Sigil Error = missing required attribute content

ScottSowers · 01-22-2015, 04:55 PM

Howdy, I'm a neophyte publisher trying to format a epub file using Sigil. After validating with flight crew, I'm advised I have this error on line 8 of almost every page. I don't know anything about writing code. Not sure what this means or what to fix. Here's the error message and the code. Any help or direction would be appreciated.

Error says: missing required attribute 'content'
Existing Code says: <meta name="Adept.resource" />

theducks · 01-22-2015, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottSowers

Howdy, I'm a neophyte publisher trying to format a epub file using Sigil. After validating with flight crew, I'm advised I have this error on line 8 of almost every page. I don't know anything about writing code. Not sure what this means or what to fix. Here's the error message and the code. Any help or direction would be appreciated.

Error says: missing required attribute 'content'
Existing Code says: <meta name="Adept.resource" />

Really?
And you are the authorized Publisher?

KevinH · 01-22-2015, 05:17 PM

Hi,

Where did that meta tag come from? It is incorrect. A meta tag is a void element that has two attributes: "name" and "content".

Your tag is missing the content="blah" field.

KevinH · 01-22-2015, 05:21 PM

Hi theDucks,

It isn't it generated by Indesign or one of those weird tools? Or perhaps is it a leftover from DRM removal? If the latter, you should only be using this ebook for your own personal use and not giving it away as it represents someone's hard work who would not be properly paid for it.

Kevin

ScottSowers · 01-22-2015, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Really?
And you are the authorized Publisher?

I'm the writer, trying to learn how to create an EPUB file. The work belongs to me, just trying to get it formatted correctly so I can upload it to IngramSpark. The book is already on Nook, Amazon, Create Space but Ingram does not have a platform for creating an ebook. Either I pay a third party service a dollar a page or I try blundering through myself. Any constructive advice would be appreciated.

KevinH · 01-22-2015, 06:27 PM

Hi,
Then use find and replace to remove that line. You should see it near the top of every xhtml file. Use Sigil's CodeView to see it and do your find and replacing. That line is a meaningless leftover.

Kevin

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottSowers

I'm the writer, trying to learn how to create an EPUB file. The work belongs to me, just trying to get it formatted correctly so I can upload it to IngramSpark. The book is already on Nook, Amazon, Create Space but Ingram does not have a platform for creating an ebook. Either I pay a third party service a dollar a page or I try blundering through myself. Any constructive advice would be appreciated.

theducks · 01-22-2015, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottSowers

I'm the writer, trying to learn how to create an EPUB file. The work belongs to me, just trying to get it formatted correctly so I can upload it to IngramSpark. The book is already on Nook, Amazon, Create Space but Ingram does not have a platform for creating an ebook. Either I pay a third party service a dollar a page or I try blundering through myself. Any constructive advice would be appreciated.

MR policy is to NOT help to pirate material.

That was a DRM marker that should not have been in original work, thus the questions.
Removal of that line is probably all that is needed.

DiapDealer · 01-22-2015, 06:44 PM

My advice would be to delete every occurence of it. It's a remnant from the removal of Adobe's Adept DRM from a retail epub. If it's your own, you really should have a cleaner version of the book to work with than a retail copy that had the DRM removed. What I can't figure out, is why someone removed the "value" attribute from the meta tag. instead of just removing the entire meta tag.

Grizella · 01-23-2015, 12:51 AM

My advice is not to use a low level tool like Sigil without having basic knowledge in HTML, CSS, ePub2/3 and regex.

Interesting that so few people can distinguish between Sigil problems and ePub problems.

ScottSowers · 01-23-2015, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the helpful suggestions, I shall try to remove the line of offending code. As I said originally, I am not a software engineer and I don't know how to write code. I'm a journalist and author trying to get an epub file to load on a book distributor's website so I can sell books. I'm guessing this extra line of code turned up as I converted a word document to a pdf to an epub using a conversion tool called "PDF to EPUB Converter," that I found on the interweb for free. I'm guessing there is a better way to to do this and if I knew the right tool to use (for somebody who doesn't write code), I would buy that tool as I may want to do this again. Any suggestions you have in this area would also be greatly appreciated. Specifically, what's the cleanest, most direct route to get from Word to EPUB? Much obliged...

Toxaris · 01-23-2015, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottSowers

I'm guessing this extra line of code turned up as I converted a word document to a pdf to an epub using a conversion tool called "PDF to EPUB Converter," that I found on the interweb for free.

OMG, that is one of the worst methods... There are a number of reasonable ways to get from a Word document to an ePUB. Here are three in random order. Be aware, that there is no magic tool out there. If you want a perfect, beautiful e-book, you need to get either your hands dirty or get someone to do it for you. The source determines in a large way the outcome. If the input from Word is crappy, the result will be crappy. If Word is used as it should, with styles and alike, reasonable to good results can be achieved.

Now, for three options in random order.

