Calibre not converting html to epub

[JBD]

Suddenly Calibre stopped working when I try to convert html files to epubs, even old ones that have successfully converted before.

I have already uninstalled and reinstalled. I've tried deleting the metadata.db file, and have even created a new library. Nothing changes.

What does work is other conversions (e.g. existing epubs to mobi, rtf to epub...)

I'm using Win7. Can anyone help me get Calibre working again?

The error message I get is this:

Spoiler:

calibre, version 0.8.55
ERROR: Conversion Error: <b>Failed</b>: Convert book 1 of 1 (Eyes of a Child)

Convert book 1 of 1 (Eyes of a Child)
Processing archive...
Resolved conversion options
calibre version: 0.8.55
{'asciiize': False,
'author_sort': None,
'authors': None,
'base_font_size': 0.0,
'book_producer': None,
'breadth_first': False,
'change_justification': u'original',
'chapter': u'//h:h2[re:test(., "*", "i")]',
'chapter_mark': u'pagebreak',
'comments': None,
'cover': u'C:\\Users\\Jude\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre_0 .8.55_tmp__f4f5e\\isicsu.jpeg',
'debug_pipeline': None,
'dehyphenate': True,
'delete_blank_paragraphs': True,
'disable_font_rescaling': False,
'dont_package': False,
'dont_split_on_page_breaks': False,
'duplicate_links_in_toc': False,
'enable_heuristics': False,
'epub_flatten': False,
'extra_css': None,
'extract_to': None,
'filter_css': u'',
'fix_indents': True,
'flow_size': 260,
'font_size_mapping': None,
'format_scene_breaks': True,
'html_unwrap_factor': 0.4,
'input_encoding': None,
'input_profile': <calibre.customize.profiles.InputProfile object at 0x03F8C7D0>,
'insert_blank_line': False,
'insert_blank_line_size': 0.5,
'insert_metadata': False,
'isbn': None,
'italicize_common_cases': True,
'keep_ligatures': False,
'language': None,
'level1_toc': u'//h:h2[re:test(., "*", "i")]',
'level2_toc': None,
'level3_toc': None,
'line_height': 0.0,
'linearize_tables': False,
'margin_bottom': 5.0,
'margin_left': 5.0,
'margin_right': 5.0,
'margin_top': 5.0,
'markup_chapter_headings': True,
'max_levels': 5,
'max_toc_links': 50,
'minimum_line_height': 120.0,
'no_chapters_in_toc': False,
'no_default_epub_cover': False,
'no_inline_navbars': False,
'no_svg_cover': False,
'output_profile': <calibre.customize.profiles.iPadOutput object at 0x03F8CA70>,
'page_breaks_before': u'//h:h2',
'prefer_metadata_cover': False,
'preserve_cover_aspect_ratio': True,
'pretty_print': True,
'pubdate': None,
'publisher': None,
'rating': None,
'read_metadata_from_opf': u'C:\\Users\\Jude\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre_0 .8.55_tmp__f4f5e\\jr5evp.opf',
'remove_fake_margins': True,
'remove_first_image': False,
'remove_paragraph_spacing': False,
'remove_paragraph_spacing_indent_size': 1.5,
'renumber_headings': True,
'replace_scene_breaks': u'',
'search_replace': '[]',
'series': None,
'series_index': None,
'smarten_punctuation': False,
'sr1_replace': None,
'sr1_search': None,
'sr2_replace': None,
'sr2_search': None,
'sr3_replace': None,
'sr3_search': None,
'tags': None,
'timestamp': None,
'title': None,
'title_sort': None,
'toc_filter': None,
'toc_threshold': 2,
'unsmarten_punctuation': False,
'unwrap_lines': True,
'use_auto_toc': False,
'verbose': 2}
InputFormatPlugin: HTML Input running
on C:\Users\Jude\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre_0.8.55_tm p__f4f5e\62g7si_plumber_archive\content.opf
Parsing all content...
Manifest item 'toc.ncx' not found
Parsing eyesofac_epub.html ...
Generating default TOC from spine...
Merging user specified metadata...
Detecting structure...
Python function terminated unexpectedly
nothing to repeat (Error Code: 1)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site.py", line 132, in main
File "site.py", line 109, in run_entry_point
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\worker.py", line 191, in main
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 31, in gui_convert_override
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 25, in gui_convert
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\conversion\plumber.py", line 1017, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 33, in __call__
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 88, in detect_chapters
File "xpath.pxi", line 469, in lxml.etree.XPath.__call__ (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:115236)
File "xpath.pxi", line 238, in lxml.etree._XPathEvaluatorBase._handle_result (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:113030)
File "lxml.etree.pyx", line 282, in lxml.etree._ExceptionContext._raise_if_stored (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:7972)
File "extensions.pxi", line 755, in lxml.etree._extension_function_call (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:110601)
File "extensions.pxi", line 424, in lxml.etree._ExsltRegExp.test (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:107085)
File "extensions.pxi", line 417, in lxml.etree._ExsltRegExp._compile (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:106913)
File "re.py", line 190, in compile
File "re.py", line 242, in _compile
sre_constants.error: nothing to repeat

