Groups for Custom Colums in CC and Backing up CC

[niagara94]

Hi - I am having trouble getting one of my custom columns to show in CC. In Calibre it's listed as "Series Or Not" (minus quotes) and in CC settings under "Make groups for custom columns, I have it listed as "#read,#seriesornot" (minus quotes). The Read entry is another custom column that I created. When I go to group and select the #read entry it shows up fine but when I select the #seriesornot entry nothing shows up even though I know I have several entries where there is something in that column. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Also, I was wondering if there was a way to back up CC to a microSD card so that if you ever have to reformat your tablet you can just copy the info back into the CC directory or do you have to transfer it from Calibre each time?

Thanks for the help!

[chaley]

Originally Posted by niagara94

Hi - I am having trouble getting one of my custom columns to show in CC. In Calibre it's listed as "Series Or Not" (minus quotes) and in CC settings under "Make groups for custom columns, I have it listed as "#read,#seriesornot" (minus quotes). The Read entry is another custom column that I created. When I go to group and select the #read entry it shows up fine but when I select the #seriesornot entry nothing shows up even though I know I have several entries where there is something in that column. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

It is hard to say without seeing your database. The first thing to check is the exact spelling of the lookup name for the column. In calibre, hover your mouse pointer over the column header to see the correct lookup name, then check that you spelled it in exactly the same way in CC.

If you can't make it work then I will need to see your database to figure out what is going wrong. If you are willing, send it to me at calibre at charles dot haleys dot org. It would be good to zip it first. :-) Note that I will see what books you have in your library, which might be a privacy concern. I won't see the books themselves.

Also, I was wondering if there was a way to back up CC to a microSD card so that if you ever have to reformat your tablet you can just copy the info back into the CC directory or do you have to transfer it from Calibre each time?

Thanks for the help!

Not at this time.

CC can scan a folder for epubs on connect and try to match the books with calibre, a process that works well if calibre put the books on the device. This process is faster than resending the books.

[niagara94]

Thank you for your help. I did what you suggested and checked how Calibre listed the column. My problem was that I didn't put underscores in place of the spaces. I fixed that on CC now it works great.

If I have CC scan for epubs on connect is that the only format that it can scan for or can it also scan for Kindle books? Also, am I right in assuming that wouldn't work if I had to reformat a device unless I had CC storing the books on the microSD card in the first place? If I did have it scan on connect, how would I go about doing that? Thanks again.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by niagara94

If I have CC scan for epubs on connect is that the only format that it can scan for or can it also scan for Kindle books?

It will scan for any kind of book that you have enabled in settings, add them to its database, then ask calibre whether it knows about the books. The problem is that most books do not have all the metadata necessary to ensure an exact match with calibre. For example, mobi books often have the authors spelled differently from the calibre data, so calibre won't know that the books are the same.

If you end up with books on CC that are on calibre but not matched, you can use the "Match Books" function in calibre to connect them together again. To do this you go to calibre's device view, right-click on a not "In Library" book, and select the matching book in the library.

Also, am I right in assuming that wouldn't work if I had to reformat a device unless I had CC storing the books on the microSD card in the first place?

CC must be able to see the books, so yes, you need them somewhere. You could make backups of CC's books folder, or move the books folder to the SD card.

If I did have it scan on connect, how would I go about doing that?

Not sure what you are asking. If you are asking how CC finds the books, they must be in its book folder. If this is on your device (not SC card) then you need to copy the books from the backup on the SD card that you must make. If the books are kept on the SD card then you point CC at them using CC's settings. See the CC FAQ entry How do I change the folder(s) on my device where the books are stored?

And you are welcome.

[niagara94]

Hi - Ok - thanks for all the help! What I was asking is does CC automatically scan on connecting or is there something that I have to do to make it scan? Thanks again.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by niagara94

What I was asking is does CC automatically scan on connecting or is there something that I have to do to make it scan? Thanks again.

If you have set the preference to scan on connect, it does it on every connect. You are asked on the first connect whether you want to do this. You can change the setting at any time by going to settings.

[niagara94]

Thanks again for the help!