ebook-convert not recognized as a command

p3aul · 10-10-2009, 04:41 AM

Well in a futile attempt to get Calibre to convert some of my files in rtf and txt input format to an epub output, I uninstalled .6.12 and went back to .5.12. still no luck. I was just getting one long file with no paragraphs. Alright so I decided to install the latest and greatest Calibre v. .6.16. before I could even get it up running, it informs me that I don't have the latest and greatest, I should uninstall what I just installed and instead install .6.17 So I did. Went to the command line to use ebook-convert and guess what?
This is the error I got: 'ebook-convert' is not recognized as an internal or external command.

well I may not be the sharpest pencil in the pack, but it looks to me like this new latest calibre didn't put ebook-convert in the path statement. Well I just checked. The file ebook-convert.exe is definitely there. and it will run from the calibre directory, but no where else. Well I just manually added it to the path statement but still no luck.
Can anyone help me?

itimpi · 10-10-2009, 05:30 AM

I just installed the 0.6.17 release and ebook-convert would not run at first. I then added the Calibre install directory to the PATH and it ran fine.

Kovid had said that the PATH should not need setting with the new Windows Installer introduced with the 0.6.17 release, but it appears that he was wrong, or there is something the installer it not yet doing correctly

Note that I used the Advanced option during installation so that I could control the Install locatation and set it back to C:\Progam Files\Calibre. The path if you use the default install is rather long.

p3aul · 10-10-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

I just installed the 0.6.17 release and ebook-convert would not run at first. I then added the Calibre install directory to the PATH and it ran fine.

Quote:

Well I just manually added it to the path statement but still no luck.

Well as you see, I tried that no luck. rebooted, still no luck.
calibre .6.20 here we come!

itimpi · 10-10-2009, 05:46 PM

I would query whether you have got the addition to the path statement correct then. After setting it, did you check from within a command prompt window that it was set correctly?

p3aul · 10-11-2009, 12:14 AM

Well here's the thing. I believe the problem lies with that arcane folder name. Why he chose to use one like that is beyond me. A simple calibre would have been sufficient. Is it calibre-ebook management or calibre - ebook management? I used the first example the first time. ebook-convert didn't work. I examined the folder name closely and looked like the last example so I tried that. Guess what? ebook-convert still didn't work! I've used all the little punctuation symbols that are allowed folder names myself at times, but you don't always get good results. In two folders I created I used "pauls" and "paul's". both worked but later trying to delete "paul's" folder windows wouldn't let me do it. I had finally to go in "safe" mode in order to delete it. I vowed then I would never use anything but numbers and the alphabet!

Getting back to the topic, I am going to have to delete, reinstall, and name a different folder to put calibre into in order for it to work right and I still don't know if this will solve my original problem.

itimpi · 10-11-2009, 12:31 AM

I used the "Advanced" option rather than the "Install" option to specify a short folder name so that could well be your problem.

p3aul · 10-11-2009, 12:50 AM

Hmm... I wasn't given an option. after I "accepted" the policy it just started installing. Like its doing now after I uninstalled the other one I was planning on doing just that. But it didn't give me an option. Just started installing

Now i'm getting pretty frustrated!

p3aul · 10-11-2009, 01:36 AM

Oooooooooookkk! I found the option, reinstalled calibre, reset the path to now say "d:\calibre\" Checked it by "path" command in command window. Windows will still not recognize ebook-convert!

itimpi · 10-11-2009, 03:36 AM

Hmm - sounds as if you must have some other issue then. I have it working fine in Windows.

comtrjl · 10-11-2009, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p3aul

Oooooooooookkk! I found the option, reinstalled calibre, reset the path to now say "d:\calibre\" Checked it by "path" command in command window. Windows will still not recognize ebook-convert!

