Debugging ePub on iBooks... without iBooks

fozzedout · 11-25-2014, 10:38 AM

I have been trialling a fanfiction.net archiver, and someone has reported to me that paragraphs are not working in iBooks - it is just one continuous block of text.

Of course all other readers I've tried are fine.

Unfortunately, I don't have any apple device, and therefore, no iBooks.

Is there anyone here who has iBooks willing to help me debug this problem?

Toxaris · 11-25-2014, 10:49 AM

Post some code from your book and I think we can find the issue.

JSWolf · 11-25-2014, 02:26 PM

To be honest, if you are going to be making eBooks to work with iBooks, you really need to get devices that run iBooks and in this case, it means an iPad 1 because the version of iBooks on it is older and not the same as the newer version) and a new enough iPad that will be supported with iOS 8 and beyond. You need to be able to test your eBooks on iBooks and not being able to do so its not going to help at all.

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 12:20 AM

So the renderer differs per version of iBooks? Great....

It really isn't doing anything amazing, it's just using renderer defaults on the entire thing (no style sheet), and all paragraphs are wrapped in <p></p> tags.

My site is here, and you (should) be able to download any story from ff.net: www.storyarchiver.com

As an example epub: http://www.storyarchiver.com/ffnarch...-10485934.epub

I appreciate your help here

Toxaris · 11-26-2014, 06:36 AM

The example ePUB should work without issues in all versions of iBooks. It is quite empty with regards to styling.

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 07:03 AM

That's what is puzzling me. I've requested for specific examples and versions, so I'm now just waiting for a response.

Doitsu · 11-26-2014, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fozzedout

That's what is puzzling me. I've requested for specific examples and versions, so I'm now just waiting for a response.

There are a couple of problems with the ePubs:

1. They don't pass ePubCheck.

Code:

ERROR: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/content.opf(8,54): date value '1403796158' is not valid as per http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime: 1403796158 class java.lang.IllegalArgumentException YEAR
ERROR: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/content.opf(9,55): date value '1408559212' is not valid as per http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime: 1408559212 class java.lang.IllegalArgumentException YEAR
ERROR: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/content.opf(10,51): date value '1416928522' is not valid as per http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime: 1416928522 class java.lang.IllegalArgumentException YEAR
ERROR: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/Text/file0001.html(1,159): elements from namespace "" are not allowed
ERROR: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/Text/file0002.html(1,159): elements from namespace "" are not allowed
ERROR: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/Text/file0003.html(1,159): elements from namespace "" are not allowed
WARNING: ffn-10485934.epub/OEBPS/toc.ncx: meta@dtb:uid content 'https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10485934' should conform to unique-identifier in content.opf: 'ffnarchive-uid:10485934'

(The numbers in the error messages refer to line number and position.) You will get rid of most of these messages by opening and saving your epub with Sigil. I.e. if you don't know what you need to fix, simply save the ePub with Sigil and compare the saved files with your files.

2. They don't contain a style sheet. You may want to add at least something like:

Code:

<head>
  <title></title>
  <style type="text/css">
  p { margin: 0; text-indent: 1em; }
  </style>
</head>

Both of these issues might cause iBooks to display the whole book like a single paragraph.

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 09:28 AM

Is the style sheet necessary? I didn't think it was...

I am, of course assuming that it would just use whatever is the default style for that reader.

Doitsu · 11-26-2014, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fozzedout

Is the style sheet necessary?

A style sheet is of course optional, however, since it doesn't require any effort to add one and might improve the rendering of the ebook, why not add one?

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 11:17 AM

I've made several changes so most of the errors are eliminated.

The only thing left now is:
"Mimetype entry must not have an extra field in its ZIP header"

The content is correct, and the mimetype files is stored uncompressed.

This is created through the zip command, with the mimetype added with 0 compression and then the rest added with compression.

There is another thread about this exact error on this forum, and it is unresolved there, so I'm willing to chalk it up to a problem with the epub checker for now.

I haven't added in the style sheet in yet, I've asked for it to be redownloaded and checked again.

If the paragraphs are still missing, I'll add the stylesheet in.

If it STILL fails, I'll be back

Thanks for your pointers guys!

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 11:26 AM

Actually, I just fixed it - when adding mimetype, it has to be added with option -X.

So, no errors! Woohoo!

JSWolf · 11-26-2014, 05:10 PM

Buy an iPad 1st gen and an iPad Air 2 so you'll have what you need to test your eBooks with. You really should also have one eInk device that uses ADE RMDSK. So get a Kobo eInk Reader for that.

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 05:59 PM

Yeah, and it seems something of a waste of money to do exactly that.

