Displaying epub cover images in Kindle

fergdeff · 09-19-2023, 09:23 AM

Hey,

I have some follow up questions to this post. I felt this was a more appropriate forum to ask them...

Note: I'm now testing with a simple text file as initial source to keep things simple. Lets call it sample.txt.

So here's the basic process.

1. I import the text file into Calibre, using the Add Books functionality.
2. I convert to EPUB. (In some tests, there are more changes here, but more on that later.)
3. I use Save to Disk.
4. I upload the saved sample.epub to my Kindle library through the Send To Kindle webpage on Amazon.
5. After the upload registers as In Library, I re-Sync through the KDA, the Kindle Desktop App (Windows) and examine the results.

Here are my findings.

Test 1 - The basics

Results: This follows the steps I just outlined and it works as I would expect. The doc appears in the KDA. No cover image. No author name. Can download. Can open and view.

Test 2 - Add author name

This is the same as Test 1, except, I use the Edit Metadata function in Calibre and update the author name.

Results: The doc uploads ok. It appears in the KDA with author name. No cover. Can download. When I try to open the doc, I get: The book could not be opened. (This is repeatable.)

Test 3 - Add author name followed by Polish book feature

This is the same as Test 2, except after adding the Author name, I then use the Polish option to recreate the epub file.

Results: The doc uploads ok. It appears in the KDA with author name. No cover. Can download. Can open and view. Progress.

Test 4 - Add image cover with Polish

This is the same as Test 3, except now I use the Edit Metadata functionality to also add a cover image, before moving to the Polish step.

Results: The doc uploads ok. It appears in the KDA with author name. Can download. Can open and view. Can see the cover image when I open the doc for reading in the KDA - it's at the beginning. But. The cover image doesn't appear as a thumbnail in the KDA library. Instead I still get the default doc icon - even after downloading and viewing the cover within the document.

So, (at last) my question. Is there some way that I can get that cover image to display in the KDA library, or on a Kindle, in the same way that the ebooks I purchase through Amazon do? Is there something I'm not doing, or overlooking?

Wiggo · 09-19-2023, 10:22 AM

I don’t have a Kindle, but IIRC sideloaded books don’t show a cover in the Kindle library.

JSWolf · 09-19-2023, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiggo

I don’t have a Kindle, but IIRC sideloaded books don’t show a cover in the Kindle library.

There are two fixes for this. One is keep WiFi off. The other is to use the calibre fix.

kovidgoyal · 09-19-2023, 11:00 AM

PLug your kindle in using the usb cable and click th esend to device button in calibre to send your book to the kindle. As long as its not a kindle scribe, the cover will show up.

fergdeff · 09-19-2023, 11:20 AM

Thanks for this.

My hope was to make an epub available for download through my blog, goodreads, etc. I am trying to promote a book I self-published.

So, while the Calibre fix will work for my own Kindle Library, it doesn't look like it's something that others will have access to.

From what I'm gathering then, is it simply a case that epub cover thumbnails are just not supported on Kindle through standard sideloading methods?

kovidgoyal · 09-19-2023, 11:29 AM

yes, amazon have deliberately broken it for years now. https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...-generic-cover

dunxd · 09-19-2023, 11:40 AM

Out of interest, when transferring to a Kindle by USB from Calibre, are changes made to the ebook file, or is there something else transferred to the Kindle from Calibre when doing things this way?

If books are downloaded to the Kindle through the Experimental Browser from Calibre web, does the cover also show up? If not I am interested to know what is special about Send to Device from Calibre. Thanks!

kovidgoyal · 09-19-2023, 11:44 AM

send to device explicitly overwrites the cover thumbnail amazon's firmware uses. Read the source for details. It does not do anything to the ebook file itself to enable covers.

theducks · 09-19-2023, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunxd

Out of interest, when transferring to a Kindle by USB from Calibre, are changes made to the ebook file, or is there something else transferred to the Kindle from Calibre when doing things this way?

If books are downloaded to the Kindle through the Experimental Browser from Calibre web, does the cover also show up? If not I am interested to know what is special about Send to Device from Calibre. Thanks!

The Experimental browser just grabs the book from the Host (The Calibre server is a common use). There does not do other special processing to actually add the book to the device (bookshelf).
The USB connection uses the Filesystem. (this is what Big A locked down somewhat), The driver (applies to many brands) writes to various known places, the pieces that it can. Kindle Collections became limited after the Big A limited access.

e-mailing to Kindle.com involves Amazons resources. They get to make the rules (Pay us our commission

) when you do it that way.

tomsem · 09-25-2023, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

PLug your kindle in using the usb cable and click th esend to device button in calibre to send your book to the kindle. As long as its not a kindle scribe, the cover will show up.

