An EPUB with contents and a cover is not complete when export finishes. Check for missing input before export, then inspect the contents of the finished EPUB after export. Keeping those checks separate prevents an input problem from being confused with an output problem.
This article applies that two-stage method to contents, cover, and body. The KDP submission inventory remains the distinct task of STUDIO-475.
The two checks inspect different evidence
- Before export: Is the current input complete enough to begin generation?
- After export: Do reading order, navigation, images, source notation, and empty pages match the intended result?
A successful export does not prove that the contents are correct. Inspecting only the output is also insufficient when no record identifies the inputs used to create it.
Before export: write one expectation sheet
Record the intended result for this build.
| Target | Record before export |
|---|---|
| Contents | Intended chapter labels and order |
| Cover | The image chosen for this build |
| Body | Manuscripts included and intended reading order |
| Source notation | Representative locations to compare |
This table does not state rune Studio-specific setting names. It records the result the editor expects to find after generation.
Then run preflight. In the operation test, missing input was named, and the result changed to no missing items after input was supplied. This article does not claim that a fixed set of three fields is always required or that every possible omission is detected. Return each reported omission to the current input and do not proceed until the preflight result is clear.
After export: inspect the EPUB interior
The verified rune Studio post-export inspection covers:
- Reading order
- Navigation
- Missing images
- Leftover source notation
- Empty pages
This is an inspection of the file interior. It does not guarantee KDP acceptance or identical rendering on every device.
Contents: compare the expected and actual lists
Read the intended chapter labels and order against the exported navigation one item at a time.
Pass when the intended chapters appear in the intended order and their links open the intended content. This article does not claim an unregistered rune Studio control for excluding a chapter from navigation. When the lists differ, return to the manuscript headings and the input record.
Having all source files present and having correct navigation are separate decisions. A side-by-side list makes the contents check reproducible in one pass.
Cover: separate image presence from an empty-page label
After export, inspect for a missing image. In the operation test, removing a referenced image changed the verdict and named the absent target. That confirms one missing-image case.
The verified cover test also reported the cover page as empty while leaving the overall result valid. Do not remove a page from the label alone; first determine whether it is the intentional image-only cover page.
This article does not state an unregistered rune Studio cover path or position rule. It compares the image recorded before export with the image packaged in the result.
Body: inspect leftovers without inventing transform rules
Compare representative source locations with the exported body and inspect for leftover source notation. Do not extend that check into a list of unregistered rune Studio transform specifications.
No leftover notation does not by itself prove intended rendering. After internal inspection, use Kindle Previewer for navigation, cover, and representative body passages. Internal structure and store rendering remain separate checks.
Complete both checks in one record
| Target | Before export | After export | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contents | Intended labels and order | Exported navigation | Match / revise |
| Cover | Selected image | Missing-image result and cover page | Match / revise |
| Body | Included sources and samples | Reading order and leftover notation | Match / revise |
When a row needs revision, return to the source input rather than patching the generated EPUB. Generate a new file and complete all three rows again.
Summary
- Separate pre-export missing-input checks from post-export EPUB inspection
- Compare intended chapter labels and order with exported navigation
- Check missing images and do not reject an intentional cover page from an empty-page label alone
- Follow internal inspection with Kindle Previewer as a separate rendering stage
Start with a one-chapter test EPUB and fill the three rows for contents, cover, and body. Once both sides of every row are recorded, the same method can scale to the complete book.
See the current product scope on the Rune Studio product page.
