Kindle Paperwhite: Missing Sideloaded Covers?

Otter · 10-02-2012, 03:05 PM

Probably too soon to ask, but I'm wondering if anyone could help with something. I'm new to the kindle/mobi world and am experiencing a bit of trouble with some missing covers. With some (not all) of my .mobi files, if I move them into the documents folder on the PW via USB cable manually, or have calibre do it, sometimes the covers of these books will be missing (replaced by a generic kindle cover it looks like). If I take the same file and send it to the kindle cloud storage and then tell amazon to send it to my PW it shows up with the cover, but with a white bar labelled "Personal" at the bottom of the book cover--which I can live with, but find a bit annoying.

Anyone have any tips/tricks/suggestions for me to try?

Many thanks in advance for any help!

~Otter

AnemicOak · 10-02-2012, 03:13 PM

IIRC when this has come up on other Kindle apps/devices checking the "Enable sharing of..." box under mobi conversion setting in Calibre fixed it. I could be remembering wrong though.

Otter · 10-02-2012, 03:28 PM

Thank you, I will definitely go give that a try! On another note, I am guessing there is no way to remove the white "Personal" label that amazon places on the bottom of any personal document?

Thanks again-

tomsem · 10-02-2012, 03:55 PM

(this is based on Kindle Touch, my PW won't be delivered until tomorrow, but they should be very similar)

The images you see don't come directly from the book file. They're to be found in /system/thumbnails. They're all 157 pixels wide (this might be more like 200 pixels on KPW because of the greater resolution). The height is proportional to the original cover image. I believe Kindle generates these on the fly from cover images found in the book file (or application).

But at least on Fire, cover images have to be of some magic dimensions before the thumbnails will generate and display. When you send things to personal document service metadata (and covers presumably) get 'sanitized' so these will always work. But when sideloaded, this sanitization doesn' t happen. So I'd check the cover dimensions calibre is using and compare ones that work with those that don't, and see if a pattern emerges (for example, if larger resolution images always fail). Or you might search the Fire forum here for the thread discussing the similar issue (I've just read about it, but haven't dealt with it directly myself).

tomsem · 10-02-2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

Thank you, I will definitely go give that a try! On another note, I am guessing there is no way to remove the white "Personal" label that amazon places on the bottom of any personal document?

Thanks again-

I'd be surprised if there were, short of a hack. They probably think of this as a feature or convenience, not an annoyance. It is probably an overlay on top of the thumbnail, not in the thumbnail itself.

Blossom · 10-02-2012, 06:25 PM

Oh good to know the covers of Pdocs do work. This is one of the reasons I am getting a PW. The KF generic white covers bug drives me nuts.

BenG · 10-02-2012, 07:17 PM

You can change it to list view like the Touch if it bothers you.
I think I may prefer that way. It shows more books.

Greg G · 10-02-2012, 10:32 PM

Having the same problem. Tried the Fire trick of removing the [PDOC] tag but no joy. I also tried a number of different image sizes. Will keep trying.

AnemicOak · 10-02-2012, 11:03 PM

OK, I did the same book three different ways and here's what I get...

The source is an ePub I just purchased yesterday.

1) Convert from ePub to Mobi in Calibre with no special settings.
Result: Mobi book that shows a placeholder cover, no personal tag

2) Convert using KindlePreviewer
Result: Mobi/KF8 combo that shows the books cover, tagged as personal

3) Convert ePub to Mobi in Calibre with sharing option I mentioned above turned on
Result: Mobi file that shows the books cover, tagged as personal

Blossom · 10-02-2012, 11:10 PM

What about emailing them does the cover show without the share function checked in Calibre?

AnemicOak · 10-02-2012, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

What about emailing them does the cover show without the share function checked in Calibre?

OK, I just emailed the doc from test 1 above and it shows up with a cover and a personal tag.

Blossom · 10-02-2012, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

OK, I just emailed the doc from test 1 above and it shows up with a cover and a personal tag.

That's all I need to know. The KF as we know has issues with this.

Greg G · 10-03-2012, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

OK, I did the same book three different ways and here's what I get...

The source is an ePub I just purchased yesterday.

1) Convert from ePub to Mobi in Calibre with no special settings.
Result: Mobi book that shows a placeholder cover, no personal tag

2) Convert using KindlePreviewer
Result: Mobi/KF8 combo that shows the books cover, tagged as personal

3) Convert ePub to Mobi in Calibre with sharing option I mentioned above turned on
Result: Mobi file that shows the books cover, tagged as personal

Same experience here (did 1 and 3). I decided to go with option 3. Note that this is also being discussed in the Calibre forum (go to 2nd page. First is a guy who is having problems that we did to have)

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=192561

ixtab · 10-03-2012, 12:58 AM

The technical explanation for this is that if a book's metadata contains an ASIN, the system will try to download the book cover from Amazon.

By default, calibre generates a fake ASIN (a GUID) and inserts it into the book's metadata. So the Kindle will say "Hey, I'll ask online for the cover", but the webservice obviously doesn't know the ID of the book.

Checking the facebook option in the calibre options prevents calibre from putting that fake ASIN in the book, so the cover is taken from the file, instead of searching for it online.

Spoiler:

Blossom · 10-03-2012, 01:01 AM

Do you think this is the KFs problem as well? The ASIN?

