mobi from kindlegen contents list problem

[brahms]

Hi all, and thanks for your help.

I've made an ePub directly (not using calibre etc), and it validates fine.

However, converting with kindlegen produces a mobi contents list (in PC kindle reader) that ignores clicks on the second page (title page) instead showing the cover image.

All pages display perfectly navigating by page forward/back and by the html toc so I presume the problem is in the .ncx?

Curiously, if i use Calibre to convert from epub to mobi, the resulting mobi works properly. Where am I going wrong? I'd prefer to get kindlegen to work if possible.

navMap> 

<navPoint id ="title001" playOrder="1">
<navLabel> <text>Title Page</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/title001.html"/> 
</navPoint> 

<navPoint id ="toc" playOrder="2">
<navLabel> <text>Contents</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/toc.html"/> 
</navPoint> 

<navPoint id ="content001" playOrder="3">
<navLabel> <text>Find Gold</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/content001.html"/> 
</navPoint>

<navPoint id ="content002" playOrder="4">
<navLabel> <text>About the Author</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/content002.html"/> 
</navPoint>

<navPoint id ="content003" playOrder="5">
<navLabel> <text>Copyright Page</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/content003.html"/>
</navPoint> 

	</navMap>
		</ncx>

The manifest etc is this (I've taken out header stuff):

<manifest> 
  
  <item href="content/title001.html" id="title001" media-type="application/xhtml+xml"/> 
  <item href="content/content001.html" id="htmlcontent001" media-type="application/xhtml+xml"/> 
  <item href="content/content002.html" id="htmlcontent002" media-type="application/xhtml+xml"/>
  <item href="content/content003.html" id="htmlcontent003" media-type="application/xhtml+xml"/>
 
  <item href="content/toc.html" id="toc" media-type="application/xhtml+xml"/>
  <item href="toc.ncx" id="ncx" media-type="application/x-dtbncx+xml"/> 
  <item href="css/style001.css" id="cssstylesheet" media-type="text/css"/> 
  <item href="images/cover.jpg" id="My_Cover_ID" media-type="image/jpeg"/> <!-- Required for KindleGen, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks --> 
  </manifest>

<spine toc="ncx">

<itemref idref="title001"/>
<itemref idref="toc"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent001"/> 
<itemref idref="htmlcontent002"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent003"/>
</spine >

<guide> 
 
<reference href ="content/title001.html" type ="text" title ="Begin Reading"/>
<reference href ="content/toc.html" type ="toc" title ="Table of Contents"/>
 
</guide >
</package>

Many thanks.

[Notjohn]

Have you ever tried Sigil? I find it much better than Calibre for this purpose. I've only once or twice ever been obliged to look at the NCX file in a Sigil epub, and I've never had a validated Sigil epub give a problem when uploaded to the KDP. (I don't use KindleGen or Kindle Previewer for this purpose, and indeed have never been able to get KindleGen working on my Windows 7 desktop.)

[brahms]

Funny thing is that everything is validating fine, epub and mobi. And the calibre version works ok, but I'd prefer to get the kindlegen version right if possible.

It's an odd one.

[jhowell]

This is just a guess, but the problem may have something to do with your book not having an actual cover page in the spine and starting instead with the title page.

[brahms]

Originally Posted by jhowell

This is just a guess, but the problem may have something to do with your book not having an actual cover page in the spine and starting instead with the title page.

I'll check that out. Thanks for the suggestion.

[brahms]

Sorry about taking so long.

This issue also happens with another epub, this one with a cover in the spine:

spine toc="ncx">
<itemref idref="htmlcoverpage"/>
<itemref idref="title001"/>
<itemref idref="htmltoc"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent001"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent002"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent003"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent004"/>
<itemref idref="htmlcontent005"/>

etc etc

Strange that kindlgen has this problem but a calibre conversion from an epub doesn't.

Thanks again

[brahms]

I wondered whether having in the <guide> the 'begin reading' page set to the title page is part of the problem.

Turns out it's not that. If I click Title page in the ToC it shows the cover.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by brahms

I wondered whether having in the <guide> the 'begin reading' page set to the title page is part of the problem.

Turns out it's not that. If I click Title page in the ToC it shows the cover.

This is a known bug. You mean using the Goto, not the TOC, don't you? If that's not what you mean, then, I may not be able to help. Can you clarify?

I'll have to actually check our cheatsheets in the office, tomorrow, to remember the answer, but there's a quick-ish fix, if that's all it is.

Although, having said that--your Guide doesn't have the title page set. Hmmmmph. Well, maybe the same fix will work. When I scrounge it up tomorrow, I'll let you know.

Hitch

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by brahms

I wondered whether having in the <guide> the 'begin reading' page set to the title page is part of the problem.

Turns out it's not that. If I click Title page in the ToC it shows the cover.

Howdy:

I'm not 100% sure that we're handling the SAME bug, but, on the chance that it helps/works, make sure that in the navmap, you change this

<navPoint id ="title001" playOrder="1">
<navLabel> <text>Title Page</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/title001.html"/> 
</navPoint>

to something MORE LIKE this:

<navPoint id ="title001" playOrder="1">
<navLabel> <text>Title Page</text> </navLabel> <content src ="content/title001.html#tt"/> 
</navPoint>

...in which "tt" is the id for a paragraph location on the title page. We use it for the paragraph enclosing the title (of the book) on the title page, like so:

<div class="booksection">
<p class="title" id="tt"><b>YOUR BOOK NAME HERE</b></p>
<p class="title1">SUBTITLE HERE</p>
<p class="title2">BYLINE HERE</p>
</div>

This is a known bug; we've been using this workaround for a few years now, IIRC. At least, I believe we're solving the same issue.

Hope that helps.

Hitch

[brahms]

Thanks Hitch, I'll give that a try.

Meantime, given that Calibre converts from epub to mobi without creating this problem, is there any disadvantage to just going with that for KDP?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by brahms

Thanks Hitch, I'll give that a try.

Meantime, given that Calibre converts from epub to mobi without creating this problem, is there any disadvantage to just going with that for KDP?

Go right ahead. You should be aware of the following:

• Amazon somewhat frequently does not accept Calibre-generated MOBI files, giving "eBooks created with 3rd-party tools are not supported" as the reason.
• If you build a "mobi" with Calibre, you are building a KF7 MOBI file, not a "dual" mobi, that contains both the KF8 and KF7 versions of the book.
• You cannot upload the "AZW3" Calibre format to Amazon.
• This means that if you have ANY advanced features--like embedded fonts and so on--you won't get that.
• If you determine to do that, make sure that you inspect your code, and ensure that your important styling is inline.
• In keeping with that, inspect your CSS, and make sure that none of it is very advanced. If you see anything that you're worried about, replicate it inline using HTML, rather than CSS.

That's all. Your book will look the same, whether someone uses a K2 to read, or an HDX. That can be a good thing to a lot of people. Furthermore, you sacrifice any ability to take advantage of the new LITB.

HOWEVER, if you stick with simple stuff, and that's all you have, it should work for you.

All that being said--what I posted to you SHOULD solve your problem.

Hitch

[brahms]

You method works a treat, Hitch.

Many thanks again, I really appreciate it.

Dave

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by brahms

You method works a treat, Hitch.

Many thanks again, I really appreciate it.

Dave

You are most welcome. Glad it solved the issue.

Hitch