Converted ePub Files Can't Be Read

jones4783 · 02-06-2025, 05:30 PM

I've been using Calibre for a long time, but suddenly something weird is happening when converting DOCX files to ePub - the resulting ePub files only show the cover, but no other book content. There is only one entry in the Table of Contents, which is labelled "Start". The same issue exists, regardless whether I use the Calibre eBook Viewer or Apple Books to try reading the ePub file. Can anybody tell me where the rest of my ePub disappeared to?

BetterRed · 02-06-2025, 07:36 PM

How to ask a question about conversion problems

How was the DOCX created

Calibre 7.24 conversion DOCX to EPUB working fine for me on DOCX's created in up-to-date Office 365 Word on up-to-date Windows 10 - created 3 of them this morning.

BR

DNSB · 02-06-2025, 08:09 PM

Ditto for DOCX created by LibreOffice Writer using save as DOCX.

You may want to do a search on using styles with a word processor to create the input file.

Quoth · 02-07-2025, 12:10 PM

Something wrong in your source docx.

I've converted docx to epub from LibreOffice Writer over 1000 times for over 10 years. Edits in odt and an extra SaveAs in docx. DON'T ever edit the docx in LO again, unless you check all styles, anchors, links, headings etc and save/edit as ODT, because it converts docx.

Google docs exported to docx need reformatted / styled in Word 2007 or later or LO Writer 5.x or later. I'm at 7.x something.

Anything saved locally as docx from ANY Web based editor needs fixed in Word 2007 or later or LO Writer 5.x or later.

The paragraph styles map to CSS for<p tags and character styles map to CSS for <span tags.

Make sure there is only ONE page style. Make it A5 with small margins, no headers, footers or page numbers. Edit a final proofed copy with multiple page styles with true size, headers, footers, page numbers, outer & inner margins & registration etc for paper or POD (export PDF from wordprocessor). An ebook and paper ideally might use different fonts, especially for body text. Make sure ebook version is free fonts with fallbacks.

02-06-2025, 05:30 PM	#1
jones4783 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: iPad	Converted ePub Files Can't Be Read I've been using Calibre for a long time, but suddenly something weird is happening when converting DOCX files to ePub - the resulting ePub files only show the cover, but no other book content. There is only one entry in the Table of Contents, which is labelled "Start". The same issue exists, regardless whether I use the Calibre eBook Viewer or Apple Books to try reading the ePub file. Can anybody tell me where the rest of my ePub disappeared to?

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02-06-2025, 07:36 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,506 Karma: 29709834 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	How to ask a question about conversion problems How was the DOCX created Calibre 7.24 conversion DOCX to EPUB working fine for me on DOCX's created in up-to-date Office 365 Word on up-to-date Windows 10 - created 3 of them this morning. BR

02-06-2025, 08:09 PM	#3
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 43,536 Karma: 165170836 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Ditto for DOCX created by LibreOffice Writer using save as DOCX. You may want to do a search on using styles with a word processor to create the input file.

02-07-2025, 12:10 PM	#4
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,447 Karma: 102739837 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Something wrong in your source docx. I've converted docx to epub from LibreOffice Writer over 1000 times for over 10 years. Edits in odt and an extra SaveAs in docx. DON'T ever edit the docx in LO again, unless you check all styles, anchors, links, headings etc and save/edit as ODT, because it converts docx. Google docs exported to docx need reformatted / styled in Word 2007 or later or LO Writer 5.x or later. I'm at 7.x something. Anything saved locally as docx from ANY Web based editor needs fixed in Word 2007 or later or LO Writer 5.x or later. The paragraph styles map to CSS for<p tags and character styles map to CSS for <span tags. Make sure there is only ONE page style. Make it A5 with small margins, no headers, footers or page numbers. Edit a final proofed copy with multiple page styles with true size, headers, footers, page numbers, outer & inner margins & registration etc for paper or POD (export PDF from wordprocessor). An ebook and paper ideally might use different fonts, especially for body text. Make sure ebook version is free fonts with fallbacks.