Smarten punctuation slows conversion

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 02:06 AM

I was wondering what I did that made the conversion of my books from epub to epub so slow.

Why am I converting from epub to epub? Because I want to 'inset metadata as page at start of book'.

Anyway, conversions were taking two to three minutes and sometimes longer. Once I turned off the 'Smarten Punctuation', conversion time dropped to about 30 seconds per book.

Hope this helps someone having the same issue.

Cheers.

Manichean · 01-20-2011, 03:35 AM

Does this surprise you? It's an additional task during the conversion. Of course it takes longer if you select that.
Apart from that, three minutes for a conversion is nothing.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 04:42 AM

Actually, it does. Here's why.

In the version prior to 0.7.40, conversions from any format to epub, only took about 30 seconds on both my PC and Mac. Admittedly, I was not inserting the metadata page.

I have now turned off this option. I copied 12 books to both my Mac calibre library and my PC calibre library. I selected these 12 books and started the conversion on both the Mac and the PC. On the stop watch, forty seven minutes later, NOT ONE book had been converted on both the Mac and the PC.

Bug?

Hence my late reply to you Manichean. I was busy trying to set up this experiment.

Cheers.

DoctorOhh · 01-20-2011, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

Once I turned off the 'Smarten Punctuation', conversion time dropped to about 30 seconds per book.

Did you get the "30 seconds per book" number by actually opening the job details window?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

In the version prior to 0.7.40, conversions from any format to epub, only took about 30 seconds on both my PC and Mac. Admittedly, I was not inserting the metadata page.

I take it this is your guesstimate, correct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

I have now turned off this option. I copied 12 books to both my Mac calibre library and my PC calibre library. I selected these 12 books and started the conversion on both the Mac and the PC. On the stop watch, forty seven minutes later, NOT ONE book had been converted on both the Mac and the PC.

This is a totally different symptom. Did you open the job details window and see what books were actually holding you up? Books convert serially so it seems as if you had two books that were taking a long time to convert. I doubt if 'Smarten Punctuation' was a determinant in slowing down either of these books.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

Bug?

Maybe a bug, maybe not. You have to check what was going on with each of these books. Click on the Jobs in the lower right corner to view the job log.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 04:58 AM

Yes, the 30 seconds is a guesstimate. But I can say with confidence that NO book took more than a minute.

Yes, I looked at the job details. After 47 mins, not one of the books that were currently processing showed any colour in the progress bar. That's what I stopped the process.

DoctorOhh · 01-20-2011, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

Yes, I looked at the job details. After 47 mins, not one of the books that were currently processing showed any colour in the progress bar. That's what I stopped the process.

The progress bar doesn't always reflect what is going on. Try converting one of the books that was taking forever and view the job details. The only books I've seen take that long had a bunch of Microsoft Office (mso) junk cluttering up the book.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 05:04 AM

I am running one file now and I'll let you know the details when it is finished.

Manichean · 01-20-2011, 05:15 AM

As long as there are no errors, the conversion is working. Just let it run, it'll finish eventually.
And I still fail to see the problem: You ask Calibre to insert a metadata page as well as smarten the punctuation, and you're surprised that it takes longer than converting without those options?

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 05:19 AM

How long does it take you to convert one file from epub to epub dwanthny?

I've just started one conversion (with the insertion of the metadata page) but no smarten punctuation. It has been going now for 18 mins and the bar is still below the half way mark.

This is on a Mac Pro 2 x 2.93 Quad Core with 10GB of Ram. I don't think it should take this long. As I said, with precious versions, it wouldn't take more than a minute.

I don't think it's anything to do with my Mac or PC. But I will also try it on my Mac laptop tonight and see what happens.

Would you like me to send you the file? Maybe something is screwy with both of my machines!

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 05:33 AM

Just completed converting 4 books from epub to epub with the insertion of the metadata page AND smarten punctuation. Each book took about 9 seconds!

I give up. They're all epub files, all they contain is text (they are murder mysteries) and yet some take for ever to convert! Grant me patience Lord but please hurry.

DoctorOhh · 01-20-2011, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

How long does it take you to convert one file from epub to epub dwanthny?

