How to just add a cover page in a pdf file without converting it?

bob_bookworm · 10-08-2016, 08:13 AM

Hello,

There is no way for me to avoid this looking a silly question, so to cut it short here is my problem:
I do not want to convert the pdf file, I like it very much the way it is... I just want to add a cover page because the original file does not have one.

I tried with the 'change cover image' option within the conversion menu, hoping that would just add the cover page, but the file gets converted anyway and it is no longer readable the way it was.

Any simple way out?

davidfor · 10-08-2016, 08:16 AM

Use "Polish book". One of the options is to update the cover, and it will add one if there isn't one already.

bob_bookworm · 10-08-2016, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Use "Polish book". One of the options is to update the cover, and it will add one if there isn't one already.

Thanks, but isn't that supposed to work only for EPUB and AZW3 files?
Mine is a PDF file.

davidfor · 10-08-2016, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_bookworm

Thanks, but isn't that supposed to work only for EPUB and AZW3 files?
Mine is a PDF file.

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. In that case, I have no idea.

Ken Maltby · 10-08-2016, 09:51 AM

If this is a "one off" thing, you could perhaps use the free trial of "Scrivener", a link is provided in this How To. If it works and you may do this often it might be worth the $40, it is a writer's tool with many good features.

Luck;
Ken

bob_bookworm · 10-08-2016, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

If this is a "one off" thing, you could perhaps use the free trial of "Scrivener", a link is provided in this How To. If it works and you may do this often it might be worth the $40, it is a writer's tool with many good features.

Luck;
Ken

Thanks!!!
Will give it a try

BetterRed · 10-08-2016, 03:49 PM

@bob_bookworm - try Open Office Draw (it might need the PDF File Import plug-in) - free.

If this is something you want to do regularly you might want to consider getting a 'real' PDF editor, such as Acrobat DC from Adobe or PDF XChange Pro from Tracker. You can get a 'free' trial of PDF XChange Pro, not sure about Acrobat DC.

Added: PDF files don't have 'covers' as a specific object, the first page is the 'cover', irrespective of whether it's an image or text. So you need to 'insert an image' at the start of the PDF.

BR

AnotherCat · 10-09-2016, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_bookworm

...I do not want to convert the pdf file, I like it very much the way it is... I just want to add a cover page because the original file does not have one.

PDF Split and Merge will allow you to add or remove pages to a PDF file, and PrimoPDF and PDF Creator will allow you to add pages to a PDF file.

They are all free and a Google search will turn them up straight away.

You do, of course, have to have a cover page in PDF or another acceptable image format (jpg, etc.) to add.

Ken Maltby · 10-09-2016, 05:09 PM

You can also, use the free Gimp2 to make your cover image and Gimp can even export it as PDF. ( I expect a PNG would work fine though.)

Luck;
Ken

cgrapski · 04-23-2022, 06:16 AM

I too have the same interest. I asked if this could be added as a feature. But Kovid's concern is there is no metadata for cover in a PDF file - so no way to check if it is duplicating the existing cover.

To me the issue is not one of batch conversion - but of amending one file at a time - when I know the cover is not the proper cover - and I have the proper cover in Calibre's database.

But the Polish Book option WOULD DO IT - if it COULD DO IT for a PDF file.

I wonder if it would be possible for that plug-in to be updated - to specifically have an option that handles PDF file covers - to add the Calibre jpg for that file as the first page of the PDF. The plug-in - as you point out - does that but only for the epub family, not for PDFs which it doesn't currently handle.

But maybe it can be tweaked to add this functionality for PDFs - even though it is not necessarily going to add all the plugin's functionality for PDFs - just the add cover. It seems to me (although I am not a programmer) that this would not be too difficult - as you can add a page to a PDF from outside of Acrobat (and add it in position as first page). And you can import a jpg or convert a jpg into a page of a PDF file.

I just wouldn't know how to write the script.

10-08-2016, 08:13 AM	#1
bob_bookworm Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Kindle	How to just add a cover page in a pdf file without converting it? Hello, There is no way for me to avoid this looking a silly question, so to cut it short here is my problem: I do not want to convert the pdf file, I like it very much the way it is... I just want to add a cover page because the original file does not have one. I tried with the 'change cover image' option within the conversion menu, hoping that would just add the cover page, but the file gets converted anyway and it is no longer readable the way it was. Any simple way out? Last edited by bob_bookworm; 10-08-2016 at 08:14 AM. Reason: More precise title

10-08-2016, 03:49 PM	#7
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@bob_bookworm - try Open Office Draw (it might need the PDF File Import plug-in) - free. If this is something you want to do regularly you might want to consider getting a 'real' PDF editor, such as Acrobat DC from Adobe or PDF XChange Pro from Tracker. You can get a 'free' trial of PDF XChange Pro, not sure about Acrobat DC. Added: PDF files don't have 'covers' as a specific object, the first page is the 'cover', irrespective of whether it's an image or text. So you need to 'insert an image' at the start of the PDF. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 10-08-2016 at 04:29 PM. Reason: See Added

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10-08-2016, 08:16 AM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Use "Polish book". One of the options is to update the cover, and it will add one if there isn't one already.

10-08-2016, 09:51 AM	#5
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	If this is a "one off" thing, you could perhaps use the free trial of "Scrivener", a link is provided in this How To. If it works and you may do this often it might be worth the $40, it is a writer's tool with many good features. Luck; Ken

10-09-2016, 05:09 PM	#9
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	You can also, use the free Gimp2 to make your cover image and Gimp can even export it as PDF. ( I expect a PNG would work fine though.) Luck; Ken

04-23-2022, 06:16 AM	#10
cgrapski Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2016 Device: Kindle	I too have the same interest. I asked if this could be added as a feature. But Kovid's concern is there is no metadata for cover in a PDF file - so no way to check if it is duplicating the existing cover. To me the issue is not one of batch conversion - but of amending one file at a time - when I know the cover is not the proper cover - and I have the proper cover in Calibre's database. But the Polish Book option WOULD DO IT - if it COULD DO IT for a PDF file. I wonder if it would be possible for that plug-in to be updated - to specifically have an option that handles PDF file covers - to add the Calibre jpg for that file as the first page of the PDF. The plug-in - as you point out - does that but only for the epub family, not for PDFs which it doesn't currently handle. But maybe it can be tweaked to add this functionality for PDFs - even though it is not necessarily going to add all the plugin's functionality for PDFs - just the add cover. It seems to me (although I am not a programmer) that this would not be too difficult - as you can add a page to a PDF from outside of Acrobat (and add it in position as first page). And you can import a jpg or convert a jpg into a page of a PDF file. I just wouldn't know how to write the script.

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