First Touch

CEW4 · 11-10-2010, 09:04 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm the new kid on the block, having only gotten my first ever ebook-reader day before yesterday. My primary reason was not to get any new books, but to read those I already have as PDFs, often LIT (from time to time displayed on my Windows Mobile phone using MS Reader - yuck!), and simple TXT. The LIT format especially proved trying (my reader doesn't read LIT natively) - I quickly found tools to "decompile" the file, but I couldn't manage to transfer the results to EPUB or something else that was understandible to my reader.

So finally I stumbled upon Calibre: "Oh boy, another organizer with its own database... And all the conversion work I'll have to do manually, because most of my files are archived, individually, and not even in ZIPs, but RAR to boot..."

Just to make sure (it most certainly wouldn't work, but what can it hurt to try) I selected "Import Books" and pointed it to a folder full of LITs in RARs. Imagine my surprise when Calibre didn't report the expected "sorry, but I've no idea what to do with these files", but instead a welcoming "Import done. Anything else?"

Next, to get the books on my reader. The same feeling of desperation: "Save-to-HDD for every single book, great... Well, let's just try the send-to-reader function first, even though there's no way this will work with my device..."

Immidiatly, on the very first try, same result as before: "Done. What do you want me to do next?"

Still unbelieving, I disconnected my reader and checked its content: All there, including cover images and everything.

It's been a while since I've worked with a software that so efficiently performed its job on the very first try, without forcing me to adjust so much that I ended up doing the job myself. Whoever wrote Calibre or participated in its developement, congratulations. You can indeed be very proud on what you created.

MfG,
CEW4

kovidgoyal · 11-10-2010, 09:20 AM

Glad to hear it

It has always been my goal to ahve calibre work as seamlessly as possible with as large a set of ebook formats, devices and usage patterns as possible.

Leep · 11-10-2010, 10:33 AM

First, welcome to Mobileread.

You are absolutely correct. Calibre is fabulous and Kovid continually makes it better and is very patient answering our inane questions. We can only guess how many hours he spends supporting Calibre.

If you haven't done so yet, I'd suggest donating through the big red Calibre heart plus we like to give Kovid lots of karma.

cheers

desertgrandma · 11-10-2010, 11:40 AM

Welcome to MobileRead, CEW4

Feel free to use the "introduce myself" thread below to join us.

Lots more to learn and do here.

CEW4 · 11-10-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Welcome to MobileRead

Thank you!

Quote:

Feel free to use the "introduce myself" thread below to join us.

Thanks again, I will. I hadn't thought it would be much of interest, but - well, you asked for it! :-)

Regards,
CEW4

11-10-2010, 09:04 AM	#1
CEW4 Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Germany Device: Oyo, Kindle	First Touch Hi everyone, I'm the new kid on the block, having only gotten my first ever ebook-reader day before yesterday. My primary reason was not to get any new books, but to read those I already have as PDFs, often LIT (from time to time displayed on my Windows Mobile phone using MS Reader - yuck!), and simple TXT. The LIT format especially proved trying (my reader doesn't read LIT natively) - I quickly found tools to "decompile" the file, but I couldn't manage to transfer the results to EPUB or something else that was understandible to my reader. So finally I stumbled upon Calibre: "Oh boy, another organizer with its own database... And all the conversion work I'll have to do manually, because most of my files are archived, individually, and not even in ZIPs, but RAR to boot..." Just to make sure (it most certainly wouldn't work, but what can it hurt to try) I selected "Import Books" and pointed it to a folder full of LITs in RARs. Imagine my surprise when Calibre didn't report the expected "sorry, but I've no idea what to do with these files", but instead a welcoming "Import done. Anything else?" Next, to get the books on my reader. The same feeling of desperation: "Save-to-HDD for every single book, great... Well, let's just try the send-to-reader function first, even though there's no way this will work with my device..." Immidiatly, on the very first try, same result as before: "Done. What do you want me to do next?" Still unbelieving, I disconnected my reader and checked its content: All there, including cover images and everything. It's been a while since I've worked with a software that so efficiently performed its job on the very first try, without forcing me to adjust so much that I ended up doing the job myself. Whoever wrote Calibre or participated in its developement, congratulations. You can indeed be very proud on what you created. MfG, CEW4 Last edited by CEW4; 11-10-2010 at 09:08 AM.

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11-10-2010, 09:20 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,318 Karma: 27111242 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Glad to hear it It has always been my goal to ahve calibre work as seamlessly as possible with as large a set of ebook formats, devices and usage patterns as possible.

11-10-2010, 10:33 AM	#3
Leep Guru Posts: 739 Karma: 1018859 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Near Seattle Device: kindle1, K3, K3G (thanks MR), iTouch, Kindle Touch	First, welcome to Mobileread. You are absolutely correct. Calibre is fabulous and Kovid continually makes it better and is very patient answering our inane questions. We can only guess how many hours he spends supporting Calibre. If you haven't done so yet, I'd suggest donating through the big red Calibre heart plus we like to give Kovid lots of karma. cheers

11-10-2010, 11:40 AM	#4
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to MobileRead, CEW4 Feel free to use the "introduce myself" thread below to join us. Lots more to learn and do here.

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