Zip/Rar files not converting

WaggaSteve · 06-04-2013, 01:14 PM

When I try to add books from a Zip or Rar file, the conversion fails. Am I wrong in understanding Calibre can do this or do I need to decompress first

PS Wonderful program - I live in a country in Africa with no English bookshops at all and Calibre and my Kindle have (partially) saved my sanity

Joykins · 06-04-2013, 01:19 PM

Try decompressing first and see if it works.

WaggaSteve · 06-04-2013, 01:43 PM

It does ( I am assuming the check was to see if the zip file was corrupted ) - They arent

Joykins · 06-04-2013, 09:04 PM

I've had it import some zip files correctly but I've never had it work on a RAR. I'm going to have this thread relocated to the Calibre forum where some other experts can help you.

itimpi · 06-05-2013, 02:55 AM

Calibre can only handle ZIP/RAR files that contain a single book. If it contains extra files or multiple eBook files then it cannot be converted.

Normally when you add ZIP/RAR files to Calibre then the contents are automatically extracted. If they are not, then this implies that one of the conditions mentioned above were not met, and then the ZIP/RAR file gets added unmodified.

theducks · 06-05-2013, 09:33 AM

I see just what itimpi stated on XP SP3.
The RAR has a contaminating extra file if it does not auto-unpack (other than a proper HTML set, which is left zipped) .

WaggaSteve · 06-05-2013, 01:10 PM

Thank you itimpi - these are more than 1 book - At least I know and can work around this

Joykins - any link to the new location

theducks · 06-05-2013, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaggaSteve

Thank you itimpi - these are more than 1 book - At least I know and can work around this

Joykins - any link to the new location

You is there

WaggaSteve · 06-07-2013, 03:13 AM

I'm going to have this thread relocated to the Calibre forum where some other experts can help you.

DoctorOhh · 06-07-2013, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaggaSteve

I'm going to have this thread relocated to the Calibre forum where some other experts can help you.

The thread was relocated to the calibre forum a couple of days ago. itimpi was the first to post to this thread after it had been moved to the proper calibre forum. Scroll to the top of this thread to verify the same for yourself, MobileRead Forums > E-Book Software > Calibre > Reload this Page Zip/Rar files not converting.

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There is no need to be rude, acronyms like tffn, found in the title of your post, are outside of Mobileread forum guidelines.

parkher · 07-02-2013, 11:43 AM

So what happens if a rar with a html book contains additional files such as pictures and/or css? - but all the files belong to the same single book?

In such cases it would be especially convenient NOT to extract those files before adding to Calibre.

I guess, I could extract the rar, zip the files instead and rename the zip to htmlz.
But with many such books it is a lot of work.

Anyway, I have a different problem with cases when rar file contains a single epub inside:
the 64 bit Calibre leaves rar, but the 32 bit Calibre extracts the epub.
So clearly, there is a bug in the 64-bit version, because the result is different with the same file. The problem is either directly with that file, or with the whole library and how it affects adding a rar file.

theducks · 07-02-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parkher

So what happens if a rar with a html book contains additional files such as pictures and/or css? - but all the files belong to the same single book?

In such cases it would be especially convenient NOT to extract those files before adding to Calibre.

I guess, I could extract the rar, zip the files instead and rename the zip to htmlz.
But with many such books it is a lot of work.

Anyway, I have a different problem with cases when rar file contains a single epub inside:
the 64 bit Calibre leaves rar, but the 32 bit Calibre extracts the epub.
So clearly, there is a bug in the 64-bit version, because the result is different with the same file. The problem is either directly with that file, or with the whole library and how it affects adding a rar file.

That is the whole purpose of Calibre leaving a HTML book IN a RAR: Keeps the together.

Calibre does a 'Smart extract'. A single file (except HTML) gets extracted to its native format, which is why RARS containing multiple formats Fail To Convert or extract (no single format)

parkher · 07-02-2013, 01:03 PM

But Calibre does not open such html rar books in its viewer - instead, the application associated with rar opens.

