iPad Problem with metadata transfer to my IPad

Radfinkbeiner · 03-25-2012, 08:42 PM

I have spent the past 2 months tweaking my ebooks (1500) in the Calibre program, converting them all to epubs and meticulously changing the book titles and authors to appear just the way I like them. When I finally began to transfer them to Stanza on my iPad (using the direct transfer of the ePub files themselves on the app synch page direct transfer option). I discovered that the metadata was back to the original way it was before I made all of my changes in Calibre. So I am assuming that the metadata changes were
reflected only in the separate metadata file. I tried to transfer both the ePub and metadata file for one of my books with the same results. Pleas help me find a way to get my books on my iPad reflecting the changes I made. I don't mind changing the ebook reader on my iPad to ibooks or any other reader. Thanks for you help in advance.

JSWolf · 03-25-2012, 08:48 PM

Please don't say it's your iPad that's a problem. Please state the app you are having the problem with.

What you could do is use the tweak program to edit the metadata in the OPF and that should fix the problem you are having.

kyteflyer · 03-27-2012, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Please don't say it's your iPad that's a problem. Please state the app you are having the problem with.

What you could do is use the tweak program to edit the metadata in the OPF and that should fix the problem you are having.

I dont think he *was* saying he was having a problem with the iPad.

Perhaps you might like to enlighten him as to HOW he can "use the tweak the program"... since this is what he wanted to know... how to get the epub metadata to show up in his ipad.

To the OP... I also would like to know whats going on. I often try to use a different cover which is fine while its in Calibre, but which doesnt usually translate to iBooks. The original cover is maintained. If you use Calibre to remove the existing cover and then replace it with a new one, you dont get the new one, you get the generic cover which replaces it on removal.

If you save the entire book out to a new directory (and make sure that you adjust in Calibre preferences to reflect your desire to have all that information included and NOT in a separate file) it works OK. I then sideload into my reader of choice. As far as covers are concerned, the original remains inside the file. I have no idea why it is that it doesnt get replaced.

Shell30Bell · 03-27-2012, 04:24 AM

I'm currently using Megareader as the number of books I have on my iPad makes iBooks a PITA to use with it's lack of author grouping, so the tweaking I do may not be applicable to Stanza.

When I load a book in to Megareader I edit the metadata in Calibre first, including replacing the cover image if the original is not the one I want. While still in Calibre I then tweak the file so that the title and author's name is how I want it displayed in Megareader. To tweak the file, I right click on the book title and select Tweak Book. I then select Explode ePub. From there I open the .opf file - I have a Mac so I open the .opf file with the TextEdit app. From there I amend any of the details I need to amend e.g. Title, Creator, etc. I then save the amended file and select Rebuild ePub. Once I have done that I will convert the ePub file to Mobipocket and then convert the Mobipocket file back to ePub. When I transfer the file in to Megareader using iTunes the amended details are displayed as I want them to be including the amended cover.

scoiattolo49 · 03-27-2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radfinkbeiner

I discovered that the metadata was back to the original way it was before I made all of my changes in Calibre. So I am assuming that the metadata changes were reflected only in the separate metadata file.

Did you try a epub to epub conversion in Calibre? In this way you are sure that all the changes are incorporated in the epub file itself

JSWolf · 03-27-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoiattolo49

Did you try a epub to epub conversion in Calibre? In this way you are sure that all the changes are incorporated in the epub file itself

Really bad idea. Don't do it. You could cause all kinds of issues with the ePub.

JSWolf · 03-27-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

I dont think he *was* saying he was having a problem with the iPad.

Perhaps you might like to enlighten him as to HOW he can "use the tweak the program"... since this is what he wanted to know... how to get the epub metadata to show up in his ipad.

Load the Calibre GUI. Right click on the eBook in question. Select Tweak Book from the menu. Another window will popup. Select Explode ePub. When the Windows Explorer Window opens, find the OPF file, load that into a text editor, edit the metadata and save. Go back to the window you used to explode the ePub and click Rebuild ePub. That should do it.

frozennorth · 03-27-2012, 06:44 PM

I use epub to epub all the time with no problem. Calibre keeps a copy of the original epub unless you don't want it to. So if there should ever be a problem you can always go back to the original.

kyteflyer · 03-27-2012, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Load the Calibre GUI. Right click on the eBook in question. Select Tweak Book from the menu. Another window will popup. Select Explode ePub. When the Windows Explorer Window opens, find the OPF file, load that into a text editor, edit the metadata and save. Go back to the window you used to explode the ePub and click Rebuild ePub. That should do it.

