Custom Book covers (Solved)

SamTzu · 11-29-2014, 03:54 PM

After hours of searching I finally figured out the problem. Some times I could not get custom book covers to work. No matter what I did. One time only thing that worked was to rename the book. Only after that did the book cover show. Usually the only thing that works is to go to metadata on the book and select the book format on the top right (of metadata) then press the "I" button next to the formats. That will "bind" the current metadata with the correct book format.

Hope this helps someone else who is struggling with this. Forget the conversions or "save with or without" some extra settings. None of those worked for me.

Sam

BetterRed · 11-29-2014, 04:38 PM

@SamTzu - I'm confused. I assume you're referring to the 'custom covers' created by the Generate cover option in Metadata edit?

Nothing is saved from the metadata edit dialogue until you exit the dialogue via OK, Next or Previous, that's when the Book details panel on the main screen will change

AFAIK the 'I' button in metadata edit dialogue 'extracts' the cover and metadata from the selected format file. The tooltip for the 'I' has - "Set the metadata for the book, from the selected format', which seems to be the opposite of what you're suggesting it does.

The book format files (EPUB, MOBI, AZW etc) in the library do not get updated when you change the cover or metadata. There are several ways to 'inject' the metadata and cover into the book format files - in the output of send to device or save to disk, Polish (EPUB and AZW3 only), Embed Metadata (most formats), the Modify optional plugin (EPUB only), and conversion.

You may need to use Preferences->Toolbars to get the Polish and/or Embed icons into your toolbar, you need to install the Modify plugin, via Preferences-Plugins->Get new plugins if you don't already have it.

BR

SamTzu · 12-05-2014, 04:36 AM

Close but no cigar. I was really talking about replacing the covers with my own covers. Some times no matter what I do the covers just wont show on my Android FBreader.
Only thing that seems to help is making sure the right book format is selected and using the "I" button.

BetterRed · 12-05-2014, 05:08 AM

You're still not making much sense to me.

To replace a cover image with one you made outside of calibre use the Browse button in Metadata Edit->Change Cover to go get your image, or just drag 'n' drop the image onto the existing cover in the Book Details panel. When you send your book to your android device your cover will be used in the EPUB it sends.

If you sideload your Android then either do a Save to Disk and send that file, or if you want to sideload from within the library (as I do) then you'll have to Embed, Polish or Modify the EPUB within the library first.

Added - I just noticed from your other thread that your talking MOBI in FBReader - it which case all bets are off, that's a road which I choose to avoid

BR

theducks · 12-05-2014, 12:58 PM

I am with BR. Why Mobi (which is old and has limited features) format?

FBReader supports EPUB(2) one of the more featured formats on their list

toomuchreading · 12-14-2014, 11:40 AM

I think I know what is happening here. I think. I have run across this as well. You have updated the metadata for a book, in Calibre, changing the metadata, cover, etc. but when you load the book to your reader, the new data is not reflected in the book. When Calibre updates the metadata, it is not physically updated in the book, when you are done. Your reader or reading program on your computer reads the metadata from the physical book, not from Calibre. To get the correct metadata into the book so your reader can use it, you need to use one of several methods to update the book. You can use the Polish Book, Modify Epub or the Quality Check plugin. There are other ways, but I've found these are the easiest. All work on epub, which FBreader can read. You could also just convert the book and the metadata the conversion format supports, including the cover, will be updated in the new version as well.
I would suggest using the epub format, not because mobi is an older format, but because a lot of the really cool plugins work with either epub exclusively or epub and azw3. Epub is pretty close to industry standard in book publishing, followed by pdf and azw3.
Like I said above, if you convert a book, the metadata will be updated automatically, so if you convert your book to epub, you are done. If you want to stick with mobi, you will probably have to do a convert from mobi to mobi to get the metadata updated. I'm not sure which functions work with mobi since I usually work with epub, or PDF(only when there is not other choice). Hope this helps.

davidfor · 12-14-2014, 07:11 PM

Calibre also updates the metadata when you send the book to the device or do a save to disk. This includes updating the cover. But, updating the cover doesn't always work. Calibre has to work out which image in the book is the cover and replace it with what it has in the metadata. Generally, calibre can do this, I've had a few books with strange names for the cover and not marked as the cover in the OPF and calibre couldn't update them. A conversion or one of the other cover adding options normalises the cover details in the book so that calibre can make the change later with no problems.

