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Question for kindle publishers

by Sandra Martinez
13 replies
Hey guys

ok, I have my ebook all formatted and pretty, but I am a lil bit stuck in one point: does the OPF file need a unique identifier?

It is not hard to get, but I am at the same time doing a report of the "experience". Would like to be as accurate as possible about what is necessary, and what can be left out.

I noticed that in these lil buggers the small print is the most messy.

Thanks for any help,
Sandra
#kindle #publishers #question
  • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
    Originally Posted by Chris Kent View Post

    What's an opf file?

    I just upload word .doc and good to go.
    I did the same with another one. The system builds everything for you if you are not picky.

    But, in this one I have images and wanted to play with the waypoints...

    The opf file tells the system stuff like

    - the metadata information,
    - what is your opening page,
    - it manages the character encoding if you have weird characters (copyright, accents), stuff like that...

    it has four sections: metadata, manifest, spine and guide.

    it is an xml file standard for epub books, but Amazon has its own requirements.

    In a techie place, the guy says this number has to be there. It is like the isbn, but free. And, everyone else seem to run away from this file...

    they do take care of the other, the toc.ncx (this one deals with the waypoints).

    well, I guess i will put it and see how it goes.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Is this the "uuid-id" you are referring to? As far as I know, it has to be there and it has to be unique to your book. But, I don't think it has to be a number.

      I've used a lastname-title sort of identifier. You can probably throw in the publication date and time or something to increase the odds of it being unique, like lastname-title-20121213-123456.
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      • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
        Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

        Is this the "uuid-id" you are referring to? As far as I know, it has to be there and it has to be unique to your book. But, I don't think it has to be a number.

        I've used a lastname-title sort of identifier. You can probably throw in the publication date and time or something to increase the odds of it being unique, like lastname-title-20121213-123456.
        Yesssss!! That´s the one!! thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        Great idea!

        I found a place that creates them for you based on the date, in case someone wants to go that route...

        UUID (GUID) Generator on the WEB
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        • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
          Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

          Is this the "uuid-id" you are referring to? As far as I know, it has to be there and it has to be unique to your book.
          Originally Posted by JustVisiting View Post

          The guy on the Techie forum is incorrect. No, a unique identifier is not mandatory, just as you don't need an ISBN.
          OK.. now I am confused...



          I just added... it can´t harm to keep it, I guess...

          Thanks!! you guys are awesome!
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          • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
            Originally Posted by Sandra Martinez View Post

            OK.. now I am confused...
            Some tools automatically add a uuid-id. Other tools require that you manually add one.

            So, maybe it's mandatory that it be in there but not necessarily mandatory that you put it in, if the tool you are using adds one automatically.
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        • Profile picture of the author JustVisiting
          Originally Posted by Sandra Martinez View Post

          I found a place that creates them for you based on the date, in case someone wants to go that route...

          UUID (GUID) Generator on the WEB
          Unless things have changed since I published my book a few months back this number is not necessary. I have looked again at my opf file just to make sure.

          Perhaps Amazon Kindle generate one for you when the books are uploaded...I don't know.

          The generator you mention has this disclaimer:

          Disclaimer:
          The provided UUID (GUID) is provided AS IS without warranty of any kind, not even the warranty that the generated UUID is actually unique. The entire risk of using this UUID is upto you.
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          • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
            Originally Posted by JustVisiting View Post

            Unless things have changed since I published my book a few months back this number is not necessary. I have looked again at my opf file just to make sure.

            Perhaps Amazon Kindle generate one for you when the books are uploaded...I don't know.

            The generator you mention has this disclaimer:

            Disclaimer:
            The provided UUID (GUID) is provided AS IS without warranty of any kind, not even the warranty that the generated UUID is actually unique. The entire risk of using this UUID is upto you.
            It makes sense...

            Same with the publisher, it falls back to the author if you don´t put one.

            Yeah, I saw the disclaimer. You know the drill, they have to put it.

            Now that I think about it... maybe we can add a set of letters related with the book to make sure it is unique (following Dan´s system), that should do.
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  • Profile picture of the author JustVisiting
    Originally Posted by Sandra Martinez View Post

    ... does the OPF file need a unique identifier?
    The guy on the Techie forum is incorrect. No, a unique identifier is not mandatory, just as you don't need an ISBN.

    I have published a book full of pics using xml, opf & ncx. It formatted perfectly.

    Good luck.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
      Originally Posted by JustVisiting View Post


      I have published a book full of pics using xml, opf & ncx. It formatted perfectly.
      You did? I have a question for you then..

      Somewhere i read that you don´t need to put all the images in the manifest, only the cover...

      Do I have to?
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      • Profile picture of the author JustVisiting
        Originally Posted by Sandra Martinez View Post

        You did? I have a question for you then..

        Somewhere i read that you don´t need to put all the images in the manifest, only the cover...

        Do I have to?
        All images, html & the ncx need to be in the manifest.
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