How can I read metadata into Calibre directly from an Epub?

robroseknows · 12-13-2024, 12:07 AM

I am trying to move my ebook library into Calibre. I buy most of my eBooks from Humble Bundles or J Novel Club, and most of the time the ePubs they provide are well-formatted with good metadata already included.

I would like a way to read that metadata from the Ebook file itself into Calibre. I don't like using the downloader, as it frequently finds the wrong books and screws up my covers. I want to make sure I at the very least have an accurate ISBN for every eBook so that when I go to download other metadata, it's the correct book.

For example, a recent book had the tag

Code:

<dc:source id="src-id">urn:isbn:9781632360564</dc:source>

in it's metadata, but Calibre didn't add that to the book's ids. Instead the ids field is blank.

I tried using the Extract ISBN plugin, but that didn't work either, because the manga has the imprint page formatted as an image rather than text.

This is honestly very frustrating as I'd love to use Calibre, but I have no idea how to actually guarantee accurate metadata.

Sirtel · 12-13-2024, 12:33 AM

Maybe Preferences -> Adding books -> check Read metadata from file contents rather than file name? Not sure if this will do what you want, though.

BetterRed · 12-13-2024, 01:03 AM

If the Books are already added to library, try these Metadata Edit features:

Single Book Edit

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Multi Book Edit

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BR

robroseknows · 12-13-2024, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Maybe Preferences -> Adding books -> check Read metadata from file contents rather than file name? Not sure if this will do what you want, though.

I have that selected. It looks like it's reading in the Author and the Publisher, which is nice, but I really want the ISBN as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

If the Books are already added to library, try these Metadata Edit features:

Single Book Edit

Attachment 212470

Multi Book Edit

Attachment 212471

BR

That does look promising, but it also doesn't read in the ISBN, at least on the books that I tried.

kovidgoyal · 12-13-2024, 10:12 AM

dc:source is not the correct way to set ISBN in an epub file. If you want to see the correct way, set the ISBN for a book in calibre, using the edit metadata dialog then open it in the edit book tool and look at the OPF file.

DNSB · 12-14-2024, 06:15 PM

If you try adding a line such as <dc:identifier>urn:isbn:1234567890123</dc:identifier> (inserting the ISBN-13), does it then work? What the dc:source is specifying is the ISBN for the source publication such as the print version. The ISBN for this ebook version must be different from that used for any other version.

In your case, the ISBN refers to the print edition of A Silent Voice, Vol 1.

Amazon does not supply ISBNs for it's ebook versions but you could try other sites such as Kobo which shows the ISBN for the epub version to be 9781632360625 though that is not included in the metadata within the Kobo supplied epub file.

12-13-2024, 12:07 AM	#1
robroseknows Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2024 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	How can I read metadata into Calibre directly from an Epub? I am trying to move my ebook library into Calibre. I buy most of my eBooks from Humble Bundles or J Novel Club, and most of the time the ePubs they provide are well-formatted with good metadata already included. I would like a way to read that metadata from the Ebook file itself into Calibre. I don't like using the downloader, as it frequently finds the wrong books and screws up my covers. I want to make sure I at the very least have an accurate ISBN for every eBook so that when I go to download other metadata, it's the correct book. For example, a recent book had the tag Code: <dc:source id="src-id">urn:isbn:9781632360564</dc:source> in it's metadata, but Calibre didn't add that to the book's ids. Instead the ids field is blank. I tried using the Extract ISBN plugin, but that didn't work either, because the manga has the imprint page formatted as an image rather than text. This is honestly very frustrating as I'd love to use Calibre, but I have no idea how to actually guarantee accurate metadata.

12-13-2024, 01:03 AM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,214 Karma: 29110326 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	If the Books are already added to library, try these Metadata Edit features: Single Book Edit Multi Book Edit BR

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12-13-2024, 12:33 AM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,154 Karma: 233447200 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Maybe Preferences -> Adding books -> check Read metadata from file contents rather than file name? Not sure if this will do what you want, though.

12-13-2024, 10:12 AM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,764 Karma: 24967300 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	dc:source is not the correct way to set ISBN in an epub file. If you want to see the correct way, set the ISBN for a book in calibre, using the edit metadata dialog then open it in the edit book tool and look at the OPF file.

12-14-2024, 06:15 PM	#6
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 41,910 Karma: 161810714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	If you try adding a line such as <dc:identifier>urn:isbn:1234567890123</dc:identifier> (inserting the ISBN-13), does it then work? What the dc:source is specifying is the ISBN for the source publication such as the print version. The ISBN for this ebook version must be different from that used for any other version. In your case, the ISBN refers to the print edition of A Silent Voice, Vol 1. Amazon does not supply ISBNs for it's ebook versions but you could try other sites such as Kobo which shows the ISBN for the epub version to be 9781632360625 though that is not included in the metadata within the Kobo supplied epub file.