Can't get Metadata from Amazon

Ginnia · 02-09-2012, 12:04 PM

Lately, I've been having problems getting metadata from Amazon -- is it Calibre 8.38 or Amazon? I've noticed that Amazon is changing their web site appearance a lot lately ...

Hope this is a temporary problem...

Thanks,
Ginny

theducks · 02-09-2012, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginnia

Lately, I've been having problems getting metadata from Amazon -- is it Calibre 8.38 or Amazon? I've noticed that Amazon is changing their web site appearance a lot lately ...

Hope this is a temporary problem...

Thanks,
Ginny

Probably, Amazon

Calibre scrapes info.
When they move things around, the template needs to be adjusted.
Construction dust needs to settle

ElizabethN · 02-09-2012, 03:11 PM

I've also not been able to download any amazon metadata (us), either for individual or bulk editing. Most of the books that I'm editing are from amazon, so the info should be there. Looks like February 3rd was the last time I was able to get metadata from amazon. Currently on calibre 0.8.37 under windows.

I suspect that it's something that Amazon is doing with their data/servers as Goodreads sent out messages that all their books with kindle info needed to be "rescued." Goodreads email: "As you may have noticed, Goodreads is transitioning to new sources of data for its book records. For years, we've used Amazon's data, and while they have always had certain restrictions and requirements, those terms have gotten harder and harder to adhere to. We have been working diligently to find a new, independent source of data. Amazon has given us until January 30 to stop using their data, and we have to meet this deadline."

I'm trying to be patient and wait out changes/updates going on at amazon but don't know if this is a sporadic issue or a widespread one.

kiwidude · 02-09-2012, 03:28 PM

@ElizabethN - just FYI, Goodreads not taking a feed from Amazon any more is completely unrelated to any changes that might be taking place with the Amazon website.

CWatkinsNash · 02-09-2012, 06:24 PM

It's an intermittent problem that's been going on for at least a couple of weeks, or whenever it was I posted about it. It works, then it doesn't. I suspect that things are getting moved around at Amazon, which "interrupts" the data scraping. It was working part of last evening, then it wasn't.

ElizabethN · 02-10-2012, 12:42 PM

Good to know that it probably has nothing to do with feeds coming from amazon. I was afraid that amazon somehow might be trying to charge for their data by restricting access. Glad that Amazon US is occasionally working, just apparently not at times that I've been checking. Maybe my luck will improve on my day off.

Still no info coming from amazon US this morning (MST), but changing from amazon US to amazon UK pulls up info again, so I'll just use the amazon UK info and periodically check the status of amazon US info. The info from both sites appears to be the same for the indie books that I doublechecked.

Going to amazon and looking up details one book at a time reminds me of why I so appreciate calibre's edit metadata features.

HarryT · 02-10-2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

It's an intermittent problem that's been going on for at least a couple of weeks, or whenever it was I posted about it. It works, then it doesn't. I suspect that things are getting moved around at Amazon, which "interrupts" the data scraping. It was working part of last evening, then it wasn't.

Is this related to not being able to download covers from Amazon? I bought half a dozen books last weekend, which came without covers, and couldn't get a cover download for a single one of them.

CWatkinsNash · 02-10-2012, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Is this related to not being able to download covers from Amazon? I bought half a dozen books last weekend, which came without covers, and couldn't get a cover download for a single one of them.

Yes. And sometimes when I do the manual version of the way calibre gets the "clean" Amazon covers, I've had issues too. (It's basically stripping out the "extras" from the image url / filename.)

It's annoying but I figure soon, Amazon will settle down and either things will work consistently again, or the devs will be able to work with whatever changes are happening.

CRussel · 02-10-2012, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Is this related to not being able to download covers from Amazon? I bought half a dozen books last weekend, which came without covers, and couldn't get a cover download for a single one of them.

Harry: A workaround. Go into Amazon, and copy the ASIN number for the book and plug it into Calibre. This seems to let it find the cover.

kovidgoyal · 02-10-2012, 10:39 PM

Every time I try it with amazon US it works (but then that's usually in the day India time, which is late at night US time. Maybe if you tried it just before going to bed.

CRussel · 02-11-2012, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Every time I try it with amazon US it works (but then that's usually in the day India time, which is late at night US time. Maybe if you tried it just before going to bed.

It's been really uneven, Kovid. Time of day doesn't seem to be a reliable predictor. It was much worse with 8.36 and 8.35, but seems marginally better now with 8.38/8.39. But that could just be happenstance. When Amazon can't find the book it just downloaded to your Kindle...

ynothughes1979 · 02-11-2012, 02:16 AM

I thought I set everything up correctly, but I can't send my news feeds from Calibre to my [username]@Kindle account?

Is this what everyone is talking about? Cause I don't know why it isn't working. I'm using gmail, and I tried it both w/ and w/o the mail server info at the bottom. Please help.

