Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

0 points

Ibook Author audio (AAC) media widget rejected in validation??

We have a complex image, video and music book from the Arctic created on ibooks author. Everything seems to validate through itunes producer on delivery except for this error message.

ERROR ITMS-9000: "Files of type audio/x-m4a are not allowed outside of widgets: assets/media/Arctic_master_music.m4p" at Book (MZItmspBookPackage)

We've done everything in widget sizing, placement, audio encoding to aac from QT, itunes and compressor. We can't get past there error? Is there a bug in the ibook author or am I missing someting.

Any ideas. The videos work fine, just the audio clip/

richard

Posted on Feb 23, 2012 8:22 AM

78 replies

Mar 16, 2012 9:33 AM in response to providence elearning

Hi Providence.

thanks for the info. i'll try and let the community know if it works for me too. Cross fingers 😉

@Richo tell me more about the Artic book

Best regards to all

Mar 16, 2012 9:47 AM in response to providence elearning

No way for me Guys ... 😠

ERROR ITMS-9000: "Files of type audio/x-m4a are not allowed outside of widgets: assets/media/5bells5Gongs4Blast.m4p" at Book (MZItmspBookPackage)

same problem.

just to let you know another thing i've tried yesterday :

1 / Unzip the ibook package

2 / => OPS => assets => media => replacement of all audio files m4p by the same audiofiles m4a format

3 / Ziping and adding .ibooks extension

4 / Ready to deliver

5 / => ERROR ITMS-9000: "Unable to parse opf file: container.xml" at Book (MZItmspBookPackage)

6 / 😢

Mar 16, 2012 10:18 AM in response to Corsicansailor

Regarding DRM Free, Apple states in their documentation that even if you select DRM Free, audio and video files are not protected. So it doesn't seem like you are losing much by going DRM Free, as you can't protect your audio and video files anyway.

Richo Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 16, 2012 10:26 AM in response to MrBlobby1970

I believe I read that DRM is not applied only in HTML 5 widgets. If you put it into their media widget it is drm protected. Can anyone else add to this?

And to the poster Corsicasailor, I also understand in compiling the audio, apple applies the m4p tag which is an itunes DRM thing. So if you unzip the IBA export and change those files back to m4a, you'll run into the "can't parse opf."

This is really getting under the covers and most of us, which mean me, start getting onto really thin ice.

Coriscasailor, check out link for your question about arctic book. http://www.americanlandscapegallery.com/American_Landscape_Gallery/Far_North_Spl as_1./Pages/Far_North,_Arctic_and_Labrador.html

Mar 16, 2012 10:27 AM in response to MrBlobby1970

That's a good point. Apple finally got back to me regarding the issue.

Here it is:

ERROR ITMS-9000: "Files of type audio/x-m4a are not allowed outside of

widgets: assets/media/MacPage99.m4p" at Book (MZItmspBookPackage)

Thank you for contacting iBookstore Publisher Support. We apologize for the delay in our response. We suggest the following:

1- Remove the audio files from the widget

2- Save your file

3- Put the audio files back in the widget

4- Save again.

Redeliver the title again. Please let us know how this goes.

Best Regards,

Richo Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 16, 2012 10:31 AM in response to providence elearning

Well well, sounds like we're getting close to a solution. Let us know if you have success Providence. I'm sure now they know of the issue and hope a proper fix is on the way. Thanks for posting this and your potential success with the audio.

Mar 17, 2012 1:21 AM in response to providence elearning

Hi Guys. I just test the Apple solution......and.........😢 No way.

Same message again.. not allowed outside etc etc m4p...

but something sound strange in their answer :

1- Remove the audio files from the widget :

But we can't remove the audio file, i have to remove the whole widget

2- Save your file

3- Put the audio files back in the widget

Same thing, i have to insert a new widget and add the sound file

4- Save again.

or am I doing wrong something ??

@RICHO Thanks forthe link. As a sailor myself i'm really impressed. We stay in touch

all the best

johnb47

Level 1

0 points

Mar 17, 2012 5:25 PM in response to providence elearning

Many, many thanks, providence elearning. I've been discussing this with Apple tech support for a week. I've redone my sound files 3 times, loaded and reloaded them into the widgets, shortened the names, stripped them of the Garageband loops and nothing worked. I checked the "DRM Free" box as you suggested and it loaded without a problem. I want to buy your book when it's available! Please email me the title!

purdyboy

Level 1

0 points

Mar 17, 2012 7:21 PM in response to Richo

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions; very helpful. We am still in the process of building our first book and knowing some of these issues helps us plan ahead.