Thank you. This helps me also.

JSWolf · 03-27-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Thank you. This helps me also.

Happy to help. And it means no major changes tot he ePub like with ePub > ePub.

JSWolf · 03-27-2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frozennorth

I use epub to epub all the time with no problem. Calibre keeps a copy of the original epub unless you don't want it to. So if there should ever be a problem you can always go back to the original.

But if you notice my directions, it means not having to do an ePub > ePub conversion (which I think is so wrong).

wannabee · 03-27-2012, 11:50 PM

I think MetaDataEditor might be easier to edit your metadata.

kyteflyer · 03-28-2012, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

I think MetaDataEditor might be easier to edit your metadata.

Assuming you use Windows.

Thats why I like Calibre. Cross platform. I use it on my mac, on Windows and also in Ubuntu.

frozennorth · 03-28-2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But if you notice my directions, it means not having to do an ePub > ePub conversion (which I think is so wrong).

Epub to epub is a lot quicker than the tweak version. But to each their own.

Radfinkbeiner · 03-30-2012, 06:11 PM

Thanks to all of you who gave advice! I ended up do a batch ePub to ePub conversion and it worked like a charm. I am currently using the Apabi reader from the app store, even though it is a Korean (?) ebook reader, it works great and allows me to customize everything easily once its put on my iPad.

Andrew

03-25-2012, 08:42 PM	#1
Radfinkbeiner Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: Ipad	Problem with metadata transfer to my IPad I have spent the past 2 months tweaking my ebooks (1500) in the Calibre program, converting them all to epubs and meticulously changing the book titles and authors to appear just the way I like them. When I finally began to transfer them to Stanza on my iPad (using the direct transfer of the ePub files themselves on the app synch page direct transfer option). I discovered that the metadata was back to the original way it was before I made all of my changes in Calibre. So I am assuming that the metadata changes were reflected only in the separate metadata file. I tried to transfer both the ePub and metadata file for one of my books with the same results. Pleas help me find a way to get my books on my iPad reflecting the changes I made. I don't mind changing the ebook reader on my iPad to ibooks or any other reader. Thanks for you help in advance.

03-27-2012, 04:24 AM	#4
Shell30Bell Avid Reader Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: iPad, iPhone	I'm currently using Megareader as the number of books I have on my iPad makes iBooks a PITA to use with it's lack of author grouping, so the tweaking I do may not be applicable to Stanza. When I load a book in to Megareader I edit the metadata in Calibre first, including replacing the cover image if the original is not the one I want. While still in Calibre I then tweak the file so that the title and author's name is how I want it displayed in Megareader. To tweak the file, I right click on the book title and select Tweak Book. I then select Explode ePub. From there I open the .opf file - I have a Mac so I open the .opf file with the TextEdit app. From there I amend any of the details I need to amend e.g. Title, Creator, etc. I then save the amended file and select Rebuild ePub. Once I have done that I will convert the ePub file to Mobipocket and then convert the Mobipocket file back to ePub. When I transfer the file in to Megareader using iTunes the amended details are displayed as I want them to be including the amended cover. Last edited by Shell30Bell; 03-28-2012 at 03:43 AM.

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03-25-2012, 08:48 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,885 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Please don't say it's your iPad that's a problem. Please state the app you are having the problem with. What you could do is use the tweak program to edit the metadata in the OPF and that should fix the problem you are having.

03-27-2012, 06:44 PM	#8
frozennorth Evangelist Posts: 407 Karma: 18772 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: Onyx Boox RIP, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Libra	I use epub to epub all the time with no problem. Calibre keeps a copy of the original epub unless you don't want it to. So if there should ever be a problem you can always go back to the original.

03-27-2012, 11:50 PM	#12
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,381 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	I think MetaDataEditor might be easier to edit your metadata.

03-30-2012, 06:11 PM	#15
Radfinkbeiner Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: Ipad	Thanks to all of you who gave advice! I ended up do a batch ePub to ePub conversion and it worked like a charm. I am currently using the Apabi reader from the app store, even though it is a Korean (?) ebook reader, it works great and allows me to customize everything easily once its put on my iPad. Andrew