Problem with covers converting from ePub to MOBI using ebook-convert

Diego · 05-25-2011, 10:44 PM

I am trying to convert ePubs to MOBI in Windows using ebook-convert (last version). Everything works OK, except for the ebook covers, that after the conversion have white margins that are not in the original ones.

I tried the debug option in the GUI and I found out that the cover with white margin is generated by Calibre and named calibre_raster_cover.jpg. The GUI process eventually drops it but the command line keeps it as the final cover.

I opened a bug but Kovid closed it because the command line and the GUI use exactly the same code, so the problem is in another place.

I am executing the following command:

Code:

C:\Program Files\Calibre2>ebook-convert.exe c:\file.epub c:\file.mobi --output-profile=kindle

I checked with -vv and all the settings are the same that in the GUI.

I have attached a zip file with the original ePub and the MOBI files I obtain with the GUI and the command line.

Does anyone know a solution? All I want is the command line to provide MOBI files like the ones from the GUI.

Thanks in advance.

kovidgoyal · 05-26-2011, 12:41 AM

Use --cover to set the cover.

Diego · 05-26-2011, 01:01 AM

Thanks for answering.

But if I use --cover, I should have an external image, right? That is not the case.

Should I extract the cover image first from the ePub?

Thanks again.

Diego · 05-27-2011, 03:53 PM

Does anybody else could help me to solve this problem?

ldolse · 05-29-2011, 09:41 AM

It's most likely because you're epub is using SVG cover images - Calibre needs to rasterize SVG images in order to make them display in mobi.

Try using --cover with an external file as Kovid said (go ahead and extract from the epub). Calibre will probably automatically avoid using the existing epub cover if it's marked correctly semantically, but if it doesn't you can use the remove first image option (not sure of the ebook convert argument, check the docs).

Diego · 05-29-2011, 05:00 PM

No, my ePub's covers are JPG (you can check it in my files attached to the first post). Anyway, I will extract them from the ePubs and then use --cover to generate the MOBI file.

Thanks, ldolse.

Diego · 06-01-2011, 02:18 PM

In case anyone needs a solution to this issue (at least for me), I solved it extracting the epub's cover with:

Code:

C:\Program Files\Calibre2>ebook-meta.exe --get-cover=PATH&FILENAME

And then running:

Code:

C:\Program Files\Calibre2>ebook-convert.exe c:\file.epub c:\file.mobi --cover=PATH&FILENAME --output-profile=kindle

05-26-2011, 12:41 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Use --cover to set the cover. Last edited by kovidgoyal; 05-26-2011 at 12:57 AM.

05-27-2011, 03:53 PM	#4
Diego Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle3	Does anybody else could help me to solve this problem? Last edited by Diego; 05-27-2011 at 08:50 PM.

06-01-2011, 02:18 PM	#7
Diego Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle3	In case anyone needs a solution to this issue (at least for me), I solved it extracting the epub's cover with: Code: C:\Program Files\Calibre2>ebook-meta.exe --get-cover=PATH&FILENAME And then running: Code: C:\Program Files\Calibre2>ebook-convert.exe c:\file.epub c:\file.mobi --cover=PATH&FILENAME --output-profile=kindle

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05-26-2011, 01:01 AM	#3
Diego Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle3	Thanks for answering. But if I use --cover, I should have an external image, right? That is not the case. Should I extract the cover image first from the ePub? Thanks again.

05-29-2011, 09:41 AM	#5
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	It's most likely because you're epub is using SVG cover images - Calibre needs to rasterize SVG images in order to make them display in mobi. Try using --cover with an external file as Kovid said (go ahead and extract from the epub). Calibre will probably automatically avoid using the existing epub cover if it's marked correctly semantically, but if it doesn't you can use the remove first image option (not sure of the ebook convert argument, check the docs).

05-29-2011, 05:00 PM	#6
Diego Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle3	No, my ePub's covers are JPG (you can check it in my files attached to the first post). Anyway, I will extract them from the ePubs and then use --cover to generate the MOBI file. Thanks, ldolse.

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