MobileRead Forums
Register Guidelines E-Books Today's Posts Search

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book Software > Calibre
Reload this Page Newbie question for Calibre: "Unknown Book Type" error

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-27-2009, 03:40 AM   #1
rvdparis
Connoisseur
rvdparis doesn't litterrvdparis doesn't litter
 
Posts: 53
Karma: 140
Join Date: Apr 2009
Device: Kindle Touch + iPad 1 + iPhone 4
Newbie question for Calibre: "Unknown Book Type" error
Calibre doesn't seem to be able to handle a few titles I downloaded from Amazon. I can't convert them nor can I view them in Calibre. For a couple, I get the DRM warning from Calibre, ok, stop.

But for the rest I get this "unknown book type" error. I googled it, and I checked the forums, but can't find the answer. It might be this topaz that everyone seems to be talking about, but i don't know how to check that either. It happens with at least 6 or 7 titles I have in my library. I thought Calibre might be 'broke' but I successfully converted a couple of Amazon books to epub format, so it works.

I am on a Mac OS X 10.5 and the iPhone is my ereader (for better or worse), and I have the latest Calibre 0.5.9.....Also, I think (that I have the right python version as well (2.6). Thanks for any help. Richard

Here's the error:

Unknown book type: ‡‡X¨Vš.‡

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py", line 55, in run
Thread.run(self)
File "threading.pyo", line 477, in run
File "calibre/ebooks/epub/iterator.pyo", line 119, in __enter__
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/epub/from_any.py", line 62, in mobi2opf
reader = MobiReader(path)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/mobi/reader.py", line 237, in __init__
raise MobiError('Unknown book type: %s'%self.ident)
MobiError: Unknown book type: ‡‡X¨Vš.‡
Last edited by rvdparis; 04-27-2009 at 03:44 AM. Reason: found the python version in the error message! doh!
rvdparis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2009, 05:05 AM   #2
kovidgoyal
creator of calibre
kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
kovidgoyal's Avatar
 
Posts: 43,843
Karma: 22666666
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Mumbai, India
Device: Various
that error means the book file is not a valid MOBI file. Change the extension to tpz, in which case calibre should be able to recognize it as topaz
kovidgoyal is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 04-27-2009, 05:47 AM   #3
rvdparis
Connoisseur
rvdparis doesn't litterrvdparis doesn't litter
 
Posts: 53
Karma: 140
Join Date: Apr 2009
Device: Kindle Touch + iPad 1 + iPhone 4
Thank you for your quick reply. I changed the extension, dragged that copy back to calibre, and then tried to convert it. Here's the error message

Job: **Convert book: B001078BO4_EBOK - Unknown copy.tpz.prc**
**tuple**: ('MobiError', u'Unknown book type: ;\ufffd\ufffd@\ufffd\x16')
**Traceback**:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/parallel.py", line 958, in worker
result = work(client_socket, func, args, kwdargs)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/parallel.py", line 916, in work
res = func(*args, **kargs)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/epub/from_any.py", line 167, in any2epub
path = MAP[ext](path, tdir2, opts)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/epub/from_any.py", line 62, in mobi2opf
reader = MobiReader(path)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/mobi/reader.py", line 237, in __init__
raise MobiError('Unknown book type: %s'%self.ident)
MobiError: Unknown book type: ;��@�

**Log**:
Exploding MOBI file: /var/folders/K-/K-4f6cN5Hu0b5D4jpjmJmk+++TI/-Tmp-/calibre_0.5.9_ZOBbLm.prc
('MobiError', u'Unknown book type: ;\ufffd\ufffd@\ufffd\x16')
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/parallel.py", line 958, in worker
result = work(client_socket, func, args, kwdargs)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/parallel.py", line 916, in work
res = func(*args, **kargs)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/epub/from_any.py", line 167, in any2epub
path = MAP[ext](path, tdir2, opts)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/epub/from_any.py", line 62, in mobi2opf
reader = MobiReader(path)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/mobi/reader.py", line 237, in __init__
raise MobiError('Unknown book type: %s'%self.ident)
MobiError: Unknown book type: ;��@�

