Hello, fellow Jetbookers!

I purchased an ESV study bible in .epub format for my wife's jetbook lite, but when I attempt to load it, it says "file too large". I know it works, as I can view the book on my computer. It's a 36.2 MB file - I didn't realize the jetbook had a file size limitation. It's especially strange, as I know I've loaded larger pdf files on there with no problems. Any suggestions? TIA!

So far as I know, the JetBook is using FBReader to read ePubs and FBReader reads the entire ebook into memory when it is first opened. This is why there is a long pause on open. So I'm not surprised that a 36 MB ebook fails (not enough memory). For CHM's on similar devices I have seen FBReader fail on 5-10 MB ebooks. I am a bit surprised that even a study guide is this large.

You could try splitting the epub into pieces. Since an ePub is just a ZIP, it is possible to do this manually by making multiple "exploded" copies (rename to .zip and unzip) and removing some of the files from each. I don't know if Calibre will then make them into good partial ePubs or not (because the .opf and .ncx files will be wrong unless you edit those too) - but it is worth a try.

Another possibility is using Calibre to convert from ePub to eReader, because eReader is using different Reader software (as is PDF). I'm not optimistic that a ~36 MB eReader will work though.

Thanks for the good info, wallcraft. I was most interested to learn that .epub is the same as .zip. I was able to rename and open, and it is just a (very large) collection of html files, which read fine when copied over to my jbl. I guess I'll organize them into directories for easier access.

Also interesting is that Calibre won't open the 36 MB file either... although the epub reader plugin in Firefox opens and reads the file perfectly. I still have a lot to learn about all these file formats...

I had a 12 meg copy of The Day The Universe Changed by James Burke. It opened fine as an eReader (pdb) file, but would not show the pictures on the JBL.

Using Calibre, I converted it to an ePub and got the file too large notice.

I changed it to an .fb2 file and it opened fine.

I also tried extracting the files inside the ePub wrapper and working with them. Opening the ePub archive with 7-Zip, I found that there were 5 book files; book0 to book4. Each file was able to be opened in a web browser, and by looking at the pictures to be inserted on the first page or two, I was able to tell what pages were in each file.

I then set up 5 directory (Universe1 through Universe5) and copied all the files into each. I deleted the unneccessary graphics from each folder and all but one of the book files from each folder.

Then I had Calibre load each directory separately as a book. After changing the names, I had 5 .zip files in Calibre Named Part x-The Day The Universe Changed with the appropriate cover icon.

These files could then easily be converted into ePub files with all the right metadata and pagination information. They loaded easily into my JBL, and all show the appropriate pictures on the page.

There is probably a quicker way to do this, but it worked.

I've got the Libre which apparently uses ADE to view ePubs rather than FBReader which is used on the JBL. The Libre does not provide TOC or search functions in ePubs nor any way to select hyperlinks, so navigating a large book like a study Bible would be impossible. Does the JBL provide better navigation within ePubs?

Another possibility is using Calibre to convert from ePub to eReader, because eReader is using different Reader software (as is PDF). I'm not optimistic that a ~36 MB eReader will work though.


What has worked for me is to take it one step further; once I have the
.pdb (eReader) file I run that through Calibre to get an .epub that works
on the JBL.

Check out my earlier thread listed below.

Luck;
Ken