ereader pdb to rtf, txt, anything?

Dave Berk · 03-11-2007, 04:20 PM

Hi

I've looked all over this section, and I remember I have seen a thread about this. But I can't find it.

Is there a way to convert an ereader pdb to any other format? Specifically rtf or txt, htm would be less helpful cause I would need to convert in to rtf, and that might cause bloat.

Thanks

Hadrien · 03-11-2007, 04:26 PM

Take a look at the wiki: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_conversion

Dave Berk · 03-12-2007, 05:18 AM

Wow. Thanks a lot. Just what I need.

edit: Doesn't seem to work. The only program I can see there that convert pdb - abc pdb - convert my ereader pdb into loads of rubbish.

Any other program?

What about the ereader pdb file structure? anybody knows, if I have no choice I might as well write my own converter

.....

airlik · 03-12-2007, 11:04 AM

Try to find PDBSHRED.EXE on Google. It's command line, but it works on one of the PDB formats - can't remember exactly which one. I've used it on several books.

rlauzon · 03-12-2007, 11:05 AM

Pet peeve:
On Palms, ALL files are Palm Databases. They denote such files on other systems as having a .pdb extension.

.pdb is NOT an eBook format. It is simply a file that is for your Palm to use.

eBooks that have a .pdb extension are not all the same. eReader, PalmDOC, iSilo, etc. will ALL have the .pdb extension (I think that iSilo uses the non-standard Palm Resource - .prc - extension, though).

eReader files have no decoder that I am aware of. The only Palm eBook format that can be reversed is PalmDOC, and (I believe) iSilo eBooks that aren't protected.

airlik · 03-12-2007, 11:28 AM

Oops, there's also ABC Amber Palm Converter - it handles a different format than PDBSHRED. Yes, there are a few formats for ebooks that are all PDB, and it doesn't help that one format changed it's name at one point... The Amber converter will tell you which format it is even if it can't decode it using that program. If it can't handle it, PDBSHRED likely can... but again, that caveat that pretty much nothing (that I've found anyway) can convert one of the formats - I think that's eReader as rlauzon says.

Dave Berk · 03-12-2007, 12:22 PM

I remember reading somewhere in the forums here that the ereader uses PML markup language which is xml based. Is it true? Is there anywhere I can find the ereader format specifications? googled it but couldn't find a thing.

Quote:

The Amber converter will tell you which format it is even if it can't decode it using that program. If it can't handle it, PDBSHRED likely can...

I already knows it is in the ereader format, that's where I bought it

Anyway I will give PDBSHRED a try. Will keep you updated (if your'e interested).

airlik · 03-12-2007, 12:42 PM

PML is sort-of XML based. It then gets compiled into a binary format which you can't directly edit (unless you're into that kind of thing). PDBSHRED might be the program that just reverts it back to PML (sorry, I did this a few months ago now so it's not quite as fresh in my mind), which you can then use Word macros to get to something more readable. I wrote a basic one that handled the formatting tags that I wanted to handle based on the PML spec I found somewhere. When you've handled the ones that are important to you (like say italics and font stuff), you can just batch replace <*> with nothing and be done with it.

NatCh · 03-12-2007, 01:28 PM

Here's a file with a breakdown of PML markups that I got from somewhere several years ago. Don't know if it'll help any, but there you go.

Dave Berk · 03-12-2007, 02:00 PM

Thanks everybody. This is really a great forum...

NatCh · 03-12-2007, 02:14 PM

That's the reason I hang around here.

DTM · 03-24-2007, 08:45 PM

I've written an e-book that documents the Palm Markup Language. You can get it at the link below:

http://www.memoware.com/?screen=doc_...or_id^!19684~!

03-11-2007, 04:20 PM	#1
Dave Berk Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 138556 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	ereader pdb to rtf, txt, anything? Hi I've looked all over this section, and I remember I have seen a thread about this. But I can't find it. Is there a way to convert an ereader pdb to any other format? Specifically rtf or txt, htm would be less helpful cause I would need to convert in to rtf, and that might cause bloat. Thanks

03-12-2007, 05:18 AM	#3
Dave Berk Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 138556 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	Wow. Thanks a lot. Just what I need. edit: Doesn't seem to work. The only program I can see there that convert pdb - abc pdb - convert my ereader pdb into loads of rubbish. Any other program? What about the ereader pdb file structure? anybody knows, if I have no choice I might as well write my own converter ..... Last edited by Dave Berk; 03-12-2007 at 06:45 AM.

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03-11-2007, 04:26 PM	#2
Hadrien Feedbooks.com Co-Founder Posts: 2,263 Karma: 145123 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris, France Device: Sony PRS-t-1/350/300/500/505/600/700, Nexus S, iPad	Take a look at the wiki: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_conversion

03-12-2007, 11:04 AM	#4
airlik Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 15 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony Reader	Try to find PDBSHRED.EXE on Google. It's command line, but it works on one of the PDB formats - can't remember exactly which one. I've used it on several books.

03-12-2007, 11:05 AM	#5
rlauzon Wizard Posts: 1,018 Karma: 67827 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: PocketBook Era	Pet peeve: On Palms, ALL files are Palm Databases. They denote such files on other systems as having a .pdb extension. .pdb is NOT an eBook format. It is simply a file that is for your Palm to use. eBooks that have a .pdb extension are not all the same. eReader, PalmDOC, iSilo, etc. will ALL have the .pdb extension (I think that iSilo uses the non-standard Palm Resource - .prc - extension, though). eReader files have no decoder that I am aware of. The only Palm eBook format that can be reversed is PalmDOC, and (I believe) iSilo eBooks that aren't protected.

03-12-2007, 11:28 AM	#6
airlik Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 15 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony Reader	Oops, there's also ABC Amber Palm Converter - it handles a different format than PDBSHRED. Yes, there are a few formats for ebooks that are all PDB, and it doesn't help that one format changed it's name at one point... The Amber converter will tell you which format it is even if it can't decode it using that program. If it can't handle it, PDBSHRED likely can... but again, that caveat that pretty much nothing (that I've found anyway) can convert one of the formats - I think that's eReader as rlauzon says.

03-12-2007, 12:42 PM	#8
airlik Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 15 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony Reader	PML is sort-of XML based. It then gets compiled into a binary format which you can't directly edit (unless you're into that kind of thing). PDBSHRED might be the program that just reverts it back to PML (sorry, I did this a few months ago now so it's not quite as fresh in my mind), which you can then use Word macros to get to something more readable. I wrote a basic one that handled the formatting tags that I wanted to handle based on the PML spec I found somewhere. When you've handled the ones that are important to you (like say italics and font stuff), you can just batch replace <*> with nothing and be done with it.

03-12-2007, 02:00 PM	#10
Dave Berk Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 138556 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	Thanks everybody. This is really a great forum...

03-12-2007, 02:14 PM	#11
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	That's the reason I hang around here.

03-24-2007, 08:45 PM	#12
DTM Intentionally Left Blank Posts: 172 Karma: 300106 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Royal Oak, MI, USA Device: Nook STR	I've written an e-book that documents the Palm Markup Language. You can get it at the link below: http://www.memoware.com/?screen=doc_...or_id^!19684~!

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