Embedded cover in epub

Patricia1066 · 11-01-2012, 05:58 AM

I am using a Blackberry Playbook with Book Reader (the version which does not support folders) so I copy the epub plus cover jpg to the PB in order to make the books look good. The BR software uses both files to create a book with cover.

I can recommend the PB as a reader and like the BR software, its totally stable and very configurable. I just have one problem - I have hundreds of book files with covers in a single directory on PB, and would prefer to embed the cover in the epub at the Calibre conversion stage.

When I convert a file to epub in Calibre, can I embed a cover so only the epub file is needed?

mbovenka · 11-01-2012, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patricia1066

When I convert a file to epub in Calibre, can I embed a cover so only the epub file is needed?

That happens automatically; the epub will have an internal cover. That's why 'Send to Device' at al only send the epub file. It's up to the reader software to actually display it. Does Book Reader not do so?

Patricia1066 · 11-01-2012, 04:48 PM

Yes you are right. The old epub didnt pick up the cover; the same epub created today has an embedded cover.

Patricia1066 · 11-01-2012, 05:43 PM

I have also discovered that if I have an epub without a suitable cover I can update the cover in Calibre, and convert epub to epub; this will embed the cover for Book Reader. If I dont reconvert, the cover wont be embedded by the Generate Cover plugin.

itimpi · 11-02-2012, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patricia1066

I have also discovered that if I have an epub without a suitable cover I can update the cover in Calibre, and convert epub to epub; this will embed the cover for Book Reader. If I dont reconvert, the cover wont be embedded by the Generate Cover plugin.

You can also use the Modify ePub plugin to achieve this. That is faster and avoids the risk of messing up formatting as can happen in the ePub->ePub conversion.

Patricia1066 · 11-02-2012, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

You can also use the Modify ePub plugin to achieve this. That is faster and avoids the risk of messing up formatting as can happen in the ePub->ePub conversion.

I tried that on an epub file which had a cover generated by plugin.
Of the options I chose Remove broken and unused images.

This created an epub cover that had an unexpected image. Not the Generate plugin cover image. It turned out that there was at least one image already associated in the html, which must have been the one that got on the epub cover.

I reviewed the Modify epub board discussion but could not find a discussion precisely on my issue. It got too technical for me, if I am honest.

Is there a simple way of getting the plugin generated cover to be embedded using this Modify plugin?

theducks · 11-02-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patricia1066

I tried that on an epub file which had a cover generated by plugin.
Of the options I chose Remove broken and unused images.

This created an epub cover that had an unexpected image. Not the Generate plugin cover image. It turned out that there was at least one image already associated in the html, which must have been the one that got on the epub cover.

I reviewed the Modify epub board discussion but could not find a discussion precisely on my issue. It got too technical for me, if I am honest.

Is there a simple way of getting the plugin generated cover to be embedded using this Modify plugin?

Modify EPUB PI embeds the cover shown in the Library...

So you could first 'Bulk Metadata Edit', ticking the first box at the bottom in the 'Cover' section, then do the 'Modify EPUB thing.

Patricia1066 · 11-02-2012, 12:24 PM

I tested this on a book file. It substitutes the amazon generated cover with the default cover. It would take too much time to replace all of these covers in my pretty large library so it wont work for me.

Its interesting that Modify epub has done something unexpected, as library view showed the cover provided by Generate cover plugin, yet it chose the hitherto undetected jpg hidden in the epub. There was no option such as embed the current cover.

kiwidude · 11-02-2012, 12:29 PM

It doesn't sound like you are using the right option in the Modify ePub plugin. You need to tick "Insert or replace cover" to get whatever cover you have associated the book with in calibre (such as by using the Generate Cover plugin or downlaoding metadata) inserted at the front of the ePub.

If you instead just tick "Remove existing cover" it is going to remove whatever cover page is currently set, and the book will open at whatever page happens to be next. Which might be an image page of some kind, or it might be text, depends on what is inside each book.

Patricia1066 · 11-02-2012, 04:39 PM

Thanks kiwidude that works.

11-01-2012, 05:58 AM	#1
Patricia1066 Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 19836 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bromley, UK Device: Blackberry Playbook, Kindle 3, PRS-300, ipod touch	[Solved] Embedded cover in epub I am using a Blackberry Playbook with Book Reader (the version which does not support folders) so I copy the epub plus cover jpg to the PB in order to make the books look good. The BR software uses both files to create a book with cover. I can recommend the PB as a reader and like the BR software, its totally stable and very configurable. I just have one problem - I have hundreds of book files with covers in a single directory on PB, and would prefer to embed the cover in the epub at the Calibre conversion stage. When I convert a file to epub in Calibre, can I embed a cover so only the epub file is needed? Last edited by Patricia1066; 11-01-2012 at 05:45 PM.

11-01-2012, 04:48 PM	#3
Patricia1066 Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 19836 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bromley, UK Device: Blackberry Playbook, Kindle 3, PRS-300, ipod touch	Yes you are right. The old epub didnt pick up the cover; the same epub created today has an embedded cover. Last edited by Patricia1066; 11-01-2012 at 04:57 PM. Reason: Checked up to see if it worked. Changed my mind!

11-02-2012, 12:29 PM	#9
kiwidude calibre/Sigil Developer Posts: 4,087 Karma: 1211084 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London, UK Device: Kindle 3 3G, iPad 2, iPad 3	It doesn't sound like you are using the right option in the Modify ePub plugin. You need to tick "Insert or replace cover" to get whatever cover you have associated the book with in calibre (such as by using the Generate Cover plugin or downlaoding metadata) inserted at the front of the ePub. If you instead just tick "Remove existing cover" it is going to remove whatever cover page is currently set, and the book will open at whatever page happens to be next. Which might be an image page of some kind, or it might be text, depends on what is inside each book. __________________ Like my calibre plugins or Sigil work? Say thanks with PayPal

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11-01-2012, 05:43 PM	#4
Patricia1066 Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 19836 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bromley, UK Device: Blackberry Playbook, Kindle 3, PRS-300, ipod touch	I have also discovered that if I have an epub without a suitable cover I can update the cover in Calibre, and convert epub to epub; this will embed the cover for Book Reader. If I dont reconvert, the cover wont be embedded by the Generate Cover plugin.

11-02-2012, 12:24 PM	#8
Patricia1066 Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 19836 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bromley, UK Device: Blackberry Playbook, Kindle 3, PRS-300, ipod touch	I tested this on a book file. It substitutes the amazon generated cover with the default cover. It would take too much time to replace all of these covers in my pretty large library so it wont work for me. Its interesting that Modify epub has done something unexpected, as library view showed the cover provided by Generate cover plugin, yet it chose the hitherto undetected jpg hidden in the epub. There was no option such as embed the current cover.

11-02-2012, 04:39 PM	#10
Patricia1066 Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 19836 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bromley, UK Device: Blackberry Playbook, Kindle 3, PRS-300, ipod touch	Thanks kiwidude that works.


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