Mobi using the "both" option

[shalym]

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but recently when I do a conversion to mobi using the "both" option, it doesn't actually create "both", it *only* creates mobi format, with no kf8 version embedded as well. I'm running Windows 10, and I made sure that I am at the latest version of Calibre. I'm not sure when this stopped working, but it's been at least a few months since I last converted a book and it worked properly.

Any ideas?

Shari

[shalym]

Bumping this, hoping that someone has some suggestions as to what I may have done to cause this to stop working, and how I can fix it.

Shari

[jhowell]

It works for me using 64-bit calibre version 3.37 under Windows 10. As a test I converted this edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley to MOBI with the "both" option selected. I was then able to verify that the result contains the expected content by using the kindleunpack plugin.

Perhaps you could try the same book?

If it fails to work properly then I suggest posting the resulting MOBI and the conversion log.

[kovidgoyal]

Most likely you changed the option only in the Preferences->MOBI Output. Remember that for previously converted books, saved conversion settings take precedence.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Most likely you changed the option only in the Preferences->MOBI Output. Remember that for previously converted books, saved conversion settings take precedence.

I thought that too, but then I tried doing a conversion of a brand new book, and it still didn't work. I'll dig up a public domain book and convert that, and post the logs.

Shari

[DNSB]

For what it's worth, I tried the same ebook as JHowell using calibre 3.37 running on OpenSUSE Tumbleweed and it created the file with both formats according to KindleUnpack which unpacked the .azw3 and .mobi files from it.

[shalym]

Looking at the logs, and deconstructing using Kindle unpack, the kf8 is being created during the conversion, it just won't go to any of my Kindles when I pull from the cloud--only the mobi files gets sent.

I tried using a few epubs from the MobileRead library, and they worked fine. I then tried one of the epubs that I had, and it didn't work...so it looks like there's something wrong with the way my epubs are created. I've installed the scramble plugin, and I'll post one of the books that aren't working.

Shari

[shalym]

Here's the scrambled epub. Hopefully someone can see something that's obviously broken. Looking at logs from books that convert correctly and ones that don't, maybe it has something to do with the table of contents?

I'm also attaching the conversion log from epub to mobi.

Thanks in advance for any advice that anyone can give me.

Shari

[jhowell]

A mobi-both file created using calibre will lack some of the data records of a master-mobi produced using kindlegen (or Kindle Previewer.) I recommend using one of those programs if you are planning to send the mobi file to Amazon.

[kovidgoyal]

If you go via the amazon servers to send files to kindles (such as send to kindle or email delivery), then all bets are off -- no one has any idea what amazon does with mobi files. Send your files to devices using side-loading and they will work fine.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If you go via the amazon servers to send files to kindles (such as send to kindle or email delivery), then all bets are off -- no one has any idea what amazon does with mobi files. Send your files to devices using side-loading and they will work fine.

What is the advantage of side-loading a mobi-both via USB? Will I be able to sync my books across devices?

If I'm going to side-load over USB, what makes this format better than using either kf8 or kfx or traditional mobi?

Shari

[jhowell]

I converted your scrambled sample to mobi-both using calibre and used kindleunpack to verify that the converted file contained both mobi and kf8 formats. I emailed it to my Amazon account and as you described it was delivered to my Kindle (Oasis 2) as a mobi file.

I then converted the same book using Amazon's Kindle Previewer (v 3.28.1) and emailed the resulting mobi. In that case the book appeared on my Kindle in azw3 format as expected.

Originally Posted by shalym

What is the advantage of side-loading a mobi-both via USB?

As far as I can see the main advantage is that you can use the same file regardless of what Kindle model you own. If you own multiple models it may simplify things.

Originally Posted by shalym

Will I be able to sync my books across devices?

No. Only documents sent to your account will sync between devices.

Originally Posted by shalym

If I'm going to side-load over USB, what makes this format better than using either kf8 or kfx or traditional mobi?

Formatting is different in each of those cases. Traditional mobi will not allow boldness selection for fonts. kfx will allow the most options, but has other potential disadvantages you can read about in the description of the KFX Output plugin.


Personally, I just convert using the Previewer and email to my account the few books that I obtain outside of the Amazon ecosystem. Syncing between devices is very import to me.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I converted your scrambled sample to mobi-both using calibre and used kindleunpack to verify that the converted file contained both mobi and kf8 formats. I emailed it to my Amazon account and as you described it was delivered to my Kindle (Oasis 2) as a mobi file.

I then converted the same book using Amazon's Kindle Previewer (v 3.28.1) and emailed the resulting mobi. In that case the book appeared on my Kindle in azw3 format as expected.



As far as I can see the main advantage is that you can use the same file regardless of what Kindle model you own. If you own multiple models it may simplify things.



No. Only documents sent to your account will sync between devices.



Formatting is different in each of those cases. Traditional mobi will not allow boldness selection for fonts. kfx will allow the most options, but has other potential disadvantages you can read about in the description of the KFX Output plugin.


Personally, I just convert using the Previewer and email to my account the few books that I obtain outside of the Amazon ecosystem. Syncing between devices is very import to me.

Syncing is very important to me, as well. I guess I will just start using kindlegen to convert, rather than Calibre. I wonder if there is a way to create a plugin that uses kindlegen, or Kindle Previewer?

Shari

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by shalym

I wonder if there is a way to create a plugin that uses kindlegen, or Kindle Previewer?

There is a kindlegen plugin for Sigil, but not for calibre.