Please help - AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'lower'

[Sazzaroo]

I'd really appreciate some help with an error message I am getting. It only seems to appear when I am using 'Get Books' and searching for books, and it doesn't seem to happen all the time either. I tried searching for similar issues on here, but the only post that seemed to have a similar error message, I wasn't sure was relevant to me.

Anyway, here is the error. If anyone can offer any help I'd be really grateful. I'm using Calibre 2.45.0 on a Windows 8.1 laptop and an Android tablet.

I'd put myself at the level of 'moderate' teccie, rather than 'advanced'

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\store\search\search.py", line 375, in get_results
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\store\search\models.py", line 102, in add_result
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\store\search\models.py", line 121, in filter_results
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\search_query_parser.py", line 327, in parse
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\search_query_parser.py", line 348, in _parse
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\search_query_parser.py", line 356, in evaluate
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\search_query_parser.py", line 399, in evaluate_token
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\search_query_parser.py", line 405, in _get_matches
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\store\search\models.py", line 458, in get_matches
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\store\search\models.py", line 392, in <lambda>
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'lower'



Many thanks,
Saz

[chaley]

This is my fault. Amazon required me to close all of the Amazon EU get books stores. I closed them in a way that (usually) says something to user. Unfortunately I got it wrong if the user was searching by author.

New store plugins will arrive soon that fix this crash. In the meantime, uncheck all of amazon DE, FR, UK, ES, and IT.

[Sazzaroo]

Originally Posted by chaley

This is my fault. Amazon required me to close all of the Amazon EU get books stores. I closed them in a way that (usually) says something to user. Unfortunately I got it wrong if the user was searching by author.

New store plugins will arrive soon that fix this crash. In the meantime, uncheck all of amazon DE, FR, UK, ES, and IT.

Ah right ok, I get you. Thanks for replying!

S

[eschwartz]

@chaley -- curious, did Amazon mention what they had against your affiliate accounts?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

@chaley -- curious, did Amazon mention what they had against your affiliate accounts?

They said that "I" (get books) violate their terms of service, specifically the following condition:

31. You will not cloak, hide, spoof, or otherwise obscure the URL of the site containing Special Links (including by use of a redirecting page) such that we cannot determine the site from which a customer clicks through such Special Link to the Amazon Site.

Clearly they cannot determine the instance of calibre that generated the link.

The email telling me that they force-closed my affiliate accounts also said that I must remove all links pointing to Amazon from any "site" under my control (i.e., calibre), and that they reserve all recourse against me should I not comply. They provide no opportunity for discussion. The easiest and safest thing for me to do was to comply 100% with their demand and shut down the stores.

An odd and annoying thing is that I told Amazon when the accounts were opened that the links were generated by calibre. I told them again around 18 months ago when I was queried. Obviously something changed in their attitude between then and now. I don't know what or why.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

Obviously something changed in their attitude between then and now. I don't know what or why.

Take your pick - Bolshevism, Fascism, Corporate Totalitarianism - laying a brick in their garden wall.

[eschwartz]

Well, that kind of stinks.

[HarryT]

Is it necessary for them to be affiliate links? Could you not comply simply by removing the affiliate tag from the URL?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Is it necessary for them to be affiliate links? Could you not comply simply by removing the affiliate tag from the URL?

Amazon said I was to remove *all* links. They didn't say special links or affiliate links. They threatened legal action if I did not comply. And just to put icing on the cake, when Amazon force-closed my accounts they also confiscated 2 months of earnings.

I will not take the risk to resurrect the stores without affiliate links. Someone else might be able to do it and not face Amazon's wrath. If such a "someone" wants to try, the old code is still in calibre's GIT repository.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by chaley

Amazon said I was to remove *all* links. They didn't say special links or affiliate links. They threatened legal action if I did not comply. And just to put icing on the cake, when Amazon force-closed my accounts they also confiscated 2 months of earnings.

I will not take the risk to resurrect the stores without affiliate links. Someone else might be able to do it and not face Amazon's wrath. If such a "someone" wants to try, the old code is still in calibre's GIT repository.

Thanks for clarifying the situation.