Starting over?

nobodyhome · 06-29-2011, 12:54 PM

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR RESPONSES!!!

I've finally made some headway in understanding Calibre, and I think I've figured out what I'm going to do - wipe the device, load only what I want to ALWAYS have with me (yeah, I'm a compulsive re-reader), then add new stuff and remove when finished. If I'm smart, I'll get it clean and keep it that way.

Okie, so I've got, um... about 550 titles on my Kindle. And another 100 or so not currently on the device. And another couple thousand mobi files available. The majority of the items on the device are in collections, which makes home screen easy, but there's another 12 pages of uncategorized titles.

Here's the problem: I don't want some of this stuff, some of it I want in collections, some of it I want just floating around, and I need a good way to add however many of the mobi files I want to a particular spot so they're easy enough to manage.

I tried working with Kindle Collection Manager. Nice program, but having the entire list of items on the left doesn't help me too much. If it listed just the 'uncollected' items, it would be much more useful for me.

I tried Calibre. Much like iTunes, apparently I'm too stupid to use the program, because I can't figure it out... I just don't get it. Not finding much on how to work with Kindle collections, either - if that's even possible.

I'm about to resort to wiping the device completely clean and going through the laborious and painstaking task of reloading items. I find the assignment to collections bad enough (my one complaint about Kindle - file management STINKS and has so few options!); doing a full cleanout might just kill me.

Anyone have any other suggestions? For as much as I love my Kindle, spending hours playing around with the little joystick isn't really my idea of fun.

TIA for any help!

markdek · 06-29-2011, 01:46 PM

I agree w/ alot of what you said. My advice, put everything in collections. I've created extra collections called "read", "not read", fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, etc., so every book has a place; and many books are in more than one collection.

RE: Collection Manager, my work flow seems to be:
1 put books in collections on the Kindle, using the Kindle manually
2 import Kindle Collections into Calibre, using the manager plugin
3 mirror (save) all my books on the Kindle, into Calibre

This is only difficult to do the first time; adding new books is now easy and fast (via calibre).

DiapDealer · 06-29-2011, 01:57 PM

I have the bestest suggestion possible:

1) Organize your ebooks in a "library" on your computer in whatever scheme makes sense to you. Reorganize it whenever you want, as often as you want, and as easily as you want to make it.
2) Get in the habit of backing up that computer "library" often.
3) OPTIONAL. Put that library on Dropbox if you think you may have an "I don't have anything to read!" crisis while away from your computer.
4) Put only a handful of the books from your permanent library on the Kindle at any given time (think of it as a book bag).
5) Delete them from the Kindle when you're done with them.

Works for me!

Blossom · 06-29-2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I have the bestest suggestion possible:

1) Organize your ebooks in a "library" on your computer in whatever scheme you makes sense to you. Reorganize it whenever you want, as often as you want, and as easily as you want to make it.
2) Get in the habit of backing up that computer "library" often.
3) OPTIONAL. Put that library on Dropbox if you think you may have an "I don't have anything to read!" crisis while away from your computer.
4) Put only a handful of the books from your permanent library on the Kindle at any given time (think of it as a book bag).
5) Delete them from the Kindle when you're done with them.

Works for me!

That is what I do too. I tried the throw everything on there method,
Now no more then 20 books at a time on my Kindle and the rest on my Dropbox.

tubemonkey · 06-29-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

That is what I do too. I tried the throw everything on there method,
Now no more then 20 books at a time on my Kindle and the rest on my Dropbox.

I currently have 7 ebooks, 2 audiobooks, and 9 games on my Kindle. If I need more, I pluck them off of Amazon's servers or sideload them from my PC. Life is so simple now.

DiapDealer · 06-29-2011, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Life is so simple now.

Badabing, badaboom.

Blossom · 06-29-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I currently have 7 ebooks, 2 audiobooks, and 9 games on my Kindle. If I need more, I pluck them off of Amazon's servers or sideload them from my PC. Life is so simple now.

I read 7 books at a time so 20 is a small amount for me. I have games but I don't play them. I have 3 apps and I don't use them cept for Sticky Notes. My thought is if I cut down I will force myself to not start another book till I finish the ones I am reading. So far so good.

Jack Tingle · 06-29-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobodyhome

Okie, so I've got, um... about 550 titles on my Kindle. And another 100 or so not currently on the device. And another couple thousand mobi files available. The majority of the items on the device are in collections, which makes home screen easy, but there's another 12 pages of uncategorized titles.

