I have a problem opening SOME large .mobi files in Calibre

[cageybee]

Hi, I have imported a New Oxford Dictionary from Kindle for PC to Calibre and I have a Merriam-Webster collegiate dictionary which I imported into both kindle and Calibre. Both of these dictionaries are around 25MB. I can open both of these files in Kindle for PC, but can't open neither of them in Calibre. I have a DRM removal plugins installed. Here is the error I get when I try opening one of them:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\viewer\main.py", line 40, in run
  File "threading.py", line 504, in run
  File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\iterator\book.py", line 99, in __enter__
  File "site-packages\calibre\customize\conversion.py", line 239, in __call__
  File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\conversion\plugins\mobi_input.py", line 34, in convert
  File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\mobi\reader\mobi6.py", line 171, in extract_content
  File "re.py", line 151, in sub
MemoryError

It is telling me that I have a memory error, but I have 4GB of RAM on my PC.

I have other .mobi ebooks in my Calibre library which are large in size, but I don't have any problems opening them.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by cageybee

Hi, I have imported a New Oxford Dictionary from Kindle for PC to Calibre and I have a Merriam-Webster collegiate dictionary which I imported into both kindle and Calibre. Both of these dictionaries are around 25MB. I can open both of these files in Kindle for PC, but can't open neither of them in Calibre. I have a DRM removal plugins installed. Here is the error I get when I try opening one of them:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\viewer\main.py", line 40, in run
  File "threading.py", line 504, in run
  File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\iterator\book.py", line 99, in __enter__
  File "site-packages\calibre\customize\conversion.py", line 239, in __call__
  File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\conversion\plugins\mobi_input.py", line 34, in convert
  File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\mobi\reader\mobi6.py", line 171, in extract_content
  File "re.py", line 151, in sub
MemoryError

It is telling me that I have a memory error, but I have 4GB of RAM on my PC.

I have other .mobi ebooks in my Calibre library which are large in size, but I don't have any problems opening them.

Depends on the OS. Windows 32 bit can only access 3.2G even if your motherboard supports more.
I think this applies to Virtual Memory also. So this book may have just run off the end
Or
You have RAM that is going south. memtest 86+ the RAM overnight (at least 1 full pass (takes hours)

[PeterT]

Its also quite possible that the dictionary is to complex to allow the basic conversion that the calibre eViewer performs to complete successfully.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by cageybee

Hi, I have imported a New Oxford Dictionary from Kindle for PC to Calibre and I have a Merriam-Webster collegiate dictionary which I imported into both kindle and Calibre. Both of these dictionaries are around 25MB. I can open both of these files in Kindle for PC, but can't open neither of them in Calibre.

Not surprising, calibre viewer is essentially a basic epub viewer and Mobi files go through a basic conversion before being viewed. Dictionaries are not books that lend themselves to easy conversion.

Originally Posted by cageybee

It is telling me that I have a memory error, but I have 4GB of RAM on my PC.

You can say but I have 16GB of ram it still wouldn't change the fact that the OS is reporting that you ran out of memory.

Originally Posted by cageybee

I have other .mobi ebooks in my Calibre library which are large in size, but I don't have any problems opening them.

Large vs complicated, two different things.

Originally Posted by PeterT

Its also quite possible that the dictionary is too complex to allow the basic conversion that the calibre eViewer performs to complete successfully.

PeterT has it correct.

[poohbear_nc]

I have successfully imported dictionaries and very large book collection volumes into Calibre in order to take advantage of Alf's plug-ins - but I had to do it via the command line interface with EVERYTHING closed down on my PC (32 bit Win XP Pro with 2 GB RAM) - but I cannot load the resulting files into the calibre viewer - any file over 15 - 20 MB, or thereabouts, will lock up the entire PC. The calibre GUI uses too much of the PC's resources to add the viewer and a large file.

[cageybee]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Its also quite possible that the dictionary is to complex to allow the basic conversion that the calibre eViewer performs to complete successfully.

I would have to side with your and DoctorOhh's view as this is the impression that I am getting about this problem. I too think that the problem is not in the memory itself but rather in the calibre's epub viewer. I was hoping to find a workaround by trying to be as specific as possible about this but it seems like I'm just stuck here.