change/resize cover in azw

[cybmole]

aka old dog needing help learning new trick....


this is something I can do very easily in epub, via plug -ins, but I am probably using some ridiculously convoluted route for azw... so can someone please tell me how I should be doing this:

I have an azw, opened in calibre editor

Q1. I want to know the size of the cover image which is currently within the azw. I can't seem to see it, so I am exporting to desktop and asking windows for the answer- surely I am missing something simpler ? ( the editor is quoting a size, but this seems to be a thumbnail size of 160 x 240 when the true size , as checked by windows , is 600 x 900 )

Q2. I want to make that cover larger, or smaller., or replace it with something different. If I was dealing with an epub I would just change it in main library , via the metadata tools, and use modify-epub plug-in to put the new cover in tot he book. that is probably an obsolete route but it works and i can remember how to to it.
how should I do if , using only calibre editor, for azw, [ and i suppose I should learn the matching slick method for epub while I am at it ?]

For azw there has to be a better way than fixing it in epub then reconverting , surely?

[BetterRed]

@cybmole - I believe Polish can update the cover (presumably with cover.jpg in book folder) and Polish operates on EPUB and AZW3 - not tested by me.

BR

[cybmole]

ah- that could be the one that I could not remember the name of yesterday. I do recall begin told that there were newer, better solutions than modify epub, so I thought maybe the replace cover facility was now built into calibre editor.

but polish is a separate plug-in ?

trouble I have with these new things is that I need them so rarely that i tend to forget how they work, so I fall back to whatever I have used the most in the past...

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by cybmole

but polish is a separate plug-in ?

But built in, so no install needed - select book(s), press 'p'

Originally Posted by cybmole

trouble I have with these new things is that I need them so rarely that i tend to forget how they work, so I fall back to whatever I have used the most in the past...

don't we all

BR

[cybmole]

so i press P [ the book in question exists in 3 formats: azw3, epub, original_epub ]
and up pops:
are you sure:
one of the books you are polishing has an original_epub format. polishing will use this as the source & overwrite any existing epub format. are you sure you want to proceed....

I don't think any of us want to revisit that can of worms again, not even me

except that actually I was wanting to polish only the azw format and not touch the epubs. is it going to let me do that if I rashly continue or does polish do all formats at once?

[cybmole]

update: so I found a book to test with that had just 2 formats, epub and azw3.

I could not see any option within polish to process only one format, it wants to do both.
I guess that to do only azw I'd have to triick e.g. it by moving the other format(s) to desktop, running polish, then putting them back into correct library location

as to why do that. well I could have a hi def cover that is too large to show on kindle fire carousel, so I need to resize the cover only in the azw for it to play nice with aamzon devices.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by cybmole

I guess that to do only azw I'd have to triick e.g. it by moving the other format(s) to desktop, running polish, then putting them back into correct library location

as to why do that. well I could have a hi def cover that is too large to show on kindle fire carousel, so I need to resize the cover only in the azw for it to play nice with aamzon devices.

Remember Look in Tweaks as well as Preferences for various settings.
In this case, there is no choice to limit. All or don't use

The locked choice of AZW3 or EPUB applies to Edit (tweak)
BUT, Why not UNPACK (U) (works for AZW3 or EPUB) and replace the cover file

Also, remember the tweak
# Save original file when converting/polishing from same format to same format

[BetterRed]

@cybmole - I did... but not sure why... say - 'not tested by me' - I sort of assumed it would do as the editor does, offer a choice

I don't use AZW3, and I dodge the other gotcha

BR

[gbm]

Originally Posted by cybmole

update: so I found a book to test with that had just 2 formats, epub and azw3.

I could not see any option within polish to process only one format, it wants to do both.
I guess that to do only azw I'd have to triick e.g. it by moving the other format(s) to desktop, running polish, then putting them back into correct library location

as to why do that. well I could have a hi def cover that is too large to show on kindle fire carousel, so I need to resize the cover only in the azw for it to play nice with aamzon devices.

As I replied in this post, just use the editor to resize your cover or any other images.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by gbm

As I replied in this post, just use the editor to resize your cover or any other images.

It does seem like everybody might be overcomplicating things.

It's an editor. Replace the existing cover image with your resized one (or resize it with the handy built-in editor feature gbm pointed out) and save it.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It does seem like everybody might be overcomplicating things.

It's an editor. Replace the existing cover image with your resized one (or resize it with the handy built-in editor feature gbm pointed out) and save it.

OK - I will bite the bait one more time then move on..
its only handy if you know that it exists and know where to find it.

as a fair test, having been told ( twice) that it exists ,I opened the editor and checked every entry under every tab. no mention of resize image.
I also clicked help and searched in there- when all else fails RTFM - nada.
....

[ that's a more thorough version of what i did anyway before posting the query ]

still, smarter folks than me say it is there somewhere so pressing on...

...eventually I found it within browse images and yes, it's obviously handy and easy once you've tracked it down. and guessed what the icons mean...

so colour me stupid but would a help entry or a tab labelled resize cover be too much to ask for ?

[DiapDealer]

I think the going assumption is that those who may be looking to resize an image, will probably at some point open that image from the Files Browser--at which point, all available image editing features are revealed.

But even without such a feature ... export image, delete image from ebook, resize exported image with favorite image manipulation software, import resized image (making sure the filename matches the original), and save.

once you've tracked it down. and guessed what the icons mean...

Mouseover ... no guessing required.

LATER EDIT: You know what? I sound a bit snotty here. My apologies ... glad you found the way to do what you need to do.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by cybmole

OK - I will bite the bait one more time then move on..
its only handy if you know that it exists and know where to find it.

as a fair test, having been told ( twice) that it exists ,I opened the editor and checked every entry under every tab. no mention of resize image.
I also clicked help and searched in there- when all else fails RTFM - nada.
....

[ that's a more thorough version of what i did anyway before posting the query ]

still, smarter folks than me say it is there somewhere so pressing on...

...eventually I found it within browse images and yes, it's obviously handy and easy once you've tracked it down. and guessed what the icons mean...

so colour me stupid but would a help entry or a tab labelled resize cover be too much to ask for ?

Choose (View) the Image (type only) from the list, Now the resize Icon shows IN the (current) EDIT FRAME toolbar