.mobi

mobi.convert_mobi_to_markdown() {
  # Check for the existence of a .mobi file argument
  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
    throw "Usage: convert_mobi_to_markdown <file.mobi>"
  fi

  MOBI_FILE="$1"
  BASE_NAME="${MOBI_FILE%.*}"

  install_if_missing calibre ebook-convert
  install_if_missing pandoc

  # Convert .mobi to ePub
  echo "Converting .mobi to ePub..."
  eai ebook-convert "$MOBI_FILE" "${BASE_NAME}.epub"

  # Convert ePub to Markdown
  echo "Converting ePub to Markdown..."
  eai pandoc -s "${BASE_NAME}.epub" -o "${BASE_NAME}.md"

  echo "Conversion complete: ${BASE_NAME}.md"
}

Transferring .mobi files to Markdown format via command-line tools on macOS can be a multi-step process, as there's no direct .mobi to Markdown converter. However, you can achieve this by first converting the .mobi file to a more common intermediary format (like HTML or ePub), and then from that format to Markdown. Here's a high-level approach using command-line tools available for macOS:

Step 1: Convert .mobi to HTML or ePub

First, you'll need to convert the .mobi file to an intermediary format. Calibre is a powerful, free, open-source eBook management software that can handle a wide range of eBook formats, including .mobi, ePub, and HTML. While Calibre itself is a GUI application, it comes with a command-line tool called ebook-convert that can perform conversions.

1. Install Calibre: If you haven't already, you can install Calibre on macOS using Homebrew:

   brew install calibre
   

2. Convert .mobi to ePub or HTML: Use the ebook-convert command to convert your .mobi file. ePub might be a better intermediary for complex eBooks with lots of formatting, but HTML is simpler for text-centric documents.

   ebook-convert input.mobi output.epub  # or output.html
   

Step 2: Convert HTML or ePub to Markdown

After converting your .mobi file to an intermediary format, the next step is to convert it to Markdown. Pandoc is a versatile document converter that can convert between numerous markup formats, including from HTML or ePub to Markdown.

1. Install Pandoc: If you don't have Pandoc, install it via Homebrew:

   brew install pandoc
   

2. Convert to Markdown:

   • If you converted your .mobi file to HTML:

     pandoc -s input.html -o output.md
     

   • If you converted your .mobi file to ePub:

     pandoc -s input.epub -t markdown -o output.md
     

This process should handle basic conversion to Markdown, but be aware that complex formatting in the original .mobi file may not translate perfectly to Markdown due to the differences in format capabilities. Additionally, if the .mobi file is protected by DRM, you'll need to remove the DRM before conversion, which can be a legal gray area depending on your jurisdiction and the intended use of the file.

For advanced formatting or if you encounter issues with the conversion, you might need to manually edit the Markdown file or use additional conversion options in Pandoc to better preserve the original formatting.