Calibre + BibDesk (or other reference managers)

zimmerleut · 10-26-2009, 05:31 PM

Hi,
I just got myself a PRS 600 and wanted get started on putting my articles collection (>1000 items) on my reader.
I already use a program for PDF management (on Mac, BibDesk), which means that
a) I have a folder structure that is maintained by BibDesk which I'd like to keep, and
b) there is extensive metadata for my library (e.g. titles, authors, ratings, dates, tags) which are saved in a .bib (i.e. bibtex) file, and
c) these metadata are not available from the PDF files (as most publishers seem not to populate these fields meaningfully).

Is there a way to get my articles on my reader without copying them into Calibre's library AND preserve as much metadata from BibDesk as possible?
Manually adding the information is not a choice.

Thanks,
Jonas

kovidgoyal · 10-26-2009, 05:47 PM

No, not really. If bibdesk is able to set metadata in PDF, the sony reader will pick up title and author but little else

zimmerleut · 10-26-2009, 08:03 PM

Unfortunately, BibDesk can't write PDF metadata.

I guess there'd be a way to use the driver plugins for reader devices in other programs? Is there a documentation of the interfaces?
Or is there a description of what the PRS 600 needs to find a file&metadata?

kovidgoyal · 10-27-2009, 02:15 AM

the prs 600 maintains metadata ina simple xml file, there a a number of tools around that manipulate it

zimmerleut · 10-27-2009, 11:33 AM

It seems Calibre has CLI tools to do that. Does that work under Mac OS X?
If not, could you point me to such tools?

Thanks,
Jonas

kovidgoyal · 10-27-2009, 11:50 AM

calibre's CLI tools dont allow you to manipulate the XML file, only read it.

Ferencz · 05-24-2012, 06:09 PM

hi,

aside my private library (for what it works like a charm) I'd like to use Calibre for syncing my university-stuff with my reader (and annotations vice-versa).
I use Citavi which has very powerful research features but I cannot synchronize my texts directly to my eReader (nook) - and this feature isn't a high priority on their roadmap.

atm I could only use Calibre's bibtex-export to copy a catalog to Citavi but a bibtex-import (from Citavi) would be much more helpful because Calibre's handling of metadata is too limited for academic purposes (also stated in bug 775051).

A really great benefit would be the possibility to synchronize highlights between an ereader & Calibre to sync them with Citavi for reference management.

10-26-2009, 05:31 PM	#1
zimmerleut Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: PRS 600	Calibre + BibDesk (or other reference managers) Hi, I just got myself a PRS 600 and wanted get started on putting my articles collection (>1000 items) on my reader. I already use a program for PDF management (on Mac, BibDesk), which means that a) I have a folder structure that is maintained by BibDesk