How did you set the PATH? The safest way is to go to Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Environment variables, then select the PATH variable in the lower window and click Edit.
(You could also check this line to make sure there aren't any old entries for calibre while you're there)
Press the END key, enter a semi-colon and then add - in your case - d:\calibre
OK you're way back out and restart.
Sorry if this is what you already did - it wasn't clear from your post.
It's the same for Vista, except in the Control Panel you need 'Advanced system settings'
Having done this it should be OK from the GUI and the command-line.

bob

p3aul · 10-11-2009, 12:20 PM

Yes, I did all that. I checked andI can convert in the GUI, just not in the command line. I will roll back to .6.16 and see if that correct the problem. If it does, then the problem is a bug in calibre, not my machine. I don't see how it could be, Java works from the commandline as well as perl and python. I can run wpconfig as well as other system tools such as ipconfig and the like.

p3aul · 10-11-2009, 03:19 PM

oops! My bad! It looks like I forgot to put the whole path to calibre in the path! Oh well, .16 is on my computer an here it wil stay until I need a reason to upgrade.
Paul

10-10-2009, 04:41 AM	#1
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	ebook-convert not recognized as a command Well in a futile attempt to get Calibre to convert some of my files in rtf and txt input format to an epub output, I uninstalled .6.12 and went back to .5.12. still no luck. I was just getting one long file with no paragraphs. Alright so I decided to install the latest and greatest Calibre v. .6.16. before I could even get it up running, it informs me that I don't have the latest and greatest, I should uninstall what I just installed and instead install .6.17 So I did. Went to the command line to use ebook-convert and guess what? This is the error I got: 'ebook-convert' is not recognized as an internal or external command. well I may not be the sharpest pencil in the pack, but it looks to me like this new latest calibre didn't put ebook-convert in the path statement. Well I just checked. The file ebook-convert.exe is definitely there. and it will run from the calibre directory, but no where else. Well I just manually added it to the path statement but still no luck. Can anyone help me?

10-11-2009, 03:19 PM	#12
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	oops! My bad! It looks like I forgot to put the whole path to calibre in the path! Oh well, .16 is on my computer an here it wil stay until I need a reason to upgrade. Paul Last edited by p3aul; 10-11-2009 at 03:24 PM.

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10-10-2009, 05:30 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I just installed the 0.6.17 release and ebook-convert would not run at first. I then added the Calibre install directory to the PATH and it ran fine. Kovid had said that the PATH should not need setting with the new Windows Installer introduced with the 0.6.17 release, but it appears that he was wrong, or there is something the installer it not yet doing correctly Note that I used the Advanced option during installation so that I could control the Install locatation and set it back to C:\Progam Files\Calibre. The path if you use the default install is rather long.

10-10-2009, 05:46 PM	#4
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I would query whether you have got the addition to the path statement correct then. After setting it, did you check from within a command prompt window that it was set correctly?

10-11-2009, 12:14 AM	#5
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	Well here's the thing. I believe the problem lies with that arcane folder name. Why he chose to use one like that is beyond me. A simple calibre would have been sufficient. Is it calibre-ebook management or calibre - ebook management? I used the first example the first time. ebook-convert didn't work. I examined the folder name closely and looked like the last example so I tried that. Guess what? ebook-convert still didn't work! I've used all the little punctuation symbols that are allowed folder names myself at times, but you don't always get good results. In two folders I created I used "pauls" and "paul's". both worked but later trying to delete "paul's" folder windows wouldn't let me do it. I had finally to go in "safe" mode in order to delete it. I vowed then I would never use anything but numbers and the alphabet! Getting back to the topic, I am going to have to delete, reinstall, and name a different folder to put calibre into in order for it to work right and I still don't know if this will solve my original problem.

10-11-2009, 12:31 AM	#6
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I used the "Advanced" option rather than the "Install" option to specify a short folder name so that could well be your problem.

10-11-2009, 12:50 AM	#7
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	Hmm... I wasn't given an option. after I "accepted" the policy it just started installing. Like its doing now after I uninstalled the other one I was planning on doing just that. But it didn't give me an option. Just started installing Now i'm getting pretty frustrated!

10-11-2009, 01:36 AM	#8
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	Oooooooooookkk! I found the option, reinstalled calibre, reset the path to now say "d:\calibre\" Checked it by "path" command in command window. Windows will still not recognize ebook-convert!

10-11-2009, 03:36 AM	#9
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Hmm - sounds as if you must have some other issue then. I have it working fine in Windows.

10-11-2009, 12:20 PM	#11
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	Yes, I did all that. I checked andI can convert in the GUI, just not in the command line. I will roll back to .6.16 and see if that correct the problem. If it does, then the problem is a bug in calibre, not my machine. I don't see how it could be, Java works from the commandline as well as perl and python. I can run wpconfig as well as other system tools such as ipconfig and the like.

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