Obok cannot read special characters

[RZetlin]

I recently got a book that has ★ in its title.

Unfortunately, Obok cannot decode this character correctly.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "c:\obok_2.01.py", line 198, in <module>
    print "%d: %s" % (i, volumekeys[key]["title"])
  File "C:\Python27\lib\encodings\cp850.py", line 12, in encode
    return codecs.charmap_encode(input,errors,encoding_map)
UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character u'\u2605' in position
 8: character maps to <undefined>

I am a little puzzled on how I can overcome this.

[PeterT]

Sorry to say you're best to ask where you found Obok.. Maybe a friendly Alf ?

[mimosavj]

I had the same problem today. Here is the solution. If you can edit the obok file (I used editra), at line 198, replace that line with

print "%d: %s" % (i, volumekeys[key]["title"].encode('utf8'))

Save the file. And it worked, at least for me

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by mimosavj

I had the same problem today. Here is the solution. If you can edit the obok file (I used editra), at line 198, replace that line with

print "%d: %s" % (i, volumekeys[key]["title"].encode('utf8'))

Save the file. And it worked, at least for me

That line doesn't exist as is because you have an old outdated version of obok. You want the 3.0.7 version which now handles DRM free kepub.

[mimosavj]

I cannot figure out how to use the obok plugin with calibre. When I tried to add files from the kobo\kepub directory on my PC, calibre just adds an unknown file. And I have no clue where to download the newest obok_xxx.py file, the one I found on Alf blog is the old one obok_2.01.py

[eschwartz]

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0...es-wont-allow/

[mimosavj]

Thanks, I finally figured out how to use the plug in

[AColobus]

I too am having problems with Obok encoding. I suspect it's setting encoding that can't display non-Roman characters? Having just bought a ton of Japanese books I am dismayed at inability to read them on my Kobo.*

It quite happily makes the files and they load onto my Kobo, they just seem to be mostly blank. Ellipses (...) or something very similar appear; numbers appear because they're in Roman, and images are okay. Looks like it can't handle Japanese characters, which is going to be a serious issue.

Can anyone advise, or point me at Obok's creator to ask?

*I can't even read them as bought, without playing around with DRM. It's complicated.

[JSWolf]

Current version of Obok is 3.1.1. Try to find that version and give it a try.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by AColobus

I too am having problems with Obok encoding. I suspect it's setting encoding that can't display non-Roman characters? Having just bought a ton of Japanese books I am dismayed at inability to read them on my Kobo.*

It quite happily makes the files and they load onto my Kobo, they just seem to be mostly blank. Ellipses (...) or something very similar appear; numbers appear because they're in Roman, and images are okay. Looks like it can't handle Japanese characters, which is going to be a serious issue.

Can anyone advise, or point me at Obok's creator to ask?

*I can't even read them as bought, without playing around with DRM. It's complicated.

Did you select a Japanese font on the Kobo?

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0...es-wont-allow/

Originally Posted by AColobus

I too am having problems with Obok encoding. I suspect it's setting encoding that can't display non-Roman characters? Having just bought a ton of Japanese books I am dismayed at inability to read them on my Kobo.*

It quite happily makes the files and they load onto my Kobo, they just seem to be mostly blank. Ellipses (...) or something very similar appear; numbers appear because they're in Roman, and images are okay. Looks like it can't handle Japanese characters, which is going to be a serious issue.

Can anyone advise, or point me at Obok's creator to ask?

*I can't even read them as bought, without playing around with DRM. It's complicated.

If you use eschwartz link you'll get the latest obok version.

Please let us know if what tshering suggested works out.

[AColobus]

Thanks for the very speedy response! As soon as time allows, I will try adding and selecting a Japanese font specially. I have previously read books including Japanese text, but maybe these are specially encoded in some way or presented as images.

Incidentally, the link is not to the latest 3.1.1 version, it's to 3.0.7 - I haven't yet found 3.1.1 anywhere. But I'll try the font solution first and report back.

[AColobus]

My Kobo turns out to have no Japanese font, only a very limited selection.

I have followed the instructions on this site to download and install a Japanese font. I used Unifont. While I wouldn't recommend it aesthetically, the book is now displaying correctly so the method is sound.

I also inspected my existing Japanese content that (as mentioned above) was already displaying correctly. This turns out to be in html format, and presumably these are processed differently from epubs.

Is it worth me explaining the context of my problem for future readers? If so, should I do so here or on a new thread?

[Lynx-lynx]

Obok 3.0.7 is the latest version and any newer version will be released via that Article. Should you need obok help or want to comment generally about obok then please use the posts below the Article.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by AColobus

My Kobo turns out to have no Japanese font, only a very limited selection.

I have followed the instructions on this site to download and install a Japanese font. I used Unifont. While I wouldn't recommend it aesthetically, the book is now displaying correctly so the method is sound.

I also inspected my existing Japanese content that (as mentioned above) was already displaying correctly. This turns out to be in html format, and presumably these are processed differently from epubs.

Is it worth me explaining the context of my problem for future readers? If so, should I do so here or on a new thread?

Yes, why not comment on the context of your problem here, and if necessary you can request a mod to change the title of the thread.