Blog Articles to ebook (epub/kindle/pdf)

fmorato · 03-29-2016, 08:58 PM

Hello,

I got my first Kindle 4 months ago and couldn't find many options for converting blog articles to digital book format. Something that is possible to open/download on a kindle browser would be even better.

In lack of any findings, I started writing a simple app that does that. It is not perfect, so i'm wondering: Is there such a service available? Or should I improve my app more?

Do you know any such websites?

So far this is what I have: http://epubfy.herokuapp.com
There are many bugs still. =] and only generates epubs.

Feedbacks comments appreciated.

eschwartz · 03-29-2016, 09:51 PM

calibre can do that, assuming someone has previously made a news recipe to scrape the site in question.
Getting it to work reliably on any possible input sounds like an interesting challenge.

I don't really need such services myself, and I certainly don't know what options there might be, but kudos for trying and I wish you a lot of luck.

An observation: calibre can convert your generated EPUB to AZW3, alternatively you could use Amazon's KindleGen (maybe in combination with KindleUnpack to make it smaller).
Then you can simply download the AZW3 using the Kindle's builtin browser -- which can download Kindle-compatible ebook formats and automatically add them to your library.

You could also use calibre's codebase as a reference to implement your own MOBI/AZW3 conversion engine -- it is GPL3 and written in python. Or extract the bits you need (since installing a couple hundred MB worth of Qt and other support framework for a large GUI application is not ideal on a server that just needs to convert books to Kindle format).

jj2me · 03-29-2016, 10:33 PM

I'm probably missing something, but I don't see a need for you creating a service for the Kindle, since there are several ways to just click and get the article to automagically appear on the Kindle once you get it in wi-fi range. For free. Examples:
- Amazon's own (can send to multiple Kindles, and it'll save in your Personal Documents if you want)
- this Klip.me Chrome extension
- this FiveFilters Android app

I use all three. The Amazon one is the least reliable.

They do not try to capture more than the single page (single URL) you give it, and none of those three capture the blog article's comments.

eschwartz · 03-29-2016, 10:36 PM

Well, none of the three can be used *from* the Kindle. I don't know whether that might be considered an important feature...

jj2me · 03-29-2016, 11:03 PM

Ahh, OK. I thought I was missing something. In fact, I still may be missing something. How does he copy/paste on the Kindle the URL of the blog into his conversion page?

fmorato · 04-03-2016, 12:29 PM

Thanks for your feedback!

I might still go on to develop a bit more even if no one is using it. It has been a nice way to learn about web technologies. =] And a bit of coding.

@eschwartz, I might try to get the AZW3 from calibre, that's a good idea. Thanks.

@jj2me, Thanks for the links I didn't know about them.

Opening from the kindle would be somehow to access the 'library' on the go. Not to convert new articles.

03-29-2016, 08:58 PM	#1
fmorato Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2016 Device: Kindle PW2	Blog Articles to ebook (epub/kindle/pdf) Hello, I got my first Kindle 4 months ago and couldn't find many options for converting blog articles to digital book format. Something that is possible to open/download on a kindle browser would be even better. In lack of any findings, I started writing a simple app that does that. It is not perfect, so i'm wondering: Is there such a service available? Or should I improve my app more? Do you know any such websites? So far this is what I have: http://epubfy.herokuapp.com There are many bugs still. =] and only generates epubs. Feedbacks comments appreciated.

03-29-2016, 09:51 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	calibre can do that, assuming someone has previously made a news recipe to scrape the site in question. Getting it to work reliably on any possible input sounds like an interesting challenge. I don't really need such services myself, and I certainly don't know what options there might be, but kudos for trying and I wish you a lot of luck. An observation: calibre can convert your generated EPUB to AZW3, alternatively you could use Amazon's KindleGen (maybe in combination with KindleUnpack to make it smaller). Then you can simply download the AZW3 using the Kindle's builtin browser -- which can download Kindle-compatible ebook formats and automatically add them to your library. You could also use calibre's codebase as a reference to implement your own MOBI/AZW3 conversion engine -- it is GPL3 and written in python. Or extract the bits you need (since installing a couple hundred MB worth of Qt and other support framework for a large GUI application is not ideal on a server that just needs to convert books to Kindle format). Last edited by eschwartz; 03-29-2016 at 09:54 PM.

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03-29-2016, 10:33 PM	#3
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	I'm probably missing something, but I don't see a need for you creating a service for the Kindle, since there are several ways to just click and get the article to automagically appear on the Kindle once you get it in wi-fi range. For free. Examples: - Amazon's own (can send to multiple Kindles, and it'll save in your Personal Documents if you want) - this Klip.me Chrome extension - this FiveFilters Android app I use all three. The Amazon one is the least reliable. They do not try to capture more than the single page (single URL) you give it, and none of those three capture the blog article's comments.

03-29-2016, 10:36 PM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Well, none of the three can be used from the Kindle. I don't know whether that might be considered an important feature...

03-29-2016, 11:03 PM	#5
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	Ahh, OK. I thought I was missing something. In fact, I still may be missing something. How does he copy/paste on the Kindle the URL of the blog into his conversion page?

04-03-2016, 12:29 PM	#6
fmorato Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2016 Device: Kindle PW2	Thanks for your feedback! I might still go on to develop a bit more even if no one is using it. It has been a nice way to learn about web technologies. =] And a bit of coding. @eschwartz, I might try to get the AZW3 from calibre, that's a good idea. Thanks. @jj2me, Thanks for the links I didn't know about them. Opening from the kindle would be somehow to access the 'library' on the go. Not to convert new articles.

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