Sigil 2.3.0 crashes when opening Fictionwise epubs

mrprobert · 09-03-2024, 01:30 PM

I have quite a few epubs I purchased from Fictionwise back in the day. From time to time I pull one out of my backup and load it into Sigil so that I can cleanup the many, many problems with it. Before 2.3.0 it was a workable thing but now Sigil crashes when I open one.

Ironically, I can open them in Caliber but I really don't want to go that route.

My preferences are set to mend not well formed html source code on open.

Here's an example if you have time to dig into it.

Moderator Notice
Removed Coprighted (1994) book. Do not post copyrighted material.

theducks · 09-03-2024, 01:46 PM

2.3.0 did ABEND

Opened with ebook-edit directly (Calibre. not added to any Library)

The error message is:
metadata.opf (line: 30)
The tag has no reference to the NCX table of contents file. Without this reference, the table of contents will not work in most readers. The reference should look like .
Add the reference to the NCX file <<<I clicked this and Sigil then opened

mrprobert · 09-03-2024, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

2.3.0 did ABEND

The reference should look like .
Add the reference to the NCX file <<<I clicked this and Sigil then opened

What should that reference look like?

KevinH · 09-03-2024, 02:09 PM

And that crash will happen with any epub opening warnings that do not have "details" in the warning message. Missing NCX or broken NCX is one of those warnings detected when opening an epub that includes no extra "details", so it causes a crash.

This bug was reported and fixed over the weekend. The fix is already in Sigil master. And we are planning a fast Sigil 2.3.1 release hopefully within the next week or so.

Unless you build your own, the only workaround is to use an earlier Sigil release or make sure your epub NCX is correctly specified in an epub2.

KevinH · 09-03-2024, 02:14 PM

@theducks,
I can still see the link in his post? Do you want me to edit his post to delete it or has the link changed to something legal to post?

Update, I just removed the attachment to be safe since the problem is known and already fixed.

mrprobert · 09-03-2024, 02:17 PM

Thanks, Kevin. I will wait for the next release.

theducks · 09-03-2024, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinH

@theducks,
I can still see the link in his post? Do you want me to edit his post to delete it or has the link changed to something legal to post?

Update, I just removed the attachment to be safe since the problem is known and already fixed.

I typed the message and forgot the attachment

DiapDealer · 09-03-2024, 03:22 PM

Sigil definitely shouldn't crash--we've fixed it. But it absolutely amazes me that so many legit epub sources would deliver epubs with broken NCXs!

DNSB · 09-03-2024, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Sigil definitely shouldn't crash--we've fixed it. But it absolutely amazes me that so many legit epub sources would deliver epubs with broken NCXs!

Close to a decade back, I stopped being surprised when an epub from a legitimate source was a dog's breakfast.

theducks · 09-03-2024, 04:46 PM

Some of this is from the Lowest Bidder mentality.
Most BPH have house styles.
Looking at what was delivered to the end user shows the coder had little clue and just used the first selection that gave 'the look'. Whole books using 'frontmatter' styles
The there is Baen, where every chapter is nested in another DIV (30 Chapters are nested in 30 Divs.

) I have a saved Baen_deDiv S&R which I run as many times as needed until the changed results = 0
In the end, the book looks no different to the reader

DiapDealer · 09-03-2024, 04:55 PM

I have no problem believing they're full of garbage. But they're typically not flat busted. This ncx thing wouldn't pass any validator out there. NCXs are required in Epub2. Manifested in the opf, given the proper media type, and its manifested id added to the toc attribute of the spine. Sheesh!

DNSB · 09-03-2024, 04:56 PM

Some of the work BooksByJoy did for Baen was a pain. And yeah, I still have my remove divs saved search kicking around.

Not quite sure if this was the issue with the OP's ePub but when I delete the toc.ncx from an ePub and then open the ePub with Sigil built from master, I get the Sigil has encountered a problem message and the file closes.

I may have jumped the gun on downloading the source. I checked back and noticed more recent updates so will try a rebuild.

DiapDealer · 09-03-2024, 05:02 PM

Yes. The crash has already been fixed in master. Sigil will create an empty ncx if one is not present (including one being present but not properly configured). It has always done this. It was a change to our error messaging that was causing the crash in the 2.3.0 release.

EDIT: wait Sigil closes? How are you deleting the ncx? You can't delete the ncx from an epub2 inside of Sigil, and the ncx isn't required in and epub3. I'm confused.

DNSB · 09-03-2024, 05:20 PM

Tried the code from about 30 minutes ago and still crashes when I open an ePub without the ncx. file.

DNSB · 09-03-2024, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Yes. The crash has already been fixed in master. Sigil will create an empty ncx if one is not present (including one being present but not properly configured). It has always done this. It was a change to our error messaging that was causing the crash in the 2.3.0 release.

