Covers on Kindle iPad app suddenly disappear

Trevorknelson · 09-28-2015, 04:32 PM

Not sure what's happened, but the covers on the Kindle for iPad app now disappear.

I am converting ePubs to Mobi and emailing to my Kindle account.
I have converted into Mobi using both Old and Both settings.

When they are first sync'd the covers (almost) always show fine. Tapping on them the first time (when a simple white icon) downloads the cover. After a few syncs however for other books the covers disappear, and tapping on them opens the book (indicating that they are already downloaded and the cover should be there.

This started two weeks ago with a few random books I was uploading. For unrelated reasons I decided to reconvert all of my books so I deleted everything from Calibre, Kindle and Amazon (doc files) and started over. I start by uploading the book (ePub) to Calibre, downloading the metadata, editing, converting to ePub again to save the changes, converting to Mobi and emailing to Amazon.

Then I sync the Kindle app and the book shows up, and tapping on it downloads the cover. As I do this for other books the covers of earlier syncs begin disappearing. I went back and tried changing the Mobi setting from the default Old to Both with the same results. Share Content is checked in both instances.

AS I said , this was a sudden change (no problems for almost 3 years and 500+ books).

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Trevor

rinixon · 10-23-2015, 04:06 AM

I've got the exact same issue - did you find a reason/ fix?

I'm going to try rolling back my calibre version to when everything worked - just in case...

Regards
Bob

eschwartz · 10-23-2015, 04:01 PM

If you email it to Amazon, it doesn't matter what settings you use.
Amazon's PDOC intake will post-process the book to strip out the exth 113 (mobi-asin).

Covers are dependent on Amazon providing them. If you download an old MOBI, you *should* get covers.
If you download the new AZW3, you won't get covers.

This is an ancient Amazon bug.

Do not send books as "both" MOBIs, because new devices will download AZW3 and won't have covers.

...

Why covers might show up and then disappear, I don't know, but it is definitely the app's (and Amazon's) fault, not calibre's.

odamizu · 10-24-2015, 01:29 PM

@Trevorknelson: I'm glad you posted this, as I am having the exact same issue and thought I was losing my marbles. Like you, book covers show up when I download to my iDevice, then after a few syncs, they disappear. Like you, it just started happening recently, and was never a problem before. I'm not doing anything differently on my end with Calibre, so I'm guessing it's an Amazon bug. Darndest thing!

Also, fwiw, I use mobi-both, so I don't get covers on my Voyage, but I do/did get covers on my iDevices until this weird gremlin appeared.

tomsem · 10-26-2015, 09:24 PM

Hmm, I have not seen any problem, and I have had a PDOC on mine for about a week with numerous syncs in the interim (I reset my iPad about a week ago, so nothing has been on there longer than that). But even before that, I don't remember seeing this at all.

Maybe do a fresh download?

Also there was a bug fix update earlier today (still no Slide Over/Split View support, alas).

johnnyb · 10-27-2015, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If you email it to Amazon, it doesn't matter what settings you use.
Amazon's PDOC intake will post-process the book to strip out the exth 113 (mobi-asin).

Covers are dependent on Amazon providing them. If you download an old MOBI, you *should* get covers.
If you download the new AZW3, you won't get covers.

This is an ancient Amazon bug.

This is not the same bug that is preventing covers to load or makes covers disappear in the iOS app. 90% of the time, covers load fine for old and new MOBIs...

eschwartz · 10-27-2015, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyb

This is not the same bug that is preventing covers to load or makes covers disappear in the iOS app. 90% of the time, covers load fine for old and new MOBIs...

As has been observed above.

Most interesting.

...

Now I know -- before I wouldn't, since I don't use iThings.

mamobae · 10-28-2015, 04:15 PM

I'm equally relieved to find some discussion on this. I removed the PDOC in my mobi converting setting which originally fixed the issue of covers showing in my paper white. I would be a lot more upset if they didn't show there, however it IS very annoying that they disappear randomly out of the kindle iOS app. I can't find any rhyme nor reason as some do remain. 75% of my kindle content is via kindle for PC software - if you look at the files in the cloud they all show as AZW. I don't always have to convert into a mobi so I was wondering if there's a difference between an original mobi, a converted mobi and a mobi with a new cover. Or is the issue straight out because of it being a personal doc?

odamizu · 10-28-2015, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Maybe do a fresh download?