Calibre conversion of DOCX to ePUB
Atlantis Word processor can read DOCX and export ePUB
My own add-in for Word can export a Word document as ePUB

MickiTee · 01-23-2015, 04:54 PM

There's also a fourth option: Jutoh (http://www.jutoh.com/). It is particularly useful if you need to output books in multiple formats.

All the options that have been listed do not require any knowledge of HTML/CSS, but I would recommend reading the manuals for them before using them. In the case of Sigil, Calibre & Jutoh these are available in epub format.

ScottSowers · 01-23-2015, 05:02 PM

Thank you, your Wizardship and Zealot MikiTee. I'm so happy I blundered into this forum. The whereabouts and inner workings of EPUB file converters appear to be closely guarded secrets - until now. I am in your debt (and may have more dumb questions).

ScottSowers · 01-23-2015, 05:04 PM

Wait. One more thing. I work on a Mac. Does that make any difference?

BetterRed · 01-23-2015, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottSowers

Wait. One more thing. I work on a Mac. Does that make any difference?

Sure does, AFAIK Atlantis and Toxaris' Word Add-in are Windows apps.

That leaves Jutoh and calibre.

We convert about a dozen docx documents (up to 200 A4 pages) a day from DOCX to EPUB using calibre - on Windows and Mac. By and large they originate as simple PDF documents, anything fancy doesn't get converted, they are all public domain documents.

We've looked at Jutoh a couple of times but we've not found any compelling reason to buy it.

BR

01-22-2015, 04:55 PM	#1
ScottSowers Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Device: none	Sigil Error = missing required attribute content Howdy, I'm a neophyte publisher trying to format a epub file using Sigil. After validating with flight crew, I'm advised I have this error on line 8 of almost every page. I don't know anything about writing code. Not sure what this means or what to fix. Here's the error message and the code. Any help or direction would be appreciated. Error says: missing required attribute 'content' Existing Code says: <meta name="Adept.resource" />

01-22-2015, 05:17 PM	#3
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,484 Karma: 5703586 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	Hi, Where did that meta tag come from? It is incorrect. A meta tag is a void element that has two attributes: "name" and "content". Your tag is missing the content="blah" field. Last edited by KevinH; 01-22-2015 at 05:23 PM.

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01-22-2015, 05:21 PM	#4
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,484 Karma: 5703586 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	Hi theDucks, It isn't it generated by Indesign or one of those weird tools? Or perhaps is it a leftover from DRM removal? If the latter, you should only be using this ebook for your own personal use and not giving it away as it represents someone's hard work who would not be properly paid for it. Kevin

01-22-2015, 06:44 PM	#8
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,358 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	My advice would be to delete every occurence of it. It's a remnant from the removal of Adobe's Adept DRM from a retail epub. If it's your own, you really should have a cleaner version of the book to work with than a retail copy that had the DRM removed. What I can't figure out, is why someone removed the "value" attribute from the meta tag. instead of just removing the entire meta tag.

01-23-2015, 12:51 AM	#9
Grizella Member Posts: 17 Karma: 18298 Join Date: Jan 2015 Device: Mantano	My advice is not to use a low level tool like Sigil without having basic knowledge in HTML, CSS, ePub2/3 and regex. Interesting that so few people can distinguish between Sigil problems and ePub problems.

01-23-2015, 10:25 AM	#10
ScottSowers Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Device: none	Thanks for the helpful suggestions, I shall try to remove the line of offending code. As I said originally, I am not a software engineer and I don't know how to write code. I'm a journalist and author trying to get an epub file to load on a book distributor's website so I can sell books. I'm guessing this extra line of code turned up as I converted a word document to a pdf to an epub using a conversion tool called "PDF to EPUB Converter," that I found on the interweb for free. I'm guessing there is a better way to to do this and if I knew the right tool to use (for somebody who doesn't write code), I would buy that tool as I may want to do this again. Any suggestions you have in this area would also be greatly appreciated. Specifically, what's the cleanest, most direct route to get from Word to EPUB? Much obliged...

01-23-2015, 04:54 PM	#12
MickiTee Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4097942 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: London, UK Device: Sony PRS-505, Pocketbook TL3, TL4, TL5	There's also a fourth option: Jutoh (http://www.jutoh.com/). It is particularly useful if you need to output books in multiple formats. All the options that have been listed do not require any knowledge of HTML/CSS, but I would recommend reading the manuals for them before using them. In the case of Sigil, Calibre & Jutoh these are available in epub format.

01-23-2015, 05:02 PM	#13
ScottSowers Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Device: none	Thank you, your Wizardship and Zealot MikiTee. I'm so happy I blundered into this forum. The whereabouts and inner workings of EPUB file converters appear to be closely guarded secrets - until now. I am in your debt (and may have more dumb questions).

01-23-2015, 05:04 PM	#14
ScottSowers Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Device: none	Wait. One more thing. I work on a Mac. Does that make any difference?

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