[kovidgoyal]

You've got an invalid expression for the detect chapters setting.

[JBD]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You've got an invalid expression for the detect chapters setting.

Thank you. I found 'chapter' several times in the error message, but I have no idea what I should change.

I have Calibre on another computer and it works just fine there, with the same settings in Common Options.

[kovidgoyal]

Look at the chapter detection expression, the very first setting, where you have //h:h2[re:test(., "*", "i")]',

[JBD]

Still not working. I tried installing the newest version of Calibre (after uninstalling what I had) and made no changes to anything. This time I added a totally new book, one I'd never converted from html to anything. Same result, but the error message was a little different. It detected chapters, but then Python terminated (see below). I hate to keep fussing like this, but it's always been such a dependable program, and I'm really frustrated. I do appreciate your help.

calibre, version 0.8.61
ERROR: Conversion Error: <b>Failed</b>: Convert book 1 of 1 (The Disadvantaged Gentleman)

Convert book 1 of 1 (The Disadvantaged Gentleman)
Processing archive...
Resolved conversion options
calibre version: 0.8.61
{'asciiize': False,
'author_sort': None,
'authors': None,
'base_font_size': 0.0,
'book_producer': None,
'breadth_first': False,
'change_justification': u'original',
'chapter': u"//*[((name()='h1' or name()='h2') and re:test(., '\\s*((chapter|book|section|part)\\s+)|((prolog|pr ologue|epilogue)(\\s+|$))', 'i')) or @class = 'chapter']",
'chapter_mark': u'pagebreak',
'comments': None,
'cover': u'C:\\Users\\Jude\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre_0 .8.61_tmp_zyuzt_\\zgbwgh.jpeg',
'debug_pipeline': None,
'dehyphenate': True,
'delete_blank_paragraphs': True,
'disable_font_rescaling': False,
'dont_package': False,
'dont_split_on_page_breaks': False,
'duplicate_links_in_toc': False,
'enable_heuristics': False,
'epub_flatten': False,
'extra_css': None,
'extract_to': None,
'filter_css': u'',
'fix_indents': True,
'flow_size': 260,
'font_size_mapping': None,
'format_scene_breaks': True,
'html_unwrap_factor': 0.4,
'input_encoding': None,
'input_profile': <calibre.customize.profiles.InputProfile object at 0x04186170>,
'insert_blank_line': False,
'insert_blank_line_size': 0.5,
'insert_metadata': False,
'isbn': None,
'italicize_common_cases': True,
'keep_ligatures': False,
'language': None,
'level1_toc': u'//h:h2[re:test(., "*", "i")]',
'level2_toc': None,
'level3_toc': None,
'line_height': 0.0,
'linearize_tables': False,
'margin_bottom': 5.0,
'margin_left': 5.0,
'margin_right': 5.0,
'margin_top': 5.0,
'markup_chapter_headings': True,
'max_levels': 5,
'max_toc_links': 50,
'minimum_line_height': 120.0,
'no_chapters_in_toc': False,
'no_default_epub_cover': False,
'no_inline_navbars': False,
'no_svg_cover': False,
'output_profile': <calibre.customize.profiles.OutputProfile object at 0x04186350>,
'page_breaks_before': u"//*[name()='h1' or name()='h2']",
'prefer_metadata_cover': False,
'preserve_cover_aspect_ratio': True,
'pretty_print': True,
'pubdate': None,
'publisher': None,
'rating': None,
'read_metadata_from_opf': u'C:\\Users\\Jude\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre_0 .8.61_tmp_zyuzt_\\9vad8v.opf',
'remove_fake_margins': True,
'remove_first_image': False,
'remove_paragraph_spacing': False,
'remove_paragraph_spacing_indent_size': 1.5,
'renumber_headings': True,
'replace_scene_breaks': u'',
'search_replace': '[]',
'series': None,
'series_index': None,
'smarten_punctuation': False,
'sr1_replace': None,
'sr1_search': None,
'sr2_replace': None,
'sr2_search': None,
'sr3_replace': None,
'sr3_search': None,
'tags': None,
'timestamp': None,
'title': None,
'title_sort': None,
'toc_filter': None,
'toc_threshold': 2,
'unsmarten_punctuation': False,
'unwrap_lines': True,
'use_auto_toc': False,
'verbose': 2}
InputFormatPlugin: HTML Input running
on C:\Users\Jude\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre_0.8.61_tm p_zyuzt_\gnlsjf_plumber_archive\content.opf
Parsing all content...
Manifest item 'toc.ncx' not found
Parsing DisadvantagedGentleman-McLeod.html ...
Generating default TOC from spine...
Merging user specified metadata...
Detecting structure...
Detected chapter: Chapter One
Detected chapter: Chapter Two
Detected chapter: Chapter Three
Detected chapter: Chapter Four
Detected chapter: Chapter Five
Detected chapter: Chapter Six
Detected chapter: Chapter Seven
Detected chapter: Chapter Eight
Detected chapter: Chapter Nine
Detected chapter: Chapter Ten
Python function terminated unexpectedly
nothing to repeat (Error Code: 1)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site.py", line 132, in main
File "site.py", line 109, in run_entry_point
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\worker.py", line 192, in main
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 31, in gui_convert_override
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 25, in gui_convert
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\conversion\plumber.py", line 1017, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 37, in __call__
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 113, in create_level_based_toc
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 171, in add_leveled_toc_items
File "xpath.pxi", line 469, in lxml.etree.XPath.__call__ (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:115236)
File "xpath.pxi", line 238, in lxml.etree._XPathEvaluatorBase._handle_result (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:113030)
File "lxml.etree.pyx", line 282, in lxml.etree._ExceptionContext._raise_if_stored (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:7972)
File "extensions.pxi", line 755, in lxml.etree._extension_function_call (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:110601)
File "extensions.pxi", line 424, in lxml.etree._ExsltRegExp.test (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:107085)
File "extensions.pxi", line 417, in lxml.etree._ExsltRegExp._compile (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:106913)
File "re.py", line 190, in compile
File "re.py", line 242, in _compile
sre_constants.error: nothing to repeat

