Ebook conversion (EPUB to MOBI) via command line

[ebooklab]

Hello everybody.
I’m new to this forum.

I’m converting some ebooks from EPUB to MOBI format via command line.
I'd like to use Calibre via command line, but there is a problem about the cover.

In the EPUB, in the content.opf file, in the <spine>, the cover page has the attribute linear set to "no" (<itemref idref="cover" linear="no" />).

If I export the EPUB file directly with Calibre the thumbnail of the cover appear in Kindle application (see attachment).

While if I export the EPUB file via command line, the thumbnail of the cover doesn't appear in Kindle application (see attachment).

This is the code:
ebook-convert 9788852013089.epub 9788852013089.mobi --input-profile=sony --output-profile=kindle

What is wrong about my code?


Thanks in advance.

[ldolse]

You've only set a small handful of ebook-convert options. There are many options that can be set, including several around setting a cover. Try doing a conversion from the GUI and then go to the conversion log, which can be accessed by clicking on 'Jobs' in the the lower right of Calibre's main window. The top of the log will list out all the options that were enabled during the conversion - each option maps to an ebook-convert argument.

At a guess you're missing the --cover option and you're ePub doesn't include a cover.

Read more here:
http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cli/ebook-convert.html

[ebooklab]

Thanks.
I’ve noticed that the conversion works from the GUI.
The problem occurs when I work through command-line (I want to serialize the process of conversion of hundreds of books!).

The problem is identical to the one described in this thread "Cover lost when converting fb2 to mobi by command line " https://bugs.launchpad.net/calibre/+bug/829240

In that case Kovid answered (August 19th 2011):

Fixed in lp:calibre #3

Fixed in branch lp:calibre. The fix will be in the next release. calibre is usually released every Friday.

status fixreleased

[ldolse]

My point wasn't that you use the GUI in general, my point was that you use the GUI once to see all the ebook-convert arguments that get used from the GUI. If you set all the same cli arguments that are used in the GUI then you should get the same results as the GUI using ebook-convert. Once you've got the arguments right you can go to town with whatever scripts you want to use.

Note the GUI can also batch convert any number of books, FYI.

If that bug-fix you mentioned was related to your problem then the latest version of Calibre on the download site would already have that fix.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by ChanceEdwards

Can calibre create a working Table of Contents?

Absolutely. I'm the not most versed, but this sticky post (located at the top of the conversion sub-forum) give some detail on how to create TOC with calibre.