Cannot get author to "stick" with Book Designer or Mobipocket Creator

zipzip · 03-04-2009, 05:53 AM

Perhaps someone can help me.

I am trying to do the most basic of tasks: convert the text file of a book into a .prc file to read on my Kindle. The conversion works fine, the book turns out fine, but with one problem: no matter what I do, the author will not display on the Kindle. I like to sort my Kindle books by author, but anything I've converted myself is at the very end of the title list, with no author displayed.

I re-converted the book several times from scratch with Book Designer, making sure to assign the author and title correctly. In the finished product, the title displays perfectly on the Kindle, but the author field is blank.

I converted the text file again with Mobipocket Creator, adding the author and a .jpg for a cover picture. However, after conversion, even within Mobipocket Creator, the author field had been blanked and the .jpg was gone. Again, the text converted fine, is readable on my Kindle, and the title displays perfectly. Just no author or title page photo. The info won't seem to "stick."

What am I doing wrong?

Sparrow · 03-04-2009, 05:56 AM

Did you click on the 'Update' button after entering the author data and cover image in MobiCreator?
I don't think it saves it otherwise.

HarryT · 03-04-2009, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zipzip

Perhaps someone can help me.

I am trying to do the most basic of tasks: convert the text file of a book into a .prc file to read on my Kindle. The conversion works fine, the book turns out fine, but with one problem: no matter what I do, the author will not display on the Kindle. I like to sort my Kindle books by author, but anything I've converted myself is at the very end of the title list, with no author displayed.

I re-converted the book several times from scratch with Book Designer, making sure to assign the author and title correctly. In the finished product, the title displays perfectly on the Kindle, but the author field is blank.

BD creates a very "old" Mobi format which doesn't store author metadata. Best thing to do, as I describe in my tutorial on the subject, is to export from BD as HTML, and then use Mobi Creator to convert to Mobi format.

Quote:

I converted the text file again with Mobipocket Creator, adding the author and a .jpg for a cover picture. However, after conversion, even within Mobipocket Creator, the author field had been blanked and the .jpg was gone.

Did you remember to click the "Update" button at the bottom of the page, after entering the metadata? It doesn't "stick" unless you do so!

zipzip · 03-04-2009, 06:03 AM

There's an update button?

Let me try it again.

zipzip · 03-04-2009, 06:11 AM

Yay! It worked! Thanks, guys!

HarryT · 03-04-2009, 06:13 AM

Yes; each page in Mobi Creator has an "Update" button at the bottom of the page. You need to click that button in order for the changes to be written back to the OPF file. Mobi creator is basically just a "GUI editor" for creating and editing the OPF file.

mtravellerh · 03-04-2009, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes; each page in Mobi Creator has an "Update" button at the bottom of the page. You need to click that button in order for the changes to be written back to the OPF file. Mobi creator is basically just a "GUI editor" for creating and editing the OPF file.

Quite frustrating sometimes, this "update" button, but you get used to it with time.

zipzip · 03-04-2009, 07:04 AM

And, Harry, thanks also for the time and care you spent on your Dickens books posted here on the website. One of the first things I did after receiving my Kindle 2 the other day (which is my first e-book reader of any sort) was to go looking for illustrated, Kindle-compatible editions of the Dickens novels. The original Phiz et al. illustrations were a must. I did not see any on Amazon, and had just about given up hope, but a Google eventually search led me here. They are truly wonderful. Thank you.

HarryT · 03-07-2009, 04:27 AM

My pleasure. I am constantly working to improve them - a fully proofed version of "The Old Curiosity Shop" should be ready to post in a few weeks.

Valloric · 03-07-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

My pleasure. I am constantly working to improve them - a fully proofed version of "The Old Curiosity Shop" should be ready to post in a few weeks.

While we're on the subject of Dickens, which one would be a good starter? I've never read Dickens, although I've read my fair share of 19th century literature.

Any specific Dickens books to recommend (and why)? I've asked several people, and they all give me the knee-jerk response of either David Copperfield, Bleak House, The Adventures of Oliver Twist, Great Expectations or A Tale of Two Cities. I can come up with those myself. Few can answer why are any of them good (I'm sure they are, I'd just like some info).

