MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - PRS-T1 questions on collections and slow operations

DuskyRose · 08-13-2012, 08:24 PM

I have more than 1 T1, and use one I have just for one fandom. Over time I've found various problems with large collections of files. I only carry a few cover pictures for sleep mode, and don't carry music on it. I have one with some non-hack clock stuff on it, and the others aren't hacked. Combining all my books and fanfiction collected over 20 years I have about 25,000 files to test them out with. I've found out several things about mine...

The faster microsd cards seem to get 'lost' every once in a while, and the slower speed microsd cards seem to be more reliable (the 4-6 speed). The extra high-speed cards always gave me problems even with very little on them.

4,000 to 5,000 files seem to be it's happy limit, and 12,000 just locked them up and caused constant restarts.

I backed down to the slower, smaller card and it helps me self-limit the titles I load them with. They're slow to load, but the results are better. I've limited the machines to 2Gig cards, 4 speed right now and they seem happy. Plus, if you have to restart, it won't take forever to re-index.

I know that they're supposed to take up to 32gig, but seriously wonder if they ever really tested it out versus being theoretically possible. I think the machines try hard, but do bust a gut over too many files.

As to collections, I create them in Calibre and break them down into smaller collections within the larger one. For example, I have All Sherlock Holmes fanfic in one Calibre library, and my collection list for it looks like....

Holmes1984-Gen
Holmes1984-Slash
HolmesASIE-Gen
HolmesASIE-Slash
HolmesBBC-Collection
HolmesBBC-Gen
HolmesBBC-Gen - AU
HolmesBBC-Gen - AU Read
HolmesBBC-Gen Collection

ect. ect. Where they sort by Holmes, the next three letters are fandom, then gen or slash, then other info to divide them into other specific catagories. I do this all in Calibre and they sort correctly on the T1 as long as you put all of any one collection on either the main memory or the SD card. Otherwise you'll get two copies of the collection, one on the main memory and one on the SD card.

And I've used the "Count Pages" plug-in in Calibre and any fanfic under 10 pages I then merge into one file with the "Epub Merge" plug-in. (Which makes a TOC with a list of all the titles) I also merge series stories together. Merging a lot of the tiny bits into collections really helps to keep the number of files down.

08-13-2012, 08:24 PM	#7
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 755 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Note Air3, Palma, K-Scribe, Eclipsa 2e, & Libra 2, Ipads	I have more than 1 T1, and use one I have just for one fandom. Over time I've found various problems with large collections of files. I only carry a few cover pictures for sleep mode, and don't carry music on it. I have one with some non-hack clock stuff on it, and the others aren't hacked. Combining all my books and fanfiction collected over 20 years I have about 25,000 files to test them out with. I've found out several things about mine... The faster microsd cards seem to get 'lost' every once in a while, and the slower speed microsd cards seem to be more reliable (the 4-6 speed). The extra high-speed cards always gave me problems even with very little on them. 4,000 to 5,000 files seem to be it's happy limit, and 12,000 just locked them up and caused constant restarts. I backed down to the slower, smaller card and it helps me self-limit the titles I load them with. They're slow to load, but the results are better. I've limited the machines to 2Gig cards, 4 speed right now and they seem happy. Plus, if you have to restart, it won't take forever to re-index. I know that they're supposed to take up to 32gig, but seriously wonder if they ever really tested it out versus being theoretically possible. I think the machines try hard, but do bust a gut over too many files. As to collections, I create them in Calibre and break them down into smaller collections within the larger one. For example, I have All Sherlock Holmes fanfic in one Calibre library, and my collection list for it looks like.... Holmes1984-Gen Holmes1984-Slash HolmesASIE-Gen HolmesASIE-Slash HolmesBBC-Collection HolmesBBC-Gen HolmesBBC-Gen - AU HolmesBBC-Gen - AU Read HolmesBBC-Gen Collection ect. ect. Where they sort by Holmes, the next three letters are fandom, then gen or slash, then other info to divide them into other specific catagories. I do this all in Calibre and they sort correctly on the T1 as long as you put all of any one collection on either the main memory or the SD card. Otherwise you'll get two copies of the collection, one on the main memory and one on the SD card. And I've used the "Count Pages" plug-in in Calibre and any fanfic under 10 pages I then merge into one file with the "Epub Merge" plug-in. (Which makes a TOC with a list of all the titles) I also merge series stories together. Merging a lot of the tiny bits into collections really helps to keep the number of files down. Last edited by DuskyRose; 08-13-2012 at 08:25 PM. Reason: can't spell