Here's the problem: I don't want some of this stuff, some of it I want in collections, some of it I want just floating around, and I need a good way to add however many of the mobi files I want to a particular spot so they're easy enough to manage.
...
Anyone have any other suggestions? For as much as I love my Kindle, spending hours playing around with the little joystick isn't really my idea of fun.

TIA for any help!

If you decide to keep the massive quantity of data on your Kindle (and I recommend you follow others advice and only keep the ones you plan to read soon on it) remember that you can use subdirectories in the "documents" folder. Just hook the Kindle to your computer and organize away. The Kindle will ignore you efforts, and it won't affect how collections work, but it will allow you to more easily manage files using the PC.

It's not a perfect solution, but I find it helps. OTOH, I have under a hundred documents on my K3. Most of which I really need to trash.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

markdek · 06-29-2011, 10:00 PM

My Calibre library is in a "drop box"......and this works great, even for 100's of books. Unlike what's suggested above, I leave 100's of books on my kindle, w/ no problems. If you delete books off the Kindle after you read them, you will loose your notes too (from non-Kindle books), unless you back up your clippings (this can get complicated too). You also don't have the book w/ you just in case you want to search those once read books, loan those books out, or otherwise be able to work w/ those books.

06-29-2011, 12:54 PM	#1
nobodyhome Book Junkie Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: K1 (passed along), K2, debating K3	Starting over? THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR RESPONSES!!! I've finally made some headway in understanding Calibre, and I think I've figured out what I'm going to do - wipe the device, load only what I want to ALWAYS have with me (yeah, I'm a compulsive re-reader), then add new stuff and remove when finished. If I'm smart, I'll get it clean and keep it that way. Okie, so I've got, um... about 550 titles on my Kindle. And another 100 or so not currently on the device. And another couple thousand mobi files available. The majority of the items on the device are in collections, which makes home screen easy, but there's another 12 pages of uncategorized titles. Here's the problem: I don't want some of this stuff, some of it I want in collections, some of it I want just floating around, and I need a good way to add however many of the mobi files I want to a particular spot so they're easy enough to manage. I tried working with Kindle Collection Manager. Nice program, but having the entire list of items on the left doesn't help me too much. If it listed just the 'uncollected' items, it would be much more useful for me. I tried Calibre. Much like iTunes, apparently I'm too stupid to use the program, because I can't figure it out... I just don't get it. Not finding much on how to work with Kindle collections, either - if that's even possible. I'm about to resort to wiping the device completely clean and going through the laborious and painstaking task of reloading items. I find the assignment to collections bad enough (my one complaint about Kindle - file management STINKS and has so few options!); doing a full cleanout might just kill me. Anyone have any other suggestions? For as much as I love my Kindle, spending hours playing around with the little joystick isn't really my idea of fun. TIA for any help! Last edited by nobodyhome; 06-29-2011 at 09:14 PM.

06-29-2011, 01:57 PM	#3
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,546 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I have the bestest suggestion possible: 1) Organize your ebooks in a "library" on your computer in whatever scheme makes sense to you. Reorganize it whenever you want, as often as you want, and as easily as you want to make it. 2) Get in the habit of backing up that computer "library" often. 3) OPTIONAL. Put that library on Dropbox if you think you may have an "I don't have anything to read!" crisis while away from your computer. 4) Put only a handful of the books from your permanent library on the Kindle at any given time (think of it as a book bag). 5) Delete them from the Kindle when you're done with them. Works for me! Last edited by DiapDealer; 06-29-2011 at 02:15 PM.

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06-29-2011, 01:46 PM	#2
markdek Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 1015348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle 3	I agree w/ alot of what you said. My advice, put everything in collections. I've created extra collections called "read", "not read", fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, etc., so every book has a place; and many books are in more than one collection. RE: Collection Manager, my work flow seems to be: 1 put books in collections on the Kindle, using the Kindle manually 2 import Kindle Collections into Calibre, using the manager plugin 3 mirror (save) all my books on the Kindle, into Calibre This is only difficult to do the first time; adding new books is now easy and fast (via calibre).

06-29-2011, 10:00 PM	#9
markdek Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 1015348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle 3	My Calibre library is in a "drop box"......and this works great, even for 100's of books. Unlike what's suggested above, I leave 100's of books on my kindle, w/ no problems. If you delete books off the Kindle after you read them, you will loose your notes too (from non-Kindle books), unless you back up your clippings (this can get complicated too). You also don't have the book w/ you just in case you want to search those once read books, loan those books out, or otherwise be able to work w/ those books.