Inserting images into MetaData Comments Field in Calibre

[slammerkin]

QUESTION: How do you insert images into the comments section, when editing metadata, so that they show up in the actual ebook?

When I edit the metadata in Calbire (of an ebook), I add info to the “comments” box. Usually text, and images.
When I finish editing all the meta data, I convert the ebook, and use the option to insert the metadata as the first page in the ebook.

Normally, all the data I entered shows up when I load the converted ebook onto my reader- except images in the comment field. The images, and some of the formatting of the comments, disappear on the actual ebook, even though they show up when I initially add them into calibre. For example, I'll choose to center text, but it shows up L-R on the actual ebook. Some formating goes through- text color, for example.

The “comments” box in the metadata section actually has a toolbar for formatting (centering text, text and background color, etc.)- and when I'm in Calibre, it always shows the images I add, and the proper formatting- but so I know there must be a way to make it permanent. But once I convert it, adding the metadata as the first page, and I send the ebook to my device, the formatting goes to L-R for text, and images just disappear.

I'm almost always converting epub to epub, in case that matters; the conversion is just to update the metadata.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by slammerkin

QUESTION: How do you insert images into the comments section, when editing metadata, so that they show up in the actual ebook?

When I edit the metadata in Calbire (of an ebook), I add info to the “comments” box. Usually text, and images.
When I finish editing all the meta data, I convert the ebook, and use the option to insert the metadata as the first page in the ebook.

Normally, all the data I entered shows up when I load the converted ebook onto my reader- except images in the comment field. The images, and some of the formatting of the comments, disappear on the actual ebook, even though they show up when I initially add them into calibre. For example, I'll choose to center text, but it shows up L-R on the actual ebook. Some formating goes through- text color, for example.

The “comments” box in the metadata section actually has a toolbar for formatting (centering text, text and background color, etc.)- and when I'm in Calibre, it always shows the images I add, and the proper formatting- but so I know there must be a way to make it permanent. But once I convert it, adding the metadata as the first page, and I send the ebook to my device, the formatting goes to L-R for text, and images just disappear.

I'm almost always converting epub to epub, in case that matters; the conversion is just to update the metadata.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks

@slammerkin - You need to read the exchange between me and theducks through to the end - its not quite as I first thought, but its better than I second thought

if you source the image from the 'net, it will show in Comments but not in book jackets - if you think about that sort of makes sense

if you source the image from a file, it will show in Comments and it will be in the the book jacket - but you need to use file:/// eg

<img src="file:///C:/_Sandpit/test.jpg" alt="My Picture" width="400" height="600">

You can prettify Jackets and add your custom columns, see http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cust...ates-et-cetera

Hope that helps you a bit, your post helped me solve another puzzle

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by slammerkin

QUESTION: How do you insert images into the comments section, when editing metadata, so that they show up in the actual ebook?


Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks

The simple answer, is you can't, for the reason given by BR

You need to embed the image into the book,
Edit the <img src line and edit the Manifest, or you could use an editor like Sigil.

BTW you do NOT need to convert to update the jacket in the Library copy. Polish or Modify EPUB (PI) will do that without touching other parts of the book.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

The simple answer, is you can't, for the reason given by BR

You need to embed the image into the book,
Edit the <img src line and edit the Manifest, or you could use an editor like Sigil.

BTW you do NOT need to convert to update the jacket in the Library copy. Polish or Modify EPUB (PI) will do that without touching other parts of the book.

@theducks I'm sure you believe you understood what you think I wrote, but I am not sure you realize what you read is not what I meant.

I can put pictures into comments, from the 'net and from a local file

Here's a picture from the 'net you can try, put the following into an empty Comments

<div>
<p>from Alexander Turcic's calibre post</p>
<img src="https://www2.mobileread.com/upload/news/2013-07/gui.jpg" alt="Cover MB" width="400" height="300">
</div>

I see the picture in Comments in Book Details - but when I convert the book with Structure Detection_>Insert metadata checked I do NOT see the picture in the jacket - as I said, it sort of makes sense.

To use a local picture use file:///<path> - note the triple slash, and make sure its a valid URI - i.e. substitute %20 for space etc - see previous post for sample

I see the picture in Comments in Book Details - and when I convert the book with Structure Detection_>Insert metadata checked I see the picture in the jacket

But on looking closer - I see that the image is not actually embedded in the book - the book references the original file - delete the file or send/copy the book to a device and you won't see it in the jacket

So whilst you can put pictures in Comments, the pictures will not be copied into the book - which was what the OP said in the first instance - I think

BR

[theducks]

BR
What I was implying (poorly ) , Was:

Calibre only inserts images that are part of the book or are managed by Calibre. Cover.jpg is the only image that Calibre manages.

What I was also implying, was any additional 'Jacket' images were going to need to be hacked into the book directly.

The implication, is that Calibre should prevent a 'comment' mode that it is not willing to support (pass thru on conversion). What you see is what you will see later .

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

BR
What I was implying (poorly ) , Was:

Calibre only inserts images that are part of the book or are managed by Calibre. Cover.jpg is the only image that Calibre manages.

What I was also implying, was any additional 'Jacket' images were going to need to be hacked into the book directly.

The implication, is that Calibre should prevent a 'comment' mode that it is not willing to support (pass thru on conversion). What you see is what you will see later .

I quite like the idea of having images in Comments, but calibre should ignore <img src «everything»... when it converts, at the moment it only seems to ignore <img src html://... - hence my confusion.

When the 'net image didn't show up but the file images did, I thought - oh look, its copied the file pictures into the book. I rationalised the fact that it didn't copy the 'net image with some muddled thinking about copyright :lol:

BR

[theducks]

BR
I always think of my Library being 'Offline', so it would not occur to me to have dependent content anywhere else.

References (links) to content implies the NET access will be needed.

The same goes for my reader: The PEz only has USB (drive mode) connectivity and that is only available when the Reader function is not available.

[kovidgoyal]

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...f8dcc7f644d500

[BetterRed]

@kovidgoyal

@slammerkin - there you go, you'll have it on Friday

@theducks

BR