How to permanently overwrite metadata?

cptsquid · 10-24-2012, 09:08 AM

I've edited the metadata on all my ebooks in calibre and it works fine on the computer (calibre shows the changes in title, author, series, etc). However any time I move those books to my tablet, the ereader software only sees the original metadata which is a pain since often the author name was missing, or the title was in a weird format.
This happens a lot on pdfs mostly though it's happened on one epub for sure.
Any suggestions on what I need to do to overwrite the original metadata?
Thanks.

itimpi · 10-24-2012, 09:14 AM

Are you using the Calibre 'Save to ...' or the 'Send to ...' type dialogs. These update the metadata during the transfer. If you are simply using the OS level copy facility then metadata is not updated. The other way to get updated metadata embedded into a book is to run a conversion.

cptsquid · 10-24-2012, 01:41 PM

"... If you are simply using the OS level copy facility then metadata is not updated. ..."

Oh. Did not know that. I just assumed that it overwrote the metadata when you edited it.
Is there any way to do so outside of doing a conversion?
I tried to use calibre to send to device but it just won't recognize it at all. (Lenovo K1). Doesn't even register the plugged device. No clue why. It shows up as drive when I plug it in on explorer, so I thought it met the requirements but...

Gunnerp245 · 10-24-2012, 02:45 PM

The Modify Epub plugin will change metadata and or items without doing a conversion to "EPUB".

Quote:

UI plugin that allows you to make automated modifications to your ePub without performing Calibre conversions.
Can act as a partner to the Quality Check plugin to allow "cleanup" of ePubs that fail some checks.

cptsquid · 10-24-2012, 08:20 PM

Anything like that for pdf's?

DoctorOhh · 10-24-2012, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptsquid

Anything like that for pdf's?

Have you done as itimpi suggested and used the Save to disk or Send to device features. Either of these should embed the metadata (title and author) in you file, although I don't belief it will update the cover.

You can use the Connect to folder option to utilize the Send to device feature, sending your books to any folder without actually sending books to your tablet.

Good Luck.

BetterRed · 10-25-2012, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptsquid

Anything like that for pdf's?

Just a variation on what the good Dr... said

If, after updating the metadata, you save the PDF to disk (you can do that by right clicking the PDF in Book details) then Calibre will inject its Title, Author(s) and Tags into the PDF Title, Author and Keywords metadata

That's based on what I see in the Tracker Xchange PDF Viewer. It doesn't put Comments in the PDF Description field

It would be nice if there was a checkbox on the Edit Metadata dialogue for "Update Metadata in the Book Format files now".

It's not intuitively obvious that after clicking OK in the Metadata Editor that one has to do an extra step to see the information you just updated inside the actual book file. It momentarily flummoxes me frequently.

These 'tools' may be of interest

BeCyPDFMetaEdit

A-PDF InfoChanger

BR

cptsquid · 10-25-2012, 11:03 PM

Thanks all for your replies.

I'm not sure I understand though. Save to disk - when I click on this it asks where I want to save it. But I've already saved it in the library, haven't I?

Is the only way to save the new metadata to resave it? Or am I missing something?

PeterT · 10-25-2012, 11:07 PM

Save to disk will save a copy of the book OUTSIDE of the library.

Think of the calibre library, it's folders and books as a blackbox. Save to disk will save the material outside the box, where YOU want and where YOU can do what you want with it.

itimpi · 10-26-2012, 01:46 AM

I have always thought that the "Save to Disk" option should be renamed to something like "Export to Disk" to avoid just this sort of confusion. That would also emphasize the fact that it was the fact of getting the book out of the Calibre library that causes its metadata to be updated.

theducks · 10-26-2012, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

I have always thought that the "Save to Disk" option should be renamed to something like "Export to Disk" to avoid just this sort of confusion. That would also emphasize the fact that it was the fact of getting the book out of the Calibre library that causes its metadata to be updated.

Calibre is one of the few Windows programs that does not use 'Save' or 'Apply' to keep the changed contents (most Database have a close Connection/disconnect even thought the data is instantly stored).

Since many users come from a Spreadsheet / Word processor background, they are used to seeing/using a 'Save' for internal data and 'Export' to Send to a different type/place.

Calibre is not incorrect in its usage, just confusing to novice users

BetterRed · 10-26-2012, 07:39 AM

As I said

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

It would be nice if there was a checkbox on the Edit Metadata dialogue for "Update Metadata in the Book Format files now".

It's not intuitively obvious that after clicking OK in the Metadata Editor that one has to do an extra step to see the information you just updated inside the actual book file. It momentarily flummoxes me frequently.

