Converting EPUB to MOBI - missing chapter markers

peartree · 04-01-2011, 12:52 PM

I've converted a few EPUB books from my local library to MOBI since I got my Kindle, and it's worked just fine in the past. The latest book I've converted doesn't have chapter markers, however. I also can't jump chapters by pressing left and right on the d-pad, although it did generate a table of contents. Is there any way I can get the chapter markers to show up, using Calibre or anything? Thanks.

DiapDealer · 04-01-2011, 01:16 PM

That particular library epub must not have a toc.ncx file.

You could open the original epub in Sigil and make sure it has (or create if it doesn't) an official table of contents--using the TOC Tool. Just having the html representation of a toc is not enough to create chapter markers when converting to mobi.

Then convert to mobi with Calibre.

Blossom · 04-01-2011, 02:06 PM

What I do is check the forced TOC box in Calibre then add the correct regex to catch the chapter headings in the Level TOC 1 box. This will override any TOC that came with the original copy and have Calibre remake it correctly so you can have chapter navigation on the Kindle.

DiapDealer · 04-01-2011, 02:19 PM

Even better!

peartree · 04-01-2011, 02:38 PM

Thanks for the replies. That sounds easy enough, except I'm not sure what regex is. What exactly should I put in that Level 1 TOC box?

DiapDealer · 04-01-2011, 03:06 PM

You'd need to look in the html source of the epub and see what tags and attributes are being used that will uniquely identify the chapter headers (usually <h1>, h2, h3, h4 or <div class="chapter"> and the like). Armed with that info, you can use the 'wizard' button to build the regex for you. You can use the Tweak epub feature (right click on the ebook in Calibre) to explode and explore the epub source. You won't need to rebuild the epub if you're just looking.

Blossom · 04-01-2011, 03:29 PM

You can also use the Search and Replace wizard in Calibre to view the coding of the book.
It's alot quicker then opening a bunch of html files looking for a chapter header.

peartree · 04-01-2011, 05:26 PM

Sorry, I'm still not totally getting it. I looked at the html source, and the chapter headings have both <div class="chapter"> and <h3>. The <h3> tags are inside the <div> tags, so does that mean <div class="chapter"> is the one I need? I tried entering both of those in the level 1 TOC box but I get a popup saying "Xpath expression is invalid."

DiapDealer · 04-01-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

I tried entering both of those in the level 1 TOC box but I get a popup saying "Xpath expression is invalid.

Just use the expression builder button to the right and select h3 from the drop down menu--instead of trying to create the expression yourself. For h3 the expression that the builder produces is:

Code:

//h:h3

The chapter divs would also work. The builder produces the following expression:

Code:

//h:div[re:test(@class, "chapter", "i")]

peartree · 04-01-2011, 06:00 PM

Ah, success. It's pretty simple once you actually know what to do. Thanks!

DiapDealer · 04-01-2011, 06:02 PM

Not a problem.

04-01-2011, 12:52 PM	#1
peartree Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Seattle WA Device: Paperwhite	Converting EPUB to MOBI - missing chapter markers I've converted a few EPUB books from my local library to MOBI since I got my Kindle, and it's worked just fine in the past. The latest book I've converted doesn't have chapter markers, however. I also can't jump chapters by pressing left and right on the d-pad, although it did generate a table of contents. Is there any way I can get the chapter markers to show up, using Calibre or anything? Thanks.

04-01-2011, 03:06 PM	#6
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,882 Karma: 198099188 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	You'd need to look in the html source of the epub and see what tags and attributes are being used that will uniquely identify the chapter headers (usually <h1>, h2, h3, h4 or <div class="chapter"> and the like). Armed with that info, you can use the 'wizard' button to build the regex for you. You can use the Tweak epub feature (right click on the ebook in Calibre) to explode and explore the epub source. You won't need to rebuild the epub if you're just looking. Last edited by DiapDealer; 04-01-2011 at 03:12 PM.

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04-01-2011, 01:16 PM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,882 Karma: 198099188 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	That particular library epub must not have a toc.ncx file. You could open the original epub in Sigil and make sure it has (or create if it doesn't) an official table of contents--using the TOC Tool. Just having the html representation of a toc is not enough to create chapter markers when converting to mobi. Then convert to mobi with Calibre.

04-01-2011, 02:06 PM	#3
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	What I do is check the forced TOC box in Calibre then add the correct regex to catch the chapter headings in the Level TOC 1 box. This will override any TOC that came with the original copy and have Calibre remake it correctly so you can have chapter navigation on the Kindle.

04-01-2011, 02:19 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,882 Karma: 198099188 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Even better!

04-01-2011, 02:38 PM	#5
peartree Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Seattle WA Device: Paperwhite	Thanks for the replies. That sounds easy enough, except I'm not sure what regex is. What exactly should I put in that Level 1 TOC box?

04-01-2011, 03:29 PM	#7
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	You can also use the Search and Replace wizard in Calibre to view the coding of the book. It's alot quicker then opening a bunch of html files looking for a chapter header.

04-01-2011, 05:26 PM	#8
peartree Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Seattle WA Device: Paperwhite	Sorry, I'm still not totally getting it. I looked at the html source, and the chapter headings have both <div class="chapter"> and <h3>. The <h3> tags are inside the <div> tags, so does that mean <div class="chapter"> is the one I need? I tried entering both of those in the level 1 TOC box but I get a popup saying "Xpath expression is invalid."

04-01-2011, 06:00 PM	#10
peartree Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Seattle WA Device: Paperwhite	Ah, success. It's pretty simple once you actually know what to do. Thanks!

04-01-2011, 06:02 PM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,882 Karma: 198099188 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Not a problem.

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