dc:rights causes Kindle error

synosure · 11-08-2010, 12:56 AM

This is a really weird thing. If you add dc:rights to your OPF file (as defined in the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set), then convert your epub to mobi, the cover is incorrect in Kindle apps.

To replicate this WITHOUT the bug showing up:
1. Create a well-formed epub that does NOT have dc:rights defined in the metadata.
2. Import the epub into Calibre, then convert it to MOBI.
3. Open the MOBI in Kindle For Mac. The book will display properly and the cover will display properly in the list of books currently installed on your Kindle.

To replicate this WITH the bug showing up:
1. Create a well-formed epub that DOES have dc:rights defined in the OPF metadata. (e.g. <dc:rights>Copyright © John Smith 2010. All rights reserved.</dc:rights>) This bug will really stand out if your epub manuscript has a non-cover image somewhere in it. It also does not matter what letters/characters are in your dc:rights, or how long it is. Its mere existence causes the problem.
2. Import the epub into Calibre, then convert it to MOBI.
3. Open the MOBI in Kindle for Mac. The book will display properly, BUT, in the listing of books currently installed on your Kindle, the cover will be wrong, it will instead show the first image in the manuscript itself.

I did not test this in other (non-Mac) OS versions of Kindle, although I would guess they'd display the same error.

End result, at this time, if you want to use Calibre to convert to mobi for Kindle, do NOT define dc:rights in your OPF file.

kovidgoyal · 11-08-2010, 11:54 AM

That's odd, open a ticket and attach a test epub demonstrating the problem. I will look at it when I have some time.

synosure · 11-08-2010, 01:56 PM

Will do. I just discovered that having multiple dc:subject's in your OPF file will cause the very same bug to occur. Oddly, Kindle isn't always showing the first image in the manuscript as the thumbnail cover, it really seems to just be grabbing any random image from the manuscript.

If you're hand-coding epubs and converting them to Kindle, avoid having multiple dc:subject's for now.

synosure · 11-08-2010, 02:11 PM

Adding another cause to the list: content inside a dc:description tag.

I've now confirmed that having any of the following in your epub, before conversion to mobi, will cause Kindle for Mac's book browser (and presumably other Kindle apps) to display the wrong cover thumbnail (choosing instead to display a random other image from the manuscript):

1) having a dc:rights tag in your OPF file. The mere existence of this tag causes the problem.

2) having more than one dc:subject in your OPF file. Calibre will read them properly as multiple tags, but any Kindle conversions will have this issue.

3) having any text at all within a dc:description in your OPF file. Calibre will read it properly and put the text in the comment field, but any Kindle conversions will have this issue.

I'll try to create three simple epub examples and submit an official bug report soon, but just in case other people run into this problem, I wanted to list it now and save them the hours of testing it took to narrow down the various causes.

kovidgoyal · 11-08-2010, 02:32 PM

I'm fairly certain this error is specific to Kindle for Mac. Put the MOBI files on a real Kindle and you will find the cover showing up just fine.

synosure · 11-08-2010, 03:00 PM

Good suggestion, I'll test them in Kindle for Windows before I put in the official bug report. Unfortunately, end result, if a manuscript can't display properly in Kindle for Mac, then I can't release it to Amazon. The official bug report will let you know what I find out.

11-08-2010, 12:56 AM	#1
synosure Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	dc:rights causes Kindle error This is a really weird thing. If you add dc:rights to your OPF file (as defined in the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set), then convert your epub to mobi, the cover is incorrect in Kindle apps. To replicate this WITHOUT the bug showing up: 1. Create a well-formed epub that does NOT have dc:rights defined in the metadata. 2. Import the epub into Calibre, then convert it to MOBI. 3. Open the MOBI in Kindle For Mac. The book will display properly and the cover will display properly in the list of books currently installed on your Kindle. To replicate this WITH the bug showing up: 1. Create a well-formed epub that DOES have dc:rights defined in the OPF metadata. (e.g. <dc:rights>Copyright © John Smith 2010. All rights reserved.</dc:rights>) This bug will really stand out if your epub manuscript has a non-cover image somewhere in it. It also does not matter what letters/characters are in your dc:rights, or how long it is. Its mere existence causes the problem. 2. Import the epub into Calibre, then convert it to MOBI. 3. Open the MOBI in Kindle for Mac. The book will display properly, BUT, in the listing of books currently installed on your Kindle, the cover will be wrong, it will instead show the first image in the manuscript itself. I did not test this in other (non-Mac) OS versions of Kindle, although I would guess they'd display the same error. End result, at this time, if you want to use Calibre to convert to mobi for Kindle, do NOT define dc:rights in your OPF file.

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11-08-2010, 11:54 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,844 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That's odd, open a ticket and attach a test epub demonstrating the problem. I will look at it when I have some time.

11-08-2010, 01:56 PM	#3
synosure Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	Will do. I just discovered that having multiple dc:subject's in your OPF file will cause the very same bug to occur. Oddly, Kindle isn't always showing the first image in the manuscript as the thumbnail cover, it really seems to just be grabbing any random image from the manuscript. If you're hand-coding epubs and converting them to Kindle, avoid having multiple dc:subject's for now.

11-08-2010, 02:11 PM	#4
synosure Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	Adding another cause to the list: content inside a dc:description tag. I've now confirmed that having any of the following in your epub, before conversion to mobi, will cause Kindle for Mac's book browser (and presumably other Kindle apps) to display the wrong cover thumbnail (choosing instead to display a random other image from the manuscript): 1) having a dc:rights tag in your OPF file. The mere existence of this tag causes the problem. 2) having more than one dc:subject in your OPF file. Calibre will read them properly as multiple tags, but any Kindle conversions will have this issue. 3) having any text at all within a dc:description in your OPF file. Calibre will read it properly and put the text in the comment field, but any Kindle conversions will have this issue. I'll try to create three simple epub examples and submit an official bug report soon, but just in case other people run into this problem, I wanted to list it now and save them the hours of testing it took to narrow down the various causes.

11-08-2010, 02:32 PM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,844 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I'm fairly certain this error is specific to Kindle for Mac. Put the MOBI files on a real Kindle and you will find the cover showing up just fine.

11-08-2010, 03:00 PM	#6
synosure Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	Good suggestion, I'll test them in Kindle for Windows before I put in the official bug report. Unfortunately, end result, if a manuscript can't display properly in Kindle for Mac, then I can't release it to Amazon. The official bug report will let you know what I find out.

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