So... EPUB and Ugh.

VydorScope · 04-27-2013, 03:07 PM

So for the first time I decided to make my own epub instead of relying on Smashwords.

I brought the word doc in to Calbri, generated an EPub, then used Sigil to clean the files. I know HTML and CSS so it was easy. I also fixed up formating issues with the conversion and cleaned out all of the MS-Word pieces that made it through TidyHTML.

I then made sure it passed EPUBFLIGHTCHECK and EpubCheck with flying colors. The only thing that came back (and only from EpubCheck, the other loved the files) was a warning about spaces in the filenames (Calbri generated the file names). I did not like the aspect of changing every single one, one at a time and then updating the links one by one. Its an omnibus, with a couple 100 files so would be a big job. I need find out if Sigil has a tool to do that or not. But regardless the files still passed completely.

I also copied it to my Nook Color, and my friends EInk Nook. It worked great. It is currently up on Smashwords via their new direct EPub upload. Yay!

So I try to upload it to B&N and I get "unknown error" and that is it. No other information.

UGH.

Any ideas? I trying to release today, but support is not open till Monday.

Turtle91 · 04-27-2013, 08:00 PM

If you select all the files (or-group of them) from the file browser on the left side, then right click to rename, you will be allowed to define a template. The default is "Section0001", but I usually change it to "Ch_01". When you click OK Sigil will automatically rename the selected files while auto-incrementing the number. If you have multiple books you can select each books' files and rename "Book1_Ch01", "Book2_Ch01", etc.

Sigil also automatically corrects all the links when you rename.

The whole process shouldn't take more than 1-2 minutes.

Glad to hear you taking the ePub plunge!

Cheers,

VydorScope · 04-27-2013, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle91

If you select all the files (or-group of them) from the file browser on the left side, then right click to rename, you will be allowed to define a template. The default is "Section0001", but I usually change it to "Ch_01". When you click OK Sigil will automatically rename the selected files while auto-incrementing the number. If you have multiple books you can select each books' files and rename "Book1_Ch01", "Book2_Ch01", etc.

Sigil also automatically corrects all the links when you rename.

The whole process shouldn't take more than 1-2 minutes.

Glad to hear you taking the ePub plunge!

Cheers,

Cool. I will try that. Nothing else I have guessed as helped.

JSWolf · 04-27-2013, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

So I try to upload it to B&N and I get "unknown error" and that is it. No other information.

UGH.

Any ideas? I trying to release today, but support is not open till Monday.

I'm guessing that the issue is the spaces in the filenames. B&N probably uses an automated system for running epubcheck and warning/errors get the ePub rejected.

Load the ePub in Sigil, select the first chapter down to the last chapter. Then do a rename and rename to ch01. Sigil will name them all sequentially (ch01, ch02, ch03, etc.). Then you can manually rename the rest of the files.

VydorScope · 04-27-2013, 09:23 PM

Hey so that worked!

Quote:

Detected version: EPUB 2.0

Results: Congratulations! No problems were found in The First Quartet.epub.

Validated using EpubCheck version 3.0.

And looks the B&N site took the EPub now. I guess "warnings" = "unknown error" in B&N's tool.

THANKS!

JSWolf · 04-27-2013, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Hey so that worked!

And looks the B&N site took the EPub now. I guess "warnings" = "unknown error" in B&N's tool.

THANKS!

It's great to have hand crafted ePub instead of ground up, spit out and not nice Word > ePub.

VydorScope · 04-27-2013, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's great to have hand crafted ePub instead of ground up, spit out and not nice Word > ePub.

This epub was pretty hard to get the conversion tools to make nice due to the images/etc, so it was a good first run at doing it myself. Kobo, Smash, and B&N will all have clean EPubs now for this book. Amazon will still have the MOBI that I generate, but a least it is converted from a clean EPUB this time and not Word HTML.

The rest of the stores (Apple, Sony, etc) well, they will get what ever Smash pumps their way... which I hope is the EPub I submitted, but even if its not... well at least the key stores are covered.

JSWolf · 04-27-2013, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

This epub was pretty hard to get the conversion tools to make nice due to the images/etc, so it was a good first run at doing it myself. Kobo, Smash, and B&N will all have clean EPubs now for this book. Amazon will still have the MOBI that I generate, but a least it is converted from a clean EPUB this time and not Word HTML.