[kovidgoyal]

Now you need to fix your level 1 toc setting under table of contents, in that also you have //h:h2[re:test(., "*", "i")]

[JBD]

that's what it is. Still doesn't work.

Could Python somehow have gotten corrupted?

Jude

[JSWolf]

Remove your chapter detection completely and try again. It should work. The chapter detection might not work as you want, but the conversion otherwise should work. Then what have you to do is figure an actual correct syntax to detect chapters.

[kovidgoyal]

Yes, you need to delete the level 1 toc setting you have. Make it blank.

[JBD]

Okay, this is really strange. I took out the level 1 TOC setting, and tried both a short story, with no chapters and a novella with eight chapters (<h2>Chapter NN</h2>). The short story converted perfectly, but the novella failed.

I really appreciate the help you're giving me. While I can go to my laptop, where Calibre still works fine, it's really inconvenient to have to move back and forth.

Here's the error code the attempted novella conversion generated:
calibre, version 0.8.61
ERROR: Conversion Error: <b>Failed</b>: Convert book 1 of 1 (Lord of Misrule, A "Behind the Ranges" Story)

Convert book 1 of 1 (Lord of Misrule, A "Behind the Ranges" Story)
Processing archive...
Resolved conversion options
calibre version: 0.8.61
{'asciiize': False,
'author_sort': None,
'authors': None,
'base_font_size': 0.0,
'book_producer': None,
'breadth_first': False,
'change_justification': u'original',
'chapter': u"//*[((name()='h1' or name()='h2') and re:test(., '\\s*((chapter|book|section|part)\\s+)|((prolog|pr ologue|epilogue)(\\s+|$))', 'i')) or @class = 'chapter']",
'chapter_mark': u'pagebreak',
'comments': None,
'cover': u'C:\\Users\\Jude\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre_0 .8.61_tmp_rc07le\\6bqaom.jpeg',
'debug_pipeline': None,
'dehyphenate': True,
'delete_blank_paragraphs': True,
'disable_font_rescaling': False,
'dont_package': False,
'dont_split_on_page_breaks': False,
'duplicate_links_in_toc': False,
'enable_heuristics': False,
'epub_flatten': False,
'extra_css': None,
'extract_to': None,
'filter_css': u'',
'fix_indents': True,
'flow_size': 260,
'font_size_mapping': None,
'format_scene_breaks': True,
'html_unwrap_factor': 0.4,
'input_encoding': None,
'input_profile': <calibre.customize.profiles.InputProfile object at 0x03F66170>,
'insert_blank_line': False,
'insert_blank_line_size': 0.5,
'insert_metadata': False,
'isbn': None,
'italicize_common_cases': True,
'keep_ligatures': False,
'language': None,
'level1_toc': u'//h:h2[re:test(., "*", "i")]',
'level2_toc': None,
'level3_toc': None,
'line_height': 0.0,
'linearize_tables': False,
'margin_bottom': 5.0,
'margin_left': 5.0,
'margin_right': 5.0,
'margin_top': 5.0,
'markup_chapter_headings': True,
'max_levels': 5,
'max_toc_links': 50,
'minimum_line_height': 120.0,
'no_chapters_in_toc': False,
'no_default_epub_cover': False,
'no_inline_navbars': False,
'no_svg_cover': False,
'output_profile': <calibre.customize.profiles.OutputProfile object at 0x03F66350>,
'page_breaks_before': u"//*[name()='h1' or name()='h2']",
'prefer_metadata_cover': False,
'preserve_cover_aspect_ratio': True,
'pretty_print': True,
'pubdate': None,
'publisher': None,
