Mobipocket output - Page 8

starrigger · 02-20-2009, 04:27 PM

Question about mobipocket file output. I discovered that the reason I couldn't use mobi files produced by Calibre on my PDA is that they're .mobi files instead of .prc. When I renamed them to .prc, they worked. So I put in a ticket asking if .prc could be an output option in Calibre. Kovid answered that .prc is a deprecated extension in Mobipocket, and that Calibre wouldn't support it.

This was the first I'd heard that, so I'm just asking for more information. As far as I can tell, I have the most recent version of Mobi Creator (4.2), and it produces .prc files. Soooo....how is it that .prc is deprecated in mobipocket?

My Mobi Reader (desktop) can read either .prc or .mobi. But my older (Win CE) Pocket PC, which also has the most recent version it can support, can only read .prc.

I take it that there's more to it than just choosing a different file extension, which is why Kovid doesn't want to add .prc output as an option. But if a .mobi file renamed to .prc works as a .prc, wouldn't adding the extension option be a pretty easy thing?

I don't know, mind you, I'm just wondering out loud.

kovidgoyal · 02-20-2009, 04:45 PM

It's like this:

A MOBI file is a perfectly valid PRC file, but a PRC file need not in general be a valid MOBI file. So by labelling mobi output as .mobi calibre is indicating that the file it has produced is a valid MOBI ebook. It's unfortunate that there isn't a new enough version of MOBI reader for your win ce device, but I'd rather not change the behavior of calibre to accomodate something that is rapidly becoming obsolete.

nrapallo · 02-20-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrigger

But if a .mobi file renamed to .prc works as a .prc, wouldn't adding the extension option be a pretty easy thing?

I don't know, mind you, I'm just wondering out loud.

Yep, I think, renaming is your friend, in this case...

I think, going forward, the .mobi file extension tipifies that the file is truly an ebook, whereas, historically, in PalmOS, .prc had a somewhat confusing beginning as a ebook file format (it shares it's file extension with Palm Resource programs/files).

So, since newer software will accomodate the .mobi file extension, going forward, it's a non-issue. For older software, it's a rename away. Just my take.

giddion · 02-20-2009, 04:57 PM

The version of Mobipocket I downloaded and installed for my win mobile device handles the .mobi files just fine but when I select import from the menu it doesn't find them because the import has *.prc or all files - and you don't want to select all files cause that tries to list every file on the device.

However, if I use the file browser application and I browse to the folder where I put the Mobi file and double click it the mobi pocket reader loads the file fine and adds it to the library.

starrigger · 02-20-2009, 05:44 PM

Fair enough. But it leaves me wondering at the fact that there's this new, improved standard, which Calibre (and presumably others) produce to--but Mobi Creator does not. Wouldn't Mobi Creator be the pace car, so to speak, on changes like this?

Indeed, I guess "rename" is my friend.

Fortunately, most of my conversions go in the opposite direction.

taspool · 02-20-2009, 06:13 PM

I have changed from using Mobipocket software to Calibre for my recently acquired Cybook. I love Calibre, the look and feel is professional and the degree of user control over functions is fantastic.

A couple of issues have arisen for me, which may well be my own inexperience, but I couldn't see answers on this thread;

1. When importing or replacing the cover image, this works fine as far as reading the book (the cover image comes up full screen if I've imported an 800x600 image) but no matter what size jpg I start with, the thumbnail picture in the Cybook library does not take up the full thumbnail space in the books listing, instead the cover image is a tiny picture in the centre with a large white margin around it. Other books, such as purchased prc files, have "full size" thumbnails. What can I do to get "full size" thumbnails from Calibre?

2. I'm one of those who'd like the maximum amount of the cybook screen filled with text to minimise page turning. Is there any way of formatting the conversion or send-to-device process so that the header is not shown and instead used by text, or so that side margin white space can be reduced? Simply turning off "show header" in the cybook just leaves blank space at the top.

Thanks for any help. And just in case bribery works, please be advised that I always donate to freeware if I keep using it after a month

In any case, great program, congratulations to the developers.

Greg

llasram · 02-20-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taspool

A couple of issues have arisen for me, which may well be my own inexperience, but I couldn't see answers on this thread;

Both of the issues you've mentioned sound pretty weird to me, and I'm not sure they're something I can fix without a Cybook, but I'm willing to try. Calibre make the thumbnail by re-sizing to what mobigen produced, and which size looks fine in Mobipocket Desktop. For header and side margin, calibre isn't actually setting anything at all.

