bug ? calibre epub viewer shows old title

cybmole · 02-28-2011, 11:16 AM

choose a book - change it's title from OLD to NEW via edit metadata
select view (epub default). the viewer has OLD names in it's top border.
where is it getting that from & what will force it to update - apart from completely closing calibre ?

i thought maybe that viewer was using data in jacket.html within epub but I remove that, save , view, still see OLD name ?.

PS thread title should say bug, not nug

Manichean · 02-28-2011, 11:52 AM

I guess when the viewer gets called it just opens the book file from the library directory. Metadata in the files themselves is only updated on conversions, as far as I know.

cybmole · 02-28-2011, 12:00 PM

so where do you think the old data is still held - in metadata.db, or in a file in the book title subdirectory.

I can't see the old data anywhere in the book.epub, and the issue persists after converting that epub to mobi so I doubt that it is in the .opf file in the book folder either. The epub file name reflects the changed title.
but if I view the .mobi conversion output with same viewer - I see the NEW title., view the epub again, see OLD title

can you reproduce , & then debug this better that i can.

I just know that if I report it as a bug, Kovid will come back with a reason as to why it isn't - happens every time :-(

ps. nug now reads bug - tick, thanks. caliubre is yet another title typo.

PPS I looked in my backup library. OLD was the file name, before I edited the book metadata i.e. in my backup the book file is OLD.epub. in my current library it is now NEW.epub, but shows as OLD in viewer.

Manichean · 02-28-2011, 12:44 PM

I just tested this:
Picked a book and viewed it to confirm that the metadata in the book (ePub) is consistent with the metadata in the DB (I'm using the Calibre ebook viewer to read in-file metadata via the "i" button). Edited metadata and re-viewed the ePub, the data is the old metadata (this is, as I wrote expected behaviour). Converted to Mobi (I didn't want to overwrite my ePub) and viewed the Mobi file, the metadata is the edited metadata (Again, this is expected behaviour).
The file names would of course change, since Calibre needs to keep the library folder structure in sync with its database. I forgot to monitor that during the test, but a quick metadata edit confirms this.

I'm not totally clear on what behaviour you're seeing, in your last post you mentioned seeing no sign of the old metadata in the ePub file, implying that Calibre updated the in-file metadata during your edit? Also, the metadata in metadata.opf is kept current the same way the file name is kept current.

cybmole · 02-28-2011, 01:36 PM

you confirm what I am seeing - when I insepct filenames ( via open path) I see new.epub in my working library, old.epub in my backup library, so I deduce that using edit metadata cause the epub book files name to change ( but not any of its contents)
I don't know how much about .opf file format, but trying to read it in notepad indicates that it holds NEW title...

I did suspect jacket.html as mentioned before but removing that & saving with sigil does not change the viewer behaviour. the OLD title was in jacket.html but that's now gone .
so the viewer can't be getting its info from there.

the i button shows NEW metadata. the epub file name is NEW, calibre's metadata.db I assume matches NEW metadata. where is OLD title hiding out ?

AHA - via tweak epub - the OLD title is in toc.ncx. I thought sigil zapped & replaced that; obviously it does not do a thorough job, I see OLD title in sigil F8 meta editor also.

so you reckon this will not update until such time as I do an epub to epub convert in calibre, or a send to disc/device operation ?

I don't much mind if that is the case, but i expected edit (book title) metadata to update all relevant locations - i guess it doesn't because calibre maintains a distinction between book & metadata, & only touches the former when asked to convert ?

Starson17 · 02-28-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

i expected edit (book title) metadata to update all relevant locations

Calibre only updates its own metadata: metadata.db, metadata.opf and directory/file names, not internal book metadata. The internal metadata is only updated when you export the book.

Quote:

calibre maintains a distinction between book & metadata, & only touches the former when asked to convert ?

.
When converting and when it exports the book in any of several ways.

Manichean · 02-28-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

you confirm what I am seeing - when I insepct filenames ( via open path) I see new.epub in my working library, old.epub in my backup library, so I deduce that using edit metadata cause the epub book files name to change ( but not any of its contents)
I don't know how much about .opf file format, but trying to read it in notepad indicates that it holds NEW title...

Well, then everything works as it should.

Quote:

so you reckon this will not update until such time as I do an epub to epub convert in calibre, or a send to disc/device operation ?

That is my understanding.

Perkin · 03-01-2011, 06:17 AM

The viewer's Title bar is getting the title from the <dc:title> element in the opf file in the epub, thus it will show the old data until it's updated by conversion

cybmole · 03-03-2011, 07:40 AM

surely it would be better design for the viewer to read & use current metadata ?

Manichean · 03-03-2011, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

surely it would be better design for the viewer to read & use current metadata ?

That would complicate things programming wise, as you'd have to differentiate between opening books from the library, where the current metadata should be read from metadata.db (which the ebook reader would have to have support for in the first place) and opening books anywhere else, where the metadata would have to be read from the file.

cybmole · 03-03-2011, 10:01 AM

OK, but I didn't say "easier", just better - at least when the calibre viewer is activated by selecting it from toolbar WITHIN calibre main program, it would make sense for it to use the current title from metadata

kiwidude · 03-03-2011, 10:26 AM

I would +1 the "better" comment for if the behaviour was changed.

Until I eventually figured out what was going on when I first got Calibre I was constantly confused as to why the title in the viewer window frequently bore no relation to the title in Calibre.

The only time I found this to be a problem though is when you are trying to resolve duplicates, and you open up two different versions of an EPUB say. You have to be very careful to remember which order you opened them in and which Calibre row you had clicked on. Whereas if it used the title from Calibre this would be a lot less painful. Re-generating a book just so you can open it with the right title when you are about to delete one of them anyway isn't the best solution imho.