EDIT: wait Sigil closes? How are you deleting the ncx? You can't delete the ncx from an epub2 inside of Sigil, and the ncx isn't required in and epub3. I'm confused.

I opened the .epub with 7-zip and removed the ncx file since 7-zip does not care about it's presence. Closed the file and then re-opened with Sigil. The error message sat on the screen for a second or so and then Sigil closed.

I've attached a dummy ePub with the toc.ncx and with the toc.ncx removed.

09-03-2024, 01:30 PM	#1
mrprobert Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 46 Join Date: Mar 2017 Device: None	Sigil 2.3.0 crashes when opening Fictionwise epubs I have quite a few epubs I purchased from Fictionwise back in the day. From time to time I pull one out of my backup and load it into Sigil so that I can cleanup the many, many problems with it. Before 2.3.0 it was a workable thing but now Sigil crashes when I open one. Ironically, I can open them in Caliber but I really don't want to go that route. My preferences are set to mend not well formed html source code on open. Here's an example if you have time to dig into it. Moderator Notice Removed Coprighted (1994) book. Do not post copyrighted material. Last edited by KevinH; 09-03-2024 at 02:20 PM. Reason: removed copyrighted book

09-03-2024, 02:14 PM	#5
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,160 Karma: 5450818 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	@theducks, I can still see the link in his post? Do you want me to edit his post to delete it or has the link changed to something legal to post? Update, I just removed the attachment to be safe since the problem is known and already fixed. Last edited by KevinH; 09-03-2024 at 02:21 PM.

09-03-2024, 04:56 PM	#12
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 40,549 Karma: 157444380 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Some of the work BooksByJoy did for Baen was a pain. And yeah, I still have my remove divs saved search kicking around. Not quite sure if this was the issue with the OP's ePub but when I delete the toc.ncx from an ePub and then open the ePub with Sigil built from master, I get the Sigil has encountered a problem message and the file closes. I may have jumped the gun on downloading the source. I checked back and noticed more recent updates so will try a rebuild. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by DNSB; 09-03-2024 at 05:06 PM.

09-03-2024, 05:02 PM	#13
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,040 Karma: 199464182 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Yes. The crash has already been fixed in master. Sigil will create an empty ncx if one is not present (including one being present but not properly configured). It has always done this. It was a change to our error messaging that was causing the crash in the 2.3.0 release. EDIT: wait Sigil closes? How are you deleting the ncx? You can't delete the ncx from an epub2 inside of Sigil, and the ncx isn't required in and epub3. I'm confused. Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-03-2024 at 05:04 PM.

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09-03-2024, 01:46 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,446 Karma: 58055868 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	2.3.0 did ABEND Opened with ebook-edit directly (Calibre. not added to any Library) The error message is: metadata.opf (line: 30) The tag has no reference to the NCX table of contents file. Without this reference, the table of contents will not work in most readers. The reference should look like . Add the reference to the NCX file <<<I clicked this and Sigil then opened

09-03-2024, 02:09 PM	#4
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 8,160 Karma: 5450818 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	And that crash will happen with any epub opening warnings that do not have "details" in the warning message. Missing NCX or broken NCX is one of those warnings detected when opening an epub that includes no extra "details", so it causes a crash. This bug was reported and fixed over the weekend. The fix is already in Sigil master. And we are planning a fast Sigil 2.3.1 release hopefully within the next week or so. Unless you build your own, the only workaround is to use an earlier Sigil release or make sure your epub NCX is correctly specified in an epub2.

09-03-2024, 02:17 PM	#6
mrprobert Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 46 Join Date: Mar 2017 Device: None	Thanks, Kevin. I will wait for the next release.

09-03-2024, 03:22 PM	#8
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,040 Karma: 199464182 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Sigil definitely shouldn't crash--we've fixed it. But it absolutely amazes me that so many legit epub sources would deliver epubs with broken NCXs!

09-03-2024, 04:46 PM	#10
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,446 Karma: 58055868 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Some of this is from the Lowest Bidder mentality. Most BPH have house styles. Looking at what was delivered to the end user shows the coder had little clue and just used the first selection that gave 'the look'. Whole books using 'frontmatter' styles The there is Baen, where every chapter is nested in another DIV (30 Chapters are nested in 30 Divs. ) I have a saved Baen_deDiv S&R which I run as many times as needed until the changed results = 0 In the end, the book looks no different to the reader

09-03-2024, 04:55 PM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,040 Karma: 199464182 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I have no problem believing they're full of garbage. But they're typically not flat busted. This ncx thing wouldn't pass any validator out there. NCXs are required in Epub2. Manifested in the opf, given the proper media type, and its manifested id added to the toc attribute of the spine. Sheesh!

09-03-2024, 05:20 PM	#14
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 40,549 Karma: 157444380 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Tried the code from about 30 minutes ago and still crashes when I open an ePub without the ncx. file.

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