Importing xhtml metadata when creating epub

msttat · 02-24-2025, 01:18 PM

Hello,

When I use the calibre editor to convert an xhtml file into a epub, the editor seems to properly interpret some metadata, but not others:

Here is the <head> block of my xhtml file:
<head>
<title>The title of the book</title>
<meta name="author" content="The author of the book" />
<meta name="category" content="category1, category2" />
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="mybooks.css"/>
</head>

The editor properly sets the author and the booktitle in the epub 'content.opf' file, imports the 'mybooks.css'.

But I have not figured out how to specify categories that will be interpreted and imported in the epub content.opf as DublinCore (<dc:subject>category1, category2</dc:suject>), allowing me to find them when I import the epub in the main calibre program.

I hope I am not polluting the forum with a question alerady solved, which I was unable to find.

Thank you all for any advice (or telling me such feature is not available in the editor!)

BetterRed · 02-24-2025, 07:53 PM

Try changing the <meta name="category" to <meta name="subject"

With luck they'll turn up as Tags when you add the EPUB to the library manager.

kovidgoyal · 02-24-2025, 10:56 PM

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...44&postcount=9

msttat · 02-26-2025, 09:42 AM

Thank you for your answers, useful and not:

- USEFUL: I did not know about Sigil. I've trid it and it does the job, importing my <meta.. /> in the epub manifest properly. Thanks, that's great.

- And not: I used to work with Calibre (7.26), creating my epub by opening my xhtml file with the Edit-ebook program which is part of the Calibre suite. I have tried the different specs of the <meta /> line without success:
Neither <meta name="Subject" content="keyword"/> or <meta name="DC.subject content ="keyword"/> or <meta name="DCTERMS.subject" content="keyword"/> are recognized on input.

I will probably move to Sigil.

DNSB · 02-26-2025, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msttat

I will probably move to Sigil.

Personally, I use both Sigil and calibre's ebook-editor. They both have features that are not in the other so having both in your toolbox can be useful.

kovidgoyal · 02-26-2025, 11:28 PM

Add your HTML file to *calibre* first, it will read all your metadata and create the book record directly.

kovidgoyal · 02-26-2025, 11:37 PM

Actually, I just tried at and it works directly with the editor too.

Code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>metadata title</title>
        <meta name="Author" content="NAME" />
        <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>
        <meta name="tags" content="categort1, category2" />
    </head>
    <body>

    </body>
</html>

msttat · 02-27-2025, 08:53 AM

Thank you again, especially for the last Kovid Goyal answer.

<meta name="tags" content="some,thing"/>

(where "tags" for calibre editor stands for "Subject" for Sigil).

This closes the thread for me at least.

02-24-2025, 01:18 PM	#1
msttat Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: android	Importing xhtml metadata when creating epub Hello, When I use the calibre editor to convert an xhtml file into a epub, the editor seems to properly interpret some metadata, but not others: Here is the <head> block of my xhtml file: <head> <title>The title of the book</title> <meta name="author" content="The author of the book" /> <meta name="category" content="category1, category2" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="mybooks.css"/> </head> The editor properly sets the author and the booktitle in the epub 'content.opf' file, imports the 'mybooks.css'. But I have not figured out how to specify categories that will be interpreted and imported in the epub content.opf as DublinCore (<dc:subject>category1, category2</dc:suject>), allowing me to find them when I import the epub in the main calibre program. I hope I am not polluting the forum with a question alerady solved, which I was unable to find. Thank you all for any advice (or telling me such feature is not available in the editor!)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Random characters on one xhtml file after importing.	BookieBlue	Editor	10	09-01-2023 08:06 AM
dc:date metadata importing from EPUB	eevan	Library Management	5	09-25-2019 09:34 AM
Creating chapters in xhtml/html	ayutheos	Sigil	7	10-18-2012 09:35 AM
XHTML to EPUB and MOBI: How to mark up metadata in source document	johnstephens	Conversion	6	05-23-2012 03:58 PM
Importing metadata when creating epub	photoluminations	Conversion	2	08-03-2011 07:08 PM

02-24-2025, 07:53 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,022 Karma: 30277294 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Try changing the <meta name="category" to <meta name="subject" With luck they'll turn up as Tags when you add the EPUB to the library manager.

02-24-2025, 10:56 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...44&postcount=9

02-26-2025, 09:42 AM	#4
msttat Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: android	Thank you for your answers, useful and not: - USEFUL: I did not know about Sigil. I've trid it and it does the job, importing my <meta.. /> in the epub manifest properly. Thanks, that's great. - And not: I used to work with Calibre (7.26), creating my epub by opening my xhtml file with the Edit-ebook program which is part of the Calibre suite. I have tried the different specs of the <meta /> line without success: Neither <meta name="Subject" content="keyword"/> or <meta name="DC.subject content ="keyword"/> or <meta name="DCTERMS.subject" content="keyword"/> are recognized on input. I will probably move to Sigil.

02-26-2025, 11:28 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Add your HTML file to calibre first, it will read all your metadata and create the book record directly.

02-27-2025, 08:53 AM	#8
msttat Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: android	Thank you again, especially for the last Kovid Goyal answer. <meta name="tags" content="some,thing"/> (where "tags" for calibre editor stands for "Subject" for Sigil). This closes the thread for me at least.

Advert

Advert