"Unknown Author" in cbz files with Kobo

tedio · 04-01-2021, 09:58 PM

Hello!
I'm a newbie with ebooks, so sorry if I'm in the wrong part of the forum

I bought a Kobo Aura HD and downloaded some mangas to read, all in cbz format! I used Calibre to transfer them to kobo and all went well except they all keep showing with no metadata at all

I tried to search for people with this same problem but I could not find the answer or a recent post, just old ones.

Thank you in advance ^^

kovidgoyal · 04-02-2021, 12:54 AM

I doubt the Kobo firmware supports reading metadata from cbz files. You might have better luck converting them to epub and using that.

davidfor · 04-02-2021, 01:17 AM

That's right, Kobo devices do not read metadata from inside CBZ, CBR, TXT and some other formats. For these formats, the filename is used as the book title and the author will be "Unknown Author". But, the KoboTouch driver can update the database the next time you connect the device. The driver can update the metadata for books on the device that match books in the library each time the device is connected. This includes the title, author and series information.

To do this, in the driver configuration, enable the "Update metadata on Book Details pages" option and on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences, set the "Metadata management" option to automatic.

tedio · 04-06-2021, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

That's right, Kobo devices do not read metadata from inside CBZ, CBR, TXT and some other formats. For these formats, the filename is used as the book title and the author will be "Unknown Author". But, the KoboTouch driver can update the database the next time you connect the device. The driver can update the metadata for books on the device that match books in the library each time the device is connected. This includes the title, author and series information.

To do this, in the driver configuration, enable the "Update metadata on Book Details pages" option and on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences, set the "Metadata management" option to automatic.

Thank you so much, that is working for me so far ^^

Stay safe and healthy.

sekazi · 05-09-2021, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

That's right, Kobo devices do not read metadata from inside CBZ, CBR, TXT and some other formats. For these formats, the filename is used as the book title and the author will be "Unknown Author". But, the KoboTouch driver can update the database the next time you connect the device. The driver can update the metadata for books on the device that match books in the library each time the device is connected. This includes the title, author and series information.

To do this, in the driver configuration, enable the "Update metadata on Book Details pages" option and on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences, set the "Metadata management" option to automatic.

Kind of high jacking this topic since it is a similar issue.

I have been syncing CBZ's for a long time now without issue and the author and other information coming over. Since my Windows 10 reinstall in March I have been unsuccessful in syncing.

At first items synced did not update the database. Then I started getting a malformed database error after connecting the Kobo. I have signed out and back into the device multiple times trying to resolve the issue.

I have since moved to KoboTouchExtended and same issue but without the malformed database error. The update metadata on the device just does not want to work for me anymore.

Calibre 64-bit 5.12
Kobo Forma 4.26.16704

davidfor · 05-09-2021, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sekazi

Kind of high jacking this topic since it is a similar issue.

I have been syncing CBZ's for a long time now without issue and the author and other information coming over. Since my Windows 10 reinstall in March I have been unsuccessful in syncing.

At first items synced did not update the database. Then I started getting a malformed database error after connecting the Kobo. I have signed out and back into the device multiple times trying to resolve the issue.

I have since moved to KoboTouchExtended and same issue but without the malformed database error. The update metadata on the device just does not want to work for me anymore.

Those are two separate issues. The errors would have happened if you had been using the KoboTouchExtended driver. The reason I can say that is because the KoboTouchExtended extends the built-in KoboTouch driver. For the parts where database errors could be seen, it is the same code.

The most likely reason for the metadata not to be updating is that when you changed from the KoboTouch driver to the KoboTouchExtended driver, you didn't configure the KoboTouchExtended driver to update the metadata. This is not on by default.

If that doesn't get the metadata updating, then you need to run calibre in debug mode and post the logs for me to look. It is usually obvious what is happening.

sekazi · 05-10-2021, 03:43 PM

I have verified that the metadata is checked in KoboTouchExtended.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TU5...ew?usp=sharing

Above is a debug log.

davidfor · 05-10-2021, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

To do this, in the driver configuration, enable the "Update metadata on Book Details pages" option and on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences, set the "Metadata management" option to automatic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sekazi

I have verified that the metadata is checked in KoboTouchExtended.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TU5...ew?usp=sharing

Above is a debug log.

The log has the following line:

Code:

DEBUG:    0.0 KoboTouch:books - prefs['manage_device_metadata']= manual

That means the bit I have highlighted above has not been done.

sekazi · 05-10-2021, 07:54 PM

That worked. I do not know how I missed that.

sekazi · 05-10-2021, 09:13 PM

I should have tested with a complete library sync before saying fixed. After that none of the authors came over for them.

Plugging in the device now gives me the database error again.

calibre, version 5.17.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 89, in run
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 515, in _books
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 1872, in books
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 192, in get_database_version
apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

Trying to update metadata gives the following.

calibre, version 5.17.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

'list' object has no attribute 'set_debugging_title'

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 89, in run
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 545, in _sync_booklists
File "calibre_plugins.kobotouch_extended.device.driver" , line 493, in sync_booklists
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 976, in sync_booklists
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 2428, in update_device_database_collections
AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'set_debugging_title'

davidfor · 05-10-2021, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sekazi

I should have tested with a complete library sync before saying fixed. After that none of the authors came over for them.