Go ahead and open a separate ticket for each issue on the calibre trac, and attach a book which (a) shows the behavior you want but (b) when run through calibre (extracted then re-converted to Mobi) shows the behavior you don't want. If you don't want to attach the book directly, you can e-mail it to me at <llasram@gmail.com>.

taspool · 02-20-2009, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llasram

Both of the issues you've mentioned sound pretty weird to me, and I'm not sure they're something I can fix without a Cybook, but I'm willing to try. Calibre make the thumbnail by re-sizing to what mobigen produced, and which size looks fine in Mobipocket Desktop. For header and side margin, calibre isn't actually setting anything at all.

Go ahead and open a separate ticket for each issue on the calibre trac, and attach a book which (a) shows the behavior you want but (b) when run through calibre (extracted then re-converted to Mobi) shows the behavior you don't want. If you don't want to attach the book directly, you can e-mail it to me at <llasram@gmail.com>.

Thanks for the reply. I suspect my problem with thumbnails has more to do with my lack of knowledge rather than a bug in the program, so I'm reluctant to post it as a ticket until I rule out user error. But I'm happy to send book examples of my problem and would appreciate any help you can offer. Although as you say without a cybook you might not be able to see the problem. For the book examples what should I send you - the book files from the cybook itself, or from the calibre folders?

taspool · 02-21-2009, 08:28 AM

A fix has been found by Jellby to the Cybook thumbnail problem I posted at 111 above. He kindly responded to my crosspost in the cybook subforum.

Simply deleting the t2b files from the Cybook allowed the thumbnails to be regenerated at the correct sizes.

As to why it happened in the first place, might well be the cybook rather than the calibre, but in any case an easy and complete fix!

JSWolf · 02-21-2009, 08:39 AM

As for the margins on the Gen3, the margins are fixed in the software on the Gen3. There's nothing you can do about it other then complain to Bookeen about it.

Why not try generating your next Mobipocket eBook using the command line tool any2mobi and see what happens.

mtravellerh · 02-21-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

As for the margins on the Gen3, the margins are fixed in the software on the Gen3. There's nothing you can do about it other then complain to Bookeen about it.

Why not try generating your next Mobipocket eBook using the command line tool any2mobi and see what happens.

Exactly. any2mobi on the command line works way better than the GUI version, not least because there are more switches available. (compression, for instance)

starrigger · 02-26-2009, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The GUI doesn't have an option to enable compression for mobi output. You have to use the commandline any2mobi with the option --compress

Will that option be coming anytime soon? I'd consider that a fairly high priority for my own use of conversion to mobi.

starrigger · 02-26-2009, 01:34 AM

In my tests with the mobi conversion, I noticed that it seemed to be forcing line justification. Is there any way to turn that off? (I really dislike having justification forced on me in a small reader, especially since, in the Mobi Reader software, I can turn it on or off at will--but only if it's off in the file build.)

kovidgoyal · 02-26-2009, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrigger

Will that option be coming anytime soon? I'd consider that a fairly high priority for my own use of conversion to mobi.

The whole conversion system is undergoing a re-organization right now. Once that's done, this will be added. So in a couple of months.

starrigger · 02-26-2009, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The whole conversion system is undergoing a re-organization right now. Once that's done, this will be added. So in a couple of months.

Excellent! (Well, I'm sorry I won't have it next week

, but really. I'm amazed how fast this tool is coming along, and how well it works.)

02-20-2009, 06:13 PM	#111
taspool Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: cybook gen3	Calibre with Cybook Gen3, minor issues I have changed from using Mobipocket software to Calibre for my recently acquired Cybook. I love Calibre, the look and feel is professional and the degree of user control over functions is fantastic. A couple of issues have arisen for me, which may well be my own inexperience, but I couldn't see answers on this thread; 1. When importing or replacing the cover image, this works fine as far as reading the book (the cover image comes up full screen if I've imported an 800x600 image) but no matter what size jpg I start with, the thumbnail picture in the Cybook library does not take up the full thumbnail space in the books listing, instead the cover image is a tiny picture in the centre with a large white margin around it. Other books, such as purchased prc files, have "full size" thumbnails. What can I do to get "full size" thumbnails from Calibre? 2. I'm one of those who'd like the maximum amount of the cybook screen filled with text to minimise page turning. Is there any way of formatting the conversion or send-to-device process so that the header is not shown and instead used by text, or so that side margin white space can be reduced? Simply turning off "show header" in the cybook just leaves blank space at the top. Thanks for any help. And just in case bribery works, please be advised that I always donate to freeware if I keep using it after a month In any case, great program, congratulations to the developers. Greg

