Error when trying to upload file into Sigil

Loarctkerd · 02-26-2018, 04:16 AM

I'm a first-time user of Sigil. I am trying to use Sigil to format a Word document into an EPub format for publication on Kindle.

I downloaded the Sigil User Guide and followed the instructions. I saved my Word .doc file as a filtered .html file. I then tried to upload that file into Sigil. I got the following error in a pink box:

"This page contains the following errors:

error on line 1415 at column 16: Expected '>', but got '[a-zA-Z]'.

Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error."

That is all of the output I receive. There is nothing below the pink box.

Can anyone help me figure out what I did wrong?

Thanks!

KevinH · 02-26-2018, 07:46 AM

In Sigil Preferences enable Mend on Open or run Mend on the html file you imported. It should automaticalky repair broken html for you.

Turtle91 · 02-26-2018, 10:31 AM

What Kevin said is probably your easiest fix unless you are familiar with html/css coding.

The error basically means Sigil was looking for a tag to be closed properly and instead found an alpha character. The line number should be a good point to start looking for the offending tag.

I would also recommend using Toxaris' Word Addon that does a GREAT job exporting a clean epub that you can easily upload into Sigil for final cleanup.

Cheers,

Loarctkerd · 02-27-2018, 07:48 PM

Thanks to both of you!

Turtle, are you a C-17 guy? I've spent a lot of time at Altus over the years. C-17's for about five years.

Turtle91 · 02-28-2018, 10:01 PM

Sure am...PIQ in '95...58AS twice...now a sim instructor in Altus...

Loarctkerd · 03-02-2018, 01:25 AM

Nice. I was 141's before C-17's. But I did initial qual in '95 as well in the 141. Flying for an airline now. Sometimes I kind of miss Altus.

Turtle91 · 03-02-2018, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loarctkerd

...Sometimes I kind of miss Altus.

Don't say that too loud - or often - the mental health police will track you down! lol

Welcome to MR!

playful · 07-11-2020, 05:34 PM

I'll just mention that I just had this problem even with Mend on.
The problem was a ";" in the file name and in an h1 tag...
Sounds like a bug.

DNSB · 07-11-2020, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playful

I'll just mention that I just had this problem even with Mend on.
The problem was a ";" in the file name and in an h1 tag...
Sounds like a bug.

I'm tempted to say, garbage in, garbage out. Either use the Toxaris Word addon for the export from Word or use DiapDealer's DOCX import plugin in Sigil.

KevinH · 07-11-2020, 08:38 PM

No, it did not fail to load it. Sigil did load it but Preview (or BookView?) window could not display it and instead indicated exactly what error was. This just means you need to fix it in Sigil's CodeView window.

playful · 07-12-2020, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

I'm tempted to say, garbage in, garbage out. Either use the Toxaris Word addon for the export from Word or use DiapDealer's DOCX import plugin in Sigil.

A semi-colon in a file name is not garbage — that's a valid character for a Windows file name. In fact the script takes great pains to convert h1 tags to valid file names, for instance forward slashes get converted to ∕ (an alternative unicode slash), etc.

Thank you very much for mentioning those add-ons. This project does not come close to touching Word, but I'll try to keep those in mind if I do something from Word at some future stage. (I guess I'd have to motivate myself to write some kind of book, or just help someone with that?…)

DiapDealer · 07-12-2020, 08:56 AM

Valid platform file name characters don't always make for valid (or wise) urls. We try to sanitize and url escape/decode wherever required, but anything other than the basic alphanumeric characters (plus dashes and underlines) in an environment where url manipulation routines abound is just asking for eventual trouble in my opinion.

playful · 07-12-2020, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Valid platform file name characters don't always make for valid (or wise) urls. We try to sanitize and url escape/decode wherever required, but anything other than the basic alphanumeric characters (plus dashes and underlines) in an environment where url manipulation routines abound is just asking for eventual trouble in my opinion.

