How to save settings without converting?

[Ebby]

Hello,

I am a new user of Calibre (as well of the e-reader, I have it since last Wednesday). I encounter few problems in using Calibre. I start this post with my first question I couldn't find an existing post on the forum with the search. I hope one of you can help me.

There are some changes/adjustments that I would like to make without having to convert files. Let me explain, for example the creation of a first page in the book with the metadata or the fact that the book's cover does not increase so it does not deform. I find how to make these adjustments, but only through the conversion. But when my file is already based in the correct format (epub) than I didn't need to convert it. In this case how to make these settings take effect?

[kiwidude]

You can do an epub to epub conversion if you want to use calibre to make the changes.

Alternatively to strip the metadata jacket, you can use the Modify ePub plugin. It might also be the case that if you set your default conversion settings to preserve the aspect ratio, that using the "Update metadata" option of Modify ePub will also do that second issue for you.

Otherwise you will have to edit the epub manually. You can either do this by using Tweak ePub on the right-click menu (hit T), or use the Open With plugin and install Sigil.

[Ebby]

Hi Kiwidude,

Is making epub to epub conversion can have some inconvenient?
When it is done how can I recognize the converted epub from the other?

I just find the Modify ePub plugin (and saw you were the creator), but before installing it just a question because I'm not sure that I understood well your explication (my english is very limited and more for this king of technical language); is this plugin will allow me to save the changes I do (the creation of the metatada page, justify the texte, etc. or it is only for the cover thing?

I dont thing I am able to edit it manually

[kiwidude]

If you have already converted those epubs in the past using calibre, there is no harm in doing another epub->epub conversion on them. If they are "original retail" versions then some people choose not to do that route and modify them using other means. If you are using default calibre settings then after a conversion calibre will have an original_epub (which is your file as it is now), and an epub version (the file after conversion), both attached to the same book record. So you can do the conversion and ee if you are happy with the result and if not just remove it. This is controllable via a calibre setting, if you have that turned off then the epub just replaces itself.

Modify ePub will automatically make whatever changes you tick in the options directly to the epub. And of the changes it is capable of making, certainly it can remove or insert the metadata jackets. Whether it can modify the cover depends on a number of factors - the "Update metadata (including cover)" option is the only one you can try at the moment. It does exactly the same to the epub as calibre would do when you choose Send to Device or Save to Disk, which is to update the internal metadata about the book, as well as attempt to replace the cover with the latest one you have in calibre. Note it can only do that cover modification if the cover is identifiable in te epub - which is a complex set of conditions but if the epub has been converted by calibre in the past then it won't be an issue.

[Ebby]

Ok I installed the Modify ePub plugin and I think it does not doing the changes on the metadata first page. I suppose than that in my case it will be to use for the cover issue.

So the unique solution for me seems to be to do an epub to epub conversion. But is that mean that if for example I had created the first page metadata converting the file and after I add a new category to that book, if I want that this new category shown on the metadata first page I must make again a conversion, is that right? I mean Calibre either your plugin doesn't synchronies these changes on that fisrt page.

[Ebby]

You posted your answer when I was writing mine. So it will not be possible to change that first page doing epub to epub convert as you tell me that once we do a conversion with Calibre than it is impossible to do it again.

So I'm again on the starting point. Maybe I should look to the other software you were talking about. But as I don't know the informatic language I'm a little afraid to make manuel editing.

[Ebby]

Ok I made some test and it seems possible to reconvert an epub (already converted once with Calibre) to epub.

So the changes I make on the first metadata page is appears in the converted book.

[Ebby]

For the cover modifications your plug-in works perfectly kiwidude, thank you very much!