it done. Actually when I preview the file on my KindleFire, it pretty much instantly appears on my Kindle for iPad app. Hate the way the Chapter Headings turn out (too big and bold) but everything else is fine. All formatting intact. Thanks everyone. I just hate to run into a problem that I can't seem to solve.

06-30-2014, 10:23 AM	#13
AThirstyMind A Thirsty Mind Posts: 92 Karma: 2546 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lubec, Maine Device: Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone	Yes, I knew that... but I hate iTunes, so confusing. But I'll give it a try. Thanks again all.

01-05-2015, 01:27 PM	#15
EditorOne Jus' Learnin' Posts: 50 Karma: 5618 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Tucson, AZ Device: none	I know the focus here is on the question of previewing azk on the Kindle Previewer--and I know you can't do that. You must sideload through itunes to preview. So maybe my question belongs in another forum--if so, push me in the right one. I asked previously about foreign language fonts and got some good responses. that problem is resolved. Throughout the project, I have successfully converted the files to epub for Nook (with Kovid's expanded CSS) and to mobi through Kindle Previewer AND multiple times to azk with KP. I have lived with the faith that the azk would work even without the ability to preview it in an iOS device--hopeless optimist that I am. (I'm working on actually viewing the files in a used first generation iPad I ordered from eBay--fingers crossed that it works.) The problem now is that KP is consistently failing to convert to azk. Previously, it would fail the first time but work the second time. Of course this was with versions that required some kind of post-conversion editing--content, not css. Now that the file is REALLY finished without the need for any additional editing, KP is not doing the job. I even uninstalled and re-installed a fresh download hoping it was a glitch that would be fixed by the new file. Didn't work. The epub files validate with Sigil, Calibre, and IDPF. Any thoughts?

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