FYI I can copy the cover thumbnail generated for a side loaded book on one Kindle to system/thumbnails on Scribe, and (with same side loaded book) it displays cover image. So it seems calibre MTP could be enhanced to do this for Scribe (or any future Kindle) that uses MTP.

kovidgoyal · 09-26-2023, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

FYI I can copy the cover thumbnail generated for a side loaded book on one Kindle to system/thumbnails on Scribe, and (with same side loaded book) it displays cover image. So it seems calibre MTP could be enhanced to do this for Scribe (or any future Kindle) that uses MTP.

Please send a PR in that case. I cant do it as I have no way to test my code.

tomsem · 09-27-2023, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Please send a PR in that case. I cant do it as I have no way to test my code.

Looking into it, thanks!

09-19-2023, 09:23 AM	#1
fergdeff Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 20 Join Date: Sep 2023 Device: Kindle Basic 4th Generation	Displaying epub cover images in Kindle Hey, I have some follow up questions to this post. I felt this was a more appropriate forum to ask them... Note: I'm now testing with a simple text file as initial source to keep things simple. Lets call it sample.txt. So here's the basic process. 1. I import the text file into Calibre, using the Add Books functionality. 2. I convert to EPUB. (In some tests, there are more changes here, but more on that later.) 3. I use Save to Disk. 4. I upload the saved sample.epub to my Kindle library through the Send To Kindle webpage on Amazon. 5. After the upload registers as In Library, I re-Sync through the KDA, the Kindle Desktop App (Windows) and examine the results. Here are my findings. Test 1 - The basics Results: This follows the steps I just outlined and it works as I would expect. The doc appears in the KDA. No cover image. No author name. Can download. Can open and view. Test 2 - Add author name This is the same as Test 1, except, I use the Edit Metadata function in Calibre and update the author name. Results: The doc uploads ok. It appears in the KDA with author name. No cover. Can download. When I try to open the doc, I get: The book could not be opened. (This is repeatable.) Test 3 - Add author name followed by Polish book feature This is the same as Test 2, except after adding the Author name, I then use the Polish option to recreate the epub file. Results: The doc uploads ok. It appears in the KDA with author name. No cover. Can download. Can open and view. Progress. Test 4 - Add image cover with Polish This is the same as Test 3, except now I use the Edit Metadata functionality to also add a cover image, before moving to the Polish step. Results: The doc uploads ok. It appears in the KDA with author name. Can download. Can open and view. Can see the cover image when I open the doc for reading in the KDA - it's at the beginning. But. The cover image doesn't appear as a thumbnail in the KDA library. Instead I still get the default doc icon - even after downloading and viewing the cover within the document. So, (at last) my question. Is there some way that I can get that cover image to display in the KDA library, or on a Kindle, in the same way that the ebooks I purchase through Amazon do? Is there something I'm not doing, or overlooking?

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09-19-2023, 10:22 AM	#2
Wiggo Leftutti Posts: 549 Karma: 1717097 Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Bavaria Device: iPad Pro, Kobo Libra 2	I don’t have a Kindle, but IIRC sideloaded books don’t show a cover in the Kindle library.

09-19-2023, 11:00 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,171 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	PLug your kindle in using the usb cable and click th esend to device button in calibre to send your book to the kindle. As long as its not a kindle scribe, the cover will show up.

09-19-2023, 11:20 AM	#5
fergdeff Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 20 Join Date: Sep 2023 Device: Kindle Basic 4th Generation	Thanks for this. My hope was to make an epub available for download through my blog, goodreads, etc. I am trying to promote a book I self-published. So, while the Calibre fix will work for my own Kindle Library, it doesn't look like it's something that others will have access to. From what I'm gathering then, is it simply a case that epub cover thumbnails are just not supported on Kindle through standard sideloading methods?

09-19-2023, 11:29 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,171 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	yes, amazon have deliberately broken it for years now. https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...-generic-cover

09-19-2023, 11:40 AM	#7
dunxd Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2022 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation	Out of interest, when transferring to a Kindle by USB from Calibre, are changes made to the ebook file, or is there something else transferred to the Kindle from Calibre when doing things this way? If books are downloaded to the Kindle through the Experimental Browser from Calibre web, does the cover also show up? If not I am interested to know what is special about Send to Device from Calibre. Thanks!

09-19-2023, 11:44 AM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,171 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	send to device explicitly overwrites the cover thumbnail amazon's firmware uses. Read the source for details. It does not do anything to the ebook file itself to enable covers.