# Decrease margins from 40 to 20



## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

I read the advice from the MobileRead forum on how to decrease margins on the K3 changing the reader.pref file.

I am able to locate the file inside KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref by showing the hidden files inside Win Explorer.
I changed the margin from 40 to 20. But I can't figure out how to save the file to that folder in my kindle. 
It saves as a notepad file inside my Kindle and doesn't seem to reset the margins.

Has anyone done this?

Here was the article I read:
http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_HowTo:_Change_Margin


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I hate Notepad. 

You could try simply renaming the file after you save it to remove the ".txt" suffix (and click OK when Windows asks if you really want to do that).

Possibly better would be to use a better, less Windows-oriented text editor, such as Notepad++, that will save it with whatever name you tell it to. Also, it won't mess around with the line endings like Notepad will.


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## NiLuJe (Jun 23, 2010)

Yeah, I'd edit it in place too.


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## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

The Kindle seems to return to original default settings after a restart.  I saved and left only one edited file but after a restart the original settings are back and 2 files are in the folder.
It might not be possible to do this on the Kindle 3.


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## grizedale (Sep 2, 2010)

Just to say it definitely works on the K3 and it does stick after a restart (although it does revert if it is turned completely off) I edit in place without changing any extensions.


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## vermontcathy (Feb 18, 2009)

joangolfing said:


> The Kindle seems to return to original default settings after a restart. I saved and left only one edited file but after a restart the original settings are back and 2 files are in the folder.
> It might not be possible to do this on the Kindle 3.


Note that you have to have your kindle on the Home screen before you plug it in to your computer to change that file, because otherwise when you disconnect it and your book opens again, it sees what the margin is set to in that book (40) and resets it. So try going to your home screen before connecting to your computer.

I used Word Pad to edit it in place (double-clicked the file, Windows said what program should be used to open it and I said Word Pad, changed the number, clicked save). Make sure the file still is called reader.pref. It won't work if you've saved it as .txt or anything else. What 2 files are in the folder? I've got reader.pref and a folder called "sidecar" (interesting...).


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## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

Tried it several more times starting from the Home screen with no success.  It keeps reverting back.
I have the sidecar file in that folder as well.
I deleted the one that it keeps making to redirect it back to 40 margins. Left the file with the name reader.pref but it doesn't take hold.
What am I missing in this process?
I tried both with a restart from the Menu settings sections and just opening a book without a restart.  Same result.


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

You cannot have 2 files with the exact same name - it isn't possible.  One probably has a .txt extension, and one doesn't.  Make sure your pc is showing file extensions, so that you can be sure.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

SusanCassidy said:


> You cannot have 2 files with the exact same name - it isn't possible. One probably has a .txt extension, and one doesn't. Make sure your pc is showing file extensions, so that you can be sure.


Ooohh...good point. I always change that first thing after installing Windows, as I do a lot of programming type stuff on my PC and _have_ to see all the file extensions. I forgot that Windows hides them on file types that it "knows". I hope it's something that simple (and typically Windows-silly) for those having trouble.


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## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

Susan you are correct.  I have two different names in that folder
reader (with no extention) that one has the 40 margin. This is the one Kindle keeps making for me when I make the changes to the pref file.
reader.pref  (this one has the 20 margin.)

Maybe I'm looking for something more dramatic in my margins.  I also added left justification. I'm seeing same size margins and middle location.  Does this create changes so slight that I can't see them? Also listed in this file is the last book I was reading.  Does it need to list all my novels to make the change.


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## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

Can someone describe what it should look like to switch from 40 to 20 with left justification.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

joangolfing said:


> Can someone describe what it should look like to switch from 40 to 20 with left justification.


I just tried it on my K3-wifi, and could see no difference. (It worked fine in my K2-us.) Note that the "reader.pref" filename is correct. If the Kindle is creating a file just called "reader", that suggests to me that you are, in fact, not seeing the filename suffixes, and it's likely that what you see as "reader" is actually "reader.pref", and what you see as "reader.pref" is actually something like "reader.pref.txt".


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## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks NogDog, Cathy, Dale, and Susan

I finally have it!!! 

Wow what a difference it makes in reading with left justification and 20 set for margins.

I did have the filename suffixes hidden, so renaming them, saving and restarting did the trick.


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## grizedale (Sep 2, 2010)

joangolfing said:


> Can someone describe what it should look like to switch from 40 to 20 with left justification.


I don't use 20 but this is what it looks like at 10 Condensed font at smallest size


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## joangolfing (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks Dale,  That gives me a good visual of what these changes should look like.

I noticed that if I change the "Words per line" in Aa it resets to default again.  But at least I have the process figured out.

I learned quite a bit in the process.


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## NiLuJe (Jun 23, 2010)

That's because the "Words per line" *is* the HORIZONTAL_MARGIN setting


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