On the other hand, wouldn't it be better to keep all books compressed in Calibre library to reduce its size? Or the handling speed might suffer.

I wonder, how many books Calibre can handle. Somebody tried, say, with a million?

itimpi · 07-02-2013, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parkher

On the other hand, wouldn't it be better to keep all books compressed in Calibre library to reduce its size? Or the handling speed might suffer.

Most eBook formats are already compressed. As an example an ePub file is a zip file under the covers.

theducks · 07-02-2013, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parkher

But Calibre does not open such html rar books in its viewer - instead, the application associated with rar opens.

On the other hand, wouldn't it be better to keep all books compressed in Calibre library to reduce its size? Or the handling speed might suffer.

I wonder, how many books Calibre can handle. Somebody tried, say, with a million?

You have (mis)set the use internal viewer preference for RAR and or Zip
With Calibre, you never want to Unzip a format just to View (the viewer knows how to deal with Zips)

06-04-2013, 01:14 PM	#1
WaggaSteve Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle	Zip/Rar files not converting When I try to add books from a Zip or Rar file, the conversion fails. Am I wrong in understanding Calibre can do this or do I need to decompress first PS Wonderful program - I live in a country in Africa with no English bookshops at all and Calibre and my Kindle have (partially) saved my sanity

06-05-2013, 01:10 PM	#7
WaggaSteve Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle	Thank you itimpi - these are more than 1 book - At least I know and can work around this Joykins - any link to the new location Last edited by WaggaSteve; 06-05-2013 at 01:13 PM.

06-07-2013, 03:13 AM	#9
WaggaSteve Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle	tffn I'm going to have this thread relocated to the Calibre forum where some other experts can help you.

07-02-2013, 11:43 AM	#11
parkher Evangelist Posts: 467 Karma: 369018 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: BL Alita/Mimas/Ares, OB Note2/Note, KA One/H2O/HD, S PRS T2/T1, PB 902	So what happens if a rar with a html book contains additional files such as pictures and/or css? - but all the files belong to the same single book? In such cases it would be especially convenient NOT to extract those files before adding to Calibre. I guess, I could extract the rar, zip the files instead and rename the zip to htmlz. But with many such books it is a lot of work. Anyway, I have a different problem with cases when rar file contains a single epub inside: the 64 bit Calibre leaves rar, but the 32 bit Calibre extracts the epub. So clearly, there is a bug in the 64-bit version, because the result is different with the same file. The problem is either directly with that file, or with the whole library and how it affects adding a rar file. Last edited by parkher; 07-02-2013 at 11:46 AM.

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06-04-2013, 01:19 PM	#2
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,610 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	Try decompressing first and see if it works.

06-04-2013, 01:43 PM	#3
WaggaSteve Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle	It does ( I am assuming the check was to see if the zip file was corrupted ) - They arent

06-04-2013, 09:04 PM	#4
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,610 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	I've had it import some zip files correctly but I've never had it work on a RAR. I'm going to have this thread relocated to the Calibre forum where some other experts can help you.

06-05-2013, 02:55 AM	#5
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Calibre can only handle ZIP/RAR files that contain a single book. If it contains extra files or multiple eBook files then it cannot be converted. Normally when you add ZIP/RAR files to Calibre then the contents are automatically extracted. If they are not, then this implies that one of the conditions mentioned above were not met, and then the ZIP/RAR file gets added unmodified.

06-05-2013, 09:33 AM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,048 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I see just what itimpi stated on XP SP3. The RAR has a contaminating extra file if it does not auto-unpack (other than a proper HTML set, which is left zipped) .

07-02-2013, 01:03 PM	#13
parkher Evangelist Posts: 467 Karma: 369018 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: BL Alita/Mimas/Ares, OB Note2/Note, KA One/H2O/HD, S PRS T2/T1, PB 902	But Calibre does not open such html rar books in its viewer - instead, the application associated with rar opens. On the other hand, wouldn't it be better to keep all books compressed in Calibre library to reduce its size? Or the handling speed might suffer. I wonder, how many books Calibre can handle. Somebody tried, say, with a million?