Aura HD Getting started: Syncing notes etc

[flips01]

Hi!
I just ordered an Aura HD, my first Kobo device.

I've been reading and searching the forum, sorry if it's already been answered ... I was reading this https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=154643 and browsed the FAQ and more.

To sideload books, Calibre should work just fine from what I read. Do I need to install a plugin manually, or is it bundled in Calibre?
How about these notes, highlights and bookmarks?
Will they be automatically fetched and added to the book metadata in Calibre upon syncing?

So that when I've read and annotated a book on the Aura, I sync with Calibre and from within Calibre I'll be able to copy my notes and highlights into my academic papers or whatever I'm writing?

[davidfor]

The driver plugin is part of calibre.

From the first post of that thread

To retrieve annotations, right click the send to device button and choose fetch annotations.

So, it isn't automatic.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

I have a question. I'll be a first time Kobo owner but most of my purchases are from Kobo. I have all of them on Calibre and usually I use a Sony PRS650. When I go to install those books on my Kobo. Should I be downloading them from the cloud or should I use Calibre? Will my books show up twice if I sideload them? The books that I've bought from Amazon and converted using the Sony Reader output settings, am I going to have to reconvert those using Kobo Aura output settings? So many questions.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

I have a question. I'll be a first time Kobo owner but most of my purchases are from Kobo. I have all of them on Calibre and usually I use a Sony PRS650. When I go to install those books on my Kobo. Should I be downloading them from the cloud or should I use Calibre? Will my books show up twice if I sideload them?

Have a look at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=211379. This has some discussion related to this and should give you an idea of what will happen. And probably more questions to ask.

The books that I've bought from Amazon and converted using the Sony Reader output settings, am I going to have to reconvert those using Kobo Aura output settings? So many questions.

Try them and see. I've never used a Sony device, so I don't know how much tweaking is needed to get an epub looking good on them. About the only thing I can think of is the size of any images (maps, photos etc) in the books. The Sony Reader output profile is probably set to resize to 600*800 or a little smaller. The images might look a little small on the Aura. It will also depend on how big the images were in the originals.

[flips01]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The driver plugin is part of calibre.

From the first post of that thread (... "fetch" ...)
So, it isn't automatic.

Thanks. I should have been more precise there.
So, when the annotations are fetched, they end up in the metadata of the book in plain text? I guess there's no easy way to view the notes/highlights inline in an ePub viewer/reader application on the Mac?
(Kobo CS reported that ADE would not fetch/sync notes etc off the device, but that it should upload it ...)

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by flips01

Thanks. I should have been more precise there.
So, when the annotations are fetched, they end up in the metadata of the book in plain text?

It is added to the comments field. It is formatted so it looks OK.

I guess there's no easy way to view the notes/highlights inline in an ePub viewer/reader application on the Mac?

None that I know of.

(Kobo CS reported that ADE would not fetch/sync notes etc off the device, but that it should upload it ...)

Well, that can be done manually. The annotations are actually stored in two places on the device. The database and an annotations file. The calibre annotation fetching reads the database. But, you can copy the annotations file and get ADE to read it. You have to match the file name and an id in the file. I have done it to prove it works.

[flips01]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Well, that can be done manually. The annotations are actually stored in two places on the device. The database and an annotations file. The calibre annotation fetching reads the database. But, you can copy the annotations file and get ADE to read it. You have to match the file name and an id in the file. I have done it to prove it works.

Wow, that's cool. Can't wait for my device to arrive ...

[Gadget_girl]

Hi, I'm getting started with Kobo Aura HD & Calibre as well. I just got my Aura HD today, and I'd like to sideload my books on it using Calibre as well. I've only ever bought one book from Kobo, but I've got lots in my Calibre library. I've had a Sony PRS-650 for years, so I'm fairly familiar with the basic use of Calibre, but it's not showing up to put my books on. Will Calibre create shelves for me automatically based on the tags? Will it put the books on in Series order? Any idea why it won't connect? I see it just fine as a drive on my computer, so I know it's connected.

[PeterT]

The current version of calibre does not have the USB id's for the Aura. The version out this coming Friday will.

For shelves see A Quick Guide to Shelf Management with calibre 0.9.1 and above for Touch / Glo / Mini

[Gadget_girl]

Well, shoot. Any advice for putting books on from my hard drive before then?

--edit-- found a little bitty micro SD card hanging around. Copy & paste books. Insert into new e-reader. Voila. Reading. Yay. See you again Friday for more questions. I'm going to read until then.

[flips01]

I assume I can't fool the device into cloud syncing everything with by adding .kepub to the filename before sideloading?

[Gadget_girl]

Hmmm, so is Shelf management the same as Series management for this Kobo? Just so I'm sure what i'm modifying the right thing.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by flips01

I assume I can't fool the device into cloud syncing everything with by adding .kepub to the filename before sideloading?

Nope. Cloud syncing is only for books bought from Kobo.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Gadget_girl

Hmmm, so is Shelf management the same as Series management for this Kobo? Just so I'm sure what i'm modifying the right thing.

No.

The Kobo devices display series information in the lists. And it is also one of the fields searched.

Shelves are collection of books. You can put any book on a shelf and on as many shelves as you want. With calibre driver, you specify one or more columns to make shelves from. If you use the series column, it will create a shelf for each series. Unfortunately there is no way to order the books on the shelves.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by davidfor

No.

The Kobo devices display series information in the lists. And it is also one of the fields searched.

Shelves are collection of books. You can put any book on a shelf and on as many shelves as you want. With calibre driver, you specify one or more columns to make shelves from. If you use the series column, it will create a shelf for each series. Unfortunately there is no way to order the books on the shelves.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm new to Kobo, the Aura is my first Kobo device, and I just last night updated Calibre and tried to put a series on, the series info is there OK, but the series itself is not in order. Guess that is one more difference from Sony to get used to. Definitely not giving up my Sony readers!