By the way Kovidgoyal--it's really a great program. Thank You

HarryT · 02-11-2012, 04:30 AM

No, that's not what this thread is discussing. Please start a new thread to discuss a different problem.

HarryT · 02-11-2012, 04:40 AM

I've just retried downloading covers for the same 6 books that failed last Sunday, and they've all worked fine this time.

Is there any way, by the way, to add additional sources (eg "amazon.co.uk") to the list of sites that are searched for covers?

kiwidude · 02-11-2012, 06:23 AM

@HarryT - you could just install another metadata download plugin like the B&N one - which from my experience 99 times out of 100 has a better quality cover than what you get from Amazon.

02-09-2012, 12:04 PM	#1
Ginnia Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Kindle	Can't get Metadata from Amazon Lately, I've been having problems getting metadata from Amazon -- is it Calibre 8.38 or Amazon? I've noticed that Amazon is changing their web site appearance a lot lately ... Hope this is a temporary problem... Thanks, Ginny

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02-09-2012, 03:11 PM	#3
ElizabethN reader, ebook junkie Posts: 111 Karma: 436806 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: western nebraska Device: in use kindle oasis 2nd and 3rd gen, kobo forma, boox poke5	I've also not been able to download any amazon metadata (us), either for individual or bulk editing. Most of the books that I'm editing are from amazon, so the info should be there. Looks like February 3rd was the last time I was able to get metadata from amazon. Currently on calibre 0.8.37 under windows. I suspect that it's something that Amazon is doing with their data/servers as Goodreads sent out messages that all their books with kindle info needed to be "rescued." Goodreads email: "As you may have noticed, Goodreads is transitioning to new sources of data for its book records. For years, we've used Amazon's data, and while they have always had certain restrictions and requirements, those terms have gotten harder and harder to adhere to. We have been working diligently to find a new, independent source of data. Amazon has given us until January 30 to stop using their data, and we have to meet this deadline." I'm trying to be patient and wait out changes/updates going on at amazon but don't know if this is a sporadic issue or a widespread one.

02-09-2012, 03:28 PM	#4
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,722 Karma: 2197770 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	@ElizabethN - just FYI, Goodreads not taking a feed from Amazon any more is completely unrelated to any changes that might be taking place with the Amazon website.

02-09-2012, 06:24 PM	#5
CWatkinsNash IOC Chief Archivist Posts: 3,950 Karma: 53868218 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fruitland Park, FL, USA Device: Meebook M7, Paperwhite 2021, Fire HD 8+, Fire HD 10+, Lenovo Tab P12	It's an intermittent problem that's been going on for at least a couple of weeks, or whenever it was I posted about it. It works, then it doesn't. I suspect that things are getting moved around at Amazon, which "interrupts" the data scraping. It was working part of last evening, then it wasn't.

02-10-2012, 12:42 PM	#6
ElizabethN reader, ebook junkie Posts: 111 Karma: 436806 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: western nebraska Device: in use kindle oasis 2nd and 3rd gen, kobo forma, boox poke5	Good to know that it probably has nothing to do with feeds coming from amazon. I was afraid that amazon somehow might be trying to charge for their data by restricting access. Glad that Amazon US is occasionally working, just apparently not at times that I've been checking. Maybe my luck will improve on my day off. Still no info coming from amazon US this morning (MST), but changing from amazon US to amazon UK pulls up info again, so I'll just use the amazon UK info and periodically check the status of amazon US info. The info from both sites appears to be the same for the indie books that I doublechecked. Going to amazon and looking up details one book at a time reminds me of why I so appreciate calibre's edit metadata features.

02-10-2012, 10:39 PM	#10
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,201 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Every time I try it with amazon US it works (but then that's usually in the day India time, which is late at night US time. Maybe if you tried it just before going to bed.

02-11-2012, 02:16 AM	#12
ynothughes1979 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Kindle Adds	I thought I set everything up correctly, but I can't send my news feeds from Calibre to my [username]@Kindle account? Is this what everyone is talking about? Cause I don't know why it isn't working. I'm using gmail, and I tried it both w/ and w/o the mail server info at the bottom. Please help. By the way Kovidgoyal--it's really a great program. Thank You

02-11-2012, 04:30 AM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	No, that's not what this thread is discussing. Please start a new thread to discuss a different problem.

02-11-2012, 04:40 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I've just retried downloading covers for the same 6 books that failed last Sunday, and they've all worked fine this time. Is there any way, by the way, to add additional sources (eg "amazon.co.uk") to the list of sites that are searched for covers?

02-11-2012, 06:23 AM	#15
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,722 Karma: 2197770 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	@HarryT - you could just install another metadata download plugin like the B&N one - which from my experience 99 times out of 100 has a better quality cover than what you get from Amazon.

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