Different people, different needs.
El inglés no es el único idioma, ¿sabes? Es legítimo desear usar los carácteres específicos al español. For example.

Turtle91 · 07-12-2020, 10:03 AM

That's the same argument used when complaining about css using the proper spelling of 'color'...

There has to be a standard that everyone can agree upon...even if you wish to use specific Spanish language characters.

I have also run across issues with 'invalid' characters that I thought should be otherwise...I just

and fix it.

playful · 07-12-2020, 10:18 AM

Yes, you're right.

02-26-2018, 04:16 AM	#1
Loarctkerd Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: Kindle	Error when trying to upload file into Sigil I'm a first-time user of Sigil. I am trying to use Sigil to format a Word document into an EPub format for publication on Kindle. I downloaded the Sigil User Guide and followed the instructions. I saved my Word .doc file as a filtered .html file. I then tried to upload that file into Sigil. I got the following error in a pink box: "This page contains the following errors: error on line 1415 at column 16: Expected '>', but got '[a-zA-Z]'. Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error." That is all of the output I receive. There is nothing below the pink box. Can anyone help me figure out what I did wrong? Thanks!

07-11-2020, 08:38 PM	#10
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5703586 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	No, it did not fail to load it. Sigil did load it but Preview (or BookView?) window could not display it and instead indicated exactly what error was. This just means you need to fix it in Sigil's CodeView window. Last edited by KevinH; 07-11-2020 at 10:41 PM.

07-12-2020, 08:56 AM	#12
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,358 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Valid platform file name characters don't always make for valid (or wise) urls. We try to sanitize and url escape/decode wherever required, but anything other than the basic alphanumeric characters (plus dashes and underlines) in an environment where url manipulation routines abound is just asking for eventual trouble in my opinion. Last edited by DiapDealer; 07-12-2020 at 09:00 AM.

07-12-2020, 10:18 AM	#15
playful Mammal Posts: 126 Karma: 21380 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Right Here Device: Onyx Note Pro, Kindle DXG	Yes, you're right. Last edited by playful; 07-12-2020 at 10:22 AM.

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02-26-2018, 07:46 AM	#2
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5703586 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	In Sigil Preferences enable Mend on Open or run Mend on the html file you imported. It should automaticalky repair broken html for you.

02-26-2018, 10:31 AM	#3
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,312 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	What Kevin said is probably your easiest fix unless you are familiar with html/css coding. The error basically means Sigil was looking for a tag to be closed properly and instead found an alpha character. The line number should be a good point to start looking for the offending tag. I would also recommend using Toxaris' Word Addon that does a GREAT job exporting a clean epub that you can easily upload into Sigil for final cleanup. Cheers,

02-27-2018, 07:48 PM	#4
Loarctkerd Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: Kindle	Thanks to both of you! Turtle, are you a C-17 guy? I've spent a lot of time at Altus over the years. C-17's for about five years.

02-28-2018, 10:01 PM	#5
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,312 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	Sure am...PIQ in '95...58AS twice...now a sim instructor in Altus...

03-02-2018, 01:25 AM	#6
Loarctkerd Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: Kindle	Nice. I was 141's before C-17's. But I did initial qual in '95 as well in the 141. Flying for an airline now. Sometimes I kind of miss Altus.

07-11-2020, 05:34 PM	#8
playful Mammal Posts: 126 Karma: 21380 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Right Here Device: Onyx Note Pro, Kindle DXG	I'll just mention that I just had this problem even with Mend on. The problem was a ";" in the file name and in an h1 tag... Sounds like a bug.

07-12-2020, 10:03 AM	#14
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,312 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	That's the same argument used when complaining about css using the proper spelling of 'color'... There has to be a standard that everyone can agree upon...even if you wish to use specific Spanish language characters. I have also run across issues with 'invalid' characters that I thought should be otherwise...I just and fix it.

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