Error when trying to send multiple books to iBooks

[Michael Wallack]

Using Windows XP SP3. Trying to send a large number of books from Calibre to an iPad mini (iOS 7.0.4). I get the following error code:

calibre, version 1.18.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

(-2147352567, 'Exception occurred.', (0, None, u'The track is not modifiable.', None, 0, -1610350077), None)

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 85, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 572, in _upload_books
File "site-packages\calibre\devices\apple\driver.py", line 1232, in upload_books
File "site-packages\calibre\devices\apple\driver.py", line 3138, in _update_iTunes_metadata
File "site-packages\win32com\client\dynamic.py", line 534, in __setattr__
com_error: (-2147352567, 'Exception occurred.', (0, None, u'The track is not modifiable.', None, 0, -1610350077), None)

I've tried sending many books and as few as 2; I always get this error. When I only send 1 books, it seems to work about 90% of the time, but occasionally I get the following error:

calibre, version 1.18.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

u'iTunes/Reamde - Neal Stephenson.epub'

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 85, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 596, in _delete_books
File "site-packages\calibre\devices\apple\driver.py", line 724, in delete_books
KeyError: u'iTunes/Title - Author.epub'

[Kovid Goyal (kovid)]

Changing the component for this bug.

 assignee griker
 tag apple-driver
 status triaged

[GRiker (griker-deactivatedaccount)]

Please create a debug log as described in the 'If you have problems' section of http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118559

[Michael Wallack (hu6hzq0zv8rdv03-michael-t16qijz8x59bnuu)]

Thanks for looking into this. Unfortunately, I won't be able to create
the debug log until Monday as the problems that I was experiencing
were on my work computer. I'll try to create and forward the debug log
as soon as I can. Thanks again.

Quoting GRiker <email address hidden>:

> Please create a debug log as described in the 'If you have problems'
> section of http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118559
>
> ** Changed in: calibre
> Status: Triaged => Incomplete
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1268058
>
> Title:
> Error when trying to send multiple books to iBooks
>
> Status in calibre: e-book management:
> Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> Using Windows XP SP3. Trying to send a large number of books from
> Calibre to an iPad mini (iOS 7.0.4). I get the following error code:
>
> calibre, version 1.18.0
> ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device
>
> (-2147352567, 'Exception occurred.', (0, None, u'The track is not
> modifiable.', None, 0, -1610350077), None)
>
> Traceback (most recent call last):
> File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 85, in run
> File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 572, in _upload_books
> File "site-packages\calibre\devices\apple\driver.py", line 1232,
> in upload_books
> File "site-packages\calibre\devices\apple\driver.py", line 3138,
> in _update_iTunes_metadata
> File "site-packages\win32com\client\dynamic.py", line 534, in __setattr__
> com_error: (-2147352567, 'Exception occurred.', (0, None, u'The
> track is not modifiable.', None, 0, -1610350077), None)
>
> I've tried sending many books and as few as 2; I always get this
> error. When I only send 1 books, it seems to work about 90% of the
> time, but occasionally I get the following error:
>
> calibre, version 1.18.0
> ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device
>
> u'iTunes/Reamde - Neal Stephenson.epub'
>
> Traceback (most recent call last):
> File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 85, in run
> File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\device.py", line 596, in _delete_books
> File "site-packages\calibre\devices\apple\driver.py", line 724, in
> delete_books
> KeyError: u'iTunes/Title - Author.epub'
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/calibre/+bug/1268058/+subscriptions
>

[GRiker (griker-deactivatedaccount)]

I've submitted a patch to Kovid that should improve the behavior when sending multiple books.

As I was experimenting, I noticed that if iTunes is busy trying to sync your device while you are sending books from calibre, you would experience the error you reported. I would suggest that you start iTunes with your iDevice connected before starting calibre, and let iTunes finish whatever syncing it wants to do.

Be aware that sending books to iTunes/iBooks is very slow, especially under Windows. I would strongly encourage you to consider Marvin instead of iBooks. Marvin is better supported under calibre, and the developer is available in a MobileRead forum.

[Kovid Goyal (kovid)]

Fixed in branch master. The fix will be in the next release. calibre is usually released every Friday.

 status fixreleased