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
main menu, section menu, css for calibre mobipocket output	naisren	Calibre	2	08-23-2010 11:42 PM
Trying to get consistent look to all output	daveps	Calibre	0	03-08-2010 02:18 PM
Anyone Have mobipocket desktop? Mobipocket server is down.	Ireadfreely	Kindle Formats	3	10-27-2008 10:29 AM
convert from 'new' mobipocket to 'old' mobipocket?	Indigo Ink	Kindle Formats	11	06-22-2008 01:43 AM
Mobipocket Reader 4.8 and Mobipocket eNews Creator	Mobipocket	Reading and Management	1	01-29-2004 08:03 AM

02-20-2009, 04:27 PM	#106
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	Question about mobipocket file output. I discovered that the reason I couldn't use mobi files produced by Calibre on my PDA is that they're .mobi files instead of .prc. When I renamed them to .prc, they worked. So I put in a ticket asking if .prc could be an output option in Calibre. Kovid answered that .prc is a deprecated extension in Mobipocket, and that Calibre wouldn't support it. This was the first I'd heard that, so I'm just asking for more information. As far as I can tell, I have the most recent version of Mobi Creator (4.2), and it produces .prc files. Soooo....how is it that .prc is deprecated in mobipocket? My Mobi Reader (desktop) can read either .prc or .mobi. But my older (Win CE) Pocket PC, which also has the most recent version it can support, can only read .prc. I take it that there's more to it than just choosing a different file extension, which is why Kovid doesn't want to add .prc output as an option. But if a .mobi file renamed to .prc works as a .prc, wouldn't adding the extension option be a pretty easy thing? I don't know, mind you, I'm just wondering out loud.

02-20-2009, 04:45 PM	#107
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,850 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	It's like this: A MOBI file is a perfectly valid PRC file, but a PRC file need not in general be a valid MOBI file. So by labelling mobi output as .mobi calibre is indicating that the file it has produced is a valid MOBI ebook. It's unfortunate that there isn't a new enough version of MOBI reader for your win ce device, but I'd rather not change the behavior of calibre to accomodate something that is rapidly becoming obsolete.

02-20-2009, 04:57 PM	#109
giddion Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 186 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: CT, USA Device: samsung i910 now - cybook later	The version of Mobipocket I downloaded and installed for my win mobile device handles the .mobi files just fine but when I select import from the menu it doesn't find them because the import has *.prc or all files - and you don't want to select all files cause that tries to list every file on the device. However, if I use the file browser application and I browse to the folder where I put the Mobi file and double click it the mobi pocket reader loads the file fine and adds it to the library.

02-20-2009, 05:44 PM	#110
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	Fair enough. But it leaves me wondering at the fact that there's this new, improved standard, which Calibre (and presumably others) produce to--but Mobi Creator does not. Wouldn't Mobi Creator be the pace car, so to speak, on changes like this? Indeed, I guess "rename" is my friend. Fortunately, most of my conversions go in the opposite direction.

02-21-2009, 08:28 AM	#114
taspool Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: cybook gen3	A fix has been found by Jellby to the Cybook thumbnail problem I posted at 111 above. He kindly responded to my crosspost in the cybook subforum. Simply deleting the t2b files from the Cybook allowed the thumbnails to be regenerated at the correct sizes. As to why it happened in the first place, might well be the cybook rather than the calibre, but in any case an easy and complete fix!

02-21-2009, 08:39 AM	#115
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,938 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	As for the margins on the Gen3, the margins are fixed in the software on the Gen3. There's nothing you can do about it other then complain to Bookeen about it. Why not try generating your next Mobipocket eBook using the command line tool any2mobi and see what happens.

02-26-2009, 01:34 AM	#118
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	In my tests with the mobi conversion, I noticed that it seemed to be forcing line justification. Is there any way to turn that off? (I really dislike having justification forced on me in a small reader, especially since, in the Mobi Reader software, I can turn it on or off at will--but only if it's off in the file build.)

Advert

Advert