How do convert a no DRM book from iBooks to ePub?

menevets · 03-23-2016, 04:58 PM

I downloaded a DRM free technical paper, Human Interface Guidelines, from iBooks. It has an epub suffix and is actually a directory with subdirectories named OEBPS and META-INF.

I want to read this on my Android tablet. There's no DRM, but I can't convert it to ePub. Pdf would be fine too. I tried zipping it up and converting it in Calibre, but that gave an error.

I also tried opening it up in iBooks Author but it doesn't recognize the format.

Any clues? Thanks in advance.

AnemicOak · 03-23-2016, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menevets

It has an epub suffix and is actually a directory with subdirectories named OEBPS and META-INF

Sounds like the internal structure of most ePub files to me. Did you try opening the file with some form of ePub reading software either on your computer or Android device?

DaleDe · 03-23-2016, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menevets

I downloaded a DRM free technical paper, Human Interface Guidelines, from iBooks. It has an epub suffix and is actually a directory with subdirectories named OEBPS and META-INF.

I want to read this on my Android tablet. There's no DRM, but I can't convert it to ePub. Pdf would be fine too. I tried zipping it up and converting it in Calibre, but that gave an error.

You can't just zip it up. EPub has particular build requirements (see our wiki). Did you try Calibre on the original?

menevets · 03-23-2016, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Sounds like the internal structure of most ePub files to me. Did you try opening the file with some form of ePub reading software either on your computer or Android device?

I tried opening it from Calibre on OS X and got this error:

Quote:

calibre, version 2.42.0
WARNING: Errors while adding: There were problems adding some files, click "Show details" for more information

Failed to add the file /Users/s/Desktop/appleHumanInterfaceGuidelines.epub to the book: /Users/s/Desktop/appleHumanInterfaceGuidelines
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/add.py", line 399, in add_formats
File "site-packages/calibre/db/cache.py", line 1354, in add_format
File "site-packages/calibre/startup.py", line 198, in local_open
IOError: [Errno 21] Is a directory: u'/Users/s/Desktop/appleHumanInterfaceGuidelines.epub'

When I tried uploading the epub file to Google Drive in order to download from GD to the tablet and open it in Aldiko, it showed up as folder, not a file and stopped there. It should show up as a file, no?

shalym · 03-23-2016, 05:18 PM

Never mind.

Shari

HarryT · 03-24-2016, 04:00 AM

Moved to the Workshop forum, where you're more likely to get an answer.

HarryT · 03-24-2016, 04:02 AM

If you can unpack the file, can you not simply extract the HTML and images and create a new ebook from that, eg using Calibre?

dgatwood · 03-26-2016, 01:24 AM

I suspect that the book in question requires massive amounts of JavaScript to function, which means that converting it to EPUB 2 would be a nontrivial task (read "complete redesign"). If you have an EPUB 3 reader (particularly if it is based on WebKit), I'd expect it to mostly "just work".

Doitsu · 03-26-2016, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menevets

I downloaded a DRM free technical paper, Human Interface Guidelines, from iBooks.

You're mistaken. The book is free, but DRM-protected. You'll need to read it with iBooks or, if you don't have an iOS device or a Mac, you can also read it online.

menevets · 04-01-2016, 08:30 AM

Thanks to all for all the suggestions. I tried all of the above to get it into ePub format, but Doitsu is right. It seems to be in some kind of proprietary format. I have an iPad, but it's an old one and heavy so I just wanted to see if I could get it into a lighter Android tablet. I saw pdf versions of other apple Developer guides, but I guess converting them isn't trivial.

I know I can read it online, I just wanted an offline version as wifi options in transportation situations isn't always a sure thing and navigating an offline copy is a bit faster.

JSWolf · 04-01-2016, 09:35 AM

The solution to removing DRM is to buy a format with a DRM that can be removed. This means no buying from Apple.

03-23-2016, 04:58 PM	#1
menevets Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 750010 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: PRS-300/Kindle 4 basic/iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone/Nexus 7	How do convert a no DRM book from iBooks to ePub? I downloaded a DRM free technical paper, Human Interface Guidelines, from iBooks. It has an epub suffix and is actually a directory with subdirectories named OEBPS and META-INF. I want to read this on my Android tablet. There's no DRM, but I can't convert it to ePub. Pdf would be fine too. I tried zipping it up and converting it in Calibre, but that gave an error. I also tried opening it up in iBooks Author but it doesn't recognize the format. Any clues? Thanks in advance.

03-23-2016, 05:18 PM	#5
shalym Wizard Posts: 3,068 Karma: 54671821 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad	Never mind. Shari Last edited by shalym; 03-23-2016 at 05:20 PM.

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03-24-2016, 04:00 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Moved to the Workshop forum, where you're more likely to get an answer.

03-24-2016, 04:02 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If you can unpack the file, can you not simply extract the HTML and images and create a new ebook from that, eg using Calibre?

03-26-2016, 01:24 AM	#8
dgatwood Curmudgeon Posts: 629 Karma: 1623086 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: iPad, iPhone, Nook Simple Touch	I suspect that the book in question requires massive amounts of JavaScript to function, which means that converting it to EPUB 2 would be a nontrivial task (read "complete redesign"). If you have an EPUB 3 reader (particularly if it is based on WebKit), I'd expect it to mostly "just work".

04-01-2016, 08:30 AM	#10
menevets Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 750010 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: PRS-300/Kindle 4 basic/iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone/Nexus 7	Thanks to all for all the suggestions. I tried all of the above to get it into ePub format, but Doitsu is right. It seems to be in some kind of proprietary format. I have an iPad, but it's an old one and heavy so I just wanted to see if I could get it into a lighter Android tablet. I saw pdf versions of other apple Developer guides, but I guess converting them isn't trivial. I know I can read it online, I just wanted an offline version as wifi options in transportation situations isn't always a sure thing and navigating an offline copy is a bit faster.

04-01-2016, 09:35 AM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,746 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The solution to removing DRM is to buy a format with a DRM that can be removed. This means no buying from Apple.