Error Adding Books

jtxr · 01-23-2021, 10:36 AM

Hello everyone,

I have installed Calibre and am trying to add many .epub files.
99% of them gave me an error message, please see example below.

The metadata.db file is in place and my Mac user have read and right access to it... I am not an expert user, so I humbly ask for help in case someone knows what might be wrong.

Thank you very much

Failed to add the file /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/books/The God of Small Things.epub to the book: /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/books/The God of Small Things
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre/gui2/add.py", line 488, in add_formats
File "calibre/db/cache.py", line 1526, in add_format
IsADirectoryError: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/books/The God of Small Things.epub'

pdurrant · 01-23-2021, 10:57 AM

Although it looks like an ePub (which is a single zip file), it's actually a folder that's had a 'package' bit set so that it looks like a file in the Mac OS X Finder.

This probably means they're from Apple iBooks.

You can convert them to proper zipped ePubs using my handy AppleScript. Just download from https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=55681

Once they are actually zip files, you'll be able to import them to calobre. Although if they are from iBooks, they'll probably have DRM making them storable but not readable in calibre.

jtxr · 01-23-2021, 01:21 PM

Thank you so much for helping.

I am not familiar with scripts (yes, I am a very basic Mac user LOL)... I can't seem to know how to run the script properly. I just clicked on it, but nothing happened... How to I actually use it to zip the files, please?

I am really sorry if I am asking something stupid.

Thanks again

theducks · 01-23-2021, 01:43 PM

Please do not store your Library on the DESKTOP.
Way 2 easy to delete. If you want it to appear, add a shortcut (but really, you should avoid using the OS for anything within, too easy to change cause the DB to lose track of books)

pdurrant · 01-23-2021, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtxr

Thank you so much for helping.

I am not familiar with scripts (yes, I am a very basic Mac user LOL)... I can't seem to know how to run the script properly. I just clicked on it, but nothing happened... How to I actually use it to zip the files, please?

I am really sorry if I am asking something stupid.

Thanks again

Once downloaded, right-click and select Open. You'll be asked for permission, if your sure. Yes, you want to give it the permissions requested.

Once it's running, quit.

Drag & drop one of the 'epub's onto the AppleScript icon. It will launch, probably ask for more permissions, and then do the job of creating a proper epub.

I beleive you can drag & drop several items at once, once it's working OK.

jtxr · 01-25-2021, 03:03 PM

Thanks for explaining how the Apple Script works.

So, I have done everything as you told me and got this error message after telling the script to replace the original epub file:

sh: line 0: cd: /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/1065574604.epub/: No such file or directory

Any ideas of what might be wrong?

Many thanks.

pdurrant · 01-25-2021, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtxr

Thanks for explaining how the Apple Script works.

So, I have done everything as you told me and got this error message after telling the script to replace the original epub file:

sh: line 0: cd: /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/1065574604.epub/: No such file or directory

Any ideas of what might be wrong?

Many thanks.

Not at the moment. But try setting it not to replace the original epub.

jtxr · 01-25-2021, 05:46 PM

unfortunately it looks like there is no way of changing that setting...

millpondflora · 11-15-2021, 11:13 PM

Hello. I'm experiencing similar errors to what jtxr described above. I have a number of DRM-free ebooks in Apple Books. I want to get them into calibre. So I drag them to my desktop, where they look like perfectly fine epub files. But when I try to import them to calibre, I get an error message:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the file /Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit.epub to the book: /Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre/gui2/add.py", line 488, in add_formats
File "calibre/db/cache.py", line 1573, in add_format
IsADirectoryError: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit.epub'
----------------------------------------------------------------------

So I downloaded pdurrant's handy "ePub Zip-Unzip 64 3.0" applescript, dragged the epub file onto it, but then get this error message:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
"sh: line 0: cd: /Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit.epub/: No such file or directory"
----------------------------------------------------------------------

pdurrant, I see your suggestion to try setting it not to replace the original epub. But I'm not sure how to do this. If I press "cancel" when the "Do you want to replace it?" screen comes up, the app just quits. Would I need to adjust the underlying applescript in order to change this setting? If so, do you have tips on what edits to make?

