ERROR: ePug Calibre wont open, some string of text or code is giving Calibre problems

[JohnnyBook]

I read a lot of WebNovels (found on freewebnovels, novelfire, novelbin, etc.)

If they are short and I am at my computer I read a lot of them online. But if they are long, (quite a few are 500+ chapters, and some of the Asian ones are 2000+)

For the long ones I had been using a Chrome plugin called WebToEpub to download them, and read off line or on my kindle after converting to kindle format.

99.9% of the time I have no problems.

But recently I downloaded 2 novels, and Calibre could not handle the epubs produced.

The first, it could not view, edit or convert it.
The second I could view it (viewer opened it and I scanned the complete book) but could not edit it or convert it.

I assume some string of text or code is giving Calibre a problem.

Downloading the same books from a different sources gave the same results.
Which would imply it might not be a formatting error as different sites use different css styles? So another site should work if the first did not?

In any case, the first book was:
Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties by LowkeyCrow from novelfire.net

Long Error message from the first book:

Spoiler:

calibre, version 9.8.0 (win32, embedded-python: True)
Conversion error: Failed: Convert book 1 of 1 (Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties)

Convert book 1 of 1 (Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties)
calibre_plugins.fantastic_fiction.__init__:96: SyntaxWarning: "\." is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\."? A raw string is also an option.
calibre_plugins.fantastic_fiction_adults.__init__: 128: SyntaxWarning: "\." is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\."? A raw string is also an option.
calibre_plugins.SRU.__init__:110: SyntaxWarning: "\w" is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\w"? A raw string is also an option.
calibre_plugins.SRU.__init__:500: SyntaxWarning: "\d" is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\d"? A raw string is also an option.
calibre_plugins.SRU.__init__:590: SyntaxWarning: "\d" is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\d"? A raw string is also an option.
calibre_plugins.SRU.__init__:627: SyntaxWarning: "\d" is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\d"? A raw string is also an option.
DeDRM v10.0.15: Trying to decrypt i4h944qm.epub
DeDRM v10.0.15: Verifying zip archive integrity
DeDRM v10.0.15: Post-processing took 0.0 seconds
DeDRM v10.0.15: Post-processing didn't do anything on DRM-free EPUB, returning original file
DeDRM v10.0.15: Finished after 0.2 seconds
Initialized urlfixer
Conversion options changed from defaults:
read_metadata_from_opf: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\1rkwqc_i.opf'
epub_max_image_size: '1200x1200'
cover: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\_qallvvx.jpeg'
output_profile: 'kindle_pw3'
smarten_punctuation: True
verbose: 2
page_breaks_before: "//*[name()='h1' or name()='h2']"
Resolved conversion options
calibre version: 9.8.0
{'add_alt_text_to_img': False,
'asciiize': False,
'author_sort': None,
'authors': None,
'base_font_size': 0.0,
'book_producer': None,
'change_justification': 'original',
'chapter': "//*[((name()='h1' or name()='h2') and re:test(., "
"'\\s*((chapter|book|section|part)\\s+)|((prolog|p rologue|epilogue)(\\s+|$))', "
"'i')) or @class = 'chapter']",
'chapter_mark': 'pagebreak',
'comments': None,
'cover': 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\_qallvvx.jpeg',
'debug_pipeline': None,
'dehyphenate': True,
'delete_blank_paragraphs': True,
'disable_font_rescaling': False,
'dont_split_on_page_breaks': False,
'duplicate_links_in_toc': False,
'embed_all_fonts': False,
'embed_font_family': None,
'enable_heuristics': False,
'epub_flatten': False,
'epub_inline_toc': False,
'epub_max_image_size': '1200x1200',
'epub_toc_at_end': False,
'epub_version': '2',
'expand_css': False,
'extra_css': None,
'extract_to': None,
'filter_css': '',
'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 0x000002C777D06A50>,
'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': None,
'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_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.KindlePaperWhite3Outpu t object at 0x000002C777CF9550>,
'page_breaks_before': "//*[name()='h1' or name()='h2']",
'prefer_metadata_cover': False,
'preserve_cover_aspect_ratio': False,
'pretty_print': True,
'pubdate': None,
'publisher': None,
'rating': None,
'read_metadata_from_opf': 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\1rkwqc_i.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': '',
'search_replace': '[]',
'series': None,
'series_index': None,
'smarten_punctuation': True,
'sr1_replace': None,
'sr1_search': None,
'sr2_replace': None,
'sr2_search': None,
'sr3_replace': None,
'sr3_search': None,
'start_reading_at': None,
'subset_embedded_fonts': False,
'tags': None,
'timestamp': None,
'title': None,
'title_sort': None,
'toc_filter': None,
'toc_threshold': 6,
'toc_title': None,
'transform_css_rules': '[]',
'transform_html_rules': '[]',
'unsmarten_punctuation': False,
'unwrap_lines': True,
'use_auto_toc': False,
'verbose': 2}
DeDRM v10.0.15: Trying to decrypt i4h944qm.epub
DeDRM v10.0.15: Verifying zip archive integrity
DeDRM v10.0.15: Post-processing took 0.0 seconds
DeDRM v10.0.15: Post-processing didn't do anything on DRM-free EPUB, returning original file
DeDRM v10.0.15: Finished after 0.1 seconds
InputFormatPlugin: EPUB Input running
on C:\Users\brian\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre-pb8yumtn\i4h944qm.epub
EPUB appears to be invalid ZIP file, trying a more forgiving ZIP parser
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1218, in _extract_member_to
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\jwplzg5j_plumber\\OEBPS\\Text\\0083_Chap ter_83_A_Terrible_Sinister_Treacherous_Cowardly_La ughably_Horrible_Awful_Damnable_Appalling_Wicked_M onstrous_Nefarious_Atrocious_Nightmarish_Sinful_Di abolical_Dastardly_Deed.xhtml'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\ebooks\conversion\plugins\epub_input. py", line 271, in convert
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1163, in extractall
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 639, in result_iterator
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 311, in _result_or_cancel
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 443, in result
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 395, in __get_result
File "concurrent\futures\thread.py", line 86, in run
File "concurrent\futures\thread.py", line 73, in run
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1161, in do_one
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1223, in _extract_member_to
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\jwplzg5j_plumber\\OEBPS\\Text\\0083_Chap ter_83_A_Terrible_Sinister_Treacherous_Cowardly_La ughably_Horrible_Awful_Damnable_Appalling_Wicked_M onstrous_Nefarious_Atrocious_Nightmarish_Sinful_Di abolical_Dastardly_Deed.xhtml'

