Importing failed almost totally

pier59 · 08-16-2025, 05:01 PM

Hello,
I have just started installing Calibre and I added 1980 epub books.
I meant to sync them with my Kobo Glo (bought 15 years ago). I wanted to put them on a new, empty SD card, and only 49 books got transferred.Here are the messages that I get:

Code:

calibre, version 8.8.0
AVERTISSEMENT : Pas de format adapté: Impossible d’envoyer les livres suivants vers le périphérique, car aucun format approprié n’a été trouvé. Convertissez d'abord le(s) livre(s) vers un format pris en charge par votre périphérique.

Des vents contraires
Les Lisières
and many other books not transferred

And here is the translation : calibre, version 8.8.0
WARNING: No suitable format: The following books could not be sent to the device because no suitable format was found. First, convert the book(s) to a format supported by your device.

And another pop up :

Code:

calibre, version 8.8.0
ERREUR : Erreur: Erreur pendant la communication avec le périphérique

Impossible de kepubifier le livre Jameson Jenna-How to Make Love Like a Porn Star (Jameson Jenna-How to Make Love Like a Porn Star - Inconnu(e)_30.epub) qui a échoué avec l'erreur : 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'exception'

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py", line 1193, in __init__
  File "calibre/utils/zipfile.py", line 813, in __init__
  File "calibre/utils/zipfile.py", line 848, in _GetContents
  File "calibre/utils/zipfile.py", line 863, in _RealGetContents
calibre.utils.zipfile.BadZipfile: File is not a zip file

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre/devices/kobo/driver.py", line 2368, in _kepubify
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/kepubify.py", line 545, in kepubify_path
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py", line 1637, in get_container
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py", line 1196, in __init__
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'exception'

The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre/gui2/device.py", line 111, in run
  File "calibre/gui2/device.py", line 662, in _upload_books
  File "calibre/devices/kobo/driver.py", line 2310, in upload_books
  File "calibre/devices/kobo/driver.py", line 2372, in _kepubify
ValueError: Impossible de kepubifier le livre Jameson Jenna-How to Make Love Like a Porn Star (Jameson Jenna-How to Make Love Like a Porn Star - Inconnu(e)_30.epub) qui a échoué avec l'erreur : 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'exception'

Translated as:

Code:

calibre, version 8.8.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

Unable to kepub the book Jameson Jenna - How to Make Love Like a Porn Star (Jameson Jenna - How to Make Love Like a Porn Star - Unknown_30.epub) which failed with error: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'exception'

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py", line 1193, in __init__
  File "calibre/utils/zipfile.py", line 813, in __init__
  File "calibre/utils/zipfile.py", line 848, in _GetContents
  File "calibre/utils/zipfile.py", line 863, in _RealGetContents
calibre.utils.zipfile.BadZipfile: File is not a zip file

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre/devices/kobo/driver.py", line 2368, in _kepubify
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/kepubify.py", line 545, in kepubify_path
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py", line 1637, in get_container
  File "calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py", line 1196, in __init__
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'exception'

The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre/gui2/device.py", line 111, in run
  File "calibre/gui2/device.py", line 662, in _upload_books
  File "calibre/devices/kobo/driver.py", line 2310, in upload_books
  File "calibre/devices/kobo/driver.py", line 2372, in _kepubify
ValueError: Impossible de kepubifier le livre Jameson Jenna-How to Make Love Like a Porn Star (Jameson Jenna-How to Make Love Like a Porn Star - Inconnu(e)_30.epub) qui a échoué avec l'erreur : 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'exception'

Merci de votre aide.

kovidgoyal · 08-17-2025, 12:24 AM

That error means the EPUB file you are trying to send is corrupted. You can try doing an EPUB to EPUB conversion which might fix it as the conversion code tried hard to workaround corruption.

PeterT · 08-17-2025, 10:07 AM

I wonder if the issue might be related to the length of the filename...

JSWolf · 08-17-2025, 11:06 AM

I wonder if this could be a MacOS issue.

pier59 · 08-18-2025, 06:07 PM

Hi Kovid,
Through Calibre, the bulk conversion seemed not to work with the following error, translated :
calibre, version 8.8.0
WARNING: Unable to convert some books: Unable to convert 1249 of 1980 books because no suitable source format was found.

DNSB · 08-18-2025, 07:42 PM

Which basically tells you that 1249 of your "ePub" ebooks are so munged that calibre is unable to recognize them as ePubs.

Have you tried opening one of the books with the editor to see what it's error check and, if you have it installed, the epubcheck plugin for the editor have to say about any errors.

pier59 · 08-21-2025, 02:55 AM

HI @DNSB,
I have the epubcheck plugin installed (I checked in the preference menu, etc..), however, there is no epubcheck entry in any of the menus or sub menus, right click or else...
The Editor you are refering to is the Metadata Editor, isn't it ?
NB:All of this mugged epub issue is rather funny since I can read these .epubs on my Kobo Glo.

JSWolf · 08-21-2025, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pier59

HI @DNSB,
I have the epubcheck plugin installed (I checked in the preference menu, etc..), however, there is no epubcheck entry in any of the menus or sub menus, right click or else...
The Editor you are refering to is the Metadata Editor, isn't it ?
NB:All of this mugged epub issue is rather funny since I can read these .epubs on my Kobo Glo.

The editor is the eBook editor. eoubcheck is an editor plugin.

pier59 · 08-21-2025, 04:46 AM

Here is calibre and the metadata window, because I do not understand your reply. Just so that we are in phase.

