Aura H2O Syncing Progress between KoboAura and Android via Calibre?

[lambstone]

As per the title, is there anyway I can sync reading progress between my android device and my KoboAuraH2O?

I'm currently using calibre and it is configured to store reading position.

[davidfor]

Firstly, the sync wouldn't be to "Android", it would be to a specific reading app on the Android device.

Unfortunately, I don't pay enough attention to Android reading apps to know what can and can't sync. I definitely I haven't heard of one that can use the reading position the Kobo Utilities plugin stores. It should be possible to do, but it needs the database that the app uses for the reading position to be accessible from calibre and for the reading position to be stored in a way that the Kobo method can be translated to.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by lambstone

As per the title, is there anyway I can sync reading progress between my android device and my KoboAuraH2O?

I often read the same book simultaneously on both Kobo eink and Android. The only practical method I know of is totally low-tech.

1. Read book as standard epub (not kepub) on Kobo eink which uses the Adobe page-numbering system.

2. Read same epub in an Android app which uses the same Adobe page-numbering system, e.g. Bookari (aka Mantano), Pocketbook, UBReader, Aldiko, ... etc.

3. Use eyeballs/brain to remember page number when swapping devices

[Ken Maltby]

KOReader can progress sync between devices that run KOReader : Kindles, Kobos, Pocketbook, and many Android devices. But as David mentioned, it doesn't use the stock software's database, or caliber's.

Luck;
Ken

[lambstone]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

KOReader can progress sync between devices that run KOReader : Kindles, Kobos, Pocketbook, and many Android devices. But as David mentioned, it doesn't use the stock software's database, or caliber's.

Luck;
Ken

Interesting. In your opinion, do you think it's worthwhile switching over to Koreader and will I lose any of the default kobo features such as series sorting?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by lambstone

Interesting. In your opinion, do you think it's worthwhile switching over to Koreader and will I lose any of the default kobo features such as series sorting?

Based on Ken's posts, yes I think he does

Koreader is usually used in a way that replaces nickel (the Kobo application). Hence, you lose all its funcitons that Koreader doesn't implement separately. But, you don't lose series sorting as that was removed a long time ago. It was only available in one or two firmware versions and the Aura H2O cannot run those versions.

[Ken Maltby]

Actually, I've posted a great many times that KOReader does nothing to limit your use of the Kobo stock software (Nickel). The two are both available. So it's not exactly a matter of "switching over", you can easily have some ebooks that you read with the stock software and others that you read with KOReader. You can even use some of the KOReader features like OPDS catalog support to provide ebooks for reading in Nickel. Despite the nature of some of the posting here, the two (and Sergey's Coolreader port) work well together, for the most part.

There is the issue of Nickel's use and dependence on an SQLite data base. Although not required, I think it only prudent to have files that I will be reading exclusively in other than Nickel, inside a "hidden folder structure" (Hidden from nickel's processing). If both were accessing the same file, it seems possible that Nickel or KOReader could do something to the file that the other has a problem with. There is no problem with having two copies of an ebook file, one in a hidden folder and another open to Nickel's processing. (Of course you will probably want to hide any ebook files from Nickel, that are in any of the many formats that Nickel can't handle. For instance I have a lot of .pdb ebooks.)

As to series sorting, if you use calibre to send books to your device KOReader can use a search&browse function for the metadata.calibre file with the calibre tags and series data associated with those books.

While you can continue to use both, there have been a number of users who ended up using one of the alternative readers and rarely using Nickel again.

Luck;
Ken

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Actually, I've posted a great many times that KOReader does nothing to limit your use of the Kobo stock software (Nickel). The two are both available. So it's not exactly a matter of "switching over", you can easily have some ebooks that you read with the stock software and others that you read with KOReader. You can even use some of the KOReader features like OPDS catalog support to provide ebooks for reading in Nickel.

How does it get the books into the database? Is it updating the database or triggering the book processing? Or waiting for the next time you disconnect to a PC?

Despite the nature of some of the posting here, the two (and Sergey's Coolreader port) work well together, for the most part.

There is the issue of Nickel's use and dependence on an SQLite data base. Although not required, I think it only prudent to have files that I will be reading exclusively in other than Nickel, inside a "hidden folder structure" (Hidden from nickel's processing). If both were accessing the same file, it seems possible that Nickel or KOReader could do something to the file that the other has a problem with.

I have no idea bout KOReader, but nickel does not in any way change a book on the device. The books are put into place by someone sideloading. They stay there unchanged including timestamps and permission. The only exception is if you delete the book using nickel. Then the file will be removed as well.

There is no problem with having two copies of an ebook file, one in a hidden folder and another open to Nickel's processing. (Of course you will probably want to hide any ebook files from Nickel, that are in any of the many formats that Nickel can't handle. For instance I have a lot of .pdb ebooks.)

No, that doesn't matter. Nickel only looks at files with an extension that it understands. Anything else will be ignored. I don't know what happens if the extension doesn't match the contents. Current firmware will probably stop book processing with it.

And nickel doesn't care if you have multiple copies of a book in the same format that it can be seen. The book is identified in the database using the file path. But, if the two copies have identical metadata, there will be no way to tell them apart.

[Ken Maltby]

How does it get the books into the database? Is it updating the database or triggering the book processing? Or waiting for the next time you disconnect to a PC?

The preferred launcher, for KOReader, (KSM8) provides, to Nickel, a "fmon" icon named "simulate_usb_connection.png". Using that you can trigger the book processing, or you could connect to your PC yourself.

For the rest; there is no technical reason to believe both using the same file would actually cause a problem, so I may be a little paranoid, in that regard. I do though prefer to avoid the Nickel processing when transferring a number of books that may include some not meeting Kobo's high standards, but that read well enough in KOReader and/or Coolreader.

Luck;
Ken