conversion from azw4 to epub did not go well

[eliot1785]

Hi, I am a new Calibre user here. I like the software so far, it's an awesome amount of customizability. I want to use Calibre as my primary eBook reader.

Unfortunately, conversion of my ebooks hasn't gone well. I purchased a book from Amazon and downloaded it to my computer using the Kindle for PC program. Then I imported it into Calibre (after installing a plugin that removes the DRM).

Then I tried to convert it from its existing format (AZW4) to ePub. The conversion was successful but the results are very ugly:

1) If I fullscreen the ePub the title page gets stretched out of proportion
2) More importantly, for some reason a lot of the pages have black backgrounds and white text instead of the reverse.

I also opened the file in Adobe Digital Editions and saw the same problems, so I know it's with the conversion and not with the reader.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: I also converted to PDF and *that* came out great, for what it's worth.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by eliot1785

Then I tried to convert it from its existing format (AZW4) to ePub. The conversion was successful but the results are very ugly:
...
Any suggestions?

AZW4 is a wrapped PDF file. You can use the Kindle Unpack plugin to strip the wrapper and get a pristine PDF for viewing in your favorite PDF reader.

The PDF format does not lend itself well to being the source format for conversion to any other ebook format. Read this sticky post for more on PDF conversions.

[eliot1785]

That's good to know that I should avoid converting to ePub. That's a shame though because that's supposed to be the standard format. Then again this is an old book so maybe that's part of the issue.

EDIT: I mentioned some problems with the legal wording in the PDF but I was wrong. I was comparing the wrong paragraphs. The error I mentioned is present even in the original, so nothing to see here.

[eliot1785]

Final question, regarding PDF conversion (see my retraction of my previous question).

I just used the convert tool built into Calibre. Is Kindle Unpack better in some way? I was able to use the convert tool because I had used DeDRM to remove the DRM.

And thanks for all your help!!

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by eliot1785

I just used the convert tool built into Calibre. Is Kindle Unpack better in some way? I was able to use the convert tool because I had used DeDRM to remove the DRM.

I don't know if there is a difference. They both may now use the same method of removing the wrap that Amazon placed there. I have no experience with AZW4. IIRC the kindle unpack tool does no conversion on the file it just extracts the PDF from Amazon's wrap. Calibre may or may not use the exact same process in moving from AZW4 to PDF.

Read more on the Kindle unpack plugin in this thread.

[eliot1785]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

I don't know if there is a difference. They both may now use the same method of removing the wrap that Amazon placed there. I have no experience with AZW4. IIRC the kindle unpack tool does no conversion on the file it just extracts the PDF from Amazon's wrap. Calibre may or may not use the exact same process in moving from AZW4 to PDF.

Read more on the Kindle unpack plugin in this thread.

Thank you!

[dwig]

Originally Posted by eliot1785

That's good to know that I should avoid converting to ePub. That's a shame though because that's supposed to be the standard format. ...

There is nothing about PDF being a "standard format" that would imply that it is any good for conversion to other formats.

Adobe's original design for PDF was for PDF to be a display only format, screen or printer. Originally, they had absolutely no intention to support any alteration of a PDF. They felt that the immutability of a PDF was one of it major features.

While Adobe has, somewhat begrudgingly, added support for a variety of "editing" actions over the decades, the basic core design of the PDF format makes it, now and forever, an extremely difficult to convert to any reflowable ebook or wordprocessing format.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by eliot1785

Thank you!

You're Welcome.

Originally Posted by eliot1785

That's good to know that I should avoid converting to ePub. That's a shame though because that's supposed to be the standard format.

I missed this statement earlier. I'm not saying don't convert to epub. Epub is the standard format for ereaders. What I'm saying is, if possible, don't use AZW4 / PDF as a source document for any conversion.

The sticky post I pointed you to in post 2 goes into this issue in more detail.

Welcome to Mobileread!

[eliot1785]

Originally Posted by dwig

There is nothing about PDF being a "standard format" that would imply that it is any good for conversion to other formats.

Adobe's original design for PDF was for PDF to be a display only format, screen or printer. Originally, they had absolutely no intention to support any alteration of a PDF. They felt that the immutability of a PDF was one of it major features.

While Adobe has, somewhat begrudgingly, added support for a variety of "editing" actions over the decades, the basic core design of the PDF format makes it, now and forever, an extremely difficult to convert to any reflowable ebook or wordprocessing format.

Sorry, what I actually meant is that ePub is supposed to be the standard format for ebooks. More or less. I guess that's a bit of an exaggeration.