First page as cover?

BookJunkieLI · 12-10-2014, 12:08 PM

Not sure if this is the right place to ask about this or even if it's possible but I was wondering if it was possible to make the first page of an epub appear as the cover in the cover grid or edit metadata screen?

I have a large number of fanfiction epubs that because of how I initially downloaded them don't have the word count information from the archive in the custom column I created. I like to have this information to compare against the word count from the Count Pages PI so that I know if something happened during the download. This information can be found on the first page of the epub. So is there any way to make that first page appear as the cover? Rather than having to View File for every single one, which would take a really long time with 1000+ files.

I know I can create a metadata jacket and insert the metadata from Calibre into the epub but that metadata is incomplete. What I want is the metadata already showing in the epub without having to go through and redownload it again for just the one piece of information.

BetterRed · 12-10-2014, 05:36 PM

@BookJunkieLI - if I'm understanding you correctly then maybe you could hack the Extract ISBN PI to extract the word count that's in the book and populate a custom column

BR

BookJunkieLI · 12-10-2014, 07:20 PM

@BetterRed - If I had any clue how to do that I suspect it probably would be the answer to my problem. Unfortunately I really don't. I figured out how to take a look at the inside of the py files in the extract isbn zip file but after looking around in them a bit I had to admit i really had no clue what i was looking at. Well, not more than a very vague clue. I recognized ids field but that was about it. Although reading through the original forum topic that led to the creation of the Extract ISBN PI it looks like it does a search for ISBN: followed by numbers. I need pretty much the same thing only Words: followed by numbers.

From poking at the epub in Edit Book it looks like what I'd like to be able to see in the Metadata Editor instead of the cover is the title_page.xhtml. Somehow I doubt that's any easier than me figuring out how to adjust the Extract ISBN PI to look for the info I need. Sigh.

BetterRed · 12-10-2014, 07:41 PM

@BookJunkieLI - if you can post a sample book, maybe someone can figure a way. Or if they're always in the titlepage.xhtml just post one of those in code tags.

BR

BookJunkieLI · 12-11-2014, 08:32 AM

I've attached a copy of an epub as well as added the contents of the xhtml page below the spoiler cut. Hopefully someone can help, otherwise I'll just keep muddling along.

Spoiler:

Edited to add: This is an FFN fanfic but as far as I can tell AO3 fanfics come through exactly the same. Most likely because I did use the FFDL PI to download them originally.

JimmXinu · 12-11-2014, 06:45 PM

Gee, that's a familiar looking book form!

I do exactly you've asking for myself.

First, for existing books, Edit Metadata--with one book, you have to choose the format (epub, I assume), and click the button to the upper left of the formats list that has a book cover icon. For multiple books Edit Metadata and toward the bottom under 'Change Cover' choose 'Set from ebook file(s)', the OK or Apply.

In FFDL config on the Basic tab, turn on the option 'Update Calibre Cover when Updating Metadata?' (2nd under Updating Calibre Options heading), then FFDL will do it for you when ever you add or update a book from FFDL.

BookJunkieLI · 12-12-2014, 03:25 PM

Thanks, Jimm! That's exactly what I was looking for. It works great when editing the individual metadata. It doesn't seem to want to work in bulk edit but I'm running 1.48 at work, I'll see what Calibre does on 2.9 when I get home.

And thanks for the tip for getting it to appear when I add or update via FFDL. I eventually plan to do custom covers but for now having the metadata as the cover is useful.

JimmXinu · 12-12-2014, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookJunkieLI

...
It works great when editing the individual metadata. It doesn't seem to want to work in bulk edit but I'm running 1.48 at work, I'll see what Calibre does on 2.9 when I get home.
...

That's a bug that was fixed in 2.4.

BookJunkieLI · 12-12-2014, 07:16 PM

Cool. Thanks!

12-10-2014, 12:08 PM	#1
BookJunkieLI Evangelist Posts: 435 Karma: 572984 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Long Island Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle 4, Nook Gl4, Nook STR, REB 1100, Ebookwise 1500,	First page as cover? Not sure if this is the right place to ask about this or even if it's possible but I was wondering if it was possible to make the first page of an epub appear as the cover in the cover grid or edit metadata screen? I have a large number of fanfiction epubs that because of how I initially downloaded them don't have the word count information from the archive in the custom column I created. I like to have this information to compare against the word count from the Count Pages PI so that I know if something happened during the download. This information can be found on the first page of the epub. So is there any way to make that first page appear as the cover? Rather than having to View File for every single one, which would take a really long time with 1000+ files. I know I can create a metadata jacket and insert the metadata from Calibre into the epub but that metadata is incomplete. What I want is the metadata already showing in the epub without having to go through and redownload it again for just the one piece of information.

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12-10-2014, 05:36 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,718 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@BookJunkieLI - if I'm understanding you correctly then maybe you could hack the Extract ISBN PI to extract the word count that's in the book and populate a custom column BR

12-10-2014, 07:20 PM	#3
BookJunkieLI Evangelist Posts: 435 Karma: 572984 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Long Island Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle 4, Nook Gl4, Nook STR, REB 1100, Ebookwise 1500,	@BetterRed - If I had any clue how to do that I suspect it probably would be the answer to my problem. Unfortunately I really don't. I figured out how to take a look at the inside of the py files in the extract isbn zip file but after looking around in them a bit I had to admit i really had no clue what i was looking at. Well, not more than a very vague clue. I recognized ids field but that was about it. Although reading through the original forum topic that led to the creation of the Extract ISBN PI it looks like it does a search for ISBN: followed by numbers. I need pretty much the same thing only Words: followed by numbers. From poking at the epub in Edit Book it looks like what I'd like to be able to see in the Metadata Editor instead of the cover is the title_page.xhtml. Somehow I doubt that's any easier than me figuring out how to adjust the Extract ISBN PI to look for the info I need. Sigh.

12-10-2014, 07:41 PM	#4
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,718 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@BookJunkieLI - if you can post a sample book, maybe someone can figure a way. Or if they're always in the titlepage.xhtml just post one of those in code tags. BR

12-11-2014, 06:45 PM	#6
JimmXinu Plugin Developer Posts: 6,969 Karma: 4604635 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Midwest USA Device: Kobo Clara Colour running KOReader	Gee, that's a familiar looking book form! I do exactly you've asking for myself. First, for existing books, Edit Metadata--with one book, you have to choose the format (epub, I assume), and click the button to the upper left of the formats list that has a book cover icon. For multiple books Edit Metadata and toward the bottom under 'Change Cover' choose 'Set from ebook file(s)', the OK or Apply. In FFDL config on the Basic tab, turn on the option 'Update Calibre Cover when Updating Metadata?' (2nd under Updating Calibre Options heading), then FFDL will do it for you when ever you add or update a book from FFDL.

12-12-2014, 03:25 PM	#7
BookJunkieLI Evangelist Posts: 435 Karma: 572984 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Long Island Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle 4, Nook Gl4, Nook STR, REB 1100, Ebookwise 1500,	Thanks, Jimm! That's exactly what I was looking for. It works great when editing the individual metadata. It doesn't seem to want to work in bulk edit but I'm running 1.48 at work, I'll see what Calibre does on 2.9 when I get home. And thanks for the tip for getting it to appear when I add or update via FFDL. I eventually plan to do custom covers but for now having the metadata as the cover is useful.

12-12-2014, 07:16 PM	#9
BookJunkieLI Evangelist Posts: 435 Karma: 572984 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Long Island Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle 4, Nook Gl4, Nook STR, REB 1100, Ebookwise 1500,	Cool. Thanks!

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