Exporting from Kindle Create?

[DBP]

I am using Kindle Create for the first time. I imported a draft of the book, in Word format, into the software. I have subsequently done a fair amount of editing now in the Kindle software, and I would like to back it up by exporting an updated Word version. This would also be helpful if I decide to publish in other formats like epub. Is there a way to do this? Thanks in advance.

[jhowell]

Kindle Create can import documents from MS Word but exports only to KPF, a proprietary Amazon format, when you press the "Publish" button. Any changes you made using KC cannot be exported back to your Word document.

One solution is to compare the documents side-by-side and retype the changes you made into your Word document.

Another is to convert the KPF file that KC exports into a Word DOCX file using calibre with the optional KFX Input plugin installed. The result should have all of the text, but formatting and styles will end up different.

[phillipgessert]

I had some luck once by changing the KPF extension to ZIP, then unpacking the ZIP. There was a Word file inside, complete with tracked changes.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by phillipgessert

I had some luck once by changing the KPF extension to ZIP, then unpacking the ZIP. There was a Word file inside, complete with tracked changes.

I have done the same thing and in my testing the included Word document has always been identical to the one originally imported into KC.

[DBP]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Kindle Create can import documents from MS Word but exports only to KPF, a proprietary Amazon format, when you press the "Publish" button. Any changes you made using KC cannot be exported back to your Word document.

One solution is to compare the documents side-by-side and retype the changes you made into your Word document.

Another is to convert the KPF file that KC exports into a Word DOCX file using calibre with the optional KFX Input plugin installed. The result should have all of the text, but formatting and styles will end up different.

I have installed Calibre and KFX input plugin. I am doing something wrong, though, because it says it can't find a book in the exported Kindle Create folder.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by DBP

I have installed Calibre and KFX input plugin. I am doing something wrong, though, because it says it can't find a book in the exported Kindle Create folder.

By "it" I assume that you mean the dialog in Add Books. As an alternative you can locate the KPF file on your system and add it to calibre using drag and drop.

[phillipgessert]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I have done the same thing and in my testing the included Word document has always been identical to the one originally imported into KC.

Thanks for that, I didn’t realize!

[slowsmile]

@phillipgesert...After you have finished formatting you ebook in Kindle Create then you should save your work as a project folder. Within that project folder will be the original Word doc(as book.docx) that you initially loaded into KC and there should also be a *.kcb file which contains the end result of all your work in Kindle Create. If you click on the KCB file then it will open in Kindle Create. That's also why you should always save your project folder to a safe and unforgettable location on your computer or in the Cloud. And so there should really be no need at all for you to convert your Kindle Create work back into Word format because the most important file to save and store is the KCB file which represents the save for all your current KC work. That's also why you need to make sure that you save your project folder(containing you KCB file) in a safe place just in case you have to fix or update your currently published ebook at some point in the future.

You can also save your finished KC work as a KPF file, which is the file that you should always upload to Amazon Kindle.

If you would like more how-to information on Kindle Create, you could also perhaps download my free ebook guide. See link below:

Using Kindle Create on Windows:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TrghqmzqaDfigdkCJT4dUXfPQzZa1I7W/view?usp=sharing
The above step-by-step guide describes how to create reflowable ebooks, fixed format
ebooks and paperback books using MS Word, LibreOffice Writer or OpenOffice Writer
with Kindle Create on Windows.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by slowsmile

@phillipgesert...After you have finished formatting you ebook in Kindle Create then you should save your work as a project folder. Within that project folder will be the original Word doc(as book.docx) that you initially loaded into KC and there should also be a *.kcb file which contains the end result of all your work in Kindle Create. If you click on the KCB file then it will open in Kindle Create. That's also why you should always save your project folder to a safe and unforgettable location on your computer or in the Cloud. And so there should really be no need at all for you to convert your Kindle Create work back into Word format because the most important file to save and store is the KCB file which represents the save for all your current KC work. That's also why you need to make sure that you save your project folder(containing you KCB file) in a safe place just in case you have to fix or update your currently published ebook at some point in the future.

You can also save your finished KC work as a KPF file, which is the file that you should always upload to Amazon Kindle.

