KindleGen

DaleDe · Post by **DaleDe** » Wed Nov 05, 2014 12:53 pm

I would like to be able to use the option -dont_append_source when generating the MOBI file to reduce the size of the file created. This should be optional for those that want it.

I don't always want to run KindleGen every time I build an ePub. Currently I do this by not permitting KindleGen to run automatically but an option might be a better choice. Then the option to run would also permit the use of KindleGen options such as increased compression and the one above.

Thanks, Dale

Post by **admin** » Thu Nov 06, 2014 6:57 pm

I don't always want to run KindleGen every time I build an ePub.

You can remove kindlegen from the home folder of Atlantis. You can always run kindlgen manually with any command-line switch you want.

DaleDe · Post by **DaleDe** » Fri Nov 07, 2014 2:48 pm

admin wrote:
I don't always want to run KindleGen every time I build an ePub.
You can remove kindlegen from the home folder of Atlantis. You can always run kindlgen manually with any command-line switch you want.

Of course I can do that but it kind of defeats the whole purpose of being ablt to automatically generate a Kindle file. This answer should not be, just remove the feature, IMHO.

Post by **Robert** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:47 am

Hi Dale,
What Admin meant is that you don’t have to install KindleGen in the Atlantis home folder. You can install KindleGen anywhere you like outside the Atlantis home folder. In this case, Atlantis will not create a MOBI file automatically. This will have the added advantage that you’ll be able to use any of the KindleGen options as suitable from the command-line.
Cheers,
Robert

DaleDe · Post by **DaleDe** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:24 pm

Robert wrote:Hi Dale,
What Admin meant is that you don’t have to install KindleGen in the Atlantis home folder. You can install KindleGen anywhere you like outside the Atlantis home folder. In this case, Atlantis will not create a MOBI file automatically. This will have the added advantage that you’ll be able to use any of the KindleGen options as suitable from the command-line.
Cheers,
Robert

Thanks, but I understood exactly what he meant when he said it. I already knew that even before he said it. I know I can even use KindleGen even if I don't even own a copy of Atlantis.

Post by **Robert** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:51 pm

Why do you want the feature removed then? Most people are happy with this feature as it is…
If you are not happy with it, you have a very simple solution: don’t install KindleGen in the Atlantis home folder.

DaleDe · Post by **DaleDe** » Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:00 pm

Robert wrote:Why do you want the feature removed then? Most people are happy with this feature as it is…
If you are not happy with it, you have a very simple solution: don’t install KindleGen in the Atlantis home folder.

Ah I see what you meant. It was my statement. I do not want the feature to be removed. I requested that I not get the answer that I just got which was that I was to remove the feature myself and use it standalone. I like the feature, I just want to be able to add options to the feature.

Dale

menander · Post by **menander** » Fri Nov 13, 2015 7:25 am

I would love to be able to add this feature to the Kindlegen process. I love being able to use Atlantis and not have to open Kindlegen, but it's frustrating how large the resulting .mobi file is in relation to the epub file (usually 3 times the size!) It should simply be a couple of lines of code to not add the comments when the instruction is sent to Kindle gen. This would then save many users having to ever have to open another eBook creating program.

I repeat: I love Atlantis and want only to use Atlantis, as its so good. I just hate how stupidly large the resulting mobi files are compared to the epub files. And I hate the fiddly nature of opening up command prompt etc. (all Kindlegen's fault, not Atlantis) Surely these days we should be passed that?

Aitch748 · Post by **Aitch748** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 10:41 am

Maybe a new textbox in the Options dialog box, where you can specify command switches to send to Kindlegen when you Save As Ebook?

menander · Post by **menander** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 1:09 pm

That would be brilliant.

Post by **Robert** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 1:46 pm

The problem is that the KindleGen utility automatically creates a MOBI/KF8 package.
Here is from Running KindleGen at the Command Line

Once you have a valid EPUB, you will probably not get too many errors when running KindleGen. You may notice that the .mobi file produced from the compiler is huge in size, often two to three times as large as your EPUB. This is because the MOBI7 format (for older e-ink Kindles and Kindle for iOS) and the KF8 format (for Kindle Touch and Kindle Fire) are in the same file. When a reader downloads your eBook from the Amazon Kindle store, it will only ship the format that their eReading device requires.

You might also want to have a look at the following page:
KF8 is nothing more than EPUB with mobi
Now here is from kindlegen cmd line options:

I just put that into Calibre and use Kindleunpack to split the files into KF8 & Mobi.

And from How do I install a plugin using Plugin Updater?

Calibre now comes with something called "Plugin Updater"…
Go to Preferences->Plugins and click on the Get new plugins button. Alternatively, click on the arrow next to the Preferences button on your toolbar and choose Get plugins to enhance calibre.

You can then install the “KindleUnpack” plugin for Calibre. And subsequently split the MOBI files automatically created by Atlantis through KindleGen into their respective MOBI and AZW3 components.
The 4 files attached below are:
1. “REMBRANDT BIOGRAPHY.RTF”, the RTF source file.
2. “REMBRANDT BIOGRAPHY.epub”, the EPUB file created by Atlantis.
3. “REMBRANDT BIOGRAPHY.mobi”, the MOBI file automatically created by Atlantis through KindleGen.
4. “MOBI-Rembrandt Biography - John Johnson.mobi”, the MOBI file extracted by Calibre through the “KindleUnpack” plugin (using “REMBRANDT BIOGRAPHY.mobi” as source file).

As you’ll notice, the MOBI file extracted by Calibre through the “KindleUnpack” plugin is about half the size of the original MOBI file automatically created by KindleGen.
HTH.
Cheers,
Robert