11-29-2014, 03:54 PM	#1
SamTzu Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: none	Custom Book covers (Solved) After hours of searching I finally figured out the problem. Some times I could not get custom book covers to work. No matter what I did. One time only thing that worked was to rename the book. Only after that did the book cover show. Usually the only thing that works is to go to metadata on the book and select the book format on the top right (of metadata) then press the "I" button next to the formats. That will "bind" the current metadata with the correct book format. Hope this helps someone else who is struggling with this. Forget the conversions or "save with or without" some extra settings. None of those worked for me. Sam

12-05-2014, 05:08 AM	#4
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,645 Karma: 29710510 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	You're still not making much sense to me. To replace a cover image with one you made outside of calibre use the Browse button in Metadata Edit->Change Cover to go get your image, or just drag 'n' drop the image onto the existing cover in the Book Details panel. When you send your book to your android device your cover will be used in the EPUB it sends. If you sideload your Android then either do a Save to Disk and send that file, or if you want to sideload from within the library (as I do) then you'll have to Embed, Polish or Modify the EPUB within the library first. Added - I just noticed from your other thread that your talking MOBI in FBReader - it which case all bets are off, that's a road which I choose to avoid BR Last edited by BetterRed; 12-05-2014 at 05:18 AM.

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11-29-2014, 04:38 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,645 Karma: 29710510 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@SamTzu - I'm confused. I assume you're referring to the 'custom covers' created by the Generate cover option in Metadata edit? Nothing is saved from the metadata edit dialogue until you exit the dialogue via OK, Next or Previous, that's when the Book details panel on the main screen will change AFAIK the 'I' button in metadata edit dialogue 'extracts' the cover and metadata from the selected format file. The tooltip for the 'I' has - "Set the metadata for the book, from the selected format', which seems to be the opposite of what you're suggesting it does. The book format files (EPUB, MOBI, AZW etc) in the library do not get updated when you change the cover or metadata. There are several ways to 'inject' the metadata and cover into the book format files - in the output of send to device or save to disk, Polish (EPUB and AZW3 only), Embed Metadata (most formats), the Modify optional plugin (EPUB only), and conversion. You may need to use Preferences->Toolbars to get the Polish and/or Embed icons into your toolbar, you need to install the Modify plugin, via Preferences-Plugins->Get new plugins if you don't already have it. BR

12-05-2014, 04:36 AM	#3
SamTzu Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: none	Close but no cigar. I was really talking about replacing the covers with my own covers. Some times no matter what I do the covers just wont show on my Android FBreader. Only thing that seems to help is making sure the right book format is selected and using the "I" button.

12-05-2014, 12:58 PM	#5
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,920 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I am with BR. Why Mobi (which is old and has limited features) format? FBReader supports EPUB(2) one of the more featured formats on their list

12-14-2014, 11:40 AM	#6
toomuchreading Groupie Posts: 180 Karma: 1720 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Canada Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Libre Color	I think I know what is happening here. I think. I have run across this as well. You have updated the metadata for a book, in Calibre, changing the metadata, cover, etc. but when you load the book to your reader, the new data is not reflected in the book. When Calibre updates the metadata, it is not physically updated in the book, when you are done. Your reader or reading program on your computer reads the metadata from the physical book, not from Calibre. To get the correct metadata into the book so your reader can use it, you need to use one of several methods to update the book. You can use the Polish Book, Modify Epub or the Quality Check plugin. There are other ways, but I've found these are the easiest. All work on epub, which FBreader can read. You could also just convert the book and the metadata the conversion format supports, including the cover, will be updated in the new version as well. I would suggest using the epub format, not because mobi is an older format, but because a lot of the really cool plugins work with either epub exclusively or epub and azw3. Epub is pretty close to industry standard in book publishing, followed by pdf and azw3. Like I said above, if you convert a book, the metadata will be updated automatically, so if you convert your book to epub, you are done. If you want to stick with mobi, you will probably have to do a convert from mobi to mobi to get the metadata updated. I'm not sure which functions work with mobi since I usually work with epub, or PDF(only when there is not other choice). Hope this helps.

12-14-2014, 07:11 PM	#7
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Calibre also updates the metadata when you send the book to the device or do a save to disk. This includes updating the cover. But, updating the cover doesn't always work. Calibre has to work out which image in the book is the cover and replace it with what it has in the metadata. Generally, calibre can do this, I've had a few books with strange names for the cover and not marked as the cover in the OPF and calibre couldn't update them. A conversion or one of the other cover adding options normalises the cover details in the book so that calibre can make the change later with no problems.

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