If you would like more how-to information on Kindle Create, you could also perhaps download my free ebook guide. See link below:

Using Kindle Create on Windows:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TrghqmzqaDfigdkCJT4dUXfPQzZa1I7W/view?usp=sharing
The above step-by-step guide describes how to create reflowable ebooks, fixed format
ebooks and paperback books using MS Word, LibreOffice Writer or OpenOffice Writer
with Kindle Create on Windows.

William:

I think that the gist here is that there isn't any way to recover the text editing done in KC, back into a Word file. When you unzip the archive, it's the original Word file that's in there.

Do you know of ANY (easy) way to extract the final text of the revised Word file? I mean...if I had to, I would

• take the kpf
• convert it to ePUB (Calibre);
• open that in Sigil;
• Combine/merge the HTML files;
• Save.
• Unzip the resulting ePUB,
• grab the HTML file, and,
• Finally, open that in Word (and save as docx).

I mean...that's a long way around, but generally, it should work (although you'd end up with Calibre interpretations of your styles, but you could reformat the Word file).

Do you see any reason that that can't work?

Hitch

[Quoth]

I usually export from Calibre as RTF for wordprocessor.

I still don't understand why anyone with Word or LibreOffice Writer and Calibre would want to use Kindle Create. It seems very very limited.

Also bizarrely I've found uploading an epub2 to Amazon KDP from Calibre works best (I got test purchases for various model Kindles).

I make local AZW3/KF8, Dual mobis and old mobis from Calibre from ePub2 for local Kindles. These are either from docx from LibreOffice or mobi from Gutenberg with suitable conversions.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

William:

I think that the gist here is that there isn't any way to recover the text editing done in KC, back into a Word file. When you unzip the archive, it's the original Word file that's in there.

Do you know of ANY (easy) way to extract the final text of the revised Word file? I mean...if I had to, I would

• take the kpf
• convert it to ePUB (Calibre);
• open that in Sigil;
• Combine/merge the HTML files;
• Save.
• Unzip the resulting ePUB,
• grab the HTML file, and,
• Finally, open that in Word (and save as docx).

I mean...that's a long way around, but generally, it should work (although you'd end up with Calibre interpretations of your styles, but you could reformat the Word file).

Do you see any reason that that can't work?

Hitch

Since you already have the ePub in calibre, it would be easier to use the Calibre editor. And once it's finished, you can use Calibre to convert to HTML and then load that into Word.

How does Word handle HTML with CSS? Does it create styles from the CSS?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

I usually export from Calibre as RTF for wordprocessor.

I still don't understand why anyone with Word or LibreOffice Writer and Calibre would want to use Kindle Create. It seems very very limited.

Also bizarrely I've found uploading an epub2 to Amazon KDP from Calibre works best (I got test purchases for various model Kindles).

I make local AZW3/KF8, Dual mobis and old mobis from Calibre from ePub2 for local Kindles. These are either from docx from LibreOffice or mobi from Gutenberg with suitable conversions.

I don't know if it's ever been fixed, but when I did use Calibre to go from ePub to RTF, there were problems with the RTF. The RTF was valid, but the conversion wasn't fully correct. The solution to that was to convert from ePub to HTML and load that. into Word.

[Quoth]

I didn't see any problem. What sort of "not fully correct"?
I'll try the HTML though. Which works better: Reading the HTML file direct or render in a browser with copy & paste to the wordprocessor?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

I didn't see any problem. What sort of "not fully correct"?
I'll try the HTML though. Which works better: Reading the HTML file direct or render in a browser with copy & paste to the wordprocessor?

There were a few things. I don't recall them all. But one was section break space when blank was lost.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Since you already have the ePub in calibre, it would be easier to use the Calibre editor. And once it's finished, you can use Calibre to convert to HTML and then load that into Word.

I simply know Sigil better and I know the merge function. {shrug}

How does Word handle HTML with CSS? Does it create styles from the CSS?[/QUOTE]

Yup, sure does. Works a treat. After all, what are Styles but CSS? Dimmed down to be usable by non-tecchie users?

Hitch