unzippable .mobis

Xabache · 06-28-2011, 03:35 AM

I'm using the very latest (7-11) Kindlegen version 1.2 build 33307 to create my .mobi files. Mine unzip, i've heard this can't happen [see attached] finally looking at numerous other .mobi files i agree, they are compiled i think, and universally do not unzip. why do mine open up with any copy of winrar? how can i prevent this with kindlegen?

pholy · 06-28-2011, 09:31 AM

My linux unzip -t says there are 52288 bytes of stuff at the beginning of the file, followed by files that look suspiciously like the source files for your mobi. Since Kindlegen now does tack the source files on at the end, I suspect that winrar is silently ignoring your mobi part and giving you back your source files. Mac users have a way of stripping the trailing source files, but I'm not sure it's been done for Windows (or Linux) users of Kindlegen.
The 12 files following add up to 72628 bytes, so they must be somewhat zipped up, at least. That's nice to know.

DiapDealer · 06-28-2011, 09:36 AM

Quote:

why do mine open up with any copy of winrar?

Because it's not a mobi. It's an OEBPS zip archive with a mobi extension. You're saying that Kindlegen creates this file with that exact file name? I've never seen that kind of behavior before.

EDIT: My bad... it appears to be both.

I'm seeing the same behavior as pholy with 7zip.

pholy · 06-28-2011, 09:42 AM

DiapDealer - Here's what my unzip reports:

phil@AmyDee:~/Downloads$ unzip -l ENFE001s.mobi
Archive: ENFE001s.mobi
warning [ENFE001s.mobi]: 52288 extra bytes at beginning or within zipfile
(attempting to process anyway)
Length Date Time Name
--------- ---------- ----- ----
3315 2011-06-13 12:37 content.opf
681 2011-06-13 12:37 css/style.css
1022 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m14.html
1444 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m15.html
1624 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m16.html
1405 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m18.html
1464 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m29.html
1802 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m30.html
9284 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m31.html
1797 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m32.html
46341 2011-06-13 12:37 image/ENFE001-m00.jpg
2449 2011-06-13 12:37 misc/toc.ncx
--------- -------
72628 12 files
phil@AmyDee:~/Downloads$

pdurrant reported earlier that Kindlegen was now tacking on the source files; it looks like they have been zipped and then appended to the mobi portion of the file.

Doitsu · 06-28-2011, 09:44 AM

You can use Mobipocket Creator to compile your book. However, you'll need to comment out the following line in your .opf file, because, .ncx files are not supported:

Code:

<!--item id="toc" href="misc/toc.ncx" media-type="application/x-dtbncx+xml" /-->

However, even .prc files can be decompiled.

DaleDe · 06-28-2011, 02:23 PM

For some reason, known only to Amazon, they now include a copy of the original file in every KindleGen created document. This, of course, basically doubles the size of the file and opens the possibility to the things you discovered. At one point in an older version of Kindlegen you could optionally stop this but in the latest version the option has been removed.

Dale

Xabache · 06-28-2011, 02:25 PM

Thank you for your answers,

So it looks perfect in kindle previewer and kindle pc, the unzip-ability is of no concern then. It doesnt bother me, my epubs contain very similar material, unsecurely and open source for those in-the-know is always a help, i never imagined unzipping them until told it was possible anyway.

It would be nice if kindlegen gave this compiling option, can't say i'd use it, maybe eventually.

st_albert · 07-08-2011, 12:55 PM

You can strip out the source files if you want to, thanks to pdurrant's kindlestrip.py script.

See this thread.

Xabache · 07-15-2011, 07:38 AM

i had wondered. thanks for the info i will look into this as being dialup, everything uploaded is sure torture.

06-28-2011, 09:31 AM	#2
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	My linux unzip -t says there are 52288 bytes of stuff at the beginning of the file, followed by files that look suspiciously like the source files for your mobi. Since Kindlegen now does tack the source files on at the end, I suspect that winrar is silently ignoring your mobi part and giving you back your source files. Mac users have a way of stripping the trailing source files, but I'm not sure it's been done for Windows (or Linux) users of Kindlegen. The 12 files following add up to 72628 bytes, so they must be somewhat zipped up, at least. That's nice to know. Last edited by pholy; 06-28-2011 at 09:35 AM. Reason: Added total length of files following.

06-28-2011, 09:44 AM	#5
Doitsu Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,584 Karma: 22735033 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle PW2	Use Mobipocket Creator You can use Mobipocket Creator to compile your book. However, you'll need to comment out the following line in your .opf file, because, .ncx files are not supported: Code: <!--item id="toc" href="misc/toc.ncx" media-type="application/x-dtbncx+xml" /--> However, even .prc files can be decompiled.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
transfering mobis	Soxendom	Kindle Formats	3	05-13-2011 12:42 PM
Problems converting Baen CD mobis to EPUB	Robotech_Master	Calibre	8	04-14-2010 06:10 AM

06-28-2011, 09:42 AM	#4
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	DiapDealer - Here's what my unzip reports: phil@AmyDee:~/Downloads$ unzip -l ENFE001s.mobi Archive: ENFE001s.mobi warning [ENFE001s.mobi]: 52288 extra bytes at beginning or within zipfile (attempting to process anyway) Length Date Time Name --------- ---------- ----- ---- 3315 2011-06-13 12:37 content.opf 681 2011-06-13 12:37 css/style.css 1022 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m14.html 1444 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m15.html 1624 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m16.html 1405 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m18.html 1464 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m29.html 1802 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m30.html 9284 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m31.html 1797 2011-06-13 12:37 html/ENFE001-m32.html 46341 2011-06-13 12:37 image/ENFE001-m00.jpg 2449 2011-06-13 12:37 misc/toc.ncx --------- ------- 72628 12 files phil@AmyDee:~/Downloads$ pdurrant reported earlier that Kindlegen was now tacking on the source files; it looks like they have been zipped and then appended to the mobi portion of the file.

06-28-2011, 02:23 PM	#6
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	For some reason, known only to Amazon, they now include a copy of the original file in every KindleGen created document. This, of course, basically doubles the size of the file and opens the possibility to the things you discovered. At one point in an older version of Kindlegen you could optionally stop this but in the latest version the option has been removed. Dale

06-28-2011, 02:25 PM	#7
Xabache Carbon Reserve Posts: 44 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PC	Thank you for your answers, So it looks perfect in kindle previewer and kindle pc, the unzip-ability is of no concern then. It doesnt bother me, my epubs contain very similar material, unsecurely and open source for those in-the-know is always a help, i never imagined unzipping them until told it was possible anyway. It would be nice if kindlegen gave this compiling option, can't say i'd use it, maybe eventually.

07-08-2011, 12:55 PM	#8
st_albert Guru Posts: 696 Karma: 150000 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	You can strip out the source files if you want to, thanks to pdurrant's kindlestrip.py script. See this thread.

07-15-2011, 07:38 AM	#9
Xabache Carbon Reserve Posts: 44 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PC	i had wondered. thanks for the info i will look into this as being dialup, everything uploaded is sure torture.