How to Remove the Blue Cover in Convert

[deback]

Several months ago, I was experimenting with the Generate Cover thing in Convert, and I ended up with what's in the graphic I've posted here. Now, I'd like to disable that and go back to the default that I had before (preferably to show the cover that's in the ePub file that's highlighted), but I can't remember what I did back then and can't find how to disable it. Any help would be appreciated!

[BetterRed]

I think that's what used to be the "Shiny Plain Brown" that indicated the book has no cover. Open the book folder (press 'O'), if the book has no cover.jpeg then I think that curlicue decorated blue one is displayed - I preferred the old shiny brown.

If you want the cover image that's in the the epub to be extracted into the book folder, select the EPUB format file in Metadata Edit formats box, then click the blue book cover icon (top left) - it's tooltip tells you what it does.

BR

[deback]

So, you're saying that the blue generic cover is the default in the last few versions of Calibre? For some reason, I thought (or remembered) that I did something to change whatever the default was to be the blue generic cover. I don't want to do anything with any generic covers; I just wanted to get rid of the blue generic cover that shows in the Convert window that I thought I did something to make it be there.

If I remember correctly, before I (thought I) messed it up a few months ago, I could see the actual cover that's inside each book when opening Convert for each book. I still think I did something to have the curlicued blue cover to display, instead of the actual cover inside the book, but perhaps I didn't?

(I don't use the Calibre Library, so there are never any cover image files in the folders. Anytime I edit a book or add a cover, I drag the .epub file into Calibre and never have any need to extract the cover.)

Thanks!

[kovidgoyal]

The convert dialog shows whatever cover is set for the book in the calibre library folder. Normally when you add a book, provided it has a properly identified cover, that cover image is extracted and set int he calibre library. Presumably your EPUBs dont have properly identified cover images, or you deleted the covers from calibre at some point, or you turned off reading of metadata in Preferences->adding books or you disabled the epub metadata reading plugin in preferences->plugins

[deback]

The following choice is correct (most of the time, except when I need Calibre to read the metadata--then I will go into Adding Books and enable it temporarily):

or you turned off reading of metadata in Preferences->adding books.

So, where does the blue curlique book cover image come from? Did I do something to have it display or is it Calibre's default now? I have to assume that it's the default now and was changed at some time a few versions ago, probably around the time when I was experimenting with the different choices for generic covers, which I never ended up using.

Thanks for your help!

[JSWolf]

There is a thread on this someplace on MR that has the answer. I’m using my phone so you’ll have to look for it yourself.

[kovidgoyal]

Its the image used when the book has no cover, as a paceholder. About ayear ago it was changed from the picture of a closed book to this.

[deback]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Its the image used when the book has no cover, as a paceholder. About a year ago it was changed from the picture of a closed book to this.

Thank you! That now confirms I'm not the one who enabled it, and I can quit trying to figure out how to get rid of it.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by deback

Thank you! That now confirms I'm not the one who enabled it, and I can quit trying to figure out how to get rid of it.

You can also change that in the MDE. The Generate cover button cycles (default) covers
AND
if you right click that button.... customize

[deback]

Originally Posted by theducks

You can also change that in the MDE. The Generate cover button cycles (default) covers
AND
if you right click that button.... customize

Right, that's what I was messing around with a few months ago--which is why I thought I did something that day to have that blue cover start showing up. I guess I just didn't pay attention to it before then (that it had been there for months before that).

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Its the image used when the book has no cover, as a paceholder. About ayear ago it was changed from the picture of a closed book to this.

@Kovid - curious - is there anyway I can change it back to the Shiny Brown closed book without changing source code. I can't see the blue curlicue decorated one in resources\images.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

It is resources/images/default_cover.png

[deback]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

It is resources/images/default_cover.png

Thank you! It's now gone!

[deback]

Nevermind...I had to rename the file back to the original name, because after I renamed it to default_cover-old.png, I was no longer able to mark cover images and xhtml pages as the Cover Page and Cover Image while in Edit Book.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

It is resources/images/default_cover.png

Thanks - for some reason it would appear that particular file (in any form) never made into my configuration folder from the get-go.

I like it because of it's whimsicality - harks back to brown paper bag books

Copy attached if anyone wants/needs it.

BR