Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre

[lkmiller]

Assume by "convert" that you referring to Kindle for PC's generic azw extension changing to format specific extension when DRM is removed once added to calibre. You should be able to convert kfx to other formats. If there is trouble with calibre's conversion, try KFX Input's "From KFX" toolbar action. You may need to add it to calibre's main toolbar in calibre's preferences.

[ampws]

I am using Kindle for Pc, I download the files then use caliber to import them. Caliber imports the files and dedrm's them. The problem I find is that caliber no longer converts the kindle file to azw3 even though there is an azw file in the kindle directory. I keep ending up with a KFX file and the kfx file does NOT convert to any other format.

I have tried pointing caliber at the azw file directly and importing it rather than bulk importing but I still end up with the kfx which is unconvertable.

I have given up on the omnibus that I had problems with but since then I have found a few of the newer amazon kindles have the same problem. I suspect that amazon is implementing new security.

[DNSB]

The azw file extension does not mean that you have an azw3 file. azw was originally used for Amazon's DRMmed mobi files. The file in K4PC is a KFX file. You will also notice amzn1.drm-voucher.v1.(multiple hex numbers).voucher files which are KFX DRM license files and various files starting with CR!. See image below for directory listing of a sample KFX file. Notice the massive size of the .azw file and the multiple CR! files which are slightly larger.

If you do not have it already installed, you should install the KFX Input plugin and add the From KFX tool to the toolbar. Installing that plugin should also allow you to convert KFX to ePub in calibre's conversion but I find the results from From KFX to be cleaner.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ampws

...I keep ending up with a KFX file and the kfx file does NOT convert to any other format.

I took a more detailed look at the specific book you mentioned, Time Core Collection: Books 1-4: A Dungeon Core Time Loop. That book was badly formatted by the publisher. It contains several paragraphs that are composed of 733 sequential non-breaking space characters.

The conversion you are attempting to AZW3 format fails because calibre is unable to properly handle that oddly formatted paragraph. If you want to pursue that you can create a calibre bug report.

Originally Posted by ampws

I have given up on the omnibus that I had problems with but since then I have found a few of the newer amazon kindles have the same problem.

It you are experiencing problems with other books I suggest you report them individually.

Originally Posted by ampws

I suspect that amazon is implementing new security.

That does not appear to be the case here.

[jpetts99]

Originally Posted by Martinoptic

Thanks.

Originally Posted by jhowell

I took a more detailed look at the specific book you mentioned, Time Core Collection: Books 1-4: A Dungeon Core Time Loop. That book was badly formatted by the publisher. It contains several paragraphs that are composed of 733 sequential non-breaking space characters.

The conversion you are attempting to AZW3 format fails because calibre is unable to properly handle that oddly formatted paragraph. If you want to pursue that you can create a calibre bug report.

The report would probably be closed due to this being essentially a fixed format. I've had several closed for that. I don't know what checksumming is done on KFX but a binary editor may be able to fix the   bullshit.

[Argel]

With the latest DeDRM and KFX plugins I can import from my Oasis but not, apparently, from a recent Scribe. Apart from the serial number is there anything different in the set-up?

[jpetts99]

Originally Posted by Argel

With the latest DeDRM and KFX plugins I can import from my Oasis but not, apparently, from a recent Scribe. Apart from the serial number is there anything different in the set-up?

Check what book format that Calibre is showing on the device when connected: I have KFX on my Oasis and KFX-ZIP on the Scribe. I can import and convert the former, but not the latter.

[lkmiller]

KFX-ZIP is created by the KFX Input plugin. If DRM removal is successful, it will change to KFX.

Don't have a Scribe, but I know it uses MTP instead of USB Mass Storage. Maybe that makes a difference in how you need to add it to calibre.

Or do you have your Scribe's serial number entered correctly in DeDRM?

[DNSB]

Interesting oddment. This morning my K4PC install popped up the update to 2.7.1 recommendation. I didn't do this and downloaded three books. The books downloaded and I could import them to calibre. However, when I wanted to look at an issue with the structure of one, K4PC would not open it nor the other 2 books I downloaded at the same time. OTOH, an older book could be opened.

Edit: Interesting. A failed backup left the My Kindle Documents folder in a weird state. Subfolders could be created but files could not be created within them. After correcting this, new books could be downloaded and opened.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Edit: Interesting. A failed backup left the My Kindle Documents folder in a weird state. Subfolders could be created but files could not be created within them. After correcting this, new books could be downloaded and opened.

What was the reason for this issue?

[PiperKev]

So, KFX conversion fail. I installed K4PC 2.4.70904 on my wife's Windows 10 laptop and blocked the updates. I downloaded one of the books in my library, stuck it on a thumb drive, and plugged it into my Linux laptop. I have the alpha release of NoDRM, the current KFX Input plugin, and calibre 8.2.1. A screenshot of the files that K4PC downloaded is attached.

I imported the .azw file into calibre, but it showed in my library as KFX-ZIP. I installed K4PC 1.40.65466 on the Win10 laptop, and I got the same result. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?

I am able to successfully import the book KFX file from my KOA3, if that's any help.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by PiperKev

So, KFX conversion fail. I installed K4PC 2.4.70904 on my wife's Windows 10 laptop and blocked the updates. I downloaded one of the books in my library, stuck it on a thumb drive, and plugged it into my Linux laptop. I have the alpha release of NoDRM, the current KFX Input plugin, and calibre 8.2.1. A screenshot of the files that K4PC downloaded is attached.

I imported the .azw file into calibre, but it showed in my library as KFX-ZIP. I installed K4PC 1.40.65466 on the Win10 laptop, and I got the same result. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?

Kindle for PC and calibre must be on the same computer and user account, otherwise it's not going to work.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What was the reason for this issue?

The backup tries to make directories and files non-writeable to keep modifications from happening during the backup. If there is any failure, the recovery mechanism should restore the files to their normal state. Unfortunately, that recovery mechanism itself failed. I had to run it manually to restore the settings.

[PiperKev]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Kindle for PC and calibre must be on the same computer and user account, otherwise it's not going to work.

Well, phooey! Thanks for the info, I guess I'll have to stick with transferring from my KOA3 when necessary!

[MegDreamsofBooks]

Originally Posted by PiperKev

Well, phooey! Thanks for the info, I guess I'll have to stick with transferring from my KOA3 when necessary!

I had a similar problem, as I prefer to run my Calibre library off my always-on (and backed up!) desktop but needed the K4PC app on my laptop where I can temporarily disable wireless.

I solved it by putting a new, empty Calibre library on the laptop, with the deDRM plugin. Books get downloaded from K4PC, then added to what I call my "import" Calibre library on the laptop. Clean them up for a minute and convert to ePub, then I copy the book files over to my desktop PC and import them to my "main" Calibre library. When I'm done, I delete the entries from the "import" library on the laptop so I always have a clean start to tell which files I'm working with.

It takes an extra couple of minutes and steps, but dealing with K4PC and keeping it from automatically updating is already enough steps that the few extra for the transfer are no big deal.