'rating': None,
'read_metadata_from_opf': u'C:\\Users\\Jude\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre_0 .8.61_tmp_rc07le\\j9bdy8.opf',
'remove_fake_margins': True,
'remove_first_image': False,
'remove_paragraph_spacing': False,
'remove_paragraph_spacing_indent_size': 1.5,
'renumber_headings': True,
'replace_scene_breaks': u'',
'search_replace': '[]',
'series': None,
'series_index': None,
'smarten_punctuation': False,
'sr1_replace': None,
'sr1_search': None,
'sr2_replace': None,
'sr2_search': None,
'sr3_replace': None,
'sr3_search': None,
'tags': None,
'timestamp': None,
'title': None,
'title_sort': None,
'toc_filter': None,
'toc_threshold': 2,
'unsmarten_punctuation': False,
'unwrap_lines': True,
'use_auto_toc': False,
'verbose': 2}
InputFormatPlugin: HTML Input running
on C:\Users\Jude\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre_0.8.61_tm p_rc07le\sbqpnz_plumber_archive\content.opf
Parsing all content...
Manifest item 'toc.ncx' not found
Parsing lordofmi_epub.html ...
Generating default TOC from spine...
Merging user specified metadata...
Detecting structure...
Detected chapter: Chapter One
Detected chapter: Chapter Two
Detected chapter: Chapter Three
Detected chapter: Chapter Four
Detected chapter: Chapter Five
Detected chapter: Chapter Six
Detected chapter: Chapter Seven
Detected chapter: Chapter Eight
Python function terminated unexpectedly
nothing to repeat (Error Code: 1)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site.py", line 132, in main
File "site.py", line 109, in run_entry_point
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\worker.py", line 192, in main
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 31, in gui_convert_override
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 25, in gui_convert
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\conversion\plumber.py", line 1017, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 37, in __call__
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 113, in create_level_based_toc
File "site-packages\calibre\ebooks\oeb\transforms\structure.p y", line 171, in add_leveled_toc_items
File "xpath.pxi", line 469, in lxml.etree.XPath.__call__ (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:115236)
File "xpath.pxi", line 238, in lxml.etree._XPathEvaluatorBase._handle_result (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:113030)
File "lxml.etree.pyx", line 282, in lxml.etree._ExceptionContext._raise_if_stored (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:7972)
File "extensions.pxi", line 755, in lxml.etree._extension_function_call (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:110601)
File "extensions.pxi", line 424, in lxml.etree._ExsltRegExp.test (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:107085)
File "extensions.pxi", line 417, in lxml.etree._ExsltRegExp._compile (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:106913)
File "re.py", line 190, in compile
File "re.py", line 242, in _compile
sre_constants.error: nothing to repeat

[JBD]

I may have fixed it. I tried setting Level 1 TOC to //h:h2 and so far it's working.

Keep your fingers crossed! And thank you immensely for your advice and help. and patience.

Jude