Firefox not showing ePubs

[Fabe]

[Originally posted in Sigil forum]

Friends,

I've been out of the ePub creation game for about 8 months. You get rusty and the technology keeps changing. I downloaded Sigil .4.2.0 and it works fine. The html & epub checks work great. Thanks for those.

Today my problem is this: I created 5 ePub files. #1 works fine, I used it as a template for #2, then #2 as a template for #3 and so on. I ran into some issues with old files names remaining in the resourses of the opf, but was able to fix that with checkers sugestion. So what's wrong?

I tried to open the ePubs in FireFox. Only #1 opens correctly. #'s 2-5 get an error message shown below. Can you tell me what I'm missing? Thanks. - Fabe

P.S. Running an iMac with Mac OS 10.7.2

[mikelv]

Hi Fabe,

do you use the same identifier for all ebooks and set a bookmark for the first ebook? If so, this causes the problem.

If you open a second ebook which has got the same identifier like the first one, EPUBReader thinks this is just the same ebook and replaces the first by the second. If you have set a bookmark for the first but this page doesn't exist in the second ebook, EPUBReader fails to open this page when it tries to navigate to the bookmarked page. The result is the error message you posted.

The only solution for the problem is, to delete the ebook data EPUBReader stored. Please be aware, that all your ebooks will be deleted. If you want to keep some of them, save them before via the save button in the EPUBReader toolbar.

To delete the data, enter "about:support" in the Firefox URL bar, press enter and click on "containing folder". Delete the whole subfolder "epub" and restart Firefox.

[Fabe]

miklev - your response sounds knowledgeable and precise, however, I do not understand a word of it.

1. "the same identifier" - I have no idea how I "use" an identifier, how it's created, or where it is located.

2. EPub Reader? I go into Firefox and open a file, in this case an ePub. My file #1 opens, the TOCis on the left and a screen with all the text formatted as I wish is on the right. Not so for files 2-5.

3. I have never knowingly set a bookmark for anything.

4. "The only solution for the problem is, to delete the ebook data EPUBReader stored." I must destroy the village to save the village. Okay, whare's this village?

5. I am not interested in "saving" these files anywhere but my desktop. I just use Firefox as a simple way to lookk at my formatting. It is easy to spot formatting errors in Firefox.

Sorry I am so dense. - Fabe

[mikelv]

Originally Posted by Fabe

1. "the same identifier" - I have no idea how I "use" an identifier, how it's created, or where it is located.

The identifer is located in the opf file and looks like like this, it's probably generated by Sigil.

<dc:identifier id="bookid">47454547474</dc:identifier>

Originally Posted by Fabe

2. EPub Reader? I go into Firefox and open a file, in this case an ePub. My file #1 opens, the TOCis on the left and a screen with all the text formatted as I wish is on the right. Not so for files 2-5.

Obviously you have installed the Firefox add-on EPUBReader, Firefox itself can't open epub files.

Originally Posted by Fabe

3. I have never knowingly set a bookmark for anything.

Perhaps the situation is a bit different. The error message you see is caused by a page EPUBReader tries to open and which does not exist. This could also be the startpage defined in the opf file. Could you send me one of the files which you can't open? Please send it to the mailaddress you find here: http://www.epubread.com/en/contact.php

[mikelv]

Thanks for the file. I could open it without problems, so it's not a problem of the epub itself but in connection with the other files like I described in my previous posting. It seems to be that you set a bookmark in the first ebook by pressing "d".

The only solution to solve this, is the one I described in my previous posting (deleting the epub folder). When you open your ebooks again afterwards and don't set a bookmark, the problem shouldn't occur again.

The best solution would be, if you use a unique identifier for each ebook.

[Fabe]

Originally Posted by mikelv

it's not a problem of the epub itself but in connection with the other files.

you set a bookmark in the first ebook by pressing "d".

The only solution deleting the epub folder.

When you open your ebooks again and don't set a bookmark, the problem shouldn't occur again.

use a unique identifier for each ebook.

Okay, thanks for taking the time to check this out. Sadly, my ignorance knows no boounds. So...

1. Did I set this bookmark in Sigil or in Firefox?
2. How do I eliminate these bookmarks? Are they listed somewhere?
3. Where and what is an ePub folder? Again, is this in Sigil or Firefox or some place on my computer?
4. As we now know, all 5 of my files have the same identifier. Must I make them unique and if so, how?

Again, thanks for your assistance. - Fabe

[mikelv]

Originally Posted by Fabe

1. Did I set this bookmark in Sigil or in Firefox?

You set it in EPUBReader/Firefox.

Originally Posted by Fabe

2. How do I eliminate these bookmarks? Are they listed somewhere?
3. Where and what is an ePub folder? Again, is this in Sigil or Firefox or some place on my computer?

To eleminate them you need to delete the epub folder. Currently it's not possible to delete bookmarks in EPUBReader.

To delete the epub folder/bookmarks, enter "about:support" in the Firefox URL bar, press enter and click on "containing folder". Delete the whole subfolder "epub" and restart Firefox.

Originally Posted by Fabe

4. As we now know, all 5 of my files have the same identifier. Must I make them unique and if so, how?

It would be the best if you make them unique. That way you won't have problems again. That's something you have to do in Sigil, so please ask in the Sigil forum.

[Fabe]

Originally Posted by mikelv

To delete the epub folder/bookmarks, enter "about:support" in the Firefox URL bar, press enter and click on "containing folder". Delete the whole subfolder "epub" and restart Firefox.

I entered "about:support" and the attachment page appeared. No sign of anything called: "containing folder". Where should I look?

I shall ask the identifier question in the Sigil forum right away.

Lastly, let me say your ePub add-on to Firefox is great. In fact, it's the only reason I use Firefox. Now if I could only get my identifiers and bookmarks straight ...

- Fabe

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Fabe

I entered "about:support" and the attachment page appeared. No sign of anything called: "containing folder". Where should I look?

I shall ask the identifier question in the Sigil forum right away.

Lastly, let me say your ePub add-on to Firefox is great. In fact, it's the only reason I use Firefox. Now if I could only get my identifiers and bookmarks straight ...

- Fabe

Leave it to MAC's to do it different
"Show in Finder"

[Fabe]

ADDENDUM

I've found my way. I clicked on the button "Profile Directory: Show in Finder" and up came a window with all those background Firefox files. I eliminated everything having to do with book marks and ePubs. Then I closed and reopened Firefox. The list of ePubs was gone. I opened my newest ePubs. #1 opened as expected. #'s 2-5 opened fine also. The one caveat, only #1 appears in the ePub list. This is because, I assume, they all have the same Identifier, so the first on eopen gets listed.

What have I learned? Many things, but not to use an existing ePub as a template for additional ePubs is the biggest lesson.

Thanks - Fabe

[Fabe]

Originally Posted by theducks

Leave it to MAC's to do it different
"Show in Finder"

Yeah! We think different!

[Fabe]

My problem is solved. Please see, Modifying Identifiers, in the Sigil forum.

Thanks to everyone for your assistance. - Fabe