Explain This To Me In Practical Terms

Rand Brittain · 10-29-2012, 05:31 PM

Okay, so if I understand it correctly, KF8 is basically EPUB3 with an extra wrapper, and it can also contain a MOBI file for the benefit of devices that won't read KF8?

If that's so, how would I go about making a file that takes advantage of features plain MOBI doesn't have, while including a different MOBI version that includes an alternate version suiting that format?

Specifically, the ebook I'm working on includes sidebars, which EPUB supports via div tags and MOBI won't. The original Kindle version included the sidebars via headers saying Sidebar begins and Sidebar ends.

Would it be possible to make a KF8 file that contains the sidebars for newer readers, but which also contains something that will look correct on MOBI-using devices?

Nate the great · 10-29-2012, 06:14 PM

Minor correction: KF8 is basically Epub, not Epub3.

I've been told that you can combine the 2 different looking ebooks and even have them use the same CSS file, though I have not done this myself.

Are you familiar with CSS media queries? That's what I'm told you should use.

DiapDealer · 10-29-2012, 07:11 PM

If the versions are going to look drastically different, it probably won't be easily doable. But the Kindle publishing guidelines have decent examples of how to use media-queries, css and the "display: none" property to handle the differences between the two formats using basically the same source (x)html that you then feed to kindlegen. It creates the hybrid KF8/MOBI that you upload to Amazon.

But creating two completely separate files and gluing the results together when done? That's just not going to happen with the current toolsets (official or otherwise).

By the way, Amazon never really delivers that dual file to any devices... they just split the file and deliver the appropriate portion to the device/app--depending on what it can handle. But you are correct, devices/apps can handle the dual file and read the appropriate one in the event that someone would happen to do their own file distribution, but generally, you're not going to come across many of those dual-format files "in the wild."

Rand Brittain · 10-29-2012, 07:13 PM

I see!

The versions aren't drastically different, and in later stuff I have indeed been using mostly display:none to handle the differences between different versions, so that seems excellent.

Can you point me to a good guide on the media-query stuff? I've never used that before.

EDIT: Oh, Amazon's own guidelines have it? Thanks!

10-29-2012, 05:31 PM	#1
Rand Brittain Bookmaker Posts: 416 Karma: 2143650 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Cybook Opus	Explain This To Me In Practical Terms Okay, so if I understand it correctly, KF8 is basically EPUB3 with an extra wrapper, and it can also contain a MOBI file for the benefit of devices that won't read KF8? If that's so, how would I go about making a file that takes advantage of features plain MOBI doesn't have, while including a different MOBI version that includes an alternate version suiting that format? Specifically, the ebook I'm working on includes sidebars, which EPUB supports via div tags and MOBI won't. The original Kindle version included the sidebars via headers saying Sidebar begins and Sidebar ends. Would it be possible to make a KF8 file that contains the sidebars for newer readers, but which also contains something that will look correct on MOBI-using devices?

10-29-2012, 07:13 PM	#4
Rand Brittain Bookmaker Posts: 416 Karma: 2143650 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Cybook Opus	I see! The versions aren't drastically different, and in later stuff I have indeed been using mostly display:none to handle the differences between different versions, so that seems excellent. Can you point me to a good guide on the media-query stuff? I've never used that before. EDIT: Oh, Amazon's own guidelines have it? Thanks! Last edited by Rand Brittain; 10-29-2012 at 07:16 PM.

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10-29-2012, 06:14 PM	#2
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Minor correction: KF8 is basically Epub, not Epub3. I've been told that you can combine the 2 different looking ebooks and even have them use the same CSS file, though I have not done this myself. Are you familiar with CSS media queries? That's what I'm told you should use.

10-29-2012, 07:11 PM	#3
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,545 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	If the versions are going to look drastically different, it probably won't be easily doable. But the Kindle publishing guidelines have decent examples of how to use media-queries, css and the "display: none" property to handle the differences between the two formats using basically the same source (x)html that you then feed to kindlegen. It creates the hybrid KF8/MOBI that you upload to Amazon. But creating two completely separate files and gluing the results together when done? That's just not going to happen with the current toolsets (official or otherwise). By the way, Amazon never really delivers that dual file to any devices... they just split the file and deliver the appropriate portion to the device/app--depending on what it can handle. But you are correct, devices/apps can handle the dual file and read the appropriate one in the event that someone would happen to do their own file distribution, but generally, you're not going to come across many of those dual-format files "in the wild."

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