AFAIK there's no modify PDF, and whilst doing a PDF to PDF conversion will inject the metadata - the output file will probably not be fit for purpose

So the thing to do is to write it to the desktop (that will put the Calibre title, authors and tags into that PDF), delete the PDF from calibre, add the one you just copied to the desktop back into the book (drop it on to Book Details panel), delete the pdf from the desktop. Now the PDF in the book folder will have the same metadata as Calibre - except I found a glitch

If the Author field in the PDF is not empty - e.g. in contains "garbage", then when the book is saved the Author which Calibre has will not replace the "garbage". This glitch is also true for RTF files - the author is only updated if its empty. I suspect some people wouldn't know where/how to empty the "garbage" out of the Author metadata field in a PDF or RTF

Maybe this issue needs to be addressed by the powers that be

BR

cptsquid · 10-26-2012, 08:30 AM

alright, trying it now. Saving the library to disk (why bother one at a time. :P) Figure the ones that are ok won't change so no harm done.
Will post if it worked.

cptsquid · 10-26-2012, 10:44 AM

booya! Seemed to work. Least wise all the books I've transferred over to the tablet are reading the correct title/author info.
Tags didn't seem to be transferred, but meh. Not necessary as long as series info is kept (which haven't had issues with before so hope not to now).

It's interesting to me that the sony reader I've been using till now never had any probs, but the tablet did - given the respective relative capabilities of each device.

DoctorOhh · 10-26-2012, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptsquid

It's interesting to me that the sony reader I've been using till now never had any probs, but the tablet did - given the respective relative capabilities of each device.

When you used the Send to device feature to export the books out of the calibre library to the Sony device the metadata was updated. Also as an ereader no other device is better integrated with calibre then the Sony devices. Although the newer android devices using the calibre companion app comes very close, most likely due to the same developer behind each device plugin.

10-24-2012, 09:08 AM	#1
cptsquid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: sony ereader	How to permanently overwrite metadata? I've edited the metadata on all my ebooks in calibre and it works fine on the computer (calibre shows the changes in title, author, series, etc). However any time I move those books to my tablet, the ereader software only sees the original metadata which is a pain since often the author name was missing, or the title was in a weird format. This happens a lot on pdfs mostly though it's happened on one epub for sure. Any suggestions on what I need to do to overwrite the original metadata? Thanks.

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10-24-2012, 09:14 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Are you using the Calibre 'Save to ...' or the 'Send to ...' type dialogs. These update the metadata during the transfer. If you are simply using the OS level copy facility then metadata is not updated. The other way to get updated metadata embedded into a book is to run a conversion.

10-24-2012, 01:41 PM	#3
cptsquid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: sony ereader	"... If you are simply using the OS level copy facility then metadata is not updated. ..." Oh. Did not know that. I just assumed that it overwrote the metadata when you edited it. Is there any way to do so outside of doing a conversion? I tried to use calibre to send to device but it just won't recognize it at all. (Lenovo K1). Doesn't even register the plugged device. No clue why. It shows up as drive when I plug it in on explorer, so I thought it met the requirements but...

10-24-2012, 08:20 PM	#5
cptsquid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: sony ereader	Anything like that for pdf's?

10-25-2012, 11:03 PM	#8
cptsquid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: sony ereader	Thanks all for your replies. I'm not sure I understand though. Save to disk - when I click on this it asks where I want to save it. But I've already saved it in the library, haven't I? Is the only way to save the new metadata to resave it? Or am I missing something?

10-25-2012, 11:07 PM	#9
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,168 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Save to disk will save a copy of the book OUTSIDE of the library. Think of the calibre library, it's folders and books as a blackbox. Save to disk will save the material outside the box, where YOU want and where YOU can do what you want with it.

10-26-2012, 01:46 AM	#10
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I have always thought that the "Save to Disk" option should be renamed to something like "Export to Disk" to avoid just this sort of confusion. That would also emphasize the fact that it was the fact of getting the book out of the Calibre library that causes its metadata to be updated.

10-26-2012, 08:30 AM	#13
cptsquid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: sony ereader	alright, trying it now. Saving the library to disk (why bother one at a time. :P) Figure the ones that are ok won't change so no harm done. Will post if it worked.

10-26-2012, 10:44 AM	#14
cptsquid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: sony ereader	booya! Seemed to work. Least wise all the books I've transferred over to the tablet are reading the correct title/author info. Tags didn't seem to be transferred, but meh. Not necessary as long as series info is kept (which haven't had issues with before so hope not to now). It's interesting to me that the sony reader I've been using till now never had any probs, but the tablet did - given the respective relative capabilities of each device.

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