One clarification: Are you all getting this error for audio only in the Media widget or does this apply to audio called by the HTML widget?

I'm planning to use HTML for most of my audio playback. All the best...

Richo Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 17, 2012 7:34 PM in response to purdyboy

All of the issues for me and many of the others posting on this subject are having validation issues with the audio in a media widget. It gives an error from Apple. The issue with calling video and audio from HTML I understand is that Apple applies DRM (digital rights management) only with assets in the media widget. So if DRM is not your concern you should be ok.

I'm hoping that Apple is aware of this and will fix the bug.

There was a fix posted by one of the folks, but apparently doesn't work as tested by Corsicsailor.

Mar 18, 2012 8:30 AM in response to Corsicansailor

It's too bad the "DRM Free" checkbox didn't work for everyone. One thing that we tried in our endless number of failed workarounds was an earlier suggestion from this post.

corsicansailor, try removing the first piece of audio that appears in your book, then take the raw MP3 of that file and open it with QuickTime, AND ONLY WITH QUICKTIME NOT ITUNES. Then export as an audio file, and don't bring it into iTunes. Take and drag the M4A file from your finder window and drop it back in your book.

One thing we started noticing is that if the first piece of audio in a book is brought in this way most of the subsequent audio files don't appear in the error log.

Also check your iTunes producer package file to make sure Your old iba files are not still in there. We started over with a new package and that's when I noticed the DRM checkbox.

Mar 19, 2012 12:14 AM in response to providence elearning

Thanks for the info Providence......but NO WAY again !

I did everything i know.

1 / I followed the first step given by Apple in your previuos post... no way

Then i tride another way:

2 / I made a new audio file with audacity and export directly in AAC with it. No way to drag in IBA. I open it with QT and register in M4A. I drag directly to IBA. Saving. Delivering.... ERROR

3 / Same thing until draging : this time i insert a widget and drag the file sound in the widget again....etc..ERROR

I tried to deliver without that sound file and ERROR again on another file...

Just to let you know :

Free DRM is checked. This sound file is not the first one. Is one of the last of the book..

Still trying and thanks for the help. Stay in touch

Mar 19, 2012 8:05 AM in response to providence elearning

Hi Guys.

i tried this solution :

I unzip the ibooks to change the m4p audio files format to m4a

Open the Terminal and use this code line supposed to zip all the files without the DS_Store, in the right order :

zip -X0 book.epub mimetype || zip -Xur9D book.epub META-INF OPS -x *.DS_Store and draging the unzip folder

Hit return and i have on my desktop an epub file... named : book.epub

Changing name and extension => myibook.ibooks

Opening package with ITProducers = > Assets=> loading the "Brand new Homemade 😉 ibooks file => Deliver

Everything goes well.....until this :

ERROR ITMS-9000: "resource OPS/assets/media/5bells5Gongs4Blast.m4p is missing" at Book (MZItmspBookPackage)

BUT : the sound file is really in the assets folder.. ??

i kept the terminal lines if this help... and trying fighting again !

Cheers guys

Richo Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 19, 2012 8:53 AM in response to Corsicansailor

I am sure going into the un-zipped media and asset file to change the audio tag is not going to work. I believe Apple when it compiles the book into the package where you have selected DRM, changes the tag since the m4p is an iTunes DRM thing. But I'm no programer, but this is what I believe. I think that is what it should be and the "Audio outside of media widget" is a coding issue buried in their compiler.

Also, if you change the tag, there are other lines of code in the OPF and other places I'm sure, that will then get confused and reject the attempt.

I do believe the course of action is to apply pressure with Apple (I know this is a long and almost impossible process with their Ticket process) and fix the bug or tell us what we're doing wrong.

I think many of us need the DRM (digital rights management) and we need audio only in their media widget. I think there is a bug and if we keep up our questions like many have with Apple, it will be fixed in the next version. I for one am still going through a 3 week quality control wait on our book. They must be swamped with thousands of books coming in and not enough staff.

Mar 19, 2012 9:09 AM in response to Richo

Thanks Richo.

Writing Apple, that's what i'm doing too. I hope they'll be tired to read for the same error everyday. 😉

Ibook Author audio (AAC) media widget rejected in validation??