Conversion problem from PDB (encoding?)

ChristopherTD · 01-31-2011, 01:20 AM

In the past I have successfully converted hundreds of PDB files, but I bought one at the weekend (using the last of my FW Micropay) and it has me stumped. I have tried all the encoding options in the Look and Feel section and they don't seem to work for this file. The PDB views fine in eReader for Mac, so it isn't corrupt.

The PML looks like this:

\c\T="1%"\a147Witty, fast-paced, and fabulous, \i\T="1%"Bloodshot\i\T="1%" is a refreshing addition to the urban fantasy genre. Priest\a146s darkly hilarious tale will leave readers anxious for more adventures with the charmingly neurotic Raylene and her unlikely entourage. A vastly entertaining read!\a148 \a151J\s\T="1%"EANIENE\s\T="1%" F\s\T="1%"ROST\s\T="1%",
\i\T="1%"New York Times\i\T="1%" bestselling author of \i\T="1%"This Side of the Grave\i
\c

Any ideas, oh great conversion gurus?

Thanks

Manichean · 01-31-2011, 03:35 AM

That looks like some kind of markup gone wrong. Looks to me like RTF, but I'm not totally sure. You could try to paste the entire text into a new text file, call that .rtf, import to Calibre and try again...

ChristopherTD · 01-31-2011, 07:05 AM

It looks like normal PML to me, and the encodings seem right for codepage 1252. It is almost as if the PDB conversion in Calibre is ignoring the selected codepage - it always used to work.

user_none · 01-31-2011, 07:16 AM

There is little chance it's an ecoding issue. eReader files are required to be cp1252 encoded. Dropbook and Makebook won't even compile the PML into a PDB if it's not.

ChristopherTD, you never stated what the issue your having is. Is it refusing to convert? Are you seeing left over junk like ="1%" in the output?

DoctorOhh · 01-31-2011, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by user_none

ChristopherTD, you never stated what the issue your having is. Is it refusing to convert? Are you seeing left over junk like ="1%" in the output?

Thank You, I'm not nuts (well not totally). I put together a reply post saying exactly that, but then I thought if I knew what the heck I was doing maybe it would be obvious from the code he put up. I never actually posted the reply and figured I'll just see what user_none says when he reviews this thread.

ChristopherTD · 01-31-2011, 07:38 AM

Oh sorry - yes, there is all sorts of left over junk in the file. I am not on my computer at the moment so I can't say for sure, it may be the ="%1" that it doesn't like, but there are so many of them that it looks completely broken.

user_none · 01-31-2011, 07:39 AM

That's been fixed. Hold off converting those files until 0.7.44 is released.

ChristopherTD · 01-31-2011, 07:41 AM

You guys are amazing!

(attaches virtual pint)

Many thanks

Manichean · 01-31-2011, 07:45 AM

Huh. I kinda figured that was the output you posted.

ChristopherTD · 01-31-2011, 08:24 AM

@Manichean

That was the Palm Markup Language code that gets compiled into a PDB file by DropBook. The backslashes are used to introduce formatting and special characters, rather like HTML tags. Sounds like this book had some rare values in it that Calibre will now handle in the next release. Can't beat service like that!

ChristopherTD · 02-05-2011, 02:59 AM

Many thanks - the book converted perfectly with 0.7.44

01-31-2011, 01:20 AM	#1
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	Conversion problem from PDB (encoding?) In the past I have successfully converted hundreds of PDB files, but I bought one at the weekend (using the last of my FW Micropay) and it has me stumped. I have tried all the encoding options in the Look and Feel section and they don't seem to work for this file. The PDB views fine in eReader for Mac, so it isn't corrupt. The PML looks like this: \c\T="1%"\a147Witty, fast-paced, and fabulous, \i\T="1%"Bloodshot\i\T="1%" is a refreshing addition to the urban fantasy genre. Priest\a146s darkly hilarious tale will leave readers anxious for more adventures with the charmingly neurotic Raylene and her unlikely entourage. A vastly entertaining read!\a148 \a151J\s\T="1%"EANIENE\s\T="1%" F\s\T="1%"ROST\s\T="1%", \i\T="1%"New York Times\i\T="1%" bestselling author of \i\T="1%"This Side of the Grave\i \c Any ideas, oh great conversion gurus? Thanks

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01-31-2011, 03:35 AM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	That looks like some kind of markup gone wrong. Looks to me like RTF, but I'm not totally sure. You could try to paste the entire text into a new text file, call that .rtf, import to Calibre and try again...

01-31-2011, 07:05 AM	#3
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	It looks like normal PML to me, and the encodings seem right for codepage 1252. It is almost as if the PDB conversion in Calibre is ignoring the selected codepage - it always used to work.

01-31-2011, 07:16 AM	#4
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,488 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	There is little chance it's an ecoding issue. eReader files are required to be cp1252 encoded. Dropbook and Makebook won't even compile the PML into a PDB if it's not. ChristopherTD, you never stated what the issue your having is. Is it refusing to convert? Are you seeing left over junk like ="1%" in the output?

01-31-2011, 07:38 AM	#6
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	Oh sorry - yes, there is all sorts of left over junk in the file. I am not on my computer at the moment so I can't say for sure, it may be the ="%1" that it doesn't like, but there are so many of them that it looks completely broken.

01-31-2011, 07:39 AM	#7
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,488 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	That's been fixed. Hold off converting those files until 0.7.44 is released.

01-31-2011, 07:41 AM	#8
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	You guys are amazing! (attaches virtual pint) Many thanks

01-31-2011, 07:45 AM	#9
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Huh. I kinda figured that was the output you posted.

01-31-2011, 08:24 AM	#10
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	@Manichean That was the Palm Markup Language code that gets compiled into a PDB file by DropBook. The backslashes are used to introduce formatting and special characters, rather like HTML tags. Sounds like this book had some rare values in it that Calibre will now handle in the next release. Can't beat service like that!

02-05-2011, 02:59 AM	#11
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	Many thanks - the book converted perfectly with 0.7.44

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