The rest of the stores (Apple, Sony, etc) well, they will get what ever Smash pumps their way... which I hope is the EPub I submitted, but even if its not... well at least the key stores are covered.

What you can do is use text markup to mark where italics/bold go and put in notes to say imageXYZ goes here. Do this there, do that here, etc. Then in Sigil, you just load the text file, split as needs, apply the code, create the CSS, insert the graphics, etc. It may actually be easier then trying to clean up from the Word > ePub mess you get.

VydorScope · 04-27-2013, 10:23 PM

GRRR

Apparently B&N disregards your TOC and makes its own. Now I have to fix 229 chapters in their stupid online GUI.

Toxaris · 04-28-2013, 02:56 AM

You could have skipped the Calibre step and created the HTML via Word in another way. My macro delivers clean HTML.

avantman42 · 04-28-2013, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

.The rest of the stores (Apple, Sony, etc) well, they will get what ever Smash pumps their way... which I hope is the EPub I submitted, but even if its not... well at least the key stores are covered.

If you upload an ePub, Smashwords only use the Word file for other formats, so Apple et al will get your nice ePub.

VydorScope · 04-28-2013, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

You could have skipped the Calibre step and created the HTML via Word in another way. My macro delivers clean HTML.

That might have save me an hour of manual work... hmm will check it out. Thanks!

VydorScope · 04-28-2013, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avantman42

If you upload an ePub, Smashwords only use the Word file for other formats, so Apple et al will get your nice ePub.

Cool.

Turtle91 · 04-28-2013, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Amazon will still have the MOBI that I generate, but a least it is converted from a clean EPUB this time and not Word HTML.

I would use Amazon's ePub->Mobi conversion tool (Kindlepreview/kindlegen). It sounded like you used Calibre to create the Mobi?? I've heard Calibre has a couple issues with that conversion?? In any case, Amazon' certified software is easy and free...and certified.

Turtle91 · 04-28-2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

GRRR

Apparently B&N disregards your TOC and makes its own. Now I have to fix 229 chapters in their stupid online GUI.

I'm not familiar with B&N's process, but did you use the TOC ncx generator in Sigil....and then go to tools/TOC and generate an HTML TOC? I think Amazon requires the HTML version so maybe B&N'S is looking for it as well??

I'm glad the rename worked for you!

04-27-2013, 03:07 PM	#1
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	So... EPUB and Ugh. So for the first time I decided to make my own epub instead of relying on Smashwords. I brought the word doc in to Calbri, generated an EPub, then used Sigil to clean the files. I know HTML and CSS so it was easy. I also fixed up formating issues with the conversion and cleaned out all of the MS-Word pieces that made it through TidyHTML. I then made sure it passed EPUBFLIGHTCHECK and EpubCheck with flying colors. The only thing that came back (and only from EpubCheck, the other loved the files) was a warning about spaces in the filenames (Calbri generated the file names). I did not like the aspect of changing every single one, one at a time and then updating the links one by one. Its an omnibus, with a couple 100 files so would be a big job. I need find out if Sigil has a tool to do that or not. But regardless the files still passed completely. I also copied it to my Nook Color, and my friends EInk Nook. It worked great. It is currently up on Smashwords via their new direct EPub upload. Yay! So I try to upload it to B&N and I get "unknown error" and that is it. No other information. UGH. Any ideas? I trying to release today, but support is not open till Monday. Last edited by VydorScope; 04-27-2013 at 03:10 PM.

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04-27-2013, 08:00 PM	#2
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,093 Karma: 18727053 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	If you select all the files (or-group of them) from the file browser on the left side, then right click to rename, you will be allowed to define a template. The default is "Section0001", but I usually change it to "Ch_01". When you click OK Sigil will automatically rename the selected files while auto-incrementing the number. If you have multiple books you can select each books' files and rename "Book1_Ch01", "Book2_Ch01", etc. Sigil also automatically corrects all the links when you rename. The whole process shouldn't take more than 1-2 minutes. Glad to hear you taking the ePub plunge! Cheers,

04-27-2013, 10:23 PM	#9
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	GRRR Apparently B&N disregards your TOC and makes its own. Now I have to fix 229 chapters in their stupid online GUI.

04-28-2013, 02:56 AM	#10
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	You could have skipped the Calibre step and created the HTML via Word in another way. My macro delivers clean HTML.

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