[GUI Plugin] Kindle Collections (old)

[jangell2]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@jangell2: The plugin works in tandem with the CM Kindlet for Kindle devices running FW 5.x (Touch/PW1/PW2).

So, while making the plugin support the PW2 is trivial, it doesn't actually help at all unless you also have a working CM Kindlet .

So I can manage my collections by using both the plugin and the CM Kindlet. How does that process work? I organize my collections on the plugin, for instance, and install them on the pw2 via the Kindlet? Or is it done another way? And, most importantly, does the Kindlet run on an iMac? I know Calibre and the plugin do.

[NiLuJe]

@jangell2: Check the CM thread in the Kindle Dev forum for more details, and the multiple answers I gave in this thread about the subject .

[testrider]

Hi,
I just found this thread. I have a Kindle Keyboard 6" (the old one).

Can I use this plugin with the latest Calibre 1.15? I saw that this plugin stopped updating since Sept 2012?

Thank you very much!
mike

[NiLuJe]

@testrider: Yup.

If something looks wonky, you're welcome to try the tweaked version, but IIRC, that shouldn't matter for a K3.

[testrider]

Thank you. I just installed the plugin and followed the instruction on the 1st post. After I selected "Create" in the first column, I click on 'preview' and it kept saying "no Calibre column has been selected". What did I do wrong?

Thanks.

[testrider]

Oops, forgot to click OK. After I clicked OK, the Kindle dialog box closed, I reopened it, then click on 'preview' and nothing happened?

[testrider]

I let it run for over 1 hour and nothing happened. The job showed as 'running' but no percentage showed.

- I also tried "Edit Kindle Collection" and it hung. I had to kill Calibre.

- I removed the plugin (the one I installed from the list in preferences->plugins' didn't work), then I installed the one from your link (only the 'collection' plugin, not the tweak) and it seemed to work.

[NiLuJe]

@testrider: Huh. Good to know.

[maysflower587]

Ok here is my issue, and apologizes if I come across as illiterate with this program!

Im using the Calibre program with the Kindle Collections plug-in and using a Kinde Keyboard as well.

I have roughly 60+ mobi files that im trying to compile into 5-6 collections. I can get them into said collections and transferred onto the Kindle itself, but Im getting both the collections and the seperate files in the main screen, so I have roughly 7 pages of files to trudge through on the Kindle.

My question is why Im getting the collections added and the files all seperate?

Help please?!

[Ravensknight]

You need to "view" your books by "collections", which will then show the collections then any books not in collections. Not sure how you do that on a k3 though

[NiLuJe]

It's in the top right (or top left) portion of the home screen on the K3, IIRC .

[edwdecarlo]

Originally Posted by maysflower587

Ok here is my issue, and apologizes if I come across as illiterate with this program!

Im using the Calibre program with the Kindle Collections plug-in and using a Kinde Keyboard as well.

I have roughly 60+ mobi files that im trying to compile into 5-6 collections. I can get them into said collections and transferred onto the Kindle itself, but Im getting both the collections and the seperate files in the main screen, so I have roughly 7 pages of files to trudge through on the Kindle.

My question is why Im getting the collections added and the files all seperate?

Help please?!

Just to add to Ravensknight and NiLuJe,

Here is a posting I did earlier to help explain the Kindle 3G (Keyboard) handling of Collections:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...24#post2404824

Here is another of my past posts to show how I have overcome the poor sorting within collections on the Kindle 3G, assuming that the collection is a series and your purpose to to track the order of the books within that series:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...85#post2133985

If you have the Reading List plug-in as well by kiwidude, here is how to I have set it up to manage my Kindle books and work with Kindle Collections plug-in (and if you don't have Reading List, I would suggest adding it):

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...88#post2468388

Hope these help.

Note: I have other posts to show how I set up various Calibre custom columns which have been helpful as well (like setting up the Sub-series columns, and column to store read status). You can find these if you do an Advanced Search and include my user name.

