Cannot convert .lit to .epub

[ivanm]

I tried to download the .lit file for Wizardry Compiled from http://www.baen.com/library/ (since there's no .epub and the FAQ says Calibre prefers .lit over .prc for conversion), but whenever Calibre tries to convert it to put it on my reader it comes up with this error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/customize/ui.py", line 320, in get_file_type_metadata
    mi = plugin.get_metadata(stream, ftype.lower().strip())
  File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/customize/builtins.py", line 136, in get_metadata
    return get_quick_metadata(stream)
  File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py", line 182, in get_quick_metadata
    return get_metadata(stream, False)
  File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py", line 169, in get_metadata
    reader = OCFZipReader(stream)
  File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py", line 109, in __init__
    raise EPubException("not a ZIP .epub OCF container")
EPubException: not a ZIP .epub OCF container
Segmentation fault

Note also that Calibre couldn't read metada from this file (complained about not being a valid .opf file or something; forgot to save that error).

Also, the ebook viewer within Calibre can read the .lit file perfectly fine, it just doesn't seem to want to convert it.

When I try to convert it to a MOBI, it just spits out a segmentation fault error.

[kovidgoyal]

That error is for reading metadata from an epub file, not converting a lit file. Have you by any chance renamed your lit to epub?

[ivanm]

Nope, I haven't; note also that lit2epub from http://sourceforge.net/projects/ebook-tools/ works, but doesn't produce as nice an epub file as Calibre used to.

I've also tried this on some other lit and mobi files I have; Calibre can't convert them either.

[kovidgoyal]

Then you have a corrupted calibre install, converting lit files works just fine.

Looking at your error trace, I see you have an source/distro install. Uninstall it and install the binary.

[ivanm]

*sigh* that seemed to work, but I'd much rather use my distro package (for the ability to uninstall, etc.) rather than a pre-compiled binary.

I suspect it may be a dependency problem; is it possible to find out which versions of python, etc. you used for the binary?

[itimpi]

There are a very large number of dependencies in calibre all of which have to be at the right minimum level (not just python itself), so getting these right can be a big issue if you use the source install. However if you use the binary package, then all these are included and installed in the calibre folder. Removing calibre simply involves deleting the calibre install folder so automated uninstall is not really an issue.

[ivanm]

Well, my system satisfies the minimum dependencies specified here: http://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux

More specifically (required version in parentheses):

• Python: 2.6.5 (>=2.6)
• Python Imaging Library: 1.1.7 (>=1.1.6)
• Qt libraries: 4.6.3 (>=4.6)
• PyQt: 4.7.4 (>=4.7.0)
• python-mechanize: 0.2.2 (>=0.1.11)
• ImageMagick: 6.6.3.0 (>=6.5.9)
• xdg-utils: 1.0.2 (>=1.0.2)
• lxml: 2.2.7 (>=2.2.1)
• python-dateutil: 1.5 (>=1.4.1)
• cssutils: 0.9.7b3 (>= 0.9.7a3)
• BeautifulSoup: both 3.0.8.1 and 3.1.0.1 [not sure which is used] (>=3.0.5)
• dnspython: 1.8.0 (>=1.6.0)
• poppler: 0.14.1 (>=0.12.0)
• podofo: 0.8.1 (>=0.7)
• libwmf: 0.2.8.4 (>=0.2.8)
• chmlib: 0.40 (>=0.40)

As such, the versions I have match the required specification. It is possible that one of the versions I have is _too_ new, but in that case Calibre should specify upper bounds and not just lower bounds.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by ivanm

As such, the versions I have match the required specification. It is possible that one of the versions I have is _too_ new, but in that case Calibre should specify upper bounds and not just lower bounds.

As I understand things, the various linux distributions are not put together by Kovid and thus are out of his hands. Since you have met all the Dependencies you might want to consider just running it from source.

[unkilbeeg]

Originally Posted by ivanm

As such, the versions I have match the required specification. It is possible that one of the versions I have is _too_ new, but in that case Calibre should specify upper bounds and not just lower bounds.

Are you running Gentoo? I'm having this problem with both LRF and LIT files. Calibre displays them perfectly, but goes <poof> and vanishes like a soap bubble when I try to convert.

Maybe I need to try a binary install as well.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ivanm

As such, the versions I have match the required specification. It is possible that one of the versions I have is _too_ new, but in that case Calibre should specify upper bounds and not just lower bounds.

My guess is that specifying upper bounds won't happen. The time required to validate calibre every time some library changes is very large. Such validation would spend Kovid's time checking for things of interest to a very small community, taking that time away from making and testing changes that are of interest to the majority of users.

I think that the best we can ask for is that Kovid provide specifications for what works for him, and for what is in the binary releases. Of course, if someone else is interested in testing newer releases of libraries, I am sure that Kovid would be happy to publish the results.

[ivanm]

Originally Posted by unkilbeeg

Are you running Gentoo? I'm having this problem with both LRF and LIT files.

Yes, I am. Have you tried converting any mobi files?

[kovidgoyal]

It's not your library dependencies, I develop calibre on gentoo ~amd64. It's most likely the util-linux - pyqt4 incompatibility bug in gentoo. Search teh gentoo bug tracker for it.

[ivanm]

*sigh* I take it we should downgrade util-linux then?

So much for that work-around that the ebuild contains...

[kovidgoyal]

The work around just allows calibre to be installed.

[ivanm]

And yes, that was it; downgrading util-linux let it work again.

Whose fault is it here? PyQt for not working with the latest version of util-linux nicely?