How to display metadata

BTooze · 09-19-2010, 01:50 PM

Can someone explain how to display the metadata on the Kindle 3.

If I chose a book and press the 4-way right arrow I get the cover, author and some other options. What I cannot get is the summary of the book even though I have checked that it is in the metadata.

Now that I have loaded over 30 books onto my new device, it would be nice to view this information (similar to reading the back cover of a paper book) in order to decide which book to read next.

Regards,

Brian

ATDrake · 09-19-2010, 03:44 PM

Currently the Kindle does not display in any way the contents of the "description" metadata field. The most they'll allow you to do is look up the book's info by connecting to the Kindle store, and only for books you've gotten from Amazon.

Myself, I cut and paste the descriptions into a text file which I load up on my Kindle, but I'm lazy about updating it. Other people use Calibre to autogenerate a similar separate catalogue listing.

Tiersten · 09-19-2010, 03:53 PM

The Amazon store doesn't populate the description field so I guess thats why they didn't bother to display it.

Stevo · 09-19-2010, 04:12 PM

it would've been the greatest thing in the world to have this feature on the K3...

RonF · 09-19-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Other people use Calibre to autogenerate a similar separate catalogue listing.

Use Calibre to create a catalog of all of your books.

In Calibre, click the down arrow on top, next to the Convert button and choose "Create catalog of books in your Calibre library" On the page that opens, pick the format you want (mobi for Kindle), then click the e-book options tab, uncheck "Include 'Recently Added' Section", then click OK. This will generate a "book" called my books in the .mobi format that you can put on your Kindle. It will contain just about all of the meta data including the summary that you are looking for.

You can play around a little with the other check boxes and the other options to get it the way you want it. I think this should get you everything you are looking for and put it all into one section so you don't have to thumb through all the books.

foghat · 09-19-2010, 10:56 PM

In Calibre, when converting a book, under Structure Detection, there is a check box for 'Insert metadata as page at start of book'

If you check this off, it will insert the description (and whatever other metadata you have entered) as the first page of the book (after the cover). I do this and find it very handy.

As mentioned, creating a catalog is also an option.

Raheldm · 09-20-2010, 05:40 AM

I just got my Kindle. YAY and I hoped that I could use the book description. Sad that it doesn't work.

Oldpilot · 09-20-2010, 06:09 AM

Given that any sensible shopper would download the sample before actually buying the book, I just tried a new device for the front of the book: Preview. It consists of three Kindle pages from an exciting scene midway in the story. Not quite what you ask, to be sure, but what would you think of authors' putting the product description (with a sexier name) up front in just that fashion?

09-19-2010, 01:50 PM	#1
BTooze Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	How to display metadata Can someone explain how to display the metadata on the Kindle 3. If I chose a book and press the 4-way right arrow I get the cover, author and some other options. What I cannot get is the summary of the book even though I have checked that it is in the metadata. Now that I have loaded over 30 books onto my new device, it would be nice to view this information (similar to reading the back cover of a paper book) in order to decide which book to read next. Regards, Brian

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09-19-2010, 03:44 PM	#2
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Currently the Kindle does not display in any way the contents of the "description" metadata field. The most they'll allow you to do is look up the book's info by connecting to the Kindle store, and only for books you've gotten from Amazon. Myself, I cut and paste the descriptions into a text file which I load up on my Kindle, but I'm lazy about updating it. Other people use Calibre to autogenerate a similar separate catalogue listing.

09-19-2010, 03:53 PM	#3
Tiersten Guru Posts: 987 Karma: 8641 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi	The Amazon store doesn't populate the description field so I guess thats why they didn't bother to display it.

09-19-2010, 04:12 PM	#4
Stevo Member Posts: 23 Karma: 46 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: SoCal Device: Kindle 3!!!	it would've been the greatest thing in the world to have this feature on the K3...

09-19-2010, 10:56 PM	#6
foghat Evangelist Posts: 464 Karma: 1006520 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: Kindle PW3	In Calibre, when converting a book, under Structure Detection, there is a check box for 'Insert metadata as page at start of book' If you check this off, it will insert the description (and whatever other metadata you have entered) as the first page of the book (after the cover). I do this and find it very handy. As mentioned, creating a catalog is also an option.

09-20-2010, 05:40 AM	#7
Raheldm Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: hopefully soon	I just got my Kindle. YAY and I hoped that I could use the book description. Sad that it doesn't work.

09-20-2010, 06:09 AM	#8
Oldpilot Groupie Posts: 184 Karma: 2572 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle	Given that any sensible shopper would download the sample before actually buying the book, I just tried a new device for the front of the book: Preview. It consists of three Kindle pages from an exciting scene midway in the story. Not quite what you ask, to be sure, but what would you think of authors' putting the product description (with a sexier name) up front in just that fashion?