# EPUBCheck OPF-016: rootfile without full-path, how to fix it

Source: https://epubcc.com/epubcheck/opf-016/ (updated 2026-11-04)

EPUBCheck OPF-016 is an error message: “The element "rootfile" is missing its required attribute "full-path".” A rootfile element in META-INF/container.xml has no full-path attribute. That attribute is the only thing that tells reading apps where the package document is, so the book cannot be opened without it.

- Official message (EPUBCheck 5.4.0): The element "rootfile" is missing its required attribute "full-path".
- Default severity: Error

## Typical causes

- A hand-written container.xml missing the attribute.
- The attribute name misspelled, such as fullpath or full_path.
- A template container.xml that was never completed.

## How to fix it

1. Open META-INF/container.xml.
2. Add full-path with the package document's path from the root of the archive, for example <rootfile full-path="OEBPS/content.opf" media-type="application/oebps-package+xml"/>.
3. Check that the path matches the real file name and case, then rebuild the EPUB.

## When it's not this

If full-path is present but empty, EPUBCheck reports OPF-017; if it points to a missing file, OPF-002.

## Sources

- EPUB 3.3, §4.2.6.3.1.3 The rootfile element: https://www.w3.org/TR/epub-33/#sec-container.xml-rootfile-elem (read 2026-11-04)

Message text and severity: EPUBCheck (W3C, BSD-3-Clause). Explanation: EpubCC.