Appearance of 3rd party ebooks on Kindle PW in Cover View

garygibsonsf · 11-01-2012, 04:08 PM

I've figured out how to upload my non-Amazon ebooks to my new Paperwhite but I find myself frustrated at them not displaying their covers, at least in most cases. I've tried avariety of solutions to this - redownloading their metadata and then resaving them in .mobi format in Calibre, for instance, complete with their covers. I've then tried emailing them to the Kindle direct from Calibre, or sending them via 'send to kindle' software, and a few other options. All I get are books with indistinguishable covers that make the whole concept of 'cover view' on the Paperwhite pointless.

Does anyone know of a foolproof way to save an ebook in such a way that the Paperwhite will actually recognise and then display the ebook cover in cover view?

sparklemotion · 11-01-2012, 04:15 PM

You need to change the [PDOC] tag in mobi output to [EBOK] and then reconvert the books again in calibre. This is under Preferences---->output options---->mobi options. You'll need to reconvert the book after you change it. You can also set it permanently in the preferences so you don't have to enter it each time. This works for all of mine.

BeccaPrice · 11-01-2012, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

You need to change the [PDOC] tag in mobi output to [EBOK] and then reconvert the books again in calibre. This is under Preferences---->output options---->mobi options. You'll need to reconvert the book after you change it. You can also set it permanently in the preferences so you don't have to enter it each time. This works for all of mine.

Do you enter EBOK in the Personal Doc Tag field? because I couldn't see where else to specify it.

garygibsonsf · 11-01-2012, 04:36 PM

Thanks for that. I did try to do just that, and reset the settings under preferences. I then re-exported the book to my PW...but still no cover in cover flow, just the same generic, boring box. Any other ideas?

To be specific about what I'm doing when I convert, I'm taking a bunch of ebooks that have long since been converted to MOBI, then re-exporting them as MOBI again with the metadata changed and the other setting you mentioned changed to EBOK under preferences. But no luck.

Edit: However, I'm pleased to say that it doesn't show the 'personal' tag anymore at the bottom. That's something at least.

Avwriter · 11-01-2012, 04:49 PM

I find that as long as I use the Send To Kindle PC app, that the covers will show up without doing the extra steps mentioned above.

sparklemotion · 11-01-2012, 05:01 PM

Becca - Yes.

garygibsonsf - The difference may be that I also have the box checked where it says Enable sharing of book content... (however, this disables last read syncing)

Avwriter - I have not tried that, but thank you for mentioning it.

Are you still able to sync your side loaded books when you use that method? You can't with the method I listed.

JoHunt · 11-01-2012, 05:03 PM

Do you have the latest version of Calibre (0.9.4)? Book covers are automatically added to the Paperwhite when you send books to your device (turn off enable sharing).

sparklemotion · 11-01-2012, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joehunt

Do you have the latest version of Calibre (0.9.4)? Book covers are automatically added to the Paperwhite when you send books to your device (turn off enable sharing).

And the covers show too, huh? Interesting. I'll definitely be updating now! Thank you.

Can you also still sync side loaded books?

Darn actually I am using that version and for some reason it wasn't working for me ... hmm..

garygibsonsf · 11-01-2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joehunt

Do you have the latest version of Calibre (0.9.4)? Book covers are automatically added to the Paperwhite when you send books to your device (turn off enable sharing).

Doh! Maybe that's it. My current version is still 0.9.1. I'll download the new one and see what happens.

JoHunt · 11-01-2012, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

Darn actually I am using that version and for some reason it wasn't working for me ... hmm..

Have you turned off "enable sharing"?

sparklemotion · 11-01-2012, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joehunt

Yes it works for all books

ok I'm slow today... I see now I have to disable sharing. Going to give it a try!

JoHunt · 11-01-2012, 05:15 PM

If all else fails, use this Calibre plug-in - it works as well

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...81#post2263881

garygibsonsf · 11-01-2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joehunt

Have you turned off "enable sharing"?

In my own case, 'enable sharing' was already turned off.

JoHunt · 11-01-2012, 05:18 PM

Try the plug in. I've had it disabled since Calibre 0.9.3 and covers appear for all my side loaded books.

garygibsonsf · 11-01-2012, 05:22 PM

Okay. I downloaded Calibre and maybe that's helping as I seem to be getting somewhere. I'm resaving the books as .mobi again and then using 'send to kindle'. I'm setting the PDOC tag to EBOK in Calibre, but something about send to kindle appears to strip that data out of the file - when it arrives on the PW, it still has the 'personal document' tag, suggesting Amazon's S2K software automatically treats everything sent via it as a personal document. However, at least for the moment, I'm getting the covers.

