The doctor is in...

[Ramphaus]

trouble.

Listen, the descriptive noun "Newbie" does not even begin to describe me.

I searched, and even when I did, esoteric language (for me) made it incomprehensible.

Here's what I have: Sony PRS-900

Here's what else I have: hundreds of medical PDFs organized perfectly into folders on my MacBook Pro.

Here's what I need: to drag the folders into my reader without having to do anything else.

Question 1) is that possible?
Question 2) if not, for what should I trade this eReader?

I can't seem to drag folders to Reader Library and have them stay that way - which seems to me to be the most logical method of transferring files. I realize that even for Mac it is a "virtual" directory system, but considering how many PDFs I have, and the fact that they are separated based on subject, and especially the fact that I am adding to my database on a weekly basis, I need an easy Drag-and-drop method to keep that up to date on the reader.

I apologize profusely in advance, for what I realize must be either a) asked every five minutes and b) quite rudimentary for you guys.

[rmm200]

I have no answer for you...

I do suggest you cross-post your question to the Calibre forum. Your chances of finding an acceptable solution are far better with Calibre as your library manager than if you use the Sony reader library. It is cross-platform and has a bunch of happy users.

Robert

[toomanybooks]

Your Sony functions like a portable hard drive. I am assuming that you use a PC. If you do simply open Windows Explorer and copy the files from your folder the the main reader drive. The File structure should be Reader Drive: Database/Media/Books. Place the pdfs in the books folder and they should appear on the Sony as available when you disconnect.

[Ramphaus]

Originally Posted by toomanybooks

Your Sony functions like a portable hard drive. I am assuming that you use a PC. If you do simply open Windows Explorer and copy the files from your folder the the main reader drive. The File structure should be Reader Driveatabase/Media/Books. Place the pdfs in the books folder and they should appear on the Sony as available when you disconnect.

MacBook Pro.

And it's not a matter of getting the files across, it's a matter of keeping the folder structure I've spent years developing. I simply cannot copy all the files to a central "folder" then assign a tag or figure out which files I just copied then create a folder then copy them there...it would take years.

I just want to drag the folder that says "Kidney Cancer" over to the reader/interface and then let go of the button (like virtually every other program we use nowadays).

[rmm200]

Another short answer -

You can copy any directory structure you like to the reader, and the copy will be successful. You just can't access the documents in the folders. To the best of my knowledge, no EReader supports folders in the fashion you would like.

Robert

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rmm200

Another short answer -

You can copy any directory structure you like to the reader, and the copy will be successful. You just can't access the documents in the folders. To the best of my knowledge, no EReader supports folders in the fashion you would like.

Robert

No, that's not correct. Lots of reading devices have full folder support. To name but a few:

Bookeen CyBook Gen3, Opus
Pocketbook 301, 360
iRex DR1000S, iLiad
Any of the Jinke clone machines - Hanlin V3, Astak EZReader, BeBook, ECOReader, etc. etc.
Onyz Boox 60

... and probably a lot more than escape my attention for the moment. It just so happens that Sony are one of the few brands which don't have folder support (along with Amazon).

If you want folder support, there are many machines to choose from. Unfortunately Sony isn't among them.

[Latinandgreek]

What about using calibre to create collections? Have a look at the calibre site and see if the features it offers work for you. The program works on macs.

http://calibre-ebook.com/download

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Ramphaus

MacBook Pro.

And it's not a matter of getting the files across, it's a matter of keeping the folder structure I've spent years developing. I simply cannot copy all the files to a central "folder" then assign a tag or figure out which files I just copied then create a folder then copy them there...it would take years.

I just want to drag the folder that says "Kidney Cancer" over to the reader/interface and then let go of the button (like virtually every other program we use nowadays).

I'm not certain if this will help, but let's take it bit by bit:

Open the READER LIBRARY SOFTWARE.

Go to the top of the screen, under FILE.

Click on IMPORT FOLDER.

All the files should now be in that Explorer-like window to the right. (Click on BOOKS, if you don't see your files.)