Also there was a bug fix update earlier today (still no Slide Over/Split View support, alas).

I tried fresh download. Sometimes I get a cover, but then it disappears again. Other times, no cover to start with. It's really quirky and inconsistent, and the new bug-fix update didn't help.

But I do have Slide Over. Not sure when that started. It doesn't work for you?

johnnyb · 10-29-2015, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odamizu

But I do have Slide Over. Not sure when that started. It doesn't work for you?

Does that mean you can slide over the Kindle app or that you can slide other things over the Kindle app?

odamizu · 10-29-2015, 02:21 AM

Ah. I see what you mean now. I can slide other things over the Kindle app. The Kindle app itself is not an option within the slide-over panel. Sorry for any confusion.

johnnyb · 10-29-2015, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odamizu

Ah. I see what you mean now. I can slide other things over the Kindle app. The Kindle app itself is not an option within the slide-over panel. Sorry for any confusion.

It is indeed confusing, especially given that all the slide over relevant content (e.g. the iPhone app assets) are already there, it is questionable why this isn't enabled by default for every cross-device app...

morph85 · 01-14-2016, 12:11 PM

I know why the image could not be loaded already.

Try to use a cover with ratio more than 0.75 (width/height).
For example 300x400 or 360x480.
Cover less than 0.75 ratio (eg: 300x500) definitely could not be loaded (when restart app, the cover will be missing).

This is definitely a kindle ios bug.

Qubezo · 04-09-2016, 09:47 AM

I think I may have found the solution. This is what I did:

Add the book cover using Calibre.
Make sure the image is 332 x 500 (this is very important!)
Export as MOBI format.
Transfer the file into your Amazon account.
It will appear into your cloud in Kindle app (with the DOC icon)
Just don’t panic. Download the book.
The book cover will then appear flawlessly.

I have experimented several book cover sizes that seem to work (so far):

332 x 500
326 x 500
375 x 500
1426 x 2200

I agreed, this must have been some Kindle iOS app bug.

GMSJr · 05-21-2016, 09:10 AM

I to have had this issue. I tied the 75% ratio and it worked the first time, but not on the next book I tried. But that led me to try something else.
If you use Calibre, go to EDIT book. Look at the "title page". You will need to find two lines. One with viewBox= and one with <image width=
I am not sure the actual numbers are important BUT the numbers I viewBox must be as lease as big as image width.
Example:
ViewBox="0 0 410 540
<image width="410" height =500
Has worked every time. (So far) reguardless of the image size (819x1376)
Hope this helps
any other tips are welcome,e

09-28-2015, 04:32 PM	#1
Trevorknelson Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2015 Device: Kindle for iPad	Covers on Kindle iPad app suddenly disappear Not sure what's happened, but the covers on the Kindle for iPad app now disappear. I am converting ePubs to Mobi and emailing to my Kindle account. I have converted into Mobi using both Old and Both settings. When they are first sync'd the covers (almost) always show fine. Tapping on them the first time (when a simple white icon) downloads the cover. After a few syncs however for other books the covers disappear, and tapping on them opens the book (indicating that they are already downloaded and the cover should be there. This started two weeks ago with a few random books I was uploading. For unrelated reasons I decided to reconvert all of my books so I deleted everything from Calibre, Kindle and Amazon (doc files) and started over. I start by uploading the book (ePub) to Calibre, downloading the metadata, editing, converting to ePub again to save the changes, converting to Mobi and emailing to Amazon. Then I sync the Kindle app and the book shows up, and tapping on it downloads the cover. As I do this for other books the covers of earlier syncs begin disappearing. I went back and tried changing the Mobi setting from the default Old to Both with the same results. Share Content is checked in both instances. AS I said , this was a sudden change (no problems for almost 3 years and 500+ books). Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Trevor

04-09-2016, 09:47 AM	#14
Qubezo Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2015 Device: Kindle Basic	I think I may have found the solution. This is what I did: Add the book cover using Calibre. Make sure the image is 332 x 500 (this is very important!) Export as MOBI format. Transfer the file into your Amazon account. It will appear into your cloud in Kindle app (with the DOC icon) Just don’t panic. Download the book. The book cover will then appear flawlessly. I have experimented several book cover sizes that seem to work (so far): 332 x 500 326 x 500 375 x 500 1426 x 2200 I agreed, this must have been some Kindle iOS app bug. Last edited by Qubezo; 04-09-2016 at 10:02 AM.

