Converting EPUB's for Kindle Paperwhite - AZW3 or MOBI?

[speedlever]

I'm sure this is not news, but here is what I get when I buy a new book from Amazon (bought yesterday and d/l to my PC before importing to Calibre):



After being imported to Calibre, show book details list formats as being AZW3, MOBI.

[eschwartz]

Known -- Amazon uses the generic .azw file extension to deliver to Kindle for PC.

The DeDRM plugin "fixes" the file extension as well, which results in more sensible filenames.

[speedlever]

Yes, and Calibre also makes sense out of the file name too with the proper title of the book. (why does Amazon insist on a coded name?)

[eschwartz]

They don't expect people to look at <gasp> files and other weird things.
Usually they are right.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

They don't expect people to look at <gasp> files and other weird things.
Usually they are right.

Yeah, treat customers as if they were mushrooms, keep 'em the dark and feed 'em cattle excrement.

BR

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

They don't expect people to look at <gasp> files and other weird things.
Usually they are right.

my final try at a sum up- as this could turn into one of those "how many angels fit on a pin" debates.
OP, or whoever, begins with epub. converts to mobi(both) - so in the output file there's a quasi azw format code with all his mark up intact , and an old mobi code with some features stripped out.
sends the file to amazon who ignore the new improved azw code and accept only the old downgraded mobo code
amazon then either label that as azw and send it OR ( this is the only unclear bit? ) convert that old code to "new style" azw code. & then send it. ( but that's like trying to convert a lo-fi mp3 back to wav, you can't replace what you don't know is missing )
so what gets sent to device has less markup etc, then would be there if file had been sent as azw or as mobi new by usb.
e.g. if the epub had left & right margins, embedded fonts and an indent of 1.5 em, what arrives on device with have indent rounded up, or down, and less margins.
converting to azw & sending via other routes: USB, dropbox, calibre server, is less lossy.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by speedlever

I'm sure this is not news, but here is what I get when I buy a new book from Amazon (bought yesterday and d/l to my PC before importing to Calibre):



After being imported to Calibre, show book details list formats as being AZW3, MOBI.

i have never seen a workflow of "buy book -> K for PC -> Calibre" result in two formats of the same book in calibre library.
When I check my calibre library for books acquired like that, I see a mix of mobi & AZW3 , but no doubles. ( & I don't recall manually deleting any such)
maybe due to a recent change to K for PC though, I noticed it auto-updated very recently and have not bought anything since then.

a lot of the best "selling" freebies are only in .mobi format.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by cybmole

i have never seen a workflow of "buy book -> K for PC -> Calibre" result in two formats of the same book in calibre library.

Neither have I. This is my standard workflow for Amazon-bought books (except my Analog magazine subscription, which gets the 'Download for sending through USB'-route through my Kindle DXG, as K4PC gets no love there) and you always get either an old style MOBI or an AZW3.

Never both.

[speedlever]

Here are the book details as seen from view book details related to my above post after import into Calibre.

[cybmole]

strange: I tested with "buying" the free sample direct to K for PC, then drag drop from my kindle content into calibre ( with Alf's tools installed)
I Only get one format.
Authors: Paolo Bacigalupi
IDs: 9780748129393
Tags: Sample Book
Path: Click to open
format: AZW3

i delete & try a different route - this time I use the add books menu options- same result.

are you sure that all you did was import ?

what is your exact "import" workflow sequence ?

can you reproduce this with any other book ?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

They don't expect people to look at <gasp> files and other weird things.
Usually they are right.

If you stay within their walled garden by using their reading device/apps you really do not need to know the file name.

How many users know the actual filename for all of the programs they use on their PC or smart device? In many cases, they don't even have a clue to the NAME of the current Application they are using

'I just click this icon'
'I can't read e-mail'. What program are you using 'I don't know, I just click here (I am on the phone )

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by cybmole

my final try at a sum up- as this could turn into one of those "how many angels fit on a pin" debates.

I didn't realize it was a debate...
I have explained how it is confirmed, in explicit detail that it used to work. Come back when you have something to indicate it is not, in fact, happening anymore.
I expect facts, and definitive, tested ones.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by theducks

If you stay within their walled garden by using their reading device/apps you really do not need to know the file name.

How many users know the actual filename for all of the programs they use on their PC or smart device? In many cases, they don't even have a clue to the NAME of the current Application they are using

'I just click this icon'
'I can't read e-mail'. What program are you using 'I don't know, I just click here (I am on the phone )

True, that. Still annoying for us minorities.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I didn't realize it was a debate...
I have explained how it is confirmed, in explicit detail that it used to work. Come back when you have something to indicate it is not, in fact, happening anymore.
I expect facts, and definitive, tested ones.

Well, I can confirm that with my Voyage, it IS working as you state.

I have a book that is only in epub format in Calibre.

I convert to "Dual Mobi"

I email to my kindle account.

When I look on my Voyage, it is definitely not an old mobi, since the font size hack works, and that's only for KF8. I can't try it on my K3 right now, because my sister-in-law has it. I do have the option to send it to the K3 from my Manage Your Kindle page, though, so that would seem to indicate that it will, in fact send an original mobi to that device.

Just as a side note, while I was testing this out, I took a look at some of the other documents that I have sent recently using the Send to Kindle app, and the Send to Kindle plugin for Firefox. Both were downloaded to my Voyage in KF8 format, not original mobi. When I look at ones that were sent using the app a few months ago though, they are NOT in KF8. Does anyone know when that changed?

Shari

[eschwartz]

I don't know, but perhaps some lab126 developers saw us discussing PDOCs and send-to-kindle... about the same time they were peeking at our jailbreak... and decided to do something useful in addition to nuking our usability addons.

Now I wonder about emailed+converted documents... can you test it? I can't email attachments from my Kindle Touch, it seems counterintuitive anyway and I may be away from the PC for a while.