Thank you for your replies. I still don't understand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BetterRed
The editor has an option to embed it on open, you probably have it checked.
Attachment 205931
I think checked is the default setting.
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Yes, I looked up this option in my editor, indeed it's checked, and indeed it's the default. However, what is the meaning of that option ? Please read until the end in order to understand exactly what it is I do not understand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirtel
No. Without embedding, the changes are in the calibre database, but not in the file itself. If, for instance, you manually copy/paste the file from your calibre library folder elsewhere, the changes won't be there. Calibre embeds the metadata in the file while sending to device and saving to disk, and you can also do it by using the tools you mentioned.
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There are two things I do not understand :
1.- What is changed and what is not changed when you do not embed.
2.- Why you should, apparently, not embed, since not embedding seems to be the default procedure, judging from the fact there are those two special tools to embed (
Polish Books and
Embed Metadata).
When should you embed ? When should you not embed ? Why is it important and why do we have the choice ?
Regarding point 1, I have trouble understanding the statement that
"without embedding, the changes are in the calibre database, but not in the file itself".
My understanding is that the metadata managed by Calibre is in two different places : the
metadata.opf file, which is inside the Calibre database but outside of the
.epub file (which is actually an archive), and the
content.opf file, which is part of the
.epub file containing the actual text of the book.
Is that correct ?
If so, does it mean that, if one does not embed, changing the metadata through the user interface only changes the
metadata.opf file, not the
content.opf file ? But the
content.opf file is changed as well as soon as one sends the book to an e-reader, or save it to disk ?
And does embedding mean that both
.opf files are changed without any of those operations taking place, if one uses
Polish Book or
Embed Metadata ?
If that's the case, why is it that making changes through the user interface, then opening the editor to check, one sees that the changes have, indeed, been applied to the
content.opf file ? Is it only the action of opening the editor which applies this change, which would not have happened otherwise ?
If so, should not one refrain from using the editor at all ? If
"not embedding" is the normal, recommended course of action, should not one avoid to open the editor, since it
"embeds" ?
I have occasionally used the editor to change some metadata, the adjustment of which did not transfer from the Calibre UI to my Kobo. I noticed that when applying the
Save command of the editor, the changes I made in the
content.opf file were not, in fact, saved. I had to use the
Save a Copy command, then reimport the book into Calibre.
How is that explained in the context of embedding / not embedding ? It's so different from what happens when you use a normal editor on the configuration file of a program, for instance.
Which brings me to point 2 : what is the logic ? what is the philosophy ? what is the recommended course of action ?
Thank you for your patience !
