Another ebook format

mrwrite · 08-22-2017, 02:55 AM

I wanted to read a comic book. Tried Books-A-Million. After my purchase completed, it appeared with the description: "Wonder Woman: Her Greatest Battles by Geoff Johns; Greg Rucka; Gail Simone (PDF)"
This ebook can NOT be read by: Kindle for PC, Nook for PC, FSS ePub reader, KOBO Reader, SPS Annotator, or Sigil.
It is NOT really a .PDF format. The file, is titled, "Download.acsm" and can only be read by Adobe Digital Editions 4.5 or higher. While there is no version for my Nook (I could not fine one for Kindle, but there might be), I did get one on my PC.
I install it. I prevented it from going into my start-up, preventing it from loading third-party software and not allowing it to take over ePub formats.
Then it asks for a vendor ID and a vendor Password. I have neither, and have mentioned this to Books-A-Million. (Email, says they will get back within 48 hours.)

If only it warned about this new odd format.

Since it shows as PDF in the description, I wonder if the bookstore was even aware of it.

simond · 08-22-2017, 03:52 AM

For acsm files, they're the download instructions for Adobe Digital Editions to download the actual DRM copy of the ePub of PDF, they're not the eBooks themselves.

library addict · 08-22-2017, 03:52 AM

acsm isn't a new format.

It simply means the book has adobe DRM. ACSM = Adobe Content Server Manager. You need ADE to unlock the file to get the PDF (or ePub, but in this case you know it's a PDF).

darryl · 08-22-2017, 04:11 AM

And when you do get the pdf the drm means that you can only read it on Adobe Digital Editions or on software and devices authorised by Adobe. It is possible to remove the DRM but doing so may be illegal or a grey area in your jurisdiction. You cannot get help with removing DRM in these forums. You can get information about this from Apprentice Alf or Apprentice Harper.

If you do want to use Adobe Digital Editions you need to register with Adobe and get an Adobe ID and password. You then need to authorize your version of ADE with Adobe's servers using these credentials. Version 2.01 is preferable to later versions and will work with most files. Later versions support a new DRM system which is not yet widely used but cannot currently be removed.

For the future I politely point out that there is a lot of material available both on these forums and elsewhere. Even a proper reading of the instructions for using Digital Editions or a Google search for .acsm would have helped. We all start off ignorant on these matters and are inpatient to get on with things. But it helps to make at least a rudimentary effort to do your homework. We have held your hand on this occasion but I think you will find that help is more likely to be given where your post shows you have made an effort at solving the problem yourself.

JSWolf · 08-22-2017, 06:21 AM

You want to uninstall ADE 4.5 and install ADE 2.0.1. The reason being is that any version ADE past 2.0,1 incudes a new version of DRM that cannot be removed. With ADE 2.0.1 as long as your nook is DRM registered, you could use that PDF on it. Depending which nook you have, the PDF may not be a good experience.

If you get ADE 2.0.1 and dump ADE 4.5, you can go to https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/ and get the software needed to remove the DRM and you can get help on using the software if you want/need help.

HarryT · 08-22-2017, 06:29 AM

Presumably you've never bought a book from any ePub bookstore before? Whether it's an ePub or a PDF book, you'll always initially get an "acsm" file which, as has been said, is simply a key file that instructs ADE how to download the actual book.

DNSB · 08-22-2017, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Presumably you've never bought a book from any ePub bookstore before? Whether it's an ePub or a PDF book, you'll always initially get an "acsm" file which, as has been said, is simply a key file that instructs ADE how to download the actual book.

Not quite correct. While Google seems to insist on .acsm files, Kobo's bookstore will send epubs that are not DRMed as epubs.

HarryT · 08-22-2017, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not quite correct. While Google seems to insist on .acsm files, Kobo's bookstore will send epubs that are not DRMed as epubs.

Ok, thanks. I don't think I've ever bought a DRM-free book from Kobo.

salamanderjuice · 08-22-2017, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not quite correct. While Google seems to insist on .acsm files, Kobo's bookstore will send epubs that are not DRMed as epubs.

Google will let you download straight epubs if they have no DRM. At least that's how my copies of Frankenstein and Great Expectation work.

