Conversion deletes half of the text

Pismire · 08-05-2013, 02:30 PM

Hello,

I am trying to convert this ebook from epub into mobi.

So far, so difficult. The ebook (please ignore the language for now) once downloaded as epub by hovering over the "ebook - free" button looks OK despite a fair number of scanning errors that I am willing to deal with for now. But when I try to convert it to mobi (or any other format, for that matter), more than half of the book text -starting just below the cover - is amputated.

I have the suspicion that it may or may not have something to do with the original´s gothic script (note that the epub features a "normal", standard font).

I tried randomly tweaking conversion options, alas to no avail.
Could anyone offer a clue to very clueless me?
Thanks!

DoctorOhh · 08-05-2013, 09:12 PM

Please read this sticky post.

Jeff L · 08-05-2013, 10:32 PM

The problem has to do with how Google's automated procedure creates epub files.

The cover (as specified in the <guide> section of the OPF) and the beginning of the text are contained in the same file. Calibre removes the cover file and relocates it during the conversion process for compatibility purposes. So all the text following the cover in that file disappears.

The proper way to deal with this would be to separate the cover into its own file and change the OPF accordingly.

If you don't know how to do that, then a quick and dirty alternative would be to remove the <guide> section in the OPF altogether. It presently only contains the "cover" pointer. This creates an improper file but it'll work for your purposes.

From Calibre, right click on the title, select "Tweak Book," then "Explode Book."

Navigate to the OPF file and open it with a text editor like Notepad++.

Delete everything from <guide> to </guide>. Save and close the file and the window displaying the files.

Click on "Rebuild" and then convert this new epub to mobi or any other format.

Pismire · 08-06-2013, 12:17 AM

Jeff L, thank you so much for your help. I Appreciate it very much!

Also thanks for the pointer DoctorOhh, will keep it in mind.
Cheers!

08-05-2013, 02:30 PM	#1
Pismire Small God, also Turtle. Posts: 78 Karma: 227774 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South-ish Device: Kindle Touch	Conversion deletes half of the text Hello, I am trying to convert this ebook from epub into mobi. So far, so difficult. The ebook (please ignore the language for now) once downloaded as epub by hovering over the "ebook - free" button looks OK despite a fair number of scanning errors that I am willing to deal with for now. But when I try to convert it to mobi (or any other format, for that matter), more than half of the book text -starting just below the cover - is amputated. I have the suspicion that it may or may not have something to do with the original´s gothic script (note that the epub features a "normal", standard font). I tried randomly tweaking conversion options, alas to no avail. Could anyone offer a clue to very clueless me? Thanks!

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08-05-2013, 09:12 PM	#2
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,889 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Kindle PaperWhite SE 11th Gen	Please read this sticky post.

08-05-2013, 10:32 PM	#3
Jeff L Zealot Posts: 117 Karma: 584308 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: San Francisco Device: Kindle	The problem has to do with how Google's automated procedure creates epub files. The cover (as specified in the <guide> section of the OPF) and the beginning of the text are contained in the same file. Calibre removes the cover file and relocates it during the conversion process for compatibility purposes. So all the text following the cover in that file disappears. The proper way to deal with this would be to separate the cover into its own file and change the OPF accordingly. If you don't know how to do that, then a quick and dirty alternative would be to remove the <guide> section in the OPF altogether. It presently only contains the "cover" pointer. This creates an improper file but it'll work for your purposes. From Calibre, right click on the title, select "Tweak Book," then "Explode Book." Navigate to the OPF file and open it with a text editor like Notepad++. Delete everything from <guide> to </guide>. Save and close the file and the window displaying the files. Click on "Rebuild" and then convert this new epub to mobi or any other format.

08-06-2013, 12:17 AM	#4
Pismire Small God, also Turtle. Posts: 78 Karma: 227774 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South-ish Device: Kindle Touch	Jeff L, thank you so much for your help. I Appreciate it very much! Also thanks for the pointer DoctorOhh, will keep it in mind. Cheers!

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