Batch store meta-tag data in epub

[TPFKAS]

Hi guys,
Just got into eReading and found Calibra as a great program for managing a collection.
I just got a nice collection of books, but the metatags are not very well organized. Specifically author sorting is not always the same.
Sometimes it's: firstname + lastname
Sometimes it's: lastname, firstname

I found that this is very easy to manage with Calibra. Also automatic downloading of covers is a great feature!

Hwover, it appears that Callibra stores this data in separate files (jpg and opf). I would like to have this data stored in the epub file itself. Can Callibra do this in a batch process?

[itimpi]

What makes you think that Calibre does not store metadata in an ePub. The .jpg file is kept as not all formats support embedded covers, and the .opf is just a backup used in case the calibre database needs restoring after any sort of corruption.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by TPFKAS

Hwover, it appears that Callibra stores this data in separate files (jpg and opf). I would like to have this data stored in the epub file itself. Can Callibra do this in a batch process?

Callibra? Must be a knock off of calibre.

itimpi explained the files you see and how your assumptions are not accurate so let me move past that.

Calibre inserts all metadata into the epub when it is exported from the calibre library using any of the below methods.

Save to Disk
Send to Device
Connect to Folder
Download via the Content Server

Calibre also tries to insert the cover during these operations but if the cover isn't labeled as calibre expects then the insertion of the new cover may fail.

Performing a ePub to ePub conversion will always insert any new cover and all metadata in the resultant epub.

One method of getting books from calibre that is guaranteed to cause problems is using the OS file manager to drag and drop the file directly from calibre's library elsewhere. This method does not give calibre the chance to insert any metadata.

[TPFKAS]

thx for the replies

Mmm, when I import the files from the Calibre database into iTunes I did not see any of the changes that I made in Calibre

I guess I did something wrong there.
I'll have another look.

[TPFKAS]

I guess I did something wrong earlier. I can see that changes made in the tags wit Calibre show up in iTunes ok. That is: most of them...

However....quite some books seem to be very stubborn.
I make changes in the tags in Calibre, save the file to disk and import that file in iTunes, but still the changes do not show up correctly. When I convert the book (epub to epub) first and then import in iTunes thethey show up correctly . Looks like there is something wrong in the tags with the original files. Nevertheless neither Calibre nor iTunes complain about corrupt tags or so.

Is this a known issue? And if so, is there another way to solve this other than converting the books?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by TPFKAS

Is this a known issue? And if so, is there another way to solve this other than converting the books?

Read this thread and if you still have problems follow the advice of the last line in the post.

[TPFKAS]

Hi dwanthny,

Thanks for your very kind help. Using the method as described in that post works perfectly.
I am still wondering why importing the file directly into iTunes gives a different result. This is important for me because I want to share some books with a relative who does not use Calibre.

TIA,
TPFKAS

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by TPFKAS

Mmm, when I import the files from the Calibre database into iTunes I did not see any of the changes that I made in Calibre

I suspect you are importing the books directly from calibre's directory. Metadata in the books inside calibre's library isn't updated just because you change the metadata in the GUI. You must export the book from calibre to embed the metadata. I grabbed the below from another post of mine to explain metadata insertion into epubs.

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Metadata will not be inserted into the ePub until you do one of the following.

• Use the Save to disk feature to export the book from calibre.
• Use the Send to device to export the book from calibre.
• Use the Connect to folder feature to export the book from calibre.
• Use the Content server to export the book from calibre.

The above 4 methods will insert the metadata into the book as the book leaves the confines of the calibre environment. The below 2 methods will update the book inside the calibre file structure.

• Use the modify ePub plugin to update the metadata in the book.
• Convert the file, epub to epub would work.

Additionally covers will only get inserted into the ePub with the first 5 options above if there is an existing cover in the ePub that is properly structured and identified as a cover.

Currently if a cover doesn't already exist in the ePub or if the cover is not properly identified the only way to insert the cover is via a ePub - ePub conversion.

I hope this helped.

[TPFKAS]

Hi dwanthny,
No, I did not import directly from the Calibre database. I exported the file via the save to disk option and then imported that file in iTunes. Nevertheless, the author information that I changed in Calibre is different between Calibre and iTunes.
Should I attach an example epub-file to this post that shows this behaviour so that you can recreate this?

Thanks again.
TPFKAS

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by TPFKAS

Should I attach an example epub-file to this post that shows this behaviour so that you can recreate this?

No, I could care less how iTunes functions. If you followed the other post and it worked that's enough for me.

I know that if you used the Save to disk feature the metadata in the ePub was in fact updated to match your library. If you want to know for sure what metadata is contained in the ePub you can open the ePub in Sigil and review the content.opf file to see exactly what the actual metadata is stored in the ePub.