Also .acsm files are only for things with Adobe's DRM. Downloading through Kobo's app or the reader itself gets epubs just with Kobo's DRM on them. I think Microsoft's epub store on Windows 10 does something similar but it's U.S only and I haven't had a chance to try it.

ZodWallop · 08-22-2017, 11:49 AM

Using the old Nook and NookStudy apps and the newer Nook for Windows 10 app, I get epubs when I download. I've never used or installed ADE.

Even the graphic novels I bought for Nook were epub. I was able to pull the images from the epubs and create CBZ files.

salamanderjuice · 08-22-2017, 12:03 PM

Does Nook or B&N have their own DRM?

Or is what you bought DRM free? Since you could pull the images from the epub it sounds DRM free. Or Nook has really bad DRM.

ZodWallop · 08-22-2017, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Does Nook or B&N have their own DRM?

Or is what you bought DRM free? Since you could pull the images from the epub it sounds DRM free. Or Nook has really bad DRM.

B&N had (has?) their own DRM. I bought the books when Barnes and Noble were using what they called 'social DRM' (the key was your last name and credit card number).

They've switched since then, but Alf can still strip it. I tested it by re-downloading a previously purchased book using the Nook for Windows 10 app and importing it into Calibre. It worked no problem. The biggest issue was figuring out what subfolder of a subfolder the Nook app stored the book in.

To be clear, I tried opening the epub in the B&N folder with Sigil and it said no-go due to DRM. I then added the book to Calibre, opened the Calibre version of the book and badda bing, badda boom. Sigil had no issues.

Incidentally, the graphic novels I mentioned are sold DRM-free on ComiXology (Vietnam Journal published by Caliber Comics. Great series), but I believe B&N slapped their own crackable DRM on the epubs I got from them. At any rate, books from the big 5 have DRM and I was able to remove that as well.

And since B&N, Amazon and Kobo can all have their DRM stripped I guess they all have equally bad DRM and thank goodness for it.

AnemicOak · 08-22-2017, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Does Nook or B&N have their own DRM?

B&N uses Adobe DRM, but uses a different key method than is "standard".

JSWolf · 08-22-2017, 03:33 PM

eBooks you download from Kobo via the Kobo Desktop of the Reader give you kepub. But if the ePub has no DRM, the kepub also has no DRM. Using the Modify ePub plugin, you can remove the code that makes ePub into kepub as long as there is no DRM or the DRM has been removed.

mrwrite · 08-22-2017, 08:20 PM

Heard back from BAM. No refunds on downloads. Even though I only have the Download.ascm file and not the actual book. The Adobe program still fails even with the advice they gave me. (Type in your user name and password for the BAM site.)

Yes, I have bought a few epubs from Nook.com, kobo.com, Amazon.com, comic shops, and none were this complicated. I've had one or two fail, and I got a refund.

Quote:

Google search for .acsm would have helped.

I did. That is how I found the Adobe Digital Edition reader. The BAM site did not mention that detail.
I also discovered this in the Download.acsm file.
<expiration>2017-08-22T07:13:53-04:00</expiration>

I have no problem with DRM when it works.

08-22-2017, 02:55 AM	#1
mrwrite Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Nook	Another ebook format I wanted to read a comic book. Tried Books-A-Million. After my purchase completed, it appeared with the description: "Wonder Woman: Her Greatest Battles by Geoff Johns; Greg Rucka; Gail Simone (PDF)" This ebook can NOT be read by: Kindle for PC, Nook for PC, FSS ePub reader, KOBO Reader, SPS Annotator, or Sigil. It is NOT really a .PDF format. The file, is titled, "Download.acsm" and can only be read by Adobe Digital Editions 4.5 or higher. While there is no version for my Nook (I could not fine one for Kindle, but there might be), I did get one on my PC. I install it. I prevented it from going into my start-up, preventing it from loading third-party software and not allowing it to take over ePub formats. Then it asks for a vendor ID and a vendor Password. I have neither, and have mentioned this to Books-A-Million. (Email, says they will get back within 48 hours.) If only it warned about this new odd format. Since it shows as PDF in the description, I wonder if the bookstore was even aware of it.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Help with ebook format	steve-kon	Other formats	4	03-12-2017 06:00 AM
Ebook in PRC format will not convert to any other format	Katelyn	Calibre	0	10-01-2010 07:02 PM
BEST ebook format?	cancelx	Astak EZReader	42	07-01-2010 06:58 PM
Master Format for multi-format eBook Generation?	cerement	Workshop	43	04-01-2009 12:00 PM
Ebook format	dwbryant2000	Bookeen	1	08-30-2007 05:44 AM