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10-23-2015, 04:06 AM	#2
rinixon Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2014 Device: Kindle Oasis	I've got the exact same issue - did you find a reason/ fix? I'm going to try rolling back my calibre version to when everything worked - just in case... Regards Bob

10-23-2015, 04:01 PM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	If you email it to Amazon, it doesn't matter what settings you use. Amazon's PDOC intake will post-process the book to strip out the exth 113 (mobi-asin). Covers are dependent on Amazon providing them. If you download an old MOBI, you should get covers. If you download the new AZW3, you won't get covers. This is an ancient Amazon bug. Do not send books as "both" MOBIs, because new devices will download AZW3 and won't have covers. ... Why covers might show up and then disappear, I don't know, but it is definitely the app's (and Amazon's) fault, not calibre's.

10-24-2015, 01:29 PM	#4
odamizu just an egg Posts: 1,791 Karma: 6758980 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kindle, iOS	@Trevorknelson: I'm glad you posted this, as I am having the exact same issue and thought I was losing my marbles. Like you, book covers show up when I download to my iDevice, then after a few syncs, they disappear. Like you, it just started happening recently, and was never a problem before. I'm not doing anything differently on my end with Calibre, so I'm guessing it's an Amazon bug. Darndest thing! Also, fwiw, I use mobi-both, so I don't get covers on my Voyage, but I do/did get covers on my iDevices until this weird gremlin appeared.

10-26-2015, 09:24 PM	#5
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,900 Karma: 27013865 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Hmm, I have not seen any problem, and I have had a PDOC on mine for about a week with numerous syncs in the interim (I reset my iPad about a week ago, so nothing has been on there longer than that). But even before that, I don't remember seeing this at all. Maybe do a fresh download? Also there was a bug fix update earlier today (still no Slide Over/Split View support, alas).

10-28-2015, 04:15 PM	#8
mamobae Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: Paper white, iPad, iPhone, iPod	I'm equally relieved to find some discussion on this. I removed the PDOC in my mobi converting setting which originally fixed the issue of covers showing in my paper white. I would be a lot more upset if they didn't show there, however it IS very annoying that they disappear randomly out of the kindle iOS app. I can't find any rhyme nor reason as some do remain. 75% of my kindle content is via kindle for PC software - if you look at the files in the cloud they all show as AZW. I don't always have to convert into a mobi so I was wondering if there's a difference between an original mobi, a converted mobi and a mobi with a new cover. Or is the issue straight out because of it being a personal doc?

10-29-2015, 02:21 AM	#11
odamizu just an egg Posts: 1,791 Karma: 6758980 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kindle, iOS	Ah. I see what you mean now. I can slide other things over the Kindle app. The Kindle app itself is not an option within the slide-over panel. Sorry for any confusion.

01-14-2016, 12:11 PM	#13
morph85 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2016 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3rd Generation	I know why the image could not be loaded already. Try to use a cover with ratio more than 0.75 (width/height). For example 300x400 or 360x480. Cover less than 0.75 ratio (eg: 300x500) definitely could not be loaded (when restart app, the cover will be missing). This is definitely a kindle ios bug.

05-21-2016, 09:10 AM	#15
GMSJr Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 70 Join Date: May 2016 Device: IPad mini	I to have had this issue. I tied the 75% ratio and it worked the first time, but not on the next book I tried. But that led me to try something else. If you use Calibre, go to EDIT book. Look at the "title page". You will need to find two lines. One with viewBox= and one with <image width= I am not sure the actual numbers are important BUT the numbers I viewBox must be as lease as big as image width. Example: ViewBox="0 0 410 540 <image width="410" height =500 Has worked every time. (So far) reguardless of the image size (819x1376) Hope this helps any other tips are welcome,e

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