I’m trying to compile to a mobi file, and I’ve got everything running perfectly except the cover error (W14016: Cover not specified). But I think I’m doing everything possible to select the cover. Not sure what’s going wrong.
As you can see in the screenshot, it’s showing up in the Cover Image portion on the compile overview window/menu. I’ve tried selecting the “First image in Front Matter” option - that didn’t work. I’ve tried to select the drop down and choose the photo itself - that also didn’t work. I’ve tried to change from Jpeg to PNG file. Neither option worked. I’ve tried deleting it and readding - didn’t work.
As you can see from the screenshot - it is coming up on the compile window, but I’m still getting this error and the file that is generating (mobi) does not have the cover photo. Additionally, I tried to do it as an epub and got the same error/situation.
Incidentially, there are a few other errors re: hyperlinks - but I honestly don’t care about those, as long as the cover image works!
Can anyone help?
I’ve encountered this problem when the lock-icons at the right of the "Add front/back matter options in the (first) Content tab were closed. Make sure they’re open.
For “First image in Front Matter Folder” you’d have to have a Front Matter Folder in the root of your Binder and perhaps even an EBook subfolder to make it work.
Sorry, first time users don’t have right to post screenshots yet, due to Security measures.
Do you realize MOBI is an outdated file format and even Amazon uses ePub3 when you upload an e-book at Kindle Direct Publishing? The current format is KF8. You’d create a MOBI file it you want to use it on older e-readers.
Hi! Thank you for your reply. I appreciate it so much. But… still no luck.
So, I think I’ve done all those things you’re mentioning.
- The image is in the root of the binder and in the Ebook subfolder of the Front Matter section (I used the Novel format screivener template) and the image (i’ve tried Jpeg and Png) is listed as cover and showing the photo icon. 2. The “lock” icons for Front Matter are not locked on the Compile Overview dialogue window. They are unlocked. (on the off chance that maybe the lock icon was involved, I even tried it once with it locked and still no luck).
Oddly enough, when I look at the Compile Overview screen - I can see the actual cover photo there as if it’s been selected and thus, should pull when it compiles, yet I’m still getting this error. I’ve tried letting it ride as the “fire image in front matter folder” and also by manually changing that drop down to “cover” - same image comes up on the compile overview image (since it is the only image in the front matter) and yet I still get the Cover Not Specified error.
As for mobi being outdated (thanks for that), I’ve heard that but still need a mobi for ARC purposes only. I don’t use this mobi file to upload to KDP - I use KPF for that by formatting it again in Kindle Create so I can get better section dividers and some things I haven’t figured out how to do in Scrivener yet or Scrivener doesn’t have the capability. But for ARCs - I don’t mind using the Scrivener generated file. This is strictly for me to be able to send files directly to kindle devices (side loading) so that my ARC readers can view the book ahead of publishing on Amazon. Per the Amazon website, ePub files are NOT supported for this. Copying/pasting below as fyi for you.
Also, I tried ePub and the exact same problem with this Compile feature is happening. Cover is not specified - in addition to 2 other errors that are related to hyperlinks not rendering properly for some reason. I don’t really care about the links - all I want is the cover to show up when I send out my ARCs.
I’m contacting support to have them look into this. I needed to send ARCs out this weekend. Hoping that might still be possible. 
Here’s that copy from Amazon guidelines re: sending direct to devices.
Kindle Personal Documents Service
Email documents to your Kindle Library using your Send to Kindle email address. Your authorized email address supports the following file types:
- Kindle Format (.MOBI, .AZW)
- Microsoft Word (.DOC, .DOCX)
- HTML (.HTML, .HTM)
- RTF (.RTF)
- Text (.TXT)
- JPEG (.JPEG, .JPG)
- GIF (.GIF)
- PNG (.PNG)
- BMP (.BMP)
- PDF (.PDF)
UPDATE: Item is resolved. Tech support helped me.
What I was doing was inserting the image incorrected - even though the format was correct. I was drag/drop the image into the Synopsis portion of the screen in the “Info” section on the right (where it says “Drag/Drop image here”). Instead, I should have been doing a File > Insert Image into the Ebook in binder. It was “there” but still not quite there in the method I was using. When I use File > Insert file (image)… it shows up in the editor portion, the binder AND the synopsis instead of just the binder/synopsis like it did with my other method.
I’m documenting this in case anyone else does the same. 
Thanks!
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