1 book-entry, several formats from calibre (epub, PDF): how to open?

[nikoski]

I have book entries in calibre consisting of different merged formats, i.e. epub/PDF. In CC the option formats to sync is set to: epub & PDF

After the sync i see such an entry in CC in details as:
- format: epub
- formats: epub/PDF

Apparently only the format "epub" got synced. Such a book opens always as epub. But what about the the other PDF format? How can sync them both and decide on CC which of the 2 formats are to be opened?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by nikoski

I have book entries in calibre consisting of different merged formats, i.e. epub/PDF. In CC the option formats to sync is set to: epub & PDF

After the sync i see such an entry in CC in details as:
- format: epub
- formats: epub/PDF

Apparently only the format "epub" got synced. Such a book opens always as epub. But what about the the other PDF format? How can sync them both and decide on CC which of the 2 formats are to be opened?

There are really two questions here.

1) Can a single book in CC have more than one format? The answer is no, because book identification with calibre is controlled by the book path including the extension. If you send multiple formats of the same calibre book to CC then in CC they will appear as separate books with the same title/author etc.

2) Which format is sent by default? Like all calibre "devices", by default CC will transfer the highest priority format, where priority is defined by CC's formats & folders setting. You must manually send other formats using calibre's "Send specific format to ..." command.

Once multiple formats of the same book are on CC, metadata for all the books will be updated if the metadata is changed in calibre.

[nikoski]

Thanks, ok, i see.

Originally Posted by chaley

...You must manually send other formats using calibre's "Send specific format to ..." command...

I let "reading list / auto populate from search" automatically send all my books to my device on connect.

My device is an android smartphone 5". It's normally more pleasant to read an epub on it than a PDF. But for epubs created from a PDF (and both merged because of the same book) there is no relying on the epub-output. That's why, in those cases, i'd like to have the original PDF format on my device for reference as well.

Sure, to look for double-format entry after the sync and it manually would be a work-araund....but not really a pleasant one Is there no way to make it a bit more automatically?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by nikoski

Thanks, ok, i see.

I let "reading list / auto populate from search" automatically send all my books to my device on connect.

My device is an android smartphone 5". It's normally more pleasant to read an epub on it than a PDF. But for epubs created from a PDF (and both merged because of the same book) there is no relying on the epub-output. That's why, in those cases, i'd like to have the original PDF format on my device for reference as well.

Sure, to look for double-format entry after the sync and it manually would be a work-araund....but not really a pleasant one Is there no way to make it a bit more automatically?

First, note that we are discussing a calibre issue, not a CC one. There isn't any way for CC (or any other device) to ask calibre to send more than one format for a book. As such, any solution/work-around will be in calibre.

I know of no automatic way in calibre to send more than one format to a device. One manual way that might work for you is to use calibre's search capability to find books with both epub and pdf formats where only one of the two format is on the device (in CC). You can then select the entire search result and then "Send specific format ...". The steps:

1. Connect CC to calibre as a wireless device. Wait for the initial exchanges to finish.
2. In calibre, search for
   

   formats:pdf and formats:epub and ondevice:true and not ondevice:books

   You might want to put this into a saved search or a virtual library.
3. Select all the search results.
4. Click the down-arrow on Send-to-device, choose Send specific format, choose Main memory, choose PDF.
5. Do the search again if it isn't a VL. If there are any books found then these will have the pdf and not the epub. Select all and use Send specific format to send the epub(s).

[nikoski]

Originally Posted by chaley

[*]Connect CC to calibre as a wireless device. Wait for the initial exchanges to finish.[*]In calibre, search for

formats:pdf and formats:epub and ondevice:true and not ondevice:books

Thanks a lot once more for this excellent hint!