Looking for an epub checker for Mac

Hello!

I just finished writing my first book and I loved using Scrivener. I wish to publish it on Apple, but I need to check it first. Is there a good epub checker for Mac ? I looked at Pagina, but it requires javascript, and I would rather not use that on my Macbook Air, with M1 processor.

Many thanks,
Pierre

Hello Pierre. I tend to use either Calibre or Sigil for this kind of work. I find that Sigil tends to find and correct errors a bit better than Calibre does.

Since both are open-source, using Calibre’s e-reader in addition to Kindle Previewer 3 and Apple Books gives me another e-reader to review for possible issues. Then, I can have Calibre take a run at fixing those issues for me.

If it finds some, I’ll often also run the program through Sigil to see if it catches any others.

Hi RuthS.

I got over my fear of Java on my Mac and installed Pagina’s epubChecker. Great news, my book is clean. Scrivener did a great compiling job.

I already use Calibre and will check the book using it.

Thank you for your quick response.
Best,
Pierre

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I use ePubCheck as well, it’s good and simple (and the fears about Java are largely historic and overblown anyway), and pretty much the gold standard. If you use an online checker, it is probably using ePubCheck. It is also, if you have it installed, used by Sigil to provide better validation checking, and maybe Calibre as well.

You’re right. Historic and overblown.
Thanks,
Pierre

As an aside, now that you do have it installed, you should see much improved OpenOffice ODT compile and export, if that is something you’d ever need. The converter is in Scrivener but turns off if no Java is detected and you just get the basic Apple converter (which is bad).

What do you mean by basic Apple converter? I usually compile in DOCX, PDF or Epub.

For ODT, if Java isn’t installed it uses Apple’s RTF ⇒ ODT converter which drops a lot of features (like footnotes and images).

I understand. So it’s a good thing I installed it.
Many thanks again for your prompt replies. Support is great.

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