The last 15 books still in my job details ranged from 5 seconds to 66 seconds this included the insertion of the metadata page and smarten punctuation (see attached). But I have had the rare epub to epub conversion take up to 6 hours. Those books were chalk full of MS office junk, 20000+ lines of styling on each html page.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

Would you like me to send you the file? Maybe something is screwy with both of my machines!

Your machines are fine the file is the source of your problem. PM me a link where I can grab the file and I'll be glad to take a look.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 05:52 AM

Thanks for the offer. Guess what? In my frustration, I have forgotten the name of the damn file! Not to worry. If I come across another one, I'll let you know.

I think you are correct. It has to be the files. I have 22 books from the same author and same publisher. I batch converted them with the metadata page and smarten punctuation and each one took less that 8 seconds to convert. Now that's impressive.

Ah, the mysteries of IT! Thanks for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 06:13 AM

Just sent you a PM. Here is the epub that caused the error and the error I copied into a text file.

DoctorOhh · 01-20-2011, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

Just sent you a PM. Here is the epub that caused the error and the error I copied into a text file.

Remove the attached book. Attaching copyrighted books will get you banned.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 06:28 AM

Oops! Thanks. Ebook removed.

01-20-2011, 02:06 AM	#1
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Smarten punctuation slows conversion I was wondering what I did that made the conversion of my books from epub to epub so slow. Why am I converting from epub to epub? Because I want to 'inset metadata as page at start of book'. Anyway, conversions were taking two to three minutes and sometimes longer. Once I turned off the 'Smarten Punctuation', conversion time dropped to about 30 seconds per book. Hope this helps someone having the same issue. Cheers.

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01-20-2011, 03:35 AM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Does this surprise you? It's an additional task during the conversion. Of course it takes longer if you select that. Apart from that, three minutes for a conversion is nothing.

01-20-2011, 04:42 AM	#3
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Actually, it does. Here's why. In the version prior to 0.7.40, conversions from any format to epub, only took about 30 seconds on both my PC and Mac. Admittedly, I was not inserting the metadata page. I have now turned off this option. I copied 12 books to both my Mac calibre library and my PC calibre library. I selected these 12 books and started the conversion on both the Mac and the PC. On the stop watch, forty seven minutes later, NOT ONE book had been converted on both the Mac and the PC. Bug? Hence my late reply to you Manichean. I was busy trying to set up this experiment. Cheers.

01-20-2011, 04:58 AM	#5
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Yes, the 30 seconds is a guesstimate. But I can say with confidence that NO book took more than a minute. Yes, I looked at the job details. After 47 mins, not one of the books that were currently processing showed any colour in the progress bar. That's what I stopped the process.

01-20-2011, 05:04 AM	#7
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	I am running one file now and I'll let you know the details when it is finished.

01-20-2011, 05:15 AM	#8
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	As long as there are no errors, the conversion is working. Just let it run, it'll finish eventually. And I still fail to see the problem: You ask Calibre to insert a metadata page as well as smarten the punctuation, and you're surprised that it takes longer than converting without those options?

01-20-2011, 05:19 AM	#9
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	How long does it take you to convert one file from epub to epub dwanthny? I've just started one conversion (with the insertion of the metadata page) but no smarten punctuation. It has been going now for 18 mins and the bar is still below the half way mark. This is on a Mac Pro 2 x 2.93 Quad Core with 10GB of Ram. I don't think it should take this long. As I said, with precious versions, it wouldn't take more than a minute. I don't think it's anything to do with my Mac or PC. But I will also try it on my Mac laptop tonight and see what happens. Would you like me to send you the file? Maybe something is screwy with both of my machines!

01-20-2011, 05:33 AM	#10
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Just completed converting 4 books from epub to epub with the insertion of the metadata page AND smarten punctuation. Each book took about 9 seconds! I give up. They're all epub files, all they contain is text (they are murder mysteries) and yet some take for ever to convert! Grant me patience Lord but please hurry.

01-20-2011, 05:52 AM	#12
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Thanks for the offer. Guess what? In my frustration, I have forgotten the name of the damn file! Not to worry. If I come across another one, I'll let you know. I think you are correct. It has to be the files. I have 22 books from the same author and same publisher. I batch converted them with the metadata page and smarten punctuation and each one took less that 8 seconds to convert. Now that's impressive. Ah, the mysteries of IT! Thanks for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

01-20-2011, 06:28 AM	#15
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Oops! Thanks. Ebook removed.

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