Calibre won't launch at all, Leopard 1.5.6

gconway · 05-09-2009, 01:27 PM

I can't start the program at all. I downloaded the most recent version, started it; it launches, asks for a directory to store files; I provide a directory; the beachball spins and the program crashes.

I'm not a programmer, developer, tech-savvy, or any of the above. I have no interest in trouble-shooting or working from command lines or examining log files. I'm a Mac user.

I want something that "just works."

This doesn't work.

From what I've read on these forums, you have to be Unix-literate to get this program running. Any chance that someone without hacker skilz can operate this thing? I'd really like to have a program I can use to manage and make my ebook files for my Kindle. As it stands I have to run the Mobipocket maker under Parallels.

Any non-techie help would be greatly appreciated.

cstross · 05-10-2009, 02:13 AM

It might help if you could tell us what version you've got -- Calibre changes extremely rapidly -- and also whether you created a new directory for it, or picked an existing one containing files; and whether you ran it from the mounted disk image or dragged it to your applications folder first.

(Calibre 0.5.8 works fine on my Macbook Pro, running Leopard 10.5.6; currently downloading 0.5.11 to see if that's fine too ... update yup, 0.5.11 works okay. Ergo, the problem is something specific to your machine -- not a corrupt release.)

PS: Calibre is a nice graphical app on the Mac, and no, you don't need hacker skilz to work it. But asking for non-techie help and then saying "I have no interest in trouble-shooting" is a bit contradictory ...

Portnull · 05-28-2009, 05:46 AM

I was having the same problems on my iMac, but by accident I managed to solve it. When first starting Calibre, it asked for a folder to store my ebooks. After choosing a folder that's on my network it gave me this:

Just now I started it again and instead of a network folder I stuck a new folder on my desktop and chose that. No errors, Calibre works perfectly.

Maybe the cause of the error is that the mac version of Calibre can't handle folders that are on Windows network machines?

artifact · 05-28-2009, 07:24 PM

I was trying to set it up with the library on my NAS with Tiger and got the exact same error, so its not a Windows or Leopard thing its a networking thing.

Shortcut to a system that uses NFS and some flavor of Linux (Buffalo Terrastation). I'm not sure what communication syntax the shortcut is using -- probably SMB or Appletalk (the NAS supports both). Macbook, OS X Tiger, 0.5.13.

I also tried copying metadata.db from the local drive to the share and that says the file is corrupt. In both cases the error pops up right away like its not even trying to negotiate.

05-09-2009, 01:27 PM	#1
gconway Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle	Calibre won't launch at all, Leopard 1.5.6 I can't start the program at all. I downloaded the most recent version, started it; it launches, asks for a directory to store files; I provide a directory; the beachball spins and the program crashes. I'm not a programmer, developer, tech-savvy, or any of the above. I have no interest in trouble-shooting or working from command lines or examining log files. I'm a Mac user. I want something that "just works." This doesn't work. From what I've read on these forums, you have to be Unix-literate to get this program running. Any chance that someone without hacker skilz can operate this thing? I'd really like to have a program I can use to manage and make my ebook files for my Kindle. As it stands I have to run the Mobipocket maker under Parallels. Any non-techie help would be greatly appreciated.

05-10-2009, 02:13 AM	#2
cstross Cynic Posts: 86 Karma: 514 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Lots, started with a Psion 3 circa 1998	It might help if you could tell us what version you've got -- Calibre changes extremely rapidly -- and also whether you created a new directory for it, or picked an existing one containing files; and whether you ran it from the mounted disk image or dragged it to your applications folder first. (Calibre 0.5.8 works fine on my Macbook Pro, running Leopard 10.5.6; currently downloading 0.5.11 to see if that's fine too ... update yup, 0.5.11 works okay. Ergo, the problem is something specific to your machine -- not a corrupt release.) PS: Calibre is a nice graphical app on the Mac, and no, you don't need hacker skilz to work it. But asking for non-techie help and then saying "I have no interest in trouble-shooting" is a bit contradictory ... Last edited by cstross; 05-10-2009 at 02:16 AM.

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05-28-2009, 05:46 AM	#3
Portnull Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Sony 505	I was having the same problems on my iMac, but by accident I managed to solve it. When first starting Calibre, it asked for a folder to store my ebooks. After choosing a folder that's on my network it gave me this: Just now I started it again and instead of a network folder I stuck a new folder on my desktop and chose that. No errors, Calibre works perfectly. Maybe the cause of the error is that the mac version of Calibre can't handle folders that are on Windows network machines?

05-28-2009, 07:24 PM	#4
artifact Addict Posts: 276 Karma: 3569616 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: jetBook (RIP), Kobo Touch	I was trying to set it up with the library on my NAS with Tiger and got the exact same error, so its not a Windows or Leopard thing its a networking thing. Shortcut to a system that uses NFS and some flavor of Linux (Buffalo Terrastation). I'm not sure what communication syntax the shortcut is using -- probably SMB or Appletalk (the NAS supports both). Macbook, OS X Tiger, 0.5.13. I also tried copying metadata.db from the local drive to the share and that says the file is corrupt. In both cases the error pops up right away like its not even trying to negotiate.

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