The site isn't generating money, and I doubt it ever will. So paying out for all these devices, especially the apple ones, just for testing purposes...

That's something that even if I did have the money, I'd have trouble convincing myself to pay out for something that will get used for one day in its life, and kept "just in case"

I did do that with the kindle, which is why I have a kindle basic 2014 now (and now is no longer used), but parting with £59 for testing purposes is very different to the hundreds for apple products.

It is the reason I asked for help here, I'm among helpful people who own a vast array of devices, and asking nicely for help does work wonders.

meeera · 11-26-2014, 08:28 PM

You may also check to see if you have access to an iPad at your local library.

fozzedout · 11-26-2014, 10:45 PM

*slaps head*

Why didn't I remember that? They hold courses for "how to use your iPad".

Thanks!

11-25-2014, 10:38 AM	#1
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	Debugging ePub on iBooks... without iBooks I have been trialling a fanfiction.net archiver, and someone has reported to me that paragraphs are not working in iBooks - it is just one continuous block of text. Of course all other readers I've tried are fine. Unfortunately, I don't have any apple device, and therefore, no iBooks. Is there anyone here who has iBooks willing to help me debug this problem?

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11-25-2014, 10:49 AM	#2
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Post some code from your book and I think we can find the issue.

11-25-2014, 02:26 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,556 Karma: 145863177 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	To be honest, if you are going to be making eBooks to work with iBooks, you really need to get devices that run iBooks and in this case, it means an iPad 1 because the version of iBooks on it is older and not the same as the newer version) and a new enough iPad that will be supported with iOS 8 and beyond. You need to be able to test your eBooks on iBooks and not being able to do so its not going to help at all.

11-26-2014, 12:20 AM	#4
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	So the renderer differs per version of iBooks? Great.... It really isn't doing anything amazing, it's just using renderer defaults on the entire thing (no style sheet), and all paragraphs are wrapped in <p></p> tags. My site is here, and you (should) be able to download any story from ff.net: www.storyarchiver.com As an example epub: http://www.storyarchiver.com/ffnarch...-10485934.epub I appreciate your help here

11-26-2014, 06:36 AM	#5
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	The example ePUB should work without issues in all versions of iBooks. It is quite empty with regards to styling.

11-26-2014, 07:03 AM	#6
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	That's what is puzzling me. I've requested for specific examples and versions, so I'm now just waiting for a response.

11-26-2014, 09:28 AM	#8
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	Is the style sheet necessary? I didn't think it was... I am, of course assuming that it would just use whatever is the default style for that reader.

11-26-2014, 11:17 AM	#10
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	I've made several changes so most of the errors are eliminated. The only thing left now is: "Mimetype entry must not have an extra field in its ZIP header" The content is correct, and the mimetype files is stored uncompressed. This is created through the zip command, with the mimetype added with 0 compression and then the rest added with compression. There is another thread about this exact error on this forum, and it is unresolved there, so I'm willing to chalk it up to a problem with the epub checker for now. I haven't added in the style sheet in yet, I've asked for it to be redownloaded and checked again. If the paragraphs are still missing, I'll add the stylesheet in. If it STILL fails, I'll be back Thanks for your pointers guys!

11-26-2014, 11:26 AM	#11
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	Actually, I just fixed it - when adding mimetype, it has to be added with option -X. So, no errors! Woohoo!

11-26-2014, 05:10 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,556 Karma: 145863177 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Buy an iPad 1st gen and an iPad Air 2 so you'll have what you need to test your eBooks with. You really should also have one eInk device that uses ADE RMDSK. So get a Kobo eInk Reader for that.

11-26-2014, 05:59 PM	#13
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	Yeah, and it seems something of a waste of money to do exactly that. The site isn't generating money, and I doubt it ever will. So paying out for all these devices, especially the apple ones, just for testing purposes... That's something that even if I did have the money, I'd have trouble convincing myself to pay out for something that will get used for one day in its life, and kept "just in case" I did do that with the kindle, which is why I have a kindle basic 2014 now (and now is no longer used), but parting with £59 for testing purposes is very different to the hundreds for apple products. It is the reason I asked for help here, I'm among helpful people who own a vast array of devices, and asking nicely for help does work wonders.

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11-26-2014, 08:28 PM	#14
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,808 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	You may also check to see if you have access to an iPad at your local library.

11-26-2014, 10:45 PM	#15
fozzedout Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 2143019 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Manchester, UK Device: Onyx M96, Kindle Basic 2014, Onyx T68 Lynx, Icarus Illumina E653	slaps head Why didn't I remember that? They hold courses for "how to use your iPad". Thanks!