Free eBook in multiple DRM-free formats - Page 2

cmwilson · 05-07-2009, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwinter

Firstly, thanks for the free book. Its great to see people offer their work to the community. I have downloaded the file, unzipped it and there were errors in the unzipping that required a password. Then I have ended up with 4 files of different sizes in BBeB secure format. So - I cant find where the book is. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Natalie

The file on the server isn't zipped. I don't know why people are getting a file that has the .zip extension.

Try this:
Click on the file and choose Save File. If a directory opens, change the extension on the file from .zip to .epub. Then try to open it with a reader.

If you're having a problem with the file, it would help to know what kind of computer you're using, Mac or PC or other, your operating system, and the file you're using to open the book with. Then maybe I can come up with some more suggestions.

Thanks,

Catherine M. Wilson

http://www.whenwomenwerewarriors.com/
http://www.catherine-m-wilson.com/

kacir · 05-07-2009, 03:52 AM

Sorry for causing a bit of misunderstanding here.

The file on server had .zip extension.
John F figured out that he needs to change the extension to .epub for the file to work with Calibre, reading SW or a device.
At the moment the file on the server has correct .epub extension

I was just trying to point out that *in certain situation* it might make sense to rename the .epub file to .epub.zip

I was also trying te tell people that they can tweak the epub file by unzipping it and playing with the (plain html, plain css, and plain xml) files inside the archive.

John F · 05-08-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kacir

...

At the moment the file on the server has correct .epub extension

...

I tried downloading the file again from:

http://www.catherinemwilson.com/free-ebook.html

and it had a ".zip" extension.

sirbruce · 05-08-2009, 09:13 AM

It seems like IE is automatically detecting it as a ZIP. I think maybe you can override this with the right mimetypes on the http server but I don't know how that works these days.

starrigger · 05-08-2009, 01:35 PM

First of all, welcome to the party, Catherine! Best of luck with your free downloads program!

I just tested the download on my laptop. Firefox correctly downloads it as .epub. But IE wants to download it as .zip--so, yeah, it's something IE is doing. I don't what causes it, but there must be something in the file, or in the way it's posted. Just to test, I went to my own free downloads with IE and clicked on an epub file, and it did not try to change it to zip.

So, Catherine, I think you have a glitch. But it'll take someone smarter than me to tell you how to fix it.

starrigger · 05-08-2009, 01:38 PM

And now that I think about it, when I first put mine up, there were problems with downloading a couple of formats--including lrf and, I think maybe, epub. I had to ask the folks running my web server to enable downloads on those specific file types. So maybe that's what you need to do.

pdurrant · 05-08-2009, 01:52 PM

How interesting.

just tried on my Mac (Mac OS X 10.5.6, Safari 3.2.1) and although it is clearly .epub on the server, when Safari downloads it it adds a .zip to the end to become ....epub.zip.

Even more weirdly, when I tried downloading an ePub from fictionwise, Safari added a .jar to the end of the filename and extension ....epub.jar

It's obviously some weird interaction between the web server and the browser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

I tried downloading the file again from:

http://www.catherinemwilson.com/free-ebook.html

and it had a ".zip" extension.

kacir · 05-08-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrigger

But IE wants to download it as .zip--so, yeah, it's something IE is doing. I don't what causes it, but there must be something in the file

Just as I tried to explain in one of my previous posts an .epub file IS in fact a zip archive containing the book contents in html format ;-)
You can even "unzip" it and play with its contents.
So, Internet Explorer most probably looks at the header of the file and (as usual) decides that it knows better than an ignorant user and protects the user from saving the file under obviously "wrong" filename

By the way, .jar is also a zip file with some Java programs compressed inside

starrigger · 05-08-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kacir

Just as I tried to explain in one of my previous posts an .epub file IS in fact a zip archive containing the book contents in html format ;-)
You can even "unzip" it and play with its contents.
So, Internet Explorer most probably looks at the header of the file and (as usual) decides that it knows better than an ignorant user and protects the user from saving the file under obviously "wrong" filename

By the way, .jar is also a zip file with some Java programs compressed inside

You need to read my whole post. IE does not do this automatically with an epub file. I tested on my own website. There's something wrong, and most likely the answer will be found at her web server.

sirbruce · 05-08-2009, 08:30 PM

Again, there's a "mimetypes" setting on the HTTP server that can tell the browser to treat the file a particular way. This is common for downloads. IE is just autodetecting, I think, which is why this is happening.

netseeker · 05-08-2009, 09:18 PM

@Catherine: sirbruce and starrigger are right. I did a quick test:
When requesting the ePub-file from your HTTP-Server (Apache 2.2 btw.) it answers with "Content-Type: text/plain" instead of "Content-Type: application/epub+zip". The servers content negotation just doesn't know the mime-type for ePub-files. Please add the correct mime-type "application/epub+zip" for ePub-files (or tell your server administrator to do it).

