Epub Validation Error(s)

Scrivener Scrivener for Windows
1

Greetings Folks, I tried an online epub validator: I rec’d the following error 10 times.

“The entity name must immediately follow the ‘&’ in the entity reference”

I think it’s safe to assume it’s my error and not Scrivener. Maybe a choice I make setting
up the compile process.

I sure hope it’s something I can fix myself.
Please suggest a fix if you can.
Many Thanks,
Scupper

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Anyone Please
Thanks

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Is there a line number and column offset in the full error message? This will refer to the location of the error in the XHTML file that Scrivener is generating. Can you explode the epub (rename it as a .zip file and unzip it) and post the line with the error? Then it will be easier to advise you.

In the meantime, I can think of at least two sources for this error. Both of them are Scrivener bugs, but maybe there’s a workaround for the second.

  1. Scrivener is using an unsupported HTML entity (like, for instance, “”". The only non-numeric ones that the EPUB standard allows are <, > and & you can’t even use the ubiquitous   Scrivener might be using them in their HTML generation.

The thing is that the EPUB validator flags as “errors” things that most readers will just ignore, so this is likely to have no effect on the usability of the generated epub file. So finding errors with epubcheck isn’t necessarily a show stopper.

  1. You are using raw HTML in your source. I know, that’s unlikely, but still… Scrivener should be translating ampersands to “&” entities, as well as “<” and “>” to < and >, so if it isn’t, then that’s a bug. You could try putting entity escapes in directly, if that is what is happening,

BUT in any case I’d send the whole kaboodle to support and ask them to sort it out. My guess is that passing epubcheck validation is just something they haven’t gotten around to thinking about yet. Also the epub checker is still evolving.

4

magicfingers, you are so very kind for the detailed response.

Unfortunately I only understand a little of what you’re telling me. But at least now I can go and research
your comments and perhaps correct the errors I have.

I should have told you my book (errors and all) have been accepted and are now selling on
the Amazon & Barnes & Noble site, so I guess they had no problem with the errors.

This coming week I’ll have access to a Mac for a few days and will try to correct the errors and then upload my book to Apple. Gonna try to be error free first.

Many Many Thanks for your time and knowledge, it’s appreciated.
Scupper