[Conversion Output] KFX Output

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by hrqmonteiro

Why no support for Linux? I needed so much this plugin cause apparently only converting to KFX the book covers are supposed to show properly since the last update, but i'm using Linux and this is unavailable on linux

This plugin uses the Kindle Previewer to do the heavy lifting of converting to KFX. Unless Amazon releases a version of Kindle Previewer that runs under Linux, this plugin will not work.

To quote the Installation portion of the first message in this thread (click on the show butter after Spoiler):

Installation:

Spoiler:

Amazon Kindle Previewer 3 should be installed in the default location under the same user account as is being used to run calibre. It is available from http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1003018611 for Windows and Mac. Version 3.40 (June 5, 2020) is recommended for best results. (Versions below 3.38.0 are not compatible with this plugin. Versions newer than 3.40 have not been tested and might not be compatible.)

Install the KFX Output plugin and restart calibre as described in the Introduction to plugins thread.

You can tell if the plugin/Previewer combination is functioning properly by attempting to convert a book that is known to work. One example is this edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

On another hand, I thought that Kovid had added code to calibre so that books newly sent to a Kindle would have their covers restored on the next connection to calibre and then the covers would remain.

[Vicious]

I got this error when I opened the KFX file converted from mobi on calibre

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Vicious

I got this error when I opened the KFX file converted from mobi on calibre

The calibre viewer does not support reading KFX format.

You can read KFX content using the Kindle Previewer. Instructions are in this post: Open KFX with Kindle Previewer 3.

[jhowell]

Version 1.43.0 - 02 Jul 2020

Detect Kindle Previewer versions up to 3.41. Version 3.41 includes some improvements to conversion.

Retry multiple times if the Kindle Previewer is unable to convert a book. This is a work around for a problem with the kindlegen component of the Previewer that causes conversion to occasionally fail unexpectedly.

[ps67]

I tried to use Your plugin with Kindle Previewer 3.40 and 3.41 but they both don't produce a KFX: never. So I tried to insert directly in KP 3.41 various books (Epub) that produced KFX with 3.38 and none of them had the better typography.

So the trouble is in some incompatibility between the Kindle Previewer 3.40 - 3.41 and my version of Windows 10 64 bit.

I don't know how to discover which version precisely I have of Windows 10 (I use it mostly for Kindle because of Your plugin), but anyway until there will be a new version of Kindle Previewer that works for me I will stay with 3.38.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ps67

So the trouble is in some incompatibility between the Kindle Previewer 3.40 - 3.41 and my version of Windows 10 64 bit.

Without some more specific information, such as a error message, I am afraid that I don't have any way to assist you.

[ps67]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Without some more specific information, such as a error message, I am afraid that I don't have any way to assist you.

This is the result with KP 3.38 and 3.41 and one of the books I tried to convert

Edit:
Version OS: 1903
Build OS: 18362.900

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ps67

This is the result with KP 3.38 and 3.41 and one of the books I tried to convert

The log using version 3.41 shows that the Kindle Previewer is unable to convert the book and it does not provide any reason for the failure. That is unfortunately typical of the way that the Previewer handles errors.

I tried the book you supplied on my system and had no problem converting it using version 3.41 of the Previewer. I am not running that exact build of Windows 10, but I doubt that is a factor.

If you are using some type of antivirus software other than the built-in Windows Defender, you could try disabling that and see if conversion completes. Other than that I do not have any idea of what could be going wrong. Sorry.

[ps67]

I don't use a antivirus, there is only the built-in Windows Defender. And the strange thing is that 3.41 starts (a antivirus issue should prevent the program starting, I imagine, but I am not expert) but no books has better typography.

I can only stay on 3.38 until, for some miracle, there will be a working version for me.

And I think that it doesn't matter the book, I posted that specific book because it is in public domain, but no book is converted.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ps67

I don't use a antivirus, there is only the built-in Windows Defender.

It was a long shot. I have heard that some antivirus programs cause problems for calibre.

Originally Posted by ps67

And the strange thing is that 3.41 starts (a antivirus issue should prevent the program starting, I imagine, but I am not expert) but no books has better typography.

The main Kindle Previewer program (Kindle Previewer 3.exe) launches a series of other programs that perform each of the steps in the conversion process. (java.exe, phantomjs.exe, kindlegen.exe, KindleImageProcessor.exe, etc.) If any of those fail then the conversion will not be successful.

Originally Posted by ps67

I can only stay on 3.38 until, for some miracle, there will be a working version for me.

Hopefully a future Previewer release will fix whatever is going wrong.

[AJone]

Hi do I prevent calibre from overwriting Amazon book covers when reconnecting my kindle? I'm happy enough to let ASIN fetch my covers for me.
Thanks

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by AJone

Hi do I prevent calibre from overwriting Amazon book covers when reconnecting my kindle? I'm happy enough to let ASIN fetch my covers for me.

Calibre stashes a copy of the cover thumbnails it creates in a folder on the Kindle device. (I don't know the folder name off the top of my head.) You can empty that folder manually to prevent calibre from restoring cover thumbnail images.

[0xReki]

Originally Posted by jhowell

It was a long shot. I have heard that some antivirus programs cause problems for calibre.



The main Kindle Previewer program (Kindle Previewer 3.exe) launches a series of other programs that perform each of the steps in the conversion process. (java.exe, phantomjs.exe, kindlegen.exe, KindleImageProcessor.exe, etc.) If any of those fail then the conversion will not be successful.



Hopefully a future Previewer release will fix whatever is going wrong.

I had the same issue after reinstalling Windows 10. After installing all VC++ Runtimes there are — I'd need them for Games anyway — it started working again. I hope it helps.

[ps67]

Originally Posted by 0xReki

I had the same issue after reinstalling Windows 10. After installing all VC++ Runtimes there are — I'd need them for Games anyway — it started working again. I hope it helps.

Thank You, one of these days I will try.

[AJone]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Calibre stashes a copy of the cover thumbnails it creates in a folder on the Kindle device. (I don't know the folder name off the top of my head.) You can empty that folder manually to prevent calibre from restoring cover thumbnail images.

Thanks, I'll give that a go