BetterRed · 08-21-2025, 05:30 AM

There's a tiny arrow at the right edge of the toolbar - click it and you probably get two more icons, the purple one is the Book editor.

Suggest you go into Preferences->Look and Feel and check the "Utiliser deux lignes pour le texte en dessous des icônes (nécessite un redémarrage)" option.

BR

pier59 · 08-21-2025, 01:27 PM

Tx BetterRed, Here it goes

Where it says that the "reference" argument misses at the "guide" element, on line 30 of meatdata.opf. for what it means.
I took one of the non-readable epub book as an example.

theducks · 08-21-2025, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pier59

Tx BetterRed, Here it goes

Where it says that the "reference" argument misses at the "guide" element, on line 30 of meatdata.opf. for what it means.
I took one of the non-readable epub book as an example.

<guide /> is not a self closing tag
There is no opening tag in your OPF (as shown)

pier59 · 08-21-2025, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

<guide /> is not a self closing tag
There is no opening tag in your OPF (as shown)

Indeed, yes.
The questions are: is it possible to change this and how?
Is there a way to repair the 1249 ebooks in one batch so that Calibre can read and transfer them to my Kobo?

theducks · 08-21-2025, 03:54 PM

I have no clue on how to do it in bulk.

Probably the same broken way the removed the <guide> and entries.

<guide> is the semantics set in the editor for specific files.
Commonly used entries look like these (file paths will vary)

Code:

<guide>
    <reference href="Text/TOC.html" title="Table Of Contents" type="toc"/>
    <reference href="Text/p01.html" title="Text" type="text"/>
    <reference href="Text/copy.html" title="Copyright Page" type="copyright-page"/>
    <reference href="Text/after.html" title="Notes" type="notes"/>
    <reference href="Text/titlepage.xhtml" title="Cover" type="cover"/>
  </guide>

As you can see/ there is no OSFA set of entries

BetterRed · 08-21-2025, 06:14 PM

WAG: might be able to do it in bulk via an Editor Chain invoked by an Action chain - ask in the Editor Chain plugin thread ==>> Index of plugins

BR

08-21-2025, 05:30 AM	#10
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,811 Karma: 30277270 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	There's a tiny arrow at the right edge of the toolbar - click it and you probably get two more icons, the purple one is the Book editor. Suggest you go into Preferences->Look and Feel and check the "Utiliser deux lignes pour le texte en dessous des icônes (nécessite un redémarrage)" option. BR Attached Thumbnails Last edited by BetterRed; 08-21-2025 at 05:36 AM. Reason: Add two liner screenshot

08-21-2025, 03:54 PM	#14
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,123 Karma: 60406498 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I have no clue on how to do it in bulk. Probably the same broken way the removed the <guide> and entries. <guide> is the semantics set in the editor for specific files. Commonly used entries look like these (file paths will vary) Code: <guide> <reference href="Text/TOC.html" title="Table Of Contents" type="toc"/> <reference href="Text/p01.html" title="Text" type="text"/> <reference href="Text/copy.html" title="Copyright Page" type="copyright-page"/> <reference href="Text/after.html" title="Notes" type="notes"/> <reference href="Text/titlepage.xhtml" title="Cover" type="cover"/> </guide> As you can see/ there is no OSFA set of entries

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08-17-2025, 12:24 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,435 Karma: 27757438 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That error means the EPUB file you are trying to send is corrupted. You can try doing an EPUB to EPUB conversion which might fix it as the conversion code tried hard to workaround corruption.

08-17-2025, 10:07 AM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,567 Karma: 79436716 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	I wonder if the issue might be related to the length of the filename...

08-17-2025, 11:06 AM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,980 Karma: 147448039 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I wonder if this could be a MacOS issue.

08-18-2025, 06:07 PM	#5
pier59 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2021 Device: Kobo Glo	Hi Kovid, Through Calibre, the bulk conversion seemed not to work with the following error, translated : calibre, version 8.8.0 WARNING: Unable to convert some books: Unable to convert 1249 of 1980 books because no suitable source format was found.

08-18-2025, 07:42 PM	#6
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,902 Karma: 169810634 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Which basically tells you that 1249 of your "ePub" ebooks are so munged that calibre is unable to recognize them as ePubs. Have you tried opening one of the books with the editor to see what it's error check and, if you have it installed, the epubcheck plugin for the editor have to say about any errors.

08-21-2025, 02:55 AM	#7
pier59 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2021 Device: Kobo Glo	HI @DNSB, I have the epubcheck plugin installed (I checked in the preference menu, etc..), however, there is no epubcheck entry in any of the menus or sub menus, right click or else... The Editor you are refering to is the Metadata Editor, isn't it ? NB:All of this mugged epub issue is rather funny since I can read these .epubs on my Kobo Glo.

08-21-2025, 04:46 AM	#9
pier59 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2021 Device: Kobo Glo	Here is calibre and the metadata window, because I do not understand your reply. Just so that we are in phase.

08-21-2025, 01:27 PM	#11
pier59 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2021 Device: Kobo Glo	Tx BetterRed, Here it goes Where it says that the "reference" argument misses at the "guide" element, on line 30 of meatdata.opf. for what it means. I took one of the non-readable epub book as an example.

08-21-2025, 06:14 PM	#15
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,811 Karma: 30277270 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	WAG: might be able to do it in bulk via an Editor Chain invoked by an Action chain - ask in the Editor Chain plugin thread ==>> Index of plugins BR