Problems with cover display for side-loaded books

Cameronpaterson · 01-30-2012, 05:53 AM

I occasionally side load books (primarily pubs) onto my Vox using the Calibre programme, and when I do, I always make sure cover images are included and (now at least) properly embedded (using an epub to epub conversion). However, I have encountered an odd problem - surprisingly often, these cover images are displayed on the virtual library shelves when the books are imported but then do not appear on the actual cover page when the book is actually opened. Instead you are presented with a blank rectangle.

Has anyone else encountered this quirk, or have any suggestions as to what may be causing it?

Cdesja5 · 01-30-2012, 08:54 AM

It could be that the blank rectangle is the "original" cover that stays there unless removed. In Aldiko, I don't see the new cover that I just added in Calibre as the first page of the book. What I see is the "old" cover, an index or a blank page (whatever that "original" was). There is a plugin that allows the removal of the legacy cover, it's called "Modify ePub". If you run your books through there first before doing your epub to epub conversion, it should clean up your "quirk".

Cameronpaterson · 01-30-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdesja5

It could be that the blank rectangle is the "original" cover that stays there unless removed. In Aldiko, I don't see the new cover that I just added in Calibre as the first page of the book. What I see is the "old" cover, an index or a blank page (whatever that "original" was). There is a plugin that allows the removal of the legacy cover, it's called "Modify ePub". If you run your books through there first before doing your epub to epub conversion, it should clean up your "quirk".

That certainly sounds like the solution! I will investigate

This editing epub lark is proving more complicated than I expected!

ne0rmatrix · 01-30-2012, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameronpaterson

That certainly sounds like the solution! I will investigate

This editing epub lark is proving more complicated than I expected!

Well i think i found a solution to this problem. Props for that calibre add-on for auto fixing Epub problems. But i think turning off SVG Covers is the solution, as simply removing, replacing, or adding a default cover did not work for me. I also had to reconvert with SVG Covers turned off. Oh i did try it before without checking the box for no SVG Cover but had same problem. This feature can be found in epub output tab of converting format pop up dialog found in Calibre.

Cameronpaterson · 01-30-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ne0rmatrix

Well i think i found a solution to this problem. Props for that calibre add-on for auto fixing Epub problems. But i think turning off SVG Covers is the solution, as simply removing, replacing, or adding a default cover did not work for me. I also had to reconvert with SVG Covers turned off. Oh i did try it before without checking the box for no SVG Cover but had same problem. This feature can be found in epub output tab of converting format pop up dialog found in Calibre.

Okay!

What's an SVG cover, actually?

ne0rmatrix · 01-30-2012, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameronpaterson

Okay!

What's an SVG cover, actually?

No clue but i know itunes does not like it! I imagine its an image format embedded in the Epub file linked to the internal html that makes the ebook. But im not sure if I got that even right.

Well anyways the Vox is not itunes but I though if some devices don't like SVG Covers maybe the Vox does not either. So i tested the idea and side loaded 60 ebooks after converting epub to epub without SVG Covers and whalla cover image at beginning appeared in every ebook!

Well i also ran that calibre plugin mentioned before, but that by itself did not fix issue so i turned of SVG Covers and the 2 things, SVG and that calibre epub plugin did the trick.

Cameronpaterson · 02-01-2012, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ne0rmatrix

No clue but i know itunes does not like it! I imagine its an image format embedded in the Epub file linked to the internal html that makes the ebook. But im not sure if I got that even right.

Well anyways the Vox is not itunes but I though if some devices don't like SVG Covers maybe the Vox does not either. So i tested the idea and side loaded 60 ebooks after converting epub to epub without SVG Covers and whalla cover image at beginning appeared in every ebook!

Well i also ran that calibre plugin mentioned before, but that by itself did not fix issue so i turned of SVG Covers and the 2 things, SVG and that calibre epub plugin did the trick.

So apparently 'SVG' stands for 'scalable vector graphics', and they offer the advantage of not distorting or pixellating when zoomed. However, the problem they present is that Apple iBooks is the only major ereading platform to support them at present. Those that don't support SVG graphics instead display blank pages! So kudos, I think you've found an major element of this issue. So...blank rectangles on the cover pages of side loaded books are either down to incompatible SVG graphics or to legacy pages which need editing out.... Gosh, this is complicated

Cameronpaterson · 02-01-2012, 07:18 AM

And to complicate things still further...it can also be down to the cover graphic not being properly embedded in the epub file !

01-30-2012, 05:53 AM	#1
Cameronpaterson Addict Posts: 207 Karma: 4264 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Yorkshire, England Device: Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Glo, iPad, iPhone	Problems with cover display for side-loaded books I occasionally side load books (primarily pubs) onto my Vox using the Calibre programme, and when I do, I always make sure cover images are included and (now at least) properly embedded (using an epub to epub conversion). However, I have encountered an odd problem - surprisingly often, these cover images are displayed on the virtual library shelves when the books are imported but then do not appear on the actual cover page when the book is actually opened. Instead you are presented with a blank rectangle. Has anyone else encountered this quirk, or have any suggestions as to what may be causing it?

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01-30-2012, 08:54 AM	#2
Cdesja5 Wizard Posts: 1,117 Karma: 2094306 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Device: Lots and lots of electronic gadgets...	It could be that the blank rectangle is the "original" cover that stays there unless removed. In Aldiko, I don't see the new cover that I just added in Calibre as the first page of the book. What I see is the "old" cover, an index or a blank page (whatever that "original" was). There is a plugin that allows the removal of the legacy cover, it's called "Modify ePub". If you run your books through there first before doing your epub to epub conversion, it should clean up your "quirk".

02-01-2012, 07:18 AM	#8
Cameronpaterson Addict Posts: 207 Karma: 4264 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Yorkshire, England Device: Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Glo, iPad, iPhone	And to complicate things still further...it can also be down to the cover graphic not being properly embedded in the epub file !