[Kumabjorn]

I've just come into this (not the most prolific Calibre user). All I want to do is have my Collections imported to Calibre, so that every book on my Kindle will have the same Collection tag on Calibre. For example; I have a Collection called Finished Books, it would be nice to have those together as a block on Calibre so I can batch delete them at some time when I feel it's becoming too slow. Is something like that possible? Looking through the first post I didn't see anything similar to that.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

I've just come into this (not the most prolific Calibre user). All I want to do is have my Collections imported to Calibre, so that every book on my Kindle will have the same Collection tag on Calibre. For example; I have a Collection called Finished Books, it would be nice to have those together as a block on Calibre so I can batch delete them at some time when I feel it's becoming too slow. Is something like that possible? Looking through the first post I didn't see anything similar to that.

Highlighted in blue from the first post:

Originally Posted by meme

Attachment 70198 This Calibre plugin allows you to manage your Kindle collections, margins, and fonts.

Main Features

• Works on Kindle DX, 2, 3, and 4 non-touch (but not the Kindle Touch)
• Create collections automatically on your Kindle using Calibre Authors, Series, Tags, custom columns or categories
  • Preview changes before saving them
  • Customize which collections are automatically created - include or ignore specific collections, add a prefix to sort collections, set minimum books counts, and even rename collections
  • Import collections from your Kindle into a custom column in Calibre
• Edit collections on your Kindle with a GUI without needing to use Calibre to store or manage your books
• Modify your Kindle settings including horizontal margin, justification, and fonts
• View a report of your Kindle collections and books - including collections sorted by most Recent, collections and books sorted by Title, books per collection, collections per book, and any duplicate, invalid, or uncollectable books
• The plugin does not modify your Kindle books, or Calibre information when creating or editing collections or settings
• This plugin does not work on Kindle Touch because Amazon changed the way the Kindle manages collections on the Touch. This cannot be fixed by modifying the plugin since the collection information is no longer accessible by users. You may want to contact Amazon and ask them to provide a way to manage your collections without having to edit them using the Kindle..

Create Collections on your Kindle automatically using Calibre data

The first way to manage your collections with this plugin is to create them automatically on your Kindle using the information in Calibre. This is the best approach if you have lots of books in Calibre, especially if they are already tagged or organized.

[was a spoiler]
Import Collections to Calibre from your Kindle
[was a spoiler]

1. Create a custom column in Calibre to hold your data. See the Custom Columns section of this post for more details.
2. Select Import Collections then choose the custom column you want to use.
3. Your Kindle collections will be loaded into your column (only for books already in Calibre)
4. If you want to update the list, just run Import again and all entries in the column will be updated
5. Now you can use Create Collections to create collections from this column (select it in the Customize window) or just use the column to show you what collections are on your Kindle

You can use any of the following types of custom columns:

• Comma separated text, like tags (Recommended)
• Text, column shown in the tag browser
• Long text, like comments
• Yes/No

If you want to import the actual books on your Kindle into Calibre, change to the Device view (click the Device icon), then select one or more books and right click on the books and select Add.


Note on Commas and Semicolons:

• Since collection names are separated by commas, in order to allow commas in collection names (like "Lastname, Firstname") the plugin temporarily replaces them with semicolon when you Import collections.
• When you use Create Collections to generate collections the ";" will be changed back to a "," on the Kindle.
• If you want to manually edit the collection name in the Calibre column you will need to use ";" instead of a ",".
• If you have a semicolon in a collection name on the Kindle and you import it and export it, it will get converted to a comma.

[/was a spoiler]
[/was a spoiler]

[Kumabjorn]

Except that isn't what happens on my Kindle and Calibre. I have 577 books on my Kindle, 540 or so are part of a Collection (the largest being Finished books) and when I do an import, I get some 77 books with a Collection tag, most of them are empty and one tag (Biography) isn't even imported as a tag. Hence, I'm sure I have messed up somewehere, I just can't figure out where I've gone astray.