HarryT · 03-07-2009, 09:25 AM

I'd go for one of the shorter ones - "Bleak House" and "David Copperfield", while wonderful books, are extremely long and are perhaps not the thing to jump into first. "Oliver Twist" and "Great Expectations" are both relatively short and, I must admit, among my favourites. "Oliver Twist" was one of Dickens' very early books, "Great Expectations" a late work, so they represent both ends of the spectrum, so to speak. I'd suggest "Great Expectations"; it's a wonderful story with a real "twist in the tail". I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Valloric · 03-07-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd go for one of the shorter ones - "Bleak House" and "David Copperfield", while wonderful books, are extremely long and are perhaps not the thing to jump into first. "Oliver Twist" and "Great Expectations" are both relatively short and, I must admit, among my favourites. "Oliver Twist" was one of Dickens' very early books, "Great Expectations" a late work, so they represent both ends of the spectrum, so to speak. I'd suggest "Great Expectations"; it's a wonderful story with a real "twist in the tail". I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Thanks Harry, I'll pick up your version of Great Expectations from the upload forum.

HarryT · 03-07-2009, 09:38 AM

Please do let me know what you think of it once you've read it!

03-04-2009, 05:53 AM	#1
zipzip Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2.0	Cannot get author to "stick" with Book Designer or Mobipocket Creator Perhaps someone can help me. I am trying to do the most basic of tasks: convert the text file of a book into a .prc file to read on my Kindle. The conversion works fine, the book turns out fine, but with one problem: no matter what I do, the author will not display on the Kindle. I like to sort my Kindle books by author, but anything I've converted myself is at the very end of the title list, with no author displayed. I re-converted the book several times from scratch with Book Designer, making sure to assign the author and title correctly. In the finished product, the title displays perfectly on the Kindle, but the author field is blank. I converted the text file again with Mobipocket Creator, adding the author and a .jpg for a cover picture. However, after conversion, even within Mobipocket Creator, the author field had been blanked and the .jpg was gone. Again, the text converted fine, is readable on my Kindle, and the title displays perfectly. Just no author or title page photo. The info won't seem to "stick." What am I doing wrong?

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03-04-2009, 05:56 AM	#2
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Did you click on the 'Update' button after entering the author data and cover image in MobiCreator? I don't think it saves it otherwise.

03-04-2009, 06:03 AM	#4
zipzip Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2.0	There's an update button? Let me try it again.

03-04-2009, 06:11 AM	#5
zipzip Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2.0	Yay! It worked! Thanks, guys!

03-04-2009, 06:13 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes; each page in Mobi Creator has an "Update" button at the bottom of the page. You need to click that button in order for the changes to be written back to the OPF file. Mobi creator is basically just a "GUI editor" for creating and editing the OPF file.

03-04-2009, 07:04 AM	#8
zipzip Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2.0	And, Harry, thanks also for the time and care you spent on your Dickens books posted here on the website. One of the first things I did after receiving my Kindle 2 the other day (which is my first e-book reader of any sort) was to go looking for illustrated, Kindle-compatible editions of the Dickens novels. The original Phiz et al. illustrations were a must. I did not see any on Amazon, and had just about given up hope, but a Google eventually search led me here. They are truly wonderful. Thank you.

03-07-2009, 04:27 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	My pleasure. I am constantly working to improve them - a fully proofed version of "The Old Curiosity Shop" should be ready to post in a few weeks.

03-07-2009, 09:25 AM	#11
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'd go for one of the shorter ones - "Bleak House" and "David Copperfield", while wonderful books, are extremely long and are perhaps not the thing to jump into first. "Oliver Twist" and "Great Expectations" are both relatively short and, I must admit, among my favourites. "Oliver Twist" was one of Dickens' very early books, "Great Expectations" a late work, so they represent both ends of the spectrum, so to speak. I'd suggest "Great Expectations"; it's a wonderful story with a real "twist in the tail". I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

03-07-2009, 09:38 AM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Please do let me know what you think of it once you've read it!

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