02-28-2011, 11:16 AM	#1
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	bug ? calibre epub viewer shows old title choose a book - change it's title from OLD to NEW via edit metadata select view (epub default). the viewer has OLD names in it's top border. where is it getting that from & what will force it to update - apart from completely closing calibre ? i thought maybe that viewer was using data in jacket.html within epub but I remove that, save , view, still see OLD name ?. PS thread title should say bug, not nug Last edited by Manichean; 02-28-2011 at 12:31 PM. Reason: fixed title

02-28-2011, 12:00 PM	#3
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	so where do you think the old data is still held - in metadata.db, or in a file in the book title subdirectory. I can't see the old data anywhere in the book.epub, and the issue persists after converting that epub to mobi so I doubt that it is in the .opf file in the book folder either. The epub file name reflects the changed title. but if I view the .mobi conversion output with same viewer - I see the NEW title., view the epub again, see OLD title can you reproduce , & then debug this better that i can. I just know that if I report it as a bug, Kovid will come back with a reason as to why it isn't - happens every time :-( ps. nug now reads bug - tick, thanks. caliubre is yet another title typo. PPS I looked in my backup library. OLD was the file name, before I edited the book metadata i.e. in my backup the book file is OLD.epub. in my current library it is now NEW.epub, but shows as OLD in viewer. Last edited by cybmole; 02-28-2011 at 12:16 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
[old-topic]ebook-viewer: Open source, crossplatform viewer for EPUB, LIT, MOBI, etc	kovidgoyal	Calibre	68	05-30-2011 08:46 PM
Kindle shows different title then Calibre	DavidSherwood	Devices	1	01-21-2011 05:18 PM
Calibre and Kobo -- device "bookshelf" shows title after delete	corona	Kobo Reader	4	10-26-2010 09:47 PM
eBook Viewer shows multiple titles in the titlebar	Agama	Calibre	2	08-13-2010 11:33 AM
Content PDF: Homescreen shows Filename instead of Title (Metadata)	bear4hunter	Amazon Kindle	1	08-02-2010 12:35 AM

02-28-2011, 11:52 AM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	I guess when the viewer gets called it just opens the book file from the library directory. Metadata in the files themselves is only updated on conversions, as far as I know.

02-28-2011, 12:44 PM	#4
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	I just tested this: Picked a book and viewed it to confirm that the metadata in the book (ePub) is consistent with the metadata in the DB (I'm using the Calibre ebook viewer to read in-file metadata via the "i" button). Edited metadata and re-viewed the ePub, the data is the old metadata (this is, as I wrote expected behaviour). Converted to Mobi (I didn't want to overwrite my ePub) and viewed the Mobi file, the metadata is the edited metadata (Again, this is expected behaviour). The file names would of course change, since Calibre needs to keep the library folder structure in sync with its database. I forgot to monitor that during the test, but a quick metadata edit confirms this. I'm not totally clear on what behaviour you're seeing, in your last post you mentioned seeing no sign of the old metadata in the ePub file, implying that Calibre updated the in-file metadata during your edit? Also, the metadata in metadata.opf is kept current the same way the file name is kept current.

02-28-2011, 01:36 PM	#5
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	you confirm what I am seeing - when I insepct filenames ( via open path) I see new.epub in my working library, old.epub in my backup library, so I deduce that using edit metadata cause the epub book files name to change ( but not any of its contents) I don't know how much about .opf file format, but trying to read it in notepad indicates that it holds NEW title... I did suspect jacket.html as mentioned before but removing that & saving with sigil does not change the viewer behaviour. the OLD title was in jacket.html but that's now gone . so the viewer can't be getting its info from there. the i button shows NEW metadata. the epub file name is NEW, calibre's metadata.db I assume matches NEW metadata. where is OLD title hiding out ? AHA - via tweak epub - the OLD title is in toc.ncx. I thought sigil zapped & replaced that; obviously it does not do a thorough job, I see OLD title in sigil F8 meta editor also. so you reckon this will not update until such time as I do an epub to epub convert in calibre, or a send to disc/device operation ? I don't much mind if that is the case, but i expected edit (book title) metadata to update all relevant locations - i guess it doesn't because calibre maintains a distinction between book & metadata, & only touches the former when asked to convert ?

03-01-2011, 06:17 AM	#8
Perkin Guru Posts: 655 Karma: 64171 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Kent, England, Sol 3, ZZ9 plural Z Alpha Device: Sony PRS-300, Kobo Aura HD, iPad (Marvin)	The viewer's Title bar is getting the title from the <dc:title> element in the opf file in the epub, thus it will show the old data until it's updated by conversion

03-03-2011, 07:40 AM	#9
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	surely it would be better design for the viewer to read & use current metadata ?

03-03-2011, 10:01 AM	#11
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	OK, but I didn't say "easier", just better - at least when the calibre viewer is activated by selecting it from toolbar WITHIN calibre main program, it would make sense for it to use the current title from metadata

03-03-2011, 10:26 AM	#12
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,636 Karma: 2162064 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	I would +1 the "better" comment for if the behaviour was changed. Until I eventually figured out what was going on when I first got Calibre I was constantly confused as to why the title in the viewer window frequently bore no relation to the title in Calibre. The only time I found this to be a problem though is when you are trying to resolve duplicates, and you open up two different versions of an EPUB say. You have to be very careful to remember which order you opened them in and which Calibre row you had clicked on. Whereas if it used the title from Calibre this would be a lot less painful. Re-generating a book just so you can open it with the right title when you are about to delete one of them anyway isn't the best solution imho.

Advert

Advert