10-02-2012, 03:05 PM	#1
Otter Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 79 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fairfax, Va Device: PRS-500, PRS-505, PRS-650, ipod Touch, ipad 2, Droid X, NC	Kindle Paperwhite: Missing Sideloaded Covers? Probably too soon to ask, but I'm wondering if anyone could help with something. I'm new to the kindle/mobi world and am experiencing a bit of trouble with some missing covers. With some (not all) of my .mobi files, if I move them into the documents folder on the PW via USB cable manually, or have calibre do it, sometimes the covers of these books will be missing (replaced by a generic kindle cover it looks like). If I take the same file and send it to the kindle cloud storage and then tell amazon to send it to my PW it shows up with the cover, but with a white bar labelled "Personal" at the bottom of the book cover--which I can live with, but find a bit annoying. Anyone have any tips/tricks/suggestions for me to try? Many thanks in advance for any help! ~Otter

10-02-2012, 03:13 PM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 7,401 Karma: 18771935 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: AuraHD, Nook HD+, Kindle 2,3,T , Opus, TF101, Nexus7, iPT, iPhone5	IIRC when this has come up on other Kindle apps/devices checking the "Enable sharing of..." box under mobi conversion setting in Calibre fixed it. I could be remembering wrong though. __________________ ~Brian "The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The trouble with most fiction is that you want them all to land in hell together, as quickly as possible." — Mark Twain

10-02-2012, 07:17 PM	#7
BenG Wizard Posts: 3,191 Karma: 39866013 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Triad Device: Paperwhite	You can change it to list view like the Touch if it bothers you. I think I may prefer that way. It shows more books. __________________ Ben Mockingbird by Walter Tevis

10-02-2012, 10:32 PM	#8
Greg G Groupie Posts: 181 Karma: 66 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NJ Device: Kindle Papwerwhite	Having the same problem. Tried the Fire trick of removing the [PDOC] tag but no joy. I also tried a number of different image sizes. Will keep trying. __________________ Greg

10-02-2012, 11:03 PM	#9
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 7,401 Karma: 18771935 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: AuraHD, Nook HD+, Kindle 2,3,T , Opus, TF101, Nexus7, iPT, iPhone5	OK, I did the same book three different ways and here's what I get... The source is an ePub I just purchased yesterday. 1) Convert from ePub to Mobi in Calibre with no special settings. Result: Mobi book that shows a placeholder cover, no personal tag 2) Convert using KindlePreviewer Result: Mobi/KF8 combo that shows the books cover, tagged as personal 3) Convert ePub to Mobi in Calibre with sharing option I mentioned above turned on Result: Mobi file that shows the books cover, tagged as personal __________________ ~Brian "The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The trouble with most fiction is that you want them all to land in hell together, as quickly as possible." — Mark Twain

10-02-2012, 03:28 PM	#3
Otter Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 79 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fairfax, Va Device: PRS-500, PRS-505, PRS-650, ipod Touch, ipad 2, Droid X, NC	Thank you, I will definitely go give that a try! On another note, I am guessing there is no way to remove the white "Personal" label that amazon places on the bottom of any personal document? Thanks again-

10-02-2012, 03:55 PM	#4
tomsem Wizard Posts: 2,044 Karma: 1889878 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPod Touch, Nook STR, Xoom, Kindle Touch, PW & Fire, Sony PRS-T1, iPad	(this is based on Kindle Touch, my PW won't be delivered until tomorrow, but they should be very similar) The images you see don't come directly from the book file. They're to be found in /system/thumbnails. They're all 157 pixels wide (this might be more like 200 pixels on KPW because of the greater resolution). The height is proportional to the original cover image. I believe Kindle generates these on the fly from cover images found in the book file (or application). But at least on Fire, cover images have to be of some magic dimensions before the thumbnails will generate and display. When you send things to personal document service metadata (and covers presumably) get 'sanitized' so these will always work. But when sideloaded, this sanitization doesn' t happen. So I'd check the cover dimensions calibre is using and compare ones that work with those that don't, and see if a pattern emerges (for example, if larger resolution images always fail). Or you might search the Fire forum here for the thread discussing the similar issue (I've just read about it, but haven't dealt with it directly myself).

10-02-2012, 06:25 PM	#6
Blossom Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,788 Karma: 4486914 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Eastern TN Device: PW/K4B/K4S/K3+3G KFire/SGP 5.0/LG Vortex	Oh good to know the covers of Pdocs do work. This is one of the reasons I am getting a PW. The KF generic white covers bug drives me nuts.

10-02-2012, 11:10 PM	#10
Blossom Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,788 Karma: 4486914 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Eastern TN Device: PW/K4B/K4S/K3+3G KFire/SGP 5.0/LG Vortex	What about emailing them does the cover show without the share function checked in Calibre?

10-03-2012, 12:58 AM	#14
ixtab Mayan Goddess Posts: 2,294 Karma: 4929663 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: K3/K4/K5/PW	The technical explanation for this is that if a book's metadata contains an ASIN, the system will try to download the book cover from Amazon. By default, calibre generates a fake ASIN (a GUID) and inserts it into the book's metadata. So the Kindle will say "Hey, I'll ask online for the cover", but the webservice obviously doesn't know the ID of the book. Checking the facebook option in the calibre options prevents calibre from putting that fake ASIN in the book, so the cover is taken from the file, instead of searching for it online. Spoiler: This is probably exactly the same code as on the Kindle Touch, where it is fixed via an (unofficial) patch. See this post (and the following one) for more info. PS: It will take some time, but with 99% confidence, JBPatch will eventually also support the Paperwhite.

10-03-2012, 01:01 AM	#15
Blossom Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,788 Karma: 4486914 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Eastern TN Device: PW/K4B/K4S/K3+3G KFire/SGP 5.0/LG Vortex	Do you think this is the KFs problem as well? The ASIN?

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