Broken downloads from calibre2OPDS catalog

lowv · 12-24-2014, 07:24 PM

Hi,
I'm new to ereaders and calibre, though at least I managed to set up a calibre2OPDS catalog that I'm hosting via pancake.io (a dropbox app). It seems to work, except for the downloads: They go through, but the resulting epubs have slightly jumbled titles and seem to be stripped off their metadata. EDIT: Same thing when I try it on my desktop. The resulting files are also twice as large as the original!
I get a DRM error when I try to open them on my Aura h2o. Downloading the same files directly via dropbox works fine...!

If all else fails, any idea what other hosting solution I could try?

itimpi · 12-25-2014, 02:54 PM

I am not sure what could be causing your problem. Calibre2opds does not change a book during download - it simply provides the link to download the book exactly as it is currently stored in your Calibre library.

lowv · 12-25-2014, 05:10 PM

Got it now. Chose the wrong root folder and forgot about that setting in pancake. I'm still puzzled though, why it didn't show except for the downloads...

Nope, still not working. I'm a noob with these things, but I see that it must be something about the folder structure not aligning with the html paths. I tried a few things, like designating different root folders and then also pasting the contents of _catalog into it (this is what made everything work except for corrupted downloads). No matter the variation, there's always one or more elements in the site that get screwed up.

I don't get it, because the default "\Database\_catalog" works perfectly as long as it is on my machine. But for example, if I designate "Pancake.io\Database\_catalog" as the root folder of my hosted project, then covers AND download links are missing. And when I move the cursor over the epub link, I see that it looks for "\Author folder\Book folder\File.epub" in the same root directory, when it's actually one up?

itimpi · 12-25-2014, 06:21 PM

The root of the web site needs to be at the Calibre library level, or no books or images can be found, and the catalog should be a sub-level off that.

One useful trick is to include a index.html file at the same level as the books that auto-redirects to the index.html file at the top level of the catalog. This technique is described here

lowv · 12-25-2014, 06:32 PM

Oh, thanks a lot!!! I was close, but wouldn't have figured this out on my own

lowv · 12-25-2014, 06:49 PM

Damnit, the original problem still prevails. Guess I had a hacked way of doing the same in the beginning. Then it must be something with pancake.io's hosting, something out of my control?
So how does everyone else do this? I have a newer Dropbox account with no public folder support, that's why I'm going through this pain with third party hosting apps. I can't find any good and free alternatives to pancake, unfortunately.

EDIT: will try GoogleDrive and report back

rtype · 12-28-2014, 06:24 AM

If you are able to download the ePub, but the title and/or metadata is different from what you see in calibre. It may just be that the actual ePub file has not been updated by calibre. There is an option in calibre2opds to do this I believe. Personally I use one of the plugins to do it. (Modify ePub )

12-24-2014, 07:24 PM	#1
lowv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Kobo Aura h2o	Broken downloads from calibre2OPDS catalog Hi, I'm new to ereaders and calibre, though at least I managed to set up a calibre2OPDS catalog that I'm hosting via pancake.io (a dropbox app). It seems to work, except for the downloads: They go through, but the resulting epubs have slightly jumbled titles and seem to be stripped off their metadata. EDIT: Same thing when I try it on my desktop. The resulting files are also twice as large as the original! I get a DRM error when I try to open them on my Aura h2o. Downloading the same files directly via dropbox works fine...! If all else fails, any idea what other hosting solution I could try? Last edited by lowv; 12-25-2014 at 06:32 AM.

12-25-2014, 05:10 PM	#3
lowv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Kobo Aura h2o	Got it now. Chose the wrong root folder and forgot about that setting in pancake. I'm still puzzled though, why it didn't show except for the downloads... Nope, still not working. I'm a noob with these things, but I see that it must be something about the folder structure not aligning with the html paths. I tried a few things, like designating different root folders and then also pasting the contents of _catalog into it (this is what made everything work except for corrupted downloads). No matter the variation, there's always one or more elements in the site that get screwed up. I don't get it, because the default "\Database\_catalog" works perfectly as long as it is on my machine. But for example, if I designate "Pancake.io\Database\_catalog" as the root folder of my hosted project, then covers AND download links are missing. And when I move the cursor over the epub link, I see that it looks for "\Author folder\Book folder\File.epub" in the same root directory, when it's actually one up? Last edited by lowv; 12-25-2014 at 06:15 PM.

12-25-2014, 06:49 PM	#6
lowv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Kobo Aura h2o	Damnit, the original problem still prevails. Guess I had a hacked way of doing the same in the beginning. Then it must be something with pancake.io's hosting, something out of my control? So how does everyone else do this? I have a newer Dropbox account with no public folder support, that's why I'm going through this pain with third party hosting apps. I can't find any good and free alternatives to pancake, unfortunately. EDIT: will try GoogleDrive and report back Last edited by lowv; 12-25-2014 at 07:31 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Calibre2OPDS Tags Catalog	higlider	Related Tools	5	06-15-2012 05:46 AM
Help! Don't have a catalog.html file in Calibre2opds	Sydney's Mom	Calibre	4	04-26-2012 07:34 PM
Is there a way to auto generate a catalog in Calibre2Opds?	Sydney's Mom	Related Tools	0	04-25-2012 10:39 PM
Problem generating dropbox catalog using calibre2opds	jscarbo	Related Tools	0	04-05-2011 01:02 PM
Calibre, calibre2opds,and NOOK - best way to keep catalog up to date?	rubyv	Calibre	8	09-01-2010 12:16 AM

12-25-2014, 02:54 PM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I am not sure what could be causing your problem. Calibre2opds does not change a book during download - it simply provides the link to download the book exactly as it is currently stored in your Calibre library.

12-25-2014, 06:21 PM	#4
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	The root of the web site needs to be at the Calibre library level, or no books or images can be found, and the catalog should be a sub-level off that. One useful trick is to include a index.html file at the same level as the books that auto-redirects to the index.html file at the top level of the catalog. This technique is described here

12-25-2014, 06:32 PM	#5
lowv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Kobo Aura h2o	Oh, thanks a lot!!! I was close, but wouldn't have figured this out on my own

12-28-2014, 06:24 AM	#7
rtype Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 200 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	If you are able to download the ePub, but the title and/or metadata is different from what you see in calibre. It may just be that the actual ePub file has not been updated by calibre. There is an option in calibre2opds to do this I believe. Personally I use one of the plugins to do it. (Modify ePub )