epubcheck error: mimetype entry missing or not the first in archive

rjnagle · 10-10-2009, 03:31 AM

I am rolling my own epub files, and I'm getting an error on epubcheck.

Quote:

mimetype entry missing or not the first in archive

A valid epub file must contain an uncompressed file named mimetype as a first entry in the zip archive. That file must contain epub mime type (application/epub+zip).

That's the only error message I get. Everything else validates through epubcheck. Frankly, this is driving me crazy!

my .epub file has this structure

Code:

myfile.epub
OEBPS/
      images
      index.html
      content.opf
      chapter1.html 
      etc....
  META-INF/
       container.xml
  mimetype (this is a file and exists at root of the epub directory.)

the mimetype file has no file extension and only one line:

"application/epub+zip."

I am generating most of my files from docbook, but i just used the same mimetype file from other valid epub file, with identical results.

As I said, everything else is right. Is there something special I need to do about the way I zip up these directories, or is conceivably a whitespace issue? How fussy is the validator about the substance of the mimetype file?

Thanks for your help.

rj

Jellby · 10-10-2009, 05:39 AM

As the error says, the mimetype file has to be the first file in the zip, and must be stored without compression.

What I do (on linux) is create the zip/epub file in two steps. First create the zip only with mimetype, without compression:

Code:

zip -0 file.epub mimetype

Then add the rest of the files with maximum compression:

Code:

zip -9 -r file.epub META-INF OEBPS

You can probably do the same with Winzip or similar.

rjnagle · 10-10-2009, 10:18 AM

sorry to be such a windows wimp, but is there a windows way to do this?

I'm using a gui tool.

hopefully i won't need to install cygwin?

On linux, it looks so easy (sigh).

Using izarcc, I was able to eliminate the previous error only to see that I've created another error which prevents epubcheck from working.

epubcheck says; ERROR: first.epub: META-INF/container.xml is missing

calibre ebook viewer says:

---------------------------
ERROR: Could not open ebook
---------------------------
File name in directory "META-INF\container.xml" and header "META-INF/container.xml" differ.

this sounds like a zipping problem.

There looks like there's an izarcc command line utility. Other ideas?

Jellby · 10-10-2009, 01:12 PM

I don't have Windows to try, but I'd say you can do something similar with Winzip:

1- Create a .zip file only with mimetype, and set it to no compression.
2- Add the rest of the files with maximum (or whatever) compression.

rjnagle · 10-10-2009, 01:22 PM

yes, I tried doing what you suggested with izarc. same original problem.

Ok, I downloaded cygwin, check.

I ran the exact commands mentioned above. Epubcheck gives me this message message and no other errors:

Quote:

mimetype contains wrong type (application/epub+zip expected)

Things open up in calibre and Adobe DE ok. Could this be a problem with epubcheck?

Quote:

Robert Admin@kunderavista /cygdrive/i/My Documents/xml/rj3
$ zip -0 cyg2.epub mimetype
adding: mimetype (stored 0%)

Robert Admin@kunderavista /cygdrive/i/My Documents/xml/rj3
$ zip -9 -r cyg2.epub META-INF OEBPS
adding: META-INF/ (stored 0%)
adding: META-INF/container.xml (deflated 30%)
adding: OEBPS/ (stored 0%)
adding: OEBPS/bk01-toc.html (deflated 65%)
adding: OEBPS/content.opf (deflated 75%)
adding: OEBPS/cover.html (deflated 34%)
adding: OEBPS/er001.html (deflated 59%)
adding: OEBPS/er007.html (deflated 45%)
adding: OEBPS/er009.html (deflated 41%)
adding: OEBPS/es001.html (deflated 53%)
adding: OEBPS/first.css (deflated 6%)
adding: OEBPS/first.zip (deflated 64%)
adding: OEBPS/images/ (stored 0%)
adding: OEBPS/images/cover.jpg (deflated 0%)
adding: OEBPS/in001.html (deflated 53%)
adding: OEBPS/index.html (deflated 46%)
adding: OEBPS/mimetype (stored 0%)
adding: OEBPS/pr001.html (deflated 59%)
adding: OEBPS/pt01.html (deflated 41%)
adding: OEBPS/pt02.html (deflated 43%)
adding: OEBPS/pt03.html (deflated 43%)
adding: OEBPS/pt04.html (deflated 42%)
adding: OEBPS/pt05.html (deflated 41%)
adding: OEBPS/toc.ncx (deflated 82%)
adding: OEBPS/un001.html (deflated 43%)

Robert Admin@kunderavista /cygdrive/i/My Documents/xml/rj3

I'm reluctant to make this .epub public for inspection (it's for a client). But I might be able to create another project to replicate this problem.