Quick solution: create a ".htaccess" file in your "downloads" directory on the server containing the line:

Code:

AddType application/epub+zip epub

Kirtai · 05-08-2009, 11:59 PM

Both epubs and jars are just specially layed out zip files, and both safari and IE are prone to being overly clever with filenames when downloading them unless the web server explicitly tells them not to (by specifying the filetype)

cmwilson · 05-09-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netseeker

Quick solution: create a ".htaccess" file in your "downloads" directory on the server containing the line:

Code:

AddType application/epub+zip epub

Thanks, netseeker. That seems to have done the trick.

Catherine M. Wilson

http://www.whenwomenwerewarriors.com/
http://www.catherine-m-wilson.com/

Kris777 · 05-09-2009, 01:34 AM

Thank you for free book, Catherine! I think it is a good way to promote ebooks this way and let people but 2nd and 3rd part if they like the first one.
I downloaded this book in prc and ePub formats and in both cases it looks nice on my jetBook screen. Thanks again!

netseeker · 05-09-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmwilson

Thanks, netseeker. That seems to have done the trick.

You are welcome. I'm glad that it worked. Btw. thank you very much for the free ebook.

05-08-2009, 09:18 PM	#26
netseeker sleepless reader Posts: 4,763 Karma: 615547 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Germany, near Stuttgart Device: Sony PRS-505, PB 360° & 302, nook wi-fi, Kindle 3	@Catherine: sirbruce and starrigger are right. I did a quick test: When requesting the ePub-file from your HTTP-Server (Apache 2.2 btw.) it answers with "Content-Type: text/plain" instead of "Content-Type: application/epub+zip". The servers content negotation just doesn't know the mime-type for ePub-files. Please add the correct mime-type "application/epub+zip" for ePub-files (or tell your server administrator to do it). Quick solution: create a ".htaccess" file in your "downloads" directory on the server containing the line: Code: AddType application/epub+zip epub

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05-07-2009, 03:52 AM	#17
kacir Wizard Posts: 3,466 Karma: 10684861 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PocketBook 360, before it was Sony Reader, cassiopeia A-20	Sorry for causing a bit of misunderstanding here. The file on server had .zip extension. John F figured out that he needs to change the extension to .epub for the file to work with Calibre, reading SW or a device. At the moment the file on the server has correct .epub extension I was just trying to point out that in certain situation it might make sense to rename the .epub file to .epub.zip I was also trying te tell people that they can tweak the epub file by unzipping it and playing with the (plain html, plain css, and plain xml) files inside the archive.

05-08-2009, 09:13 AM	#19
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	It seems like IE is automatically detecting it as a ZIP. I think maybe you can override this with the right mimetypes on the http server but I don't know how that works these days.

05-08-2009, 01:35 PM	#20
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	First of all, welcome to the party, Catherine! Best of luck with your free downloads program! I just tested the download on my laptop. Firefox correctly downloads it as .epub. But IE wants to download it as .zip--so, yeah, it's something IE is doing. I don't what causes it, but there must be something in the file, or in the way it's posted. Just to test, I went to my own free downloads with IE and clicked on an epub file, and it did not try to change it to zip. So, Catherine, I think you have a glitch. But it'll take someone smarter than me to tell you how to fix it.

05-08-2009, 01:38 PM	#21
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	And now that I think about it, when I first put mine up, there were problems with downloading a couple of formats--including lrf and, I think maybe, epub. I had to ask the folks running my web server to enable downloads on those specific file types. So maybe that's what you need to do.

05-08-2009, 08:30 PM	#25
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Again, there's a "mimetypes" setting on the HTTP server that can tell the browser to treat the file a particular way. This is common for downloads. IE is just autodetecting, I think, which is why this is happening.

05-08-2009, 11:59 PM	#27
Kirtai Addict Posts: 304 Karma: 2454436 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: PRS-505, PRS-650, iPad, Samsung Galaxy SII (JB), Google Nexus 7 (2013)	Both epubs and jars are just specially layed out zip files, and both safari and IE are prone to being overly clever with filenames when downloading them unless the web server explicitly tells them not to (by specifying the filetype)

05-09-2009, 01:34 AM	#29
Kris777 Banned Posts: 1,767 Karma: 2520493 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Nexus 7, jetBook-Lite, jetBook mini, Toshiba Thrive, JETBOOK COLOR	Thank you for free book, Catherine! I think it is a good way to promote ebooks this way and let people but 2nd and 3rd part if they like the first one. I downloaded this book in prc and ePub formats and in both cases it looks nice on my jetBook screen. Thanks again!