SW wrongly marks valid epub files as invalid

[idiotprogrammer]

Today I uploaded my first epub file directly to smashwords and got a rude surprise. It didn't validate!

Well, Smashwords says it doesn't validate, when in fact the official idpf site says that the epub file does validate.

When I validated from idpf.org , I get this message:

******************************

<wbr>******************************<wbr>**
Results

Detected version: EPUB 3.0

Results: Congratulations! No problems were found in sphinx-smashwords.epub.

Validated using EpubCheck version 3.0.
******************************<wbr>***********
In fact, even though it's epub 3.0, I don't use any features specific
to 3.0. Also,  epubcheck 3.0 validates epub2 and epub3 files, and it's
the latest and most accurate validator.

In fact, I can verify that my epub file works perfectly on Apple ipad 1. BN, Amazon and ibooks  support epub3 in a minimal way. by that, I mean that the devices are capable of reading the file and even if they don't support all epub3 features, they are at least capable of reading the file and ignoring the epub3 code. 

However,  Smashwords gave me this validation error. That tells me that
Smashwords is using an outdated epubcheck validator. Does Smashwords plan to use a better epub validator?



******************************<wbr>****

Thank you for uploading an EPUB for your book, 'Interview with the
Sphinx', via Smashwords Direct.

We have run EPUBcheck on your file, and unfortunately, it has not
passed validation. The errors found were:

attribute "lang" from namespace "www.w3.org/XML/1998/<wbr>namespace"
not allowed at this point; ignored
attribute "properties" not allowed at this point; ignored (repeats 2 times)
attribute "property" not allowed at this point; ignored (repeats 10 times)
attribute "type" from namespace "www.idpf.org/2007/ops" not
allowed at this point; ignored (repeats 50 times)
bad value for attribute "version"
required attributes missing (repeats 11 times)
text not allowed here (repeats 10 times)
unfinished element (repeats 6 times)
unknown element "footer" from namespace "www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
(repeats 8 times)
unknown element "header" from namespace "www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
(repeats 8 times)
unknown element "nav" from namespace "www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
unknown element "section" from namespace
"www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" (repeats 6 times)

Please correct these issues and upload your file again. (Be sure to
use the 'Upload new version' option from your Dashboard.)

******************************<wbr>********

[Ted]

I'd just contact support and explain it to them, if you haven't already done so. If your file passes epub3 validation and works on popular ereaders then Smashwords should accept it IMHO.

[serbanvcenache]

Whenever I upload my book with the letter "Ş" in my name, the epub check says that it does not display the character correctly. But if I look into the epub, it displays it correctly. So after the meatgrinder provides the conversion, I download the epub and manually upload it. And then then it passes the validation test. It's a weird bug, but it's easily solvable. Try doing the same.

[Ted]

May 14, 2013 6:42:06 GMT -8 serbanvcenache said:

Whenever I upload my book with the letter "Ş" in my name, the epub check says that it does not display the character correctly. But if I look into the epub, it displays it correctly. So after the meatgrinder provides the conversion, I download the epub and manually upload it. And then then it passes the validation test. It's a weird bug, but it's easily solvable. Try doing the same.

Good idea, and lets not forget the epub upload is still in beta testing so there will be bugs.

I believe Smashwords is using the idfp validation program, as that is the site they suggest checking epubs.

[idiotprogrammer]

I just wanted to explain my original problem better.

At the time, Smashwords used an outdated epubcheck validator version 1.2

When I posed the problem, I was using the latest and greatest epubcheck version 3.0 (now it's on 3.01)

Does anyone know if Smashwords still uses the same outdated epubcheck validator?

[Ted]

I don't know which version of epubcheck Smashwords is using, but submit a Support ticket telling staff your ebook passed epubcheck validation and to approve your work for Premium. Add a note to them to fix the bug.

The couple of times I got an epub error from Smashwords I tested and passed the validation program then copied the success text from validation site to my Support ticket so staff had proof of epub success validation.

[aristotle]

Aug 10, 2013 18:29:02 GMT -8 Ted said:

I don't know which version of epubcheck Smashwords is using, but submit a Support ticket telling staff your ebook passed epubcheck validation and to approve your work for Premium. Add a note to them to fix the bug.

The couple of times I got an epub error from Smashwords I tested and passed the validation program then copied the success text from validation site to my Support ticket so staff had proof of epub success validation.

I have just uploaded a new version in both epub and doc formats. The epub had errors according to Smashwords, yet it has no errors according to validator.idpf.org/

How do you get a support ticket? I couldn't see any obvious way of doing that as I also wanted to include a screenshot of the idpf validation.

[EDIT]
On checking my email I see I got one from Smashwords (at the same time as SW said there were errors) stating that there were no errors in the epub. I will wait and see what happens after manual review.

[idiotprogrammer]

I just wanted to provide updates.

I received an email from Smashwords in August saying that there are plans to update the validator soon -- but no time frame was given.

I tried a valid epub3 file a week or two ago with the same result.

I suspect the problem is that one of the channels (Kobo?) cannot accept epubs with the latest validator. But Smashwords needs to fix this or put pressure on the ill-behaved channel to get with the program.

I didn't request a manual inspection or a bug report, but I will do so now (and report back). The last 1.2 version of epubcheck was released in March 2011. The first beta of 3.0 epubcheck was released in September 2011. The official 3.0 was released 12/2012 (just before smashwords allowed direct uploading of epubs).