This is the part I can't remember exactly, so please keep this in mind as you read:

Go to the bottom left, where the plus sign is: "+"

Click on that.

You've now created a folder that you can give a name to.

Give it the name you want.

On the extreme left of the screen, select BOOKS.

Select all the files from the Explorer-like window and drag them to the new folder you just created - the one you gave a name to.

You may need to SYNC.

____________________

Now, let me add this: I MAY have gotten a few points slightly "off." Sorry, but I'm trying to help in your frustration. Perhaps this is a start - not in your continued frustration, but maybe a little relief.

Keep in mind that I'm talking about a group of files in ONE folder. If you have nested folders, then you'll have to bring THAT folder forward on your desktop and do the same thing you did for the FIRST folder.

For example, if you've got ONE folder inside another folder, then bring it out so that you have two folders with two different names. [Re]create those names using the "+" on your Reader - essentially, what you're doing duplicating what you see on your desktop.

Before you do any experimenting with my suggestions here, duplicate all your files and tuck them away somewhere in the corner of your screen, just to be on the safe side.

If I've misunderstood your intentions, then please accept my apologies.


Don

[Ramphaus]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

What about using calibre to create collections? Have a look at the calibre site and see if the features it offers work for you. The program works on macs.

http://calibre-ebook.com/download

I am playing with calibre right now. The only way I see to do this with calibre is to import one folder at a time and then assign a tag to it which then places them in a Collection on the device.

Can you think of another way to do it in calibre?

[Ramphaus]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Go to the bottom left, where the plus sign is: "+"

Click on that.

You've now created a folder that you can give a name to.

Give it the name you want.

On the extreme left of the screen, select BOOKS.

Select all the files from the Explorer-like window and drag them to the new folder you just created - the one you gave a name to.

You may need to SYNC.

Don, thanks but I can't seem to drag/drop onto any particular folder. It only seems to let me drag/drop onto "The Library" which then becomes near impossible for me to sort.

I just don't understand why they would make PDF support but not allow folder organization. It just seems so simple...

[Dr. Drib]

Hi:

You don't drag a folder onto a folder.

Get ONE FILE onto the Reader Software.

Then, at that point the file resides in a folder called BOOK. It's supposed to be there.

Then, use the + sign and create a folder (it will be BLANK, or will be waiting for you to give it a name).

Then drag the FILE onto that new folder (the one you just created and gave a name to).

TRY THIS WITH ONLY ONE FILE - just to first see if the process works for you.

Now, when you sync, the new folder with the name will be on your Sony Reader, with that file inside it.

Let me know, please.


Thanks,
Don

[HarryT]

I think the problem is, Don, that Ramphaus has a hierarchical folder system. Unfortunately, I don't think that collections are going to work too well, being only "single level", without a great deal of manual work to reorganize his PDF collection.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think the problem is, Don, that Ramphaus has a hierarchical folder system. Unfortunately, I don't think that collections are going to work too well, being only "single level", without a great deal of manual work to reorganize his PDF collection.

Right. Hierarchical will not work, if that's the problem he's encountering.


Don

[Ramphaus]

So Don, that works for sure. Now the issue is that names of my files are kind of random. Some start with the journal title, some with the author, some with a combination. For example, one file may be named "Jarvinen EU 2009.pdf," some are named like "Single+Postoperative+Instillation+of+Gemcitabine+ in+Patients+with+Non-muscle-invasive+Transitional+Cell+Carcinoma+of+the+Bladde r%3A+A+Randomised%2C+Double-blind%2C+Placebo-controlled+Phase+III+Multicentre+Study.pdf."

So while I can add all of the articles (even in batch form) to the Books folder, to drag them into their own collections would be prohibitively onerous. It seems like a software issue. Does anyone know of any other organizing software that would suit my need? Calibre is close, but does not let me make a Collection within a Collection...

[HarryT]

I'm afraid the collections on the Sony are "single level only". You can't have a collection within a collection.

The titles you're seeing are the "metadata" within the PDF - ie the title contained in the PDF file itself. If is doesn't have a title, you'll see the filename.