# When opening a new book, why doesn't Kindle start at the cover?



## Don From VA (Oct 26, 2009)

I searched and didn't see this asked before.

When I download a book and open it, it starts at Chapter 1.

Why doesn't it start with the cover? And is there anyway to make it start that way?


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Where a book opens is set in the metadata by the publisher. It cannot be changed. Whenever I open a new book, I use Menu -> Go to Cover so I don't miss anything.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> Where a book opens is set in the metadata by the publisher. It cannot be changed. Whenever I open a new book, I use Menu -> Go to Cover so I don't miss anything.


Where do you set that?


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Where do you set that?


I dunno. I'm not a publisher.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> I dunno. I'm not a publisher.


Sorry, I don't see it anywhere in the metadata and I was just hoping you knew.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Sorry, I don't see it anywhere in the metadata and I was just hoping you knew.


I'll admit that it is an assumption on my part that it is in the metadata. It's got to be somewhere, or all of the books would start at the cover.


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## Merlilu (Feb 23, 2010)

When the book comes up at Chapter 1 - hit menu and go to Cover/Beginning....


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## Don From VA (Oct 26, 2009)

Yes, I can work around it, but I was thinking I shouldn't have to.
Especially when it skips the 'Forward' too. It just doesn't make sense that it would do that.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> I'll admit that it is an assumption on my part that it is in the metadata.


It's a logical assumption and probably correct. I recently compiled Gertie's book and it opens on the first page. I wish I knew how to fix that.


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Sorry, I don't see it anywhere in the metadata and I was just hoping you knew.


There's a special tag that you use. Sorry, I don't remember it offhand, but I'm sure if you google it you can find it.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

marianner said:


> ...but I'm sure if you google it you can find it.


It would seem that I'm not a good enough Googler.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I couldn't find anything on it either. I have since posed the question on MobileRead. I will post if/when I get an answer.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Don From VA said:


> I searched and didn't see this asked before.
> 
> When I download a book and open it, it starts at Chapter 1.
> 
> Why doesn't it start with the cover? And is there anyway to make it start that way?


I asked the same thing a few days ago, and here are the responses I got... maybe some of those will help.
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,22408.msg418823.html#msg418823


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

So, I made the post on Mobileread, and it would appear that they think I am crazy.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=868615#post868615


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, you _are_ crazy . . . . .you're also correct! 

It must be something planned in the .azw file, though because the menu gives the option of 'go to beginning' and 'go to cover' and they aren't the same thing. . . . .


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> So, I made the post on Mobileread, and it would appear that they think I am crazy.


The only options I've found so far are to open the book initially at the TOC, at the first page or at a special startup page. The startup page option overrides the current position pointer so it's useless. I'll keep looking and experimenting.


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Jeff said:


> It would seem that I'm not a good enough Googler.


  I _know_ I found that information somewhere! I swear I'm not crazy! I'll see if I can dig it up....


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

From what I've seen in the Amazon DTP forum, it appears it is not in the meta data, but in named anchor tags.

```
<a name="toc"></a>
<h1>Table of Contents</h1>
<p>Yadda...yadda...yadda...</p>
<a name="start"></a>
<h1>Chapter 1</h1>
<p>Yadda...yadda...yadda...</p>
```


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

"yadda... yadda...yadda..."?

hm, maybe that's what's wrong with the OS.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

NogDog said:


> From what I've seen in the Amazon DTP forum, it appears it is not in the meta data, but in named anchor tags.


I try it and see if "cover" is valid. Thanks.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

```
<a name="toc"></a>
```
 for table of contents and

```
<a name="start"></a>
```
 for the beginning (where the book first opens) from the earlier post matches what I found the following in _Kindle Formatting: The Complete Guide to Formatting Books for the Amazon Kindle_ by Joshua Tallent.

I think the cover has to be first in the file. A named tag for the cover image was not mentioned.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I would think if you put the "start" named tag before the cover the book should open at the cover.


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## russ5260 (Mar 1, 2010)

If the book is made using Mobipocket Creator this is set while setting the book up. There is a setting that is called #start and is required by the Kindle. It is the tag that is used for when a book is first bought or the "go to beginning" in the menu. This can be set to anything in the book. It your case the publisher set this to be Chapter 1. There is another setting called #toc. This is the setting to make the "Table of Content" to appear in the menu. If that is not set you will not get a "Table of Contents" in the menu even though the book does have a "Table of Contents".

Russell


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