Epub to Mobi Conversion Without Kindlegen or Calibre?

[ib1]

Confused noob-

mobipocket is not an option?

or maybe mobi isnt just a mobi? different mobis?

[srascal]

Mobipocket is Windows only, unfortunately.

[srascal]

JSWolf, I think I am getting confused here. I create an epub with font-faces referenced in the opf, css, and an amzn-kf8 media query. I then use Kindlegen to convert the epub to mobi. That mobi file has can be loaded onto the Previewer or onto my physical Kindle or Kindle Fire, and the embedded fonts and media-queried CSS show up without issue. I have never created a separate azw3 file before. Am I missing out? Can you tell me why I should use the azw3 file format? Sorry to sound naive, but it's just me sitting around my condo all day trying to figure this stuff out

I hesitate to introduce any more file formats because my clients are already a bit in the dark about why there are different ebook file formats to begin with.

Also, I know what you mean about the line height in the Paperwhite. I just experienced that today and had to scrap a font-face that they client loved. I wish I could target the Paperwhite. I sure have tried using screen dimensions, but it did not work.

Thanks again for your input.

[dgatwood]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

One slight correction: the MOBI and KF8 formats are not "mostly proprietary." They're entirely proprietary and owned by Amazon.

Not entirely. AFAIK, the original PalmDoc format on which it is based was documented by Palm, so a big chunk of the Mobi format is not proprietary... just not enough of it to actually create one viably without significant reverse engineering.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Also... "near monopoly" is rather meaningless in terms of legality.

In terms of legality, "almost" counts. Just ask Microsoft.

[charjd]

Originally Posted by srascal

I have a client who wants to sell his book (in epub and mobi) directly from his high-traffic website. He does not want to sell the book on Amazon at all.

Does anyone know of a reliable way to convert from epub to mobi without using Kindlegen (which explicitly states that the generated mobi file must be sold on Amazon)?

I tried converting using Calibre, but a large part of the CSS, namely font-faces and margin-left, were stripped out. I tried adjusting the settings on Mobi Output to say "both" or "new" for the mobi output type, but the resulting file did still not have the CSS properties when I tested the files onto my Kindle Fire.

If you know of a way to zip mobi files with KF8 formatting and media queries by using the command line or any kind of software, please let me know. Thanks

You try try Scrivener for free for 30 non-consecutive days and see if that does what you want. Scrivener.com It convets files into ebook form or from File, Convert and then you choose the file type to convert to---makes it easy. I am just beginning to use this program. I bought it for $20. on sale but only 40. regular and does a lot for writers as far as oganization. There are online tutorials to help you.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by charjd

You try try Scrivener for free for 30 non-consecutive days and see if that does what you want.

It doesn't. Scrivener uses KindleGen to generate its mobipocket files.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by srascal

JSWolf, I think I am getting confused here. I create an epub with font-faces referenced in the opf, css, and an amzn-kf8 media query. I then use Kindlegen to convert the epub to mobi. That mobi file has can be loaded onto the Previewer or onto my physical Kindle or Kindle Fire, and the embedded fonts and media-queried CSS show up without issue. I have never created a separate azw3 file before. Am I missing out? Can you tell me why I should use the azw3 file format? Sorry to sound naive, but it's just me sitting around my condo all day trying to figure this stuff out

I hesitate to introduce any more file formats because my clients are already a bit in the dark about why there are different ebook file formats to begin with.

Also, I know what you mean about the line height in the Paperwhite. I just experienced that today and had to scrap a font-face that they client loved. I wish I could target the Paperwhite. I sure have tried using screen dimensions, but it did not work.

Thanks again for your input.

This entire discussion is making my head hurt. Firstly: simply use Calibre's AZW3 conversion, and you'll retain the fonts. There's no reason to use KindleGen if you think you'll be in any legal trouble.

@ib1: no, he can't use MBPC, even if he has a Windows computer, because he has fonts, and thus requires K8 formatting capabilities.

@charjd: As pdurrant has already pointed out, Scrivener uses KG. It is thus bound by the same terms. (Is that you, PG?).

Lastly, I hope that these clients are extremely sophisticated web-sellers that already have a customer service/tech support department, otherwise, you are going through this entire exercise for nothing. I've detailed at some length here on MR in various threads that every single client I have (including lawfirms and other professional associations) that decided that they were going to sell their own books from their own website never even lasted 90 days at it. After all the phone calls, emails and pings for "tech support" because the buyers couldn't figure out how to download the files from a browser, didn't know how to find the downloaded files, didn't know how to save the downloaded files to another location on their computer, couldn't figure out how to 'sideload' the books, etc., the cost of "selling from their own website," in terms of phone time, manpower, customer service, etc., was such a massive burden that they were thrilled to pay Amazon 30% to handle all of it. I've had lawfirms tell me that they gave up selling PDF's (PDF's!!) for the same reason.

What caught my eye is that you said:

I hesitate to introduce any more file formats because my clients are already a bit in the dark about why there are different ebook file formats to begin with.

This makes me think that this whole fooferah is just because they don't want to pay Amazon's percentage and have no idea what Amazon (or iBooks or Nook, yadda) does to earn it. Trust me, in 3 or 6 months, they'll decide to sell the books on Amazon, due to the excessive brain-damage of trying to sell from their own site, and then you'll have to make the book AGAIN, because the AZW3 book won't work at the KDP and will be rejected. Thus, make sure you make a "KindleGen" version as well, because I can almost guarantee that you'll get asked for one down the road, for this very reason. Do they even have a digital products cart? Do they understand the DRM/non-DRM aspects? Do they have Adobe Content Server for the ePUBS?

Can of worms here, client-wise, IMHO. Been there, done that. Don't envy you. But before you pull your hair out further, have you explained any of these support issues to them? Do they understand that most people in the general public don't really know how to download files from digital carts, save them to their computers and sideload them, and that they'll have to provide all that tech support themselves? Are they prepared for any of this?

Hitch