ebook-meta makes ePub un-openable on Mac Books app

ddosdex · 07-31-2022, 12:18 PM

I'm facing a peculiar issue with using ebook-meta CLI tool to change things like the ePub title, author, and cover.

I have an ePub, let's call it test.epub.

I'm able to successfully open this ePub with the Mac Books app.

Then I run:

Code:

ebook-meta test.epub --authors "new author"

This seems to modify test.epub in place (which is fine).

I try to open test.epub with Mac books app and I get an error: "The operation couldn't be completed. No such file or directory."

Interestingly, I can open the same ePub with the Books app on iOS. It seems like only the Mac Books app has an issue. I've tried opening the ePub on different Mac machines (M1 and Intel) to no avail - same error on all of them.

This issue is not unique to changing the author name. It happens when I try to change title, cover, etc...

When I diff the ePub before and after running it through ebook-meta, I notice ebook-meta makes several changes to the internal files, mostly formatting, but I can't be sure as I haven't looked in depth. It clearly changes much more than the metadata in question. I expect the diff to be a one-line change, but it's far larger.

Two questions to help me further troubleshoot:

1. Is there a simpler mode I can run ebook-meta in so the diff just changes the author name (or title, etc...) but NOTHING else, no formatting, etc...?

2. Right now, ebook-meta changes the file in place. Is there a way to tell the tool to create a new file with the change?

3. Any other tips / advice on why this could be happening? I have to to run ebook-meta on dozens of ePubs and I'm afraid I can't because the resulting ePubs will all be un-openable on my Mac Books app which is what I rely on a lot.

Thanks!

kovidgoyal · 07-31-2022, 09:41 PM

1) No. Metadata is in an XML file, that XML file is parsed into a structure. That structure is edited and then pretty printed. This is by design

2) cp file.epub file2.epub; ebook-meta --authors whatever file2.epub

3) Apple's Books app, like almost all Apple software is utter garbage. Report the bug to Apple and enjoy being ignored for ever.

07-31-2022, 12:18 PM	#1
ddosdex Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2022 Device: none	ebook-meta makes ePub un-openable on Mac Books app I'm facing a peculiar issue with using ebook-meta CLI tool to change things like the ePub title, author, and cover. I have an ePub, let's call it test.epub. I'm able to successfully open this ePub with the Mac Books app. Then I run: Code: ebook-meta test.epub --authors "new author" This seems to modify test.epub in place (which is fine). I try to open test.epub with Mac books app and I get an error: "The operation couldn't be completed. No such file or directory." Interestingly, I can open the same ePub with the Books app on iOS. It seems like only the Mac Books app has an issue. I've tried opening the ePub on different Mac machines (M1 and Intel) to no avail - same error on all of them. This issue is not unique to changing the author name. It happens when I try to change title, cover, etc... When I diff the ePub before and after running it through ebook-meta, I notice ebook-meta makes several changes to the internal files, mostly formatting, but I can't be sure as I haven't looked in depth. It clearly changes much more than the metadata in question. I expect the diff to be a one-line change, but it's far larger. Two questions to help me further troubleshoot: 1. Is there a simpler mode I can run ebook-meta in so the diff just changes the author name (or title, etc...) but NOTHING else, no formatting, etc...? 2. Right now, ebook-meta changes the file in place. Is there a way to tell the tool to create a new file with the change? 3. Any other tips / advice on why this could be happening? I have to to run ebook-meta on dozens of ePubs and I'm afraid I can't because the resulting ePubs will all be un-openable on my Mac Books app which is what I rely on a lot. Thanks!

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07-31-2022, 09:41 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,826 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	1) No. Metadata is in an XML file, that XML file is parsed into a structure. That structure is edited and then pretty printed. This is by design 2) cp file.epub file2.epub; ebook-meta --authors whatever file2.epub 3) Apple's Books app, like almost all Apple software is utter garbage. Report the bug to Apple and enjoy being ignored for ever.