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1218, in _extract_member_to
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\jwplzg5j_plumber\\OEBPS\\Text\\0083_Chap ter_83_A_Terrible_Sinister_Treacherous_Cowardly_La ughably_Horrible_Awful_Damnable_Appalling_Wicked_M onstrous_Nefarious_Atrocious_Nightmarish_Sinful_Di abolical_Dastardly_Deed.xhtml'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\ebooks\conversion\plugins\epub_input. py", line 271, in convert
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1163, in extractall
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 639, in result_iterator
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 311, in _result_or_cancel
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 443, in result
File "concurrent\futures\_base.py", line 395, in __get_result
File "concurrent\futures\thread.py", line 86, in run
File "concurrent\futures\thread.py", line 73, in run
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1161, in do_one
File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1223, in _extract_member_to
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\jwplzg5j_plumber\\OEBPS\\Text\\0083_Chap ter_83_A_Terrible_Sinister_Treacherous_Cowardly_La ughably_Horrible_Awful_Damnable_Appalling_Wicked_M onstrous_Nefarious_Atrocious_Nightmarish_Sinful_Di abolical_Dastardly_Deed.xhtml'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "runpy.py", line 198, in _run_module_as_main
File "runpy.py", line 88, in _run_code
File "site.py", line 83, in <module>
File "site.py", line 78, in main
File "site.py", line 50, in run_entry_point
File "calibre\utils\ipc\worker.py", line 214, in main
File "calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 39, in gui_convert_override
File "calibre\gui2\convert\gui_conversion.py", line 26, in gui_convert
File "calibre\ebooks\conversion\plumber.py", line 1087, in run
File "calibre\customize\conversion.py", line 241, in __call__
File "calibre\ebooks\conversion\plugins\epub_input. py", line 277, in convert
File "calibre\utils\localunzip.py", line 253, in extractall
File "calibre\utils\localunzip.py", line 194, in _extractall
File "calibre\utils\localunzip.py", line 147, in read_local_file_header
File "calibre\utils\localunzip.py", line 99, in find_data_descriptor
ValueError: Failed to find data descriptor signature. Data descriptors without signatures are not supported.

[PeterT]

It looks like the issue is the length of names within the ePub

See the errors like

C:\Users\brian\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre-pb8yumtn\i4h944qm.epub

EPUB appears to be invalid ZIP file, trying a more forgiving ZIP parser

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "calibre\utils\zipfile.py", line 1218, in _extract_member_to

FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\brian\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\calibre-pb8yumtn\\jwplzg5j_plumber\\OEBPS\\Text\\0083_Chapter_83_A_Terrible_Sinister_Treacherous_Cowardly_Laughably_Horrible_Awful_Damnable_Appalling_Wicked_Monstrous_Nefarious_Atrocious_Nightmarish_Sinful_Diabolical_Dastardly_Deed.xhtml

[PeterT]

Additionally you can ignore all the Warning messages about syntax. They are merely informing the author of the plugin that the coding of their plugin needs to change slightly to accommodate changes that have happened to the Python interpreter used by calibre; currently the changes are not enforced but in future Python releases this will change.

[kovidgoyal]

Yup that epub will work fine on non windows platforms. On Windows you are out of luck because of path length limits.

[phossler]

You can try this in Windows

Open Registry Editor: Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\FileSystem

Modify Value: Find LongPathsEnabled, double-click it, and change the Value Data from 0 to 1.

If it does not exist, right-click FileSystem, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it LongPathsEnabled.

[JohnnyBook]

Thanks for the quick troubleshooting. Using phossler's RegEdit I was able to access both files that had been giving me trouble and shorten those long chapter file names in the books. (although I guess I did not need too after the regedit change.)

Both are viewable, convertible and editable now.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBook

Thanks for the quick troubleshooting. Using phossler's RegEdit I was able to access both files that had been giving me trouble and shorten those long chapter file names in the books. (although I guess I did not need too after the regedit change.)

Both are viewable, convertible and editable now.

The thing is, nobody knows if those extremely long filenames would be an issue when trying to read the eBook. So it's a good thing to shorten the names.