Way to Embed/Save Metadata and Cover to EMPTY EPub (for cataloging physical books)?

[readabit]

I already using Calibre for my digital library, and I'm exploring using it for cataloging my physical books. I use Calibre in conjunction with BookFusion (which is only focused on digital media), so I'd like to be able to easly create an "empty" EPub for each physical book that would embed the cover and whatever metadata is in Calibre. What I'm observing so far is that using the built-in Add Empty Book feature (with selecting EPub format) doesn't seem to allow for embedding anything into the empty file ("Embed Metadata" doesn't do anything).

Has anyone found a way to do the above (where you end up with a simple EPub containing the Cover and Metadata), or should I maybe request this as a feature request?

Edit: I should note that I don't mean exclusively EPub -- I may want to experiment with some of the other formats, so I really mean any of the ebook formats that normally support embedding cover and metadata (so not txt files, of course). And it is also occurring to me that what I'm probably actually needing is a way to easily create a "mini" EPub, AZW3, etc that is a complete ebook file (though still empty), as that (in theory) should then support the Embed Metadata feature actually working. I think maybe the reason the "empty" EPub, etc doesn't support the Embed Metadata is that it is not enough of a complete EPub (or other format) for the Embed Metadata plugin to add anything to (though that is just my hunch).

Thank you in advance for any assistance!

[theducks]

There are 900+ 'Empty Book' in my Library. That was the first real task I did with Calibre and my trusty (keyboard wedge) barcode scanner.

I used Add from ISBN (right click the Add Books icon) for books that had ISBN codes. Do small batches (10-20) and resolve any issues (bad cover, not found...) Add from ISBN also allows a 'Tag' to be includes in the entry (<in paper Library> was mine ) . It took me almost a year, doing a batch or 2 after work. Many had no ISBN (books from the 60's that needed Google and other help, Some needed my flat bed scanner for the 'correct' cover.

You don't need a barcode scanner to use Add from ISBN, but it does speed things up if you don't do 10key .
IIRC Add from ISBN attempts to fetch covers and metadata from your configured sources. Have good Internet while doing.

Do this in a 'Intake' Library, Fix whatever needed, then
use 'Copy To Library' (delete): to move to the Main Library. This allows corrections without contaminating the existing metadata with bad case.

Add Empty Book Starts with a form
( do a group of books by Author +series in order. The one thing this does not allow is the Start of a Series numbering if a series is used. )

[readabit]

Thanks much for all those details! Can you speak to my main question, though, which is how to get an "empty" EPub, AZW3, etc that can embed the cover and metadata (so that I can upload it to BookFusion to be able to see my physical library there, alongside my digital library)?

[theducks]

'Polish' (the hand broom icon) the empty format (Update the cover, Update the metadata, ticked)

[readabit]

Originally Posted by theducks

'Polish' (the hand broom icon) the empty format (Update the cover, Update the metadata, ticked)

That is awesome -- thank you!! I was not familiar with that function (I had to add it to my toolbar), but it does indeed do what I need!

I don't suppose there are any ways to further automate that? Though I suppose if I'm doing batches it doesn't really matter...and I'm just now noticing it retains the checkmarks from the last run, which further helps.

This really is fantastic -- thank you so much!

[chaley]

I did it using the following steps:

• Create an empty book with an EPUB format. I set the title, authors, and series correctly
  
• Edit metadata to set tags and a cover.
  Before download metadata I see the following, no cover, no tags, no comments.
  
  After download metadata I see
  
• Do and EPUB-to-EPUB conversion, which embeds the metadata and cover.
  
• Use calibre's viewer to look at the book. I see the cover.
  
• Use calibre's viewer to look at the book's metadata.
  

I didn't try using "Polish" instead of the EPUB-to-EPUB conversion.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by readabit

I don't suppose there are any ways to further automate that? Though I suppose if I'm doing batches it doesn't really matter...and I'm just now noticing it retains the checkmarks from the last run, which further helps.

You can automate some or all the steps using the Action Chains plugin.

[readabit]

Originally Posted by chaley

I didn't try using "Polish" instead of the EPUB-to-EPUB conversion.

Originally Posted by chaley

You can automate some or all the steps using the Action Chains plugin.

Very cool -- thank you much for both of these (and such an illustrative, detailed set of instructions/steps)! It had not occurred to me that the EPUB-to-EPUB conversion route would work in this case, though it seems obvious in retrospect.

[BetterRed]

EPUB→EPUB conversion changes the style sheets and the text files:



If you only check Update metadata in the book files in Polish books it will only change the .opf file.

BR

[readabit]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

EPUB→EPUB conversion changes the style sheets and the text files:

If you only check Update metadata in the book files in Polish books it will only change the .opf file.

BR

Good to know, thank you!

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

EPUB→EPUB conversion changes the style sheets and the text files:
BR

Why does this matter for an empty EPUB created by calibre?

[readabit]

Originally Posted by chaley

Why does this matter for an empty EPUB created by calibre?

I think they were mentioning this because my stated goal was that wanted the EPUB to be changed, so they were clarifying the conditions in which using Polish would not result in a changed file.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by readabit

I think they were mentioning this because my stated goal was that wanted the EPUB to be changed, so they were clarifying the conditions in which using Polish would not result in a changed file.

No - if the Update metadata in the book files is checked Polish books will update the metadata section of the opf file within EPUB… which I assume is what BookFusion uses.

@chaley is right, in your particular use case because the EPUB has no substantive content there is no style sheet to calibre-ise in an EPUB→EPUB conversion. But I would argue that the baseline Polish books feature has the advantage of being a scalpel whereas a conversion is a chain-saw.

N.B. The metadata.opf files in the book files are updated whenever metadata is changed, their only purpose is to enable restoration of a corrupted library database.

BR

[readabit]

Ah, okay, that is helpful -- than you much for all the clarification!

Appreciate all the help, everyone -- I think I'm good to go!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

EPUB→EPUB conversion changes the style sheets and the text files:

Attachment 218321 Attachment 218322

If you only check Update metadata in the book files in Polish books it will only change the .opf file.

BR

My suggestion is to use the Modify ePub plugin. It's goal is to make as little changes to the code as possible. It will make less changes when it embeds the metadata then calibre will using polish.

And in the editor, it defaults to updating the metadata when you use it. So I suggest to disable that. The way to do it is to load an ePub into the editor. Then go to Edit > Preferences > Integration with calibre. Uncheck Update metadata embedded in the book when opening. That way the code will be not be changed at all if you use the editor. And when you exit out of the editor do not save the eBook.