Ill check that plug in out, however, there are limits to my technical skills and what I see on that page looks a bit...complicated.

11-01-2012, 04:08 PM	#1
garygibsonsf Addict Posts: 321 Karma: 432192 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite	Appearance of 3rd party ebooks on Kindle PW in Cover View I've figured out how to upload my non-Amazon ebooks to my new Paperwhite but I find myself frustrated at them not displaying their covers, at least in most cases. I've tried avariety of solutions to this - redownloading their metadata and then resaving them in .mobi format in Calibre, for instance, complete with their covers. I've then tried emailing them to the Kindle direct from Calibre, or sending them via 'send to kindle' software, and a few other options. All I get are books with indistinguishable covers that make the whole concept of 'cover view' on the Paperwhite pointless. Does anyone know of a foolproof way to save an ebook in such a way that the Paperwhite will actually recognise and then display the ebook cover in cover view?

11-01-2012, 04:36 PM	#4
garygibsonsf Addict Posts: 321 Karma: 432192 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite	Thanks for that. I did try to do just that, and reset the settings under preferences. I then re-exported the book to my PW...but still no cover in cover flow, just the same generic, boring box. Any other ideas? To be specific about what I'm doing when I convert, I'm taking a bunch of ebooks that have long since been converted to MOBI, then re-exporting them as MOBI again with the metadata changed and the other setting you mentioned changed to EBOK under preferences. But no luck. Edit: However, I'm pleased to say that it doesn't show the 'personal' tag anymore at the bottom. That's something at least. Last edited by garygibsonsf; 11-01-2012 at 04:38 PM.

11-01-2012, 05:18 PM	#14
JoHunt I am what I am Posts: 6,625 Karma: 62235665 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: iPad3, Voyage	Try the plug in. I've had it disabled since Calibre 0.9.3 and covers appear for all my side loaded books. Last edited by JoHunt; 11-01-2012 at 05:20 PM.

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11-01-2012, 04:15 PM	#2
sparklemotion dangerous when cornered Posts: 1,855 Karma: 22891237 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo H2O, Kindle Paperwhite	You need to change the [PDOC] tag in mobi output to [EBOK] and then reconvert the books again in calibre. This is under Preferences---->output options---->mobi options. You'll need to reconvert the book after you change it. You can also set it permanently in the preferences so you don't have to enter it each time. This works for all of mine.

11-01-2012, 04:49 PM	#5
Avwriter Addict Posts: 350 Karma: 1422834 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: GA Device: Sony PRS 505, 600, 350, T-1, PW1, Voyage, Oasis2	I find that as long as I use the Send To Kindle PC app, that the covers will show up without doing the extra steps mentioned above.

11-01-2012, 05:01 PM	#6
sparklemotion dangerous when cornered Posts: 1,855 Karma: 22891237 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo H2O, Kindle Paperwhite	Becca - Yes. garygibsonsf - The difference may be that I also have the box checked where it says Enable sharing of book content... (however, this disables last read syncing) Avwriter - I have not tried that, but thank you for mentioning it. Are you still able to sync your side loaded books when you use that method? You can't with the method I listed.

11-01-2012, 05:03 PM	#7
JoHunt I am what I am Posts: 6,625 Karma: 62235665 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: iPad3, Voyage	Do you have the latest version of Calibre (0.9.4)? Book covers are automatically added to the Paperwhite when you send books to your device (turn off enable sharing).

11-01-2012, 05:15 PM	#12
JoHunt I am what I am Posts: 6,625 Karma: 62235665 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: iPad3, Voyage	If all else fails, use this Calibre plug-in - it works as well https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...81#post2263881

11-01-2012, 05:22 PM	#15
garygibsonsf Addict Posts: 321 Karma: 432192 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite	Okay. I downloaded Calibre and maybe that's helping as I seem to be getting somewhere. I'm resaving the books as .mobi again and then using 'send to kindle'. I'm setting the PDOC tag to EBOK in Calibre, but something about send to kindle appears to strip that data out of the file - when it arrives on the PW, it still has the 'personal document' tag, suggesting Amazon's S2K software automatically treats everything sent via it as a personal document. However, at least for the moment, I'm getting the covers. Ill check that plug in out, however, there are limits to my technical skills and what I see on that page looks a bit...complicated.