Metadata saving problem

[mtothet]

Hi.
After adding book to library sometimes I want to change eg. title using "edit metadata" panel. After that new title is displayed in main window and correct data is saved to "metadata.opf" file, but after opening book via Calibre viewer or on my Kindle Classic the old metadata is displayed. It's no need to convert these book, because there're already in mobi format from bookstore. Can I change something in Calibre settings to overwrite old metadata or do I have to polish each book manually?
Thanks

[Adoby]

No, you can't change this behavior in any settings. It is how calibre works, deep, deep down.

Calibre doesn't update metadata stored inside books in the calibre library. Only in the database metadata.db and the opf-files. Except when you polish or convert a book. You can convert from one format to the same format. Or use the plug-in "Update Epub".

There are two reasons for this: It is much faster and it allows you to store books in the library without changing them. Ever! Except for the filename.

When you save books to disc or send to device the new copies of the books have the updated metadata inside

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Adoby

Calibre doesn't update metadata stored inside books in the calibre library. Only in the database metadata.db and the opf-files. Except when you polish or convert a book. You can convert from one format to the same format. Or use the plug-in "Update Epub".

The metadata in a book (epub, mobi*, azw3) is updated upon export from calibre's library using the following features:

• Send to device
• Save to disk
• Email
• Content server

*Metadata in mobi books that contain both mobi and kf8 is not updated by the above methods.

And as you stated the metadata can be updated in the book within the library by using the following features:

• Converting the book
• Polish feature (azw3, epub)
• Modify epub plugin

[Adoby]

Shouldn't this be a sticky somewhere? Or is it already?

What about export using Calibre Companion, does that update metadata?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Adoby

Shouldn't this be a sticky somewhere? Or is it already?

What about export using Calibre Companion, does that update metadata?

Yes, It looks like a Device toCalibre

[mtothet]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

The metadata in a book (epub, mobi*, azw3) is updated upon export from calibre's library using the following features:

• Send to device
• Save to disk
• Email
• Content server

*Metadata in mobi books that contain both mobi and kf8 is not updated by the above methods.

That looks like my case. I was confused, because saving to disc and reimporting or sending to device actually didn't change anything. Now I'm sure I'll have to convert to the same format or polish them. Thanks a lot.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mtothet

That looks like my case. I was confused, because saving to disc and reimporting or sending to device actually didn't change anything. Now I'm sure I'll have to convert to the same format or polish them. Thanks a lot.

Judging by Kovid's quote below Polish won't work either.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Updating metadata in general does not work for joint mobi/kf8 files.

[mtothet]

I've tried it, works fine. After choosing to polish joint mobi/kf8 book there is a warning saying that "data in kf6 format will be lost". It's true, after polishing it's kf8 only.