Any improvements I can make to my EPUB -> KFX workflow?

[Magic815]

So earlier in the year, I went down the rabbit hole to determine a good way to get KFX ebooks on my Kindle Paperwhite, with the maximum amount of "features" (GoodReads integration, X-ray & Word wise data, etc.). What I ended up with is the following:

1. I add the eBook to Calibre (usually a retail EPUB)
2. I double-check the EPUB's eISBN inside the file and make sure the IDs metadata field says "isbn:<eISBN>". I then manually search that eISBN on goodreads.com, head to amazon.com and copy the Kindle book ASIN from the page URL (it starts with "B"). My IDs metadata field ends up looking like: "isbn:<eISBN>, amazon:<ASIN>" when I'm done
3. I use the download metadata feature inside 'Edit metadata' to get the cover image and the rest of the metadata all pulled in. Doing this also appends "goodreads:<GR ID>" to the IDs metadata field.
4. I run the 'Count Pages' plugin to populate my #pages and #gfog custom columns
5. I run the 'Embed metadata' plugin to embed the latest metadata into the EPUB file
6. I convert the book to KFX, using the 'KFX Output' plugin (and it sources the page count from the #pages custom column)
7. I connect my Kindle to my PC via USB, and use the 'WordDumb' plugin to generate X-ray and Word wise data for the book, while it sends it to the device. (I have a metadata plugboard set that modifies the title to "{series}{series_index:0>2s| #| – }{title}" on the send - so that books in a series sort by their series name/number)

This has worked nicely for me over the last 6 months, so long as I'm at home on my main PC with Calibre and send the KFX files via the USB method and Word Dumb plugin. But it does feel like a good amount of steps, ha. There aren't any shortcuts to reaching the end goal I'm looking for, are there?

[Sirtel]

You don't need to embed metadata, if you convert after that. Metadata will be embedded during conversion.

The rest... if you really want all those features, I guess there are no shortcuts. Personally I don't use KFX, Goodreads, WordWise or X-Ray, and don't need ISBN for this reason. YMMV.

[Magic815]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You don't need to embed metadata, if you convert after that. Metadata will be embedded during conversion.

The rest... if you really want all those features, I guess there are no shortcuts. Personally I don't use KFX, Goodreads, WordWise or X-Ray, and don't need ISBN for this reason. YMMV.

My reasoning for embedding metadata into the EPUB is in case I ever move away from KFX in the future (i.e. move to another eReader besides the Kindle PW). In that scenario, it's good to get the EPUB file updated with my metadata tweaks, right?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Magic815

My reasoning for embedding metadata into the EPUB is in case I ever move away from KFX in the future (i.e. move to another eReader besides the Kindle PW). In that scenario, it's good to get the EPUB file updated with my metadata tweaks, right?

Yeah, in that case probably yes. Metadata is supposed to embed when sending to a device as well, but better safe than sorry, I guess. And you may want to use other methods of getting books to your device in the future.

[AvijitBis]

what is "#gfog custom columns"?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by AvijitBis

what is "#gfog custom columns"?

Gunning Fog
A readability calculation done by the Count Pages Plugin
<more info on that plugins thread>

[AvijitBis]

found it thanks