I tried to then just view it, and here's the other message

Unknown book type: ;‡ì>*@“

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py", line 55, in run
Thread.run(self)
File "threading.pyo", line 477, in run
File "calibre/ebooks/epub/iterator.pyo", line 119, in __enter__
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/epub/from_any.py", line 62, in mobi2opf
reader = MobiReader(path)
File "/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python2.6/site-packages.zip/calibre/ebooks/mobi/reader.py", line 237, in __init__
raise MobiError('Unknown book type: %s'%self.ident)
MobiError: Unknown book type: ;‡ì>*@“


I tried the tpz method on other books, and it comes up always as 'unknown book type'. I should mention that I can read these books on the Kindle Reader for iPhone (so I don't THINK they are corrupt, but they could be).

Thanks again for this amazing program (it works for other books I have) and for your help
Richard
rvdparis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2009, 05:50 AM   #4
kovidgoyal
creator of calibre
kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
kovidgoyal's Avatar
 
Posts: 43,843
Karma: 22666666
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Mumbai, India
Device: Various
You didn't change the extension, you changed the name and added .tpz to it, the file still has the extension .prc You have to change a setting in windows to show file extensions before it will let you change the extension
kovidgoyal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2009, 05:57 AM   #5
rvdparis
Connoisseur
rvdparis doesn't litterrvdparis doesn't litter
 
Posts: 53
Karma: 140
Join Date: Apr 2009
Device: Kindle Touch + iPad 1 + iPhone 4
Thanks again for your help. I'm using OS X, and I thought I could just change the extension by clicking twice on the name of the file, and then getting rid of the ending after the '.' and then typing 'tpz'. Yeah, and I noticed that calibre changes it back to .prc when I add the file to the library. SO, I need to figure out how to change the file so that calibre thinks it's tpz. Okay, thanks for your help.
rvdparis is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 04-27-2009, 06:16 AM   #6
rvdparis
Connoisseur
rvdparis doesn't litterrvdparis doesn't litter
 
Posts: 53
Karma: 140
Join Date: Apr 2009
Device: Kindle Touch + iPad 1 + iPhone 4
Okay, I changed them to tpz from Get Info dialog in OS X...and when I drag them into calibre, calibre recognizes them as tpz, even gives them the correct metadata like author, title etc., which it didn't do before. When I try to view them, however, I get the spinning beach ball and nothing. When I try to convert them, an error: "Cannot Convert TITLE as this title has no supported formats" Thanks for your help, R
rvdparis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2009, 12:27 PM   #7
sirbruce
Provocateur
sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sirbruce ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
sirbruce's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,859
Karma: 505847
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbus, OH
Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS
AFAIK, Calibre recognizes Topaz, but it can't convert them.
sirbruce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2009, 02:03 PM   #8
kovidgoyal
creator of calibre
kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kovidgoyal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
kovidgoyal's Avatar
 
Posts: 43,843
Karma: 22666666
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Mumbai, India
Device: Various
topaz is DRMed, calibre doesn not convert DRMed files as that would be illegal in a bunch of regressive countries
kovidgoyal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2009, 04:20 AM   #9
rvdparis
Connoisseur
rvdparis doesn't litterrvdparis doesn't litter
 
Posts: 53
Karma: 140
Join Date: Apr 2009
Device: Kindle Touch + iPad 1 + iPhone 4
Didn't know that topaz was DRMed. In France, I don't know the DRM situation. Thanks for your help, and I still love calibre!
rvdparis is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
calibre, conversion, error message, unknown book type

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
PRS-300 Book won't open "Page Error!" danalynn Sony Reader 9 08-23-2010 05:46 PM
Calibre 0.7.9 Device Detection with Augen "The Book" ebsebs Calibre 1 07-23-2010 09:01 AM
JBL- Calibre ePub sometimes = "File too Large" Error Ken Maltby Ectaco jetBook 13 01-09-2010 01:27 PM
"Device is not ready" error with Calibre Robotech_Master Astak EZReader 0 10-19-2009 02:36 PM
Question - Does iLiab have the "search" & "annotation, highlighting" features? HiSoC8Y iRex 5 07-01-2009 04:37 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:37 AM.

Contact Us - FAQ - Guidelines - Privacy - Top

MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.