No worries if you don't have time to offer support. It's not the end of the world if I can't solve this problem. Thanks in any case.

01-23-2021, 10:36 AM	#1
jtxr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2021 Device: kindle	Error Adding Books Hello everyone, I have installed Calibre and am trying to add many .epub files. 99% of them gave me an error message, please see example below. The metadata.db file is in place and my Mac user have read and right access to it... I am not an expert user, so I humbly ask for help in case someone knows what might be wrong. Thank you very much Failed to add the file /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/books/The God of Small Things.epub to the book: /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/books/The God of Small Things With error: Traceback (most recent call last): File "calibre/gui2/add.py", line 488, in add_formats File "calibre/db/cache.py", line 1526, in add_format IsADirectoryError: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/books/The God of Small Things.epub'

01-23-2021, 01:21 PM	#3
jtxr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2021 Device: kindle	Ok! Just one question... Thank you so much for helping. I am not familiar with scripts (yes, I am a very basic Mac user LOL)... I can't seem to know how to run the script properly. I just clicked on it, but nothing happened... How to I actually use it to zip the files, please? I am really sorry if I am asking something stupid. Thanks again

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01-23-2021, 10:57 AM	#2
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 73,946 Karma: 315160596 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	Although it looks like an ePub (which is a single zip file), it's actually a folder that's had a 'package' bit set so that it looks like a file in the Mac OS X Finder. This probably means they're from Apple iBooks. You can convert them to proper zipped ePubs using my handy AppleScript. Just download from https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=55681 Once they are actually zip files, you'll be able to import them to calobre. Although if they are from iBooks, they'll probably have DRM making them storable but not readable in calibre.

01-23-2021, 01:43 PM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,056 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Please do not store your Library on the DESKTOP. Way 2 easy to delete. If you want it to appear, add a shortcut (but really, you should avoid using the OS for anything within, too easy to change cause the DB to lose track of books)

01-25-2021, 03:03 PM	#6
jtxr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2021 Device: kindle	Thanks for explaining how the Apple Script works. So, I have done everything as you told me and got this error message after telling the script to replace the original epub file: sh: line 0: cd: /Users/julianoteixeira/Desktop/1065574604.epub/: No such file or directory Any ideas of what might be wrong? Many thanks.

01-25-2021, 05:46 PM	#8
jtxr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2021 Device: kindle	unfortunately it looks like there is no way of changing that setting...

11-15-2021, 11:13 PM	#9
millpondflora Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2021 Device: iPad	Hello. I'm experiencing similar errors to what jtxr described above. I have a number of DRM-free ebooks in Apple Books. I want to get them into calibre. So I drag them to my desktop, where they look like perfectly fine epub files. But when I try to import them to calibre, I get an error message: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Failed to add the file /Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit.epub to the book: /Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit With error: Traceback (most recent call last): File "calibre/gui2/add.py", line 488, in add_formats File "calibre/db/cache.py", line 1573, in add_format IsADirectoryError: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit.epub' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- So I downloaded pdurrant's handy "ePub Zip-Unzip 64 3.0" applescript, dragged the epub file onto it, but then get this error message: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "sh: line 0: cd: /Users/XYZ/Desktop/Wit.epub/: No such file or directory" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- pdurrant, I see your suggestion to try setting it not to replace the original epub. But I'm not sure how to do this. If I press "cancel" when the "Do you want to replace it?" screen comes up, the app just quits. Would I need to adjust the underlying applescript in order to change this setting? If so, do you have tips on what edits to make? No worries if you don't have time to offer support. It's not the end of the world if I can't solve this problem. Thanks in any case.

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