Plugging in the device now gives me the database error again.

calibre, version 5.17.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 89, in run
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 515, in _books
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 1872, in books
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 192, in get_database_version
apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

Unfortunately, that means there is an issue with the database on the device. What caused this I don't know. The only way I know for sure that it will happen is not ejecting the device safely. The fix is to restore a recent backup of the database if you have it, or to sign out of the Kobo account on the device. This will create a new database and reload your sideloaded books.

Quote:

Trying to update metadata gives the following.

calibre, version 5.17.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

'list' object has no attribute 'set_debugging_title'

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 89, in run
File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 545, in _sync_booklists
File "calibre_plugins.kobotouch_extended.device.driver" , line 493, in sync_booklists
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 976, in sync_booklists
File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 2428, in update_device_database_collections
AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'set_debugging_title'

That is because of the first error. Calibre has not been able to load the list of books from the device correctly, so any actions based on that are very likely to fail. And, even if it had, as the database is corrupt, you are likely to see other errors when writing to the database.

sekazi · 05-10-2021, 10:33 PM

I am also not sure what the deal is with it. I always eject using either calibre or windows before removing.

Anyways I signed out and back in again. I made a copy of the KoboReader.sqlite then tried to have the metadata sync only for it to corrupt after reconnecting.

I try one more time without closing calibre and I was not getting a corrupt database when reconnecting the device so I decided to try rebooting the Kobo.

Once the Kobo came back online half of the books disappeared from the My Books. There are books with incorrect titles, unknown authors and incomplete titles. None of the read status came over.

Launching calibre reports again corrupt database. The metadata sync takes 2-3 seconds complete when it does run and that seems awfully fast.

I gave it one last try for tonight and it appears to have sync everything with the exception of read status.

sekazi · 05-11-2021, 09:06 PM

I have everything solved now. KoboUtilities plugin is what I was missing. That is what set the reading RTL and everything else that was missing. I do not know how I forgot about that.

04-01-2021, 09:58 PM	#1
tedio Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2021 Device: Kobo Aura HD	"Unknown Author" in cbz files with Kobo Hello! I'm a newbie with ebooks, so sorry if I'm in the wrong part of the forum I bought a Kobo Aura HD and downloaded some mangas to read, all in cbz format! I used Calibre to transfer them to kobo and all went well except they all keep showing with no metadata at all I tried to search for people with this same problem but I could not find the answer or a recent post, just old ones. Thank you in advance ^^

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04-02-2021, 12:54 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I doubt the Kobo firmware supports reading metadata from cbz files. You might have better luck converting them to epub and using that.

04-02-2021, 01:17 AM	#3
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	That's right, Kobo devices do not read metadata from inside CBZ, CBR, TXT and some other formats. For these formats, the filename is used as the book title and the author will be "Unknown Author". But, the KoboTouch driver can update the database the next time you connect the device. The driver can update the metadata for books on the device that match books in the library each time the device is connected. This includes the title, author and series information. To do this, in the driver configuration, enable the "Update metadata on Book Details pages" option and on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences, set the "Metadata management" option to automatic.

05-10-2021, 03:43 PM	#7
sekazi Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017	I have verified that the metadata is checked in KoboTouchExtended. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TU5...ew?usp=sharing Above is a debug log.

05-10-2021, 07:54 PM	#9
sekazi Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017	That worked. I do not know how I missed that.

05-10-2021, 09:13 PM	#10
sekazi Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017	I should have tested with a complete library sync before saying fixed. After that none of the authors came over for them. Plugging in the device now gives me the database error again. calibre, version 5.17.0 ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device CorruptError: database disk image is malformed Traceback (most recent call last): File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 89, in run File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 515, in _books File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 1872, in books File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 192, in get_database_version apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed Trying to update metadata gives the following. calibre, version 5.17.0 ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device 'list' object has no attribute 'set_debugging_title' Traceback (most recent call last): File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 89, in run File "calibre\gui2\device.py", line 545, in _sync_booklists File "calibre_plugins.kobotouch_extended.device.driver" , line 493, in sync_booklists File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 976, in sync_booklists File "calibre\devices\kobo\driver.py", line 2428, in update_device_database_collections AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'set_debugging_title'

05-10-2021, 10:33 PM	#12
sekazi Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017	I am also not sure what the deal is with it. I always eject using either calibre or windows before removing. Anyways I signed out and back in again. I made a copy of the KoboReader.sqlite then tried to have the metadata sync only for it to corrupt after reconnecting. I try one more time without closing calibre and I was not getting a corrupt database when reconnecting the device so I decided to try rebooting the Kobo. Once the Kobo came back online half of the books disappeared from the My Books. There are books with incorrect titles, unknown authors and incomplete titles. None of the read status came over. Launching calibre reports again corrupt database. The metadata sync takes 2-3 seconds complete when it does run and that seems awfully fast. I gave it one last try for tonight and it appears to have sync everything with the exception of read status.

05-11-2021, 09:06 PM	#13
sekazi Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017	I have everything solved now. KoboUtilities plugin is what I was missing. That is what set the reading RTL and everything else that was missing. I do not know how I forgot about that.

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