08-22-2017, 03:52 AM	#2
simond Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 1062755 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, iPad, iPhone	For acsm files, they're the download instructions for Adobe Digital Editions to download the actual DRM copy of the ePub of PDF, they're not the eBooks themselves.

08-22-2017, 03:52 AM	#3
library addict Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,108 Karma: 37197878 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Nexus 7 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" (retired=Sony PRS650, Kobo Mini)	acsm isn't a new format. It simply means the book has adobe DRM. ACSM = Adobe Content Server Manager. You need ADE to unlock the file to get the PDF (or ePub, but in this case you know it's a PDF).

08-22-2017, 04:11 AM	#4
darryl Wizard Posts: 3,108 Karma: 60231510 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O, Kindle Oasis, Huwei Ascend Mate 7	And when you do get the pdf the drm means that you can only read it on Adobe Digital Editions or on software and devices authorised by Adobe. It is possible to remove the DRM but doing so may be illegal or a grey area in your jurisdiction. You cannot get help with removing DRM in these forums. You can get information about this from Apprentice Alf or Apprentice Harper. If you do want to use Adobe Digital Editions you need to register with Adobe and get an Adobe ID and password. You then need to authorize your version of ADE with Adobe's servers using these credentials. Version 2.01 is preferable to later versions and will work with most files. Later versions support a new DRM system which is not yet widely used but cannot currently be removed. For the future I politely point out that there is a lot of material available both on these forums and elsewhere. Even a proper reading of the instructions for using Digital Editions or a Google search for .acsm would have helped. We all start off ignorant on these matters and are inpatient to get on with things. But it helps to make at least a rudimentary effort to do your homework. We have held your hand on this occasion but I think you will find that help is more likely to be given where your post shows you have made an effort at solving the problem yourself.

08-22-2017, 06:21 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,591 Karma: 145863177 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	You want to uninstall ADE 4.5 and install ADE 2.0.1. The reason being is that any version ADE past 2.0,1 incudes a new version of DRM that cannot be removed. With ADE 2.0.1 as long as your nook is DRM registered, you could use that PDF on it. Depending which nook you have, the PDF may not be a good experience. If you get ADE 2.0.1 and dump ADE 4.5, you can go to https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/ and get the software needed to remove the DRM and you can get help on using the software if you want/need help.

08-22-2017, 06:29 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Presumably you've never bought a book from any ePub bookstore before? Whether it's an ePub or a PDF book, you'll always initially get an "acsm" file which, as has been said, is simply a key file that instructs ADE how to download the actual book.

08-22-2017, 11:49 AM	#10
ZodWallop Gentleman and scholar Posts: 11,474 Karma: 111164374 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Space City, Texas Device: Clara BW; Nook ST w/Glowlight, Paperwhite 3	Using the old Nook and NookStudy apps and the newer Nook for Windows 10 app, I get epubs when I download. I've never used or installed ADE. Even the graphic novels I bought for Nook were epub. I was able to pull the images from the epubs and create CBZ files.

08-22-2017, 12:03 PM	#11
salamanderjuice Guru Posts: 875 Karma: 12151996 Join Date: Jul 2017 Device: Boox Nova 2	Does Nook or B&N have their own DRM? Or is what you bought DRM free? Since you could pull the images from the epub it sounds DRM free. Or Nook has really bad DRM.

08-22-2017, 03:33 PM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,591 Karma: 145863177 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	eBooks you download from Kobo via the Kobo Desktop of the Reader give you kepub. But if the ePub has no DRM, the kepub also has no DRM. Using the Modify ePub plugin, you can remove the code that makes ePub into kepub as long as there is no DRM or the DRM has been removed.

Advert

Advert