Clueless New User

[jscarpa14]

So I'm having a few issues and wondering how to do a few other things. I watched the Grand Tour Vidoo and have been browsing the forums but I'm not finding what I'm looking for so I joined to post in case someone might be so kind as to tell me how to address my issues or if they can be address.

First the Main Toolbar, before the lastest update when I told the main toolbar that I didn't want to see Fetch News because I don't read the news if I can avoid it, the Fetch News Button would go away. Now it doesn't matter what I change my toolbar preferences to it stays at the default options. I've tried restarting and reinstalling and that didn't make a difference and when I click on the options panel again it says the the tool bar should be exactly how I wanted it, however when I look at the toolbar that isn't the case.

Second I own both a Nook and an Ipod Touch with Ibooks and Kindle Apps, but I can only choose one device and can't figure out how to choose both. I use both because I tend to kill batteries when I feel like reading and need to be able to switch to another fully charged device. Am I doing something wrong or is this not something the program can handle?

Third I have my options set to save Meta Data in the file rather than as a separate file, however it continues to make a Meta Data File and when I open a mobi or epub file I've only edited the meta data in with Calibre none of the changes I made are present outside of the calibre program. I've taken to using additional applications to edit meta data and the only one I've found for mobi files doesn't offer options like series information. Why isn't it changing anywhere except in Callibre?

Fourth I have my save to disk set to author-series-series index- title but it continues to import the books and resave them as title-author. I'd like for the file names to be Author name last then first, series information, series number then title but no matter how much I fiddle it doesn't seem to want to listen to me.

Fifth where do I put the ISBN info in the Meta Data?

Finally I was told you could change the folder format Calibre saves in as in instead of having thousands of author files with title files inside leading to a mass of folders you could have it save to more general files. I'd like to have my files saved by format as in if I were to open the Calibre Library Folder I'd see Two Maybe Three Folders if I hadn't finished converting some. It would say Epub, Mobi and when I opened said folders I'd then just see the ebooks saved with the file names I asked for it to save as. But for the life of me I can't figure out how to make it do that. Was a misinformed or am I just as completely clueless as I think I am?

I'm guessing this information on all of this stuff is probably someplace, but I can't figure out where and I'd really appreciate any help the experience users on here could give me for making the program do what I ask it to do.

[itimpi]

Just one quick point - you can NOT change the internal format of the Calbre library. There is a sticky discussing this.

[theducks]

There are TWO main menubars.
One without a device connected and One With the device connected
You need to tune both to your preferences.

ISBN is one of the ID's (read the bubble-help on the little clipboard icon nearby

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Third I have my options set to save Meta Data in the file rather than as a separate file, however it continues to make a Meta Data File and when I open a mobi or epub file I've only edited the meta data in with Calibre none of the changes I made are present outside of the calibre program. I've taken to using additional applications to edit meta data and the only one I've found for mobi files doesn't offer options like series information. Why isn't it changing anywhere except in Callibre?

The per-book metadata files (metadata.opf) are created by Calibre as backup in case your Calibre library database (metadata.db) becomes corrupt. In this unhappy circumstance Calibre is able to recreate your whole library from its component parts. As such these .opf files are a Good Thing, whatever you do don't delete them

If you make changes to a book's metadata the changes should be saved immediately in its .opf file. However, the changed metadata will only be inserted into the book itself as part of a Save-to-Disk or a Send-to-Device action.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'I have my options set to save Meta Data in the file rather than as a separate file'. Which option is this?

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Fourth I have my save to disk set to author-series-series index- title but it continues to import the books and resave them as title-author. I'd like for the file names to be Author name last then first, series information, series number then title but no matter how much I fiddle it doesn't seem to want to listen to me.

Are you confusing importing and exporting here? The Save-to-Disk template is used when you export books OUT of Calibre. When you import a book INTO Calibre you have no control over the filename Calibre chooses to use within the library.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

First the Main Toolbar, before the lastest update when I told the main toolbar that I didn't want to see Fetch News because I don't read the news if I can avoid it, the Fetch News Button would go away.

There are multiple toolbars/menus you can customize. When you're at the preferences - toolbars window use the small dropdown arrow to the right to select which toolbar/menu you wish to modify. It would seem you modified the main toolbar not the toolbar when a device is connected.

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

but I can only choose one device and can't figure out how to choose both.

Am I doing something wrong or is this not something the program can handle?

You can only deal with once device connected at a time.

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Third I have my options set to save Meta Data in the file rather than as a separate file, however it continues to make a Meta Data File and when I open a mobi or epub file I've only edited the meta data in with Calibre none of the changes I made are present outside of the calibre program.

The options you are referring to are in reference to exporting books from calibre using the save to disk feature and have nothing to do with books within the calibre library itself. Metadata of books in the library are not updated until the book is converted from format to format, or exported from calibre.

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

I've taken to using additional applications to edit meta data and the only one I've found for mobi files doesn't offer options like series information. Why isn't it changing anywhere except in Callibre?

No need to use another application to update metadata. Metadata is updated when a book is exported from calibre using the Send to Device, Save to Disk, Connect to Folder or the Content Server. These features are the acceptable way of exporting books from the calibre library. Metadata is also updated in a book upon conversion, even a epub to epub conversion will update the metadata in the book. Using a file manager to move the book out of the calibre library will not update the metadata in the file itself.

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Fourth I have my save to disk set to author-series-series index- title but it continues to import the books and resave them as title-author. I'd like for the file names to be Author name last then first, series information, series number then title but no matter how much I fiddle it doesn't seem to want to listen to me.

Save to disk option is for books being exported from the library. The books within the calibre library are not user configurable, read this sticky post for more info.

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Fifth where do I put the ISBN info in the Meta Data?

In the edit metadata window the isbn can be added to the ids field using this example as a guide isbn:9781101188644. This field is often automatically updated when you download metadata. Alternatively the Extract ISBN plugin can look inside the book and often extract the ISBN and populate the ids field with the found info.

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Finally I was told you could change the folder format Calibre saves in as in instead of having thousands of author files with title files inside leading to a mass of folders you could have it save to more general files.

As stated above the calibre library is not user configurable.

Good Luck.

[jscarpa14]

Thanks so much for all your help, at least I have a better idea of what's going on now.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by jscarpa14

Second I own both a Nook and an Ipod Touch with Ibooks and Kindle Apps, but I can only choose one device and can't figure out how to choose both.

Are you thinking of the prompt during Setup for what type of device are you using?

As far as I know, the main use for this is to ensure that News feed downloads that you schedule are setup correctly. If you're not using News feeds I would not really worry.

You can always go to Preferences | Conversions | Common Options and in Page Setup select a different Output profile to set a new default profile if required.