I gotta say, this seems really weird.

rjnagle · 10-10-2009, 01:39 PM

I'm not sure what I did, but when I ran this command in Cygwin shell instead, epubcheck said it worked.

$ zip -q0X rjpub.epub mimetype
$ zip -r9 rjpub.epub OEBPS META-INF

everything worked (for the time being at least). Not sure why.

Please note that I never modified the mimetype file at any point.

Peter Sorotokin · 10-10-2009, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjnagle

yes, I tried doing what you suggested with izarc. same original problem.

Ok, I downloaded cygwin, check.

I ran the exact commands mentioned above. Epubcheck gives me this message message and no other errors:

mimetype contains wrong type (application/epub+zip expected)

make sure you mimetype file has no trailing spaces or end-of line characters in it.

Also, you can do this on Windows by creating a new "compressed folder" and drag-n-dropping your mimetype file there before everything else. It is smart enough to figure such short file does not need compression.

Jellby · 10-10-2009, 02:38 PM

Well, the actual commands I use are:

Code:

zip -X0 file.epub mimetype
zip -X9Dr file.epub META-INF OEBPS

I left out the -X an -D flags because they were not meaningful for what I was trying to say, and I figured they're not actually needed (they say the zip program not to store additional file attributes and directory entries), maybe the -X flag is needed (I still don't think so)?

Other than that, and ignoring that you said you did not modify the mimetype file, I'd think, as Peter says, there's something like a spurious end-of-line or space character.

Sweetpea · 10-11-2009, 03:53 AM

I use zip.exe too, with this command:

zip.exe -Xr9D book.epub mimetype *

And it works... (and I use Windows, not Linux or any other fancy OS that is so in vogue atm)

rjnagle · 10-11-2009, 06:00 PM

thanks. fyi, the problem wasn't with the mimetype file (although I definitely have been bit by EOL characters before), but the way I zipped my file using izarc. i think (but could not verify) that the mimetype file was not compressed.

Thanks for your help.

DaleDe · 10-13-2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjnagle

thanks. fyi, the problem wasn't with the mimetype file (although I definitely have been bit by EOL characters before), but the way I zipped my file using izarc. i think (but could not verify) that the mimetype file was not compressed.

Thanks for your help.

To verify that the mimetype is not compressed just look at the zipped file. Use more in a command line window or notepad or some other application. The whole idea is that the mimetype should show up in these kinds of applications so it can be tested without opening the file with zip.

Dale

subhash4d1 · 11-17-2009, 06:17 AM

First zip the mimetype file and add other files and folder in the same zip. So mimetype will be first file and ePubChecker will not give mimetype error.

Toxaris · 11-18-2009, 05:38 AM

Actually, I made a small tool to create the ePub for me. Just the command, name of the ePub en the directory in which the files reside and presto.

I really hated the way Winzip for creation of the files. Actually, the tool also runs epubcheck beforehand.

GijsZePa · 11-23-2009, 07:14 AM

Just registered because I'm having also the great mime-type error during validation.
I've created an C# application which creates a large Car Specifications ebook on the fly from a database source. For people who don't know C#. It's a windows application.

The whole creation of the ebook is ended by zipping the file doing the following:

Add mime-type file into a new zip file. (compression none)
close that file..

Open the same file and add the OPS and META-INF with the right files (compression Best)

The mimi-type file I'm using I took from another online epub book that's validated.
Well...this keeps on happening: ERROR: 123456.epub: mimetype contains wrong type (application/epub+zip expected)

I'm lost...nothing seems to work. Any body got a clue ?

pdurrant · 11-23-2009, 07:43 AM

Post a sample ePub.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GijsZePa

The mimi-type file I'm using I took from another online epub book that's validated.
Well...this keeps on happening: ERROR: 123456.epub: mimetype contains wrong type (application/epub+zip expected)

I'm lost...nothing seems to work. Any body got a clue ?

10-10-2009, 05:39 AM	#2
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,515 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	As the error says, the mimetype file has to be the first file in the zip, and must be stored without compression. What I do (on linux) is create the zip/epub file in two steps. First create the zip only with mimetype, without compression: Code: zip -0 file.epub mimetype Then add the rest of the files with maximum compression: Code: zip -9 -r file.epub META-INF OEBPS You can probably do the same with Winzip or similar.

10-10-2009, 10:18 AM	#3
rjnagle Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 2167 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Houston, Texas Device: ipad 1, Nook Simple Touch, Kindle 3, ebookwise 1150	sorry to be such a windows wimp, but is there a windows way to do this? I'm using a gui tool. hopefully i won't need to install cygwin? On linux, it looks so easy (sigh). Using izarcc, I was able to eliminate the previous error only to see that I've created another error which prevents epubcheck from working. epubcheck says; ERROR: first.epub: META-INF/container.xml is missing calibre ebook viewer says: --------------------------- ERROR: Could not open ebook --------------------------- File name in directory "META-INF\container.xml" and header "META-INF/container.xml" differ. this sounds like a zipping problem. There looks like there's an izarcc command line utility. Other ideas? Last edited by rjnagle; 10-10-2009 at 10:30 AM.

10-10-2009, 02:38 PM	#8
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,515 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Well, the actual commands I use are: Code: zip -X0 file.epub mimetype zip -X9Dr file.epub META-INF OEBPS I left out the -X an -D flags because they were not meaningful for what I was trying to say, and I figured they're not actually needed (they say the zip program not to store additional file attributes and directory entries), maybe the -X flag is needed (I still don't think so)? Other than that, and ignoring that you said you did not modify the mimetype file, I'd think, as Peter says, there's something like a spurious end-of-line or space character.

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10-10-2009, 01:12 PM	#4
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,515 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I don't have Windows to try, but I'd say you can do something similar with Winzip: 1- Create a .zip file only with mimetype, and set it to no compression. 2- Add the rest of the files with maximum (or whatever) compression.

10-10-2009, 01:39 PM	#6
rjnagle Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 2167 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Houston, Texas Device: ipad 1, Nook Simple Touch, Kindle 3, ebookwise 1150	I'm not sure what I did, but when I ran this command in Cygwin shell instead, epubcheck said it worked. $ zip -q0X rjpub.epub mimetype $ zip -r9 rjpub.epub OEBPS META-INF everything worked (for the time being at least). Not sure why. Please note that I never modified the mimetype file at any point.

10-11-2009, 03:53 AM	#9
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I use zip.exe too, with this command: zip.exe -Xr9D book.epub mimetype * And it works... (and I use Windows, not Linux or any other fancy OS that is so in vogue atm)

10-11-2009, 06:00 PM	#10
rjnagle Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 2167 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Houston, Texas Device: ipad 1, Nook Simple Touch, Kindle 3, ebookwise 1150	thanks. fyi, the problem wasn't with the mimetype file (although I definitely have been bit by EOL characters before), but the way I zipped my file using izarc. i think (but could not verify) that the mimetype file was not compressed. Thanks for your help.

11-17-2009, 06:17 AM	#12
subhash4d1 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Kindle, SONY, MOBI, PALM, ePUB	First zip the mimetype file and add other files and folder in the same zip. So mimetype will be first file and ePubChecker will not give mimetype error.

11-18-2009, 05:38 AM	#13
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Actually, I made a small tool to create the ePub for me. Just the command, name of the ePub en the directory in which the files reside and presto. I really hated the way Winzip for creation of the files. Actually, the tool also runs epubcheck beforehand.

11-23-2009, 07:14 AM	#14
GijsZePa Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: None	Just registered because I'm having also the great mime-type error during validation. I've created an C# application which creates a large Car Specifications ebook on the fly from a database source. For people who don't know C#. It's a windows application. The whole creation of the ebook is ended by zipping the file doing the following: Add mime-type file into a new zip file. (compression none) close that file.. Open the same file and add the OPS and META-INF with the right files (compression Best) The mimi-type file I'm using I took from another online epub book that's validated. Well...this keeps on happening: ERROR: 123456.epub: mimetype contains wrong type (application/epub+zip expected) I'm lost...nothing seems to work. Any body got a clue ?

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