iPad reading system setup and annotation sync

sydneyxx · 08-11-2018, 06:16 AM

As the number of ebooks keep growing, I would like to put in place a robust system that might allow me not to get lost in my readings.
In particular, I'd like to make Calibre as the central management platform for my library, storing the books on my laptop - which will become the main archive - and then, when needed, push the book(s) to be read via Wireless Device connection to the iPad, which would be the main reading/annotating platform.
Finally, those annotated books would need to be synchronised again to Calibre on the laptop, where I'd extract the notes via a third-party application.

While the laptop part is quite clear to me and the first syncing might be done via Calibre Companion (CC), I am still puzzled by the whole part involving the iPad: afaik, being app-segregated, I would need to share the book from CC to a reading app of choice (eg. MarginNote/PDFExpert/Hyphen/MapleRead), but then how can I update the book back to Calibre with the annotations?

I have to say I haven't attempted to try any of the paid applications that might sync with Calibre yet - CC, MapleRead, GoodReader -, so I lack a first-hand experience; before paying for apps which I'm not sure they would be able to do what I need, I would kindly ask you to share your experiences and adopted solutions with your Calibre-centred system.
Is my idea unrealistic and infeasible? Are there any alternative solutions available (eg. command line utils,...)?

Finally, in terms of reading app, how do you feel about MapleRead, compared, for example, with Hyphen or MarginNote?

I thank you in advance for your kind contributions

pwalker8 · 08-11-2018, 11:53 AM

The books part is fairly straight forward. I don't do annotations myself, but from what I read, the syncing annotations might be a bit of an issue.

sydneyxx · 08-13-2018, 08:22 AM

Thanks for your answer, pwalker8

Probably it's my misunderstanding of the ebook mechanics related to annotations...but you mean that synching is one-way only? Pulling only from Calibre DB into device and not the other way around, where the epub/pdf with annotations gets pushed back into Calibre, updated?

Thanks again!

sydneyxx · 08-13-2018, 09:35 AM

One thought I had...is that the same (one-way sync) also when using cloud services to store books, or in that case the synchronisation occurs both ways?

Thank you!

08-11-2018, 06:16 AM	#1
sydneyxx Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: iPad	reading system setup and annotation sync As the number of ebooks keep growing, I would like to put in place a robust system that might allow me not to get lost in my readings. In particular, I'd like to make Calibre as the central management platform for my library, storing the books on my laptop - which will become the main archive - and then, when needed, push the book(s) to be read via Wireless Device connection to the iPad, which would be the main reading/annotating platform. Finally, those annotated books would need to be synchronised again to Calibre on the laptop, where I'd extract the notes via a third-party application. While the laptop part is quite clear to me and the first syncing might be done via Calibre Companion (CC), I am still puzzled by the whole part involving the iPad: afaik, being app-segregated, I would need to share the book from CC to a reading app of choice (eg. MarginNote/PDFExpert/Hyphen/MapleRead), but then how can I update the book back to Calibre with the annotations? I have to say I haven't attempted to try any of the paid applications that might sync with Calibre yet - CC, MapleRead, GoodReader -, so I lack a first-hand experience; before paying for apps which I'm not sure they would be able to do what I need, I would kindly ask you to share your experiences and adopted solutions with your Calibre-centred system. Is my idea unrealistic and infeasible? Are there any alternative solutions available (eg. command line utils,...)? Finally, in terms of reading app, how do you feel about MapleRead, compared, for example, with Hyphen or MarginNote? I thank you in advance for your kind contributions

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08-11-2018, 11:53 AM	#2
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	The books part is fairly straight forward. I don't do annotations myself, but from what I read, the syncing annotations might be a bit of an issue.

08-13-2018, 08:22 AM	#3
sydneyxx Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: iPad	Thanks for your answer, pwalker8 Probably it's my misunderstanding of the ebook mechanics related to annotations...but you mean that synching is one-way only? Pulling only from Calibre DB into device and not the other way around, where the epub/pdf with annotations gets pushed back into Calibre, updated? Thanks again!

08-13-2018, 09:35 AM	#4
sydneyxx Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: iPad	One thought I had...is that the same (one-way sync) also when using cloud services to store books, or in that case the synchronisation occurs both ways? Thank you!

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