Converting PDF to MOBI, weird characters in story

cloudyvisions · 05-20-2009, 04:29 PM

I use a Mac and tried to batch convert some PDF and LIT files to MOBI.

This is the result I got:

Any clue as to what is causing these weird characters in place of the correct punctuation? I have tested it with PDF and LIT formatted e-books and I get the same result for both.

I really wish I could get this figured out since this looks like the best program to convert my e-books for my Kindle!

JSWolf · 05-20-2009, 05:56 PM

First off, do not try to convert eBooks that have been run through ABC Amber anything converter. Horrible software. That said, it's an encoding issue.

daffy4u · 05-20-2009, 06:07 PM

I converted a LIT book yesterday with the ConvertLIT GUI (use Google). I then ran the resulting .opf file though MobiPocket Creator (installed as Publisher Edition) and I was good to go (no weird symbols).

You can also use MobiPocket Creator with your PDF file since it looks to be mostly text.

EDIT: Rats, I just noticed you said you were on a Mac. MobipocketCreator is a PC program only. Not sure about ConvertLIT. Sorry.

tompe · 05-20-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloudyvisions

I use a Mac and tried to batch convert some PDF and LIT files to MOBI.

This is the result I got:

Any clue as to what is causing these weird characters in place of the correct punctuation? I have tested it with PDF and LIT formatted e-books and I get the same result for both.

I really wish I could get this figured out since this looks like the best program to convert my e-books for my Kindle!

I would guess that the file is not tagged with the correct code for UTF-8 characters. I get exactly this problem with html2mobi when I have an web page using UTF-8 since html2mobi does not handle UTF-8 correctly,

cloudyvisions · 05-20-2009, 07:41 PM

OK, well here is another e-book that is in PDF format that I bought that way.

And same problem. If it's an encoding issue, is it with my e-book, the program, my computer, or what? Simply stating it's an encoding issue doesn't help much.

kovidgoyal · 05-20-2009, 09:04 PM

definitely looks like an ecoding issue. cant say more without access to the source files

cloudyvisions · 05-20-2009, 09:10 PM

OK, let's see if I can attach these right...haha

kovidgoyal · 05-20-2009, 10:38 PM

Both work fine for me. Try specifying an encoding of utf-8 in the conversion options.

cloudyvisions · 05-20-2009, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Both work fine for me. Try specifying an encoding of utf-8 in the conversion options.

Is there a help topic that can show me how to go about doing that? I opened the "set defaults for conversion" section and didn't see where I could specify that setting. Sorry, I'm just very unfamiliar with e-book programs like these!

kovidgoyal · 05-21-2009, 10:42 AM

look under the look & feel section of the conversion settings the option is named "source encoding"

cloudyvisions · 05-22-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

look under the look & feel section of the conversion settings the option is named "source encoding"

Well, I typed in "utf-8" in the "source encoding" text box, and got the same result. I tried with both PDF and LIT formatted files and no change, so I'm not really sure what else to do. I did upgrade to .5.13 thinking that might help but didn't notice any change.

user_none · 05-22-2009, 08:02 AM

I can't reproduce using 0.6 so it looks like it was fixed during the conversion framework changes.

kovidgoyal · 05-23-2009, 12:45 PM

I can't reproduce using either 0.5.x or using 0.6 so the problem is likely something in the OP's environment

05-20-2009, 04:29 PM	#1
cloudyvisions Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 60 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle	Converting PDF to MOBI, weird characters in story I use a Mac and tried to batch convert some PDF and LIT files to MOBI. This is the result I got: Any clue as to what is causing these weird characters in place of the correct punctuation? I have tested it with PDF and LIT formatted e-books and I get the same result for both. I really wish I could get this figured out since this looks like the best program to convert my e-books for my Kindle! Last edited by cloudyvisions; 11-30-2011 at 12:58 AM.

05-20-2009, 06:07 PM	#3
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	I converted a LIT book yesterday with the ConvertLIT GUI (use Google). I then ran the resulting .opf file though MobiPocket Creator (installed as Publisher Edition) and I was good to go (no weird symbols). You can also use MobiPocket Creator with your PDF file since it looks to be mostly text. EDIT: Rats, I just noticed you said you were on a Mac. MobipocketCreator is a PC program only. Not sure about ConvertLIT. Sorry. Last edited by daffy4u; 05-20-2009 at 06:26 PM.

05-20-2009, 07:41 PM	#5
cloudyvisions Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 60 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle	OK, well here is another e-book that is in PDF format that I bought that way. And same problem. If it's an encoding issue, is it with my e-book, the program, my computer, or what? Simply stating it's an encoding issue doesn't help much. Last edited by cloudyvisions; 11-30-2011 at 12:58 AM.

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05-20-2009, 05:56 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,785 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	First off, do not try to convert eBooks that have been run through ABC Amber anything converter. Horrible software. That said, it's an encoding issue.

05-20-2009, 09:04 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	definitely looks like an ecoding issue. cant say more without access to the source files

05-20-2009, 10:38 PM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Both work fine for me. Try specifying an encoding of utf-8 in the conversion options.

05-21-2009, 10:42 AM	#10
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	look under the look & feel section of the conversion settings the option is named "source encoding"

05-22-2009, 08:02 AM	#12
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,487 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	I can't reproduce using 0.6 so it looks like it was fixed during the conversion framework changes.

05-23-2009, 12:45 PM	#13
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I can't reproduce using either 0.5.x or using 0.6 so the problem is likely something in the OP's environment

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