wrong book cover in calibre book viewer

[marp68]

I have changed the covers for some books. When viewing the book in Calibre metadata for the book or book details on the right side, it shows the new cover, but when opening the book in the calibre book viewer, the old cover is shown.

Why doesn't the calibre book viewer show the new cover? I have tried close and open calibre, but the same happens.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by marp68

I have changed the covers for some books. When viewing the book in Calibre metadata for the book or book details on the right side, it shows the new cover, but when opening the book in the calibre book viewer, the old cover is shown.

Why doesn't the calibre book viewer show the new cover? I have tried close and open calibre, but the same happens.

I think it is because the Viewer, unlike Send o Device, does not update the book copy.

Use one of the tools: Polish, Embed Metadata or Modify EPUB to Update the Library copy

[marp68]

Originally Posted by theducks

I think it is because the Viewer, unlike Send o Device, does not update the book copy.

Use one of the tools: Polish, Embed Metadata or Modify EPUB to Update the Library copy

I tried Polish, and it worked great. Thanks. Didn't know that changed metadata or cover wasn't embedded in the actual book when updated.

I suppose this mean I will have to go through and Polish all books, since I have added or changed a lot of things in the books.... Any risk in doing all at the same time?

"You can use it to embed referenced fonts, subset embedded fonts, smarten punctuation, update the metadata in the book files from the metadata in the calibre library, manipulate the book jacket, etc."

[theducks]

Originally Posted by marp68

I tried Polish, and it worked great. Thanks. Didn't know that changed metadata or cover wasn't embedded in the actual book when updated.

I suppose this mean I will have to go through and Polish all books, since I have added or changed a lot of things in the books.... Any risk in doing all at the same time?

"You can use it to embed referenced fonts, subset embedded fonts, smarten punctuation, update the metadata in the book files from the metadata in the calibre library, manipulate the book jacket, etc."

Only if the book was not Cleanly formed (Cover and Titlepage properly defined)

Use the Quality Check PI to detect 'Missing...' , those will be the ones to take care with.

[marp68]

How do I know that it's not?

I had a look in the device now. And there is only the epub file, so it seems that new covers, comments, tags is embedded even though I didn't use the Polish function. The only thing I did was to use the Update metatext function when changing or adding cover, synopsis in the comment field, tags.

So what's the difference when using the Polish?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by marp68

How do I know that it's not?

I had a look in the device now. And there is only the epub file, so it seems that new covers, comments, tags is embedded even though I didn't use the Polish function. The only thing I did was to use the Update metatext function when changing or adding cover, synopsis in the comment field, tags.

So what's the difference when using the Polish?

The Device GETS the changes automatically when you send. The Library does NOT change.

Polish (and others) do the Library source . The viewer is part of the Library, so I don't think it updates what you see, because there is no separate/independant book file

[marp68]

The Polish function also said that one should be careful with using Polish for updating metadata, since most format is not capaple in supporting all metadata in Calibre.

[eschwartz]

Embed Metadata will do the same thing that Send-to-Device does, but instead of updating the copy on the ereader, Embed Metadata updates the in-library copy.

Polish Books is more powerful than Embed Metadata, since it can also create a cover when the ebook doesn't yet have one.
It also does several things in addition to embedding the metadata (e.g. book jacket, font subsetting, etc.)

Polish Books works on EPUB/AZW3 only, Embed Metadata supports all ebook formats just like Send-to-Device does. However, not all formats support all metadata. For example, MOBI does not support cover images, therefore you can only update the cover by reconverting.

[marp68]

Great info. Thanks

So, when sending to the device (only the epub file), Calibre actually do update the metadata in the actual epub file before sending. I tested this by manually moving the epub file in the calibre library to the device myself. When opening it, there is no new cover and no synopsis text.

Meanwhile, in the calibre library there are three files, the epub, the cover and the metadata (.opf). So I suppose that the viewer reads the "old" epub file, while the updated metadata is stored in the .opf file and the new external cover. While watching the book details menu to the right in the library manager, Calibre reads from the external metadata file and cover file.

However, when manually moving the epub file outside the library and opening it in ADE, the new cover is shown. If the library epub file doesn't contain the new cover, why does it show in ADE? Since it doesn't show in the device when moving it there manually as well.

I noticed that when using Polish, a backup was created called .original_epub. I think a good idea would be to autmatically update the actual epub file when using the function Update meta data or changing the cover and create a backup file? Or at least having the option already in the Update function. Or something I missed, would it be bad?

[eschwartz]

"when manually moving the epub file outside the library and opening it in ADE" -- do you mean, using Save-to-Disk?
Save-to-Disk will also update metadata in the saved copy, just like Send-to-Device. As will Send-to-Email.

As for the ORIGINAL_EPUB created by Polish Book, that is a backup file. Polish Book does a lot more than Embed Metadata, which is why it needs to create a backup.
You can disable the backup, using the option in Preferences ==> Advanced ==> Tweaks.

[marp68]

No, I moved it manually, from one folder to another.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by marp68

No, I moved it manually, from one folder to another.

Calibre IS your Librarian, who performs tasks during checkout

Use Calibre to do all management tasks

BTW Using the O/S to move/rename books WITHIN a Calibre Library is a great way to make a hash of things. Do read the Calibre FAQ and the forum stickies to help avoid stepping in things

[marp68]

Since I only COPY a file, even though I do it manually, to the OUTSIDE of Calibre, as far as I know it will not make a mess or destroy anything of the files INSIDE the Calibre area. I would never start messing with the actual files INSIDE Calibre.

By copying the file outside the Calibre area, I can compare and understand better what is happening and how it works. Since no one so far has been able to give me a complete explanation that seems to be completely correct.

But with good information and advices from you guys and my own experimenting, I understand more and more.

Thanks

[eschwartz]

I have no explanation for why copying a file via the file browser to outside the calibre library, would modify the internal contents of said file.

But rest assured, it has nothing to do with calibre.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by marp68

By copying the file outside the Calibre area, I can compare and understand better what is happening and how it works. Since no one so far has been able to give me a complete explanation that seems to be completely correct.

Everyone in this thread has given you consistent correct information if you copy a file using the OS to a different location and have ADE read it, ADE will only show you what is embedded in the file. Copying the file adds nothing. If ADE shows a cover, then that cover is part of the book. Many books (if not most) of the books you add to your calibre library already have a cover embedded in them. The only thing I don't think that has been mentioned yet in this thread is the fact that every time you do a conversion within calibre the converted book (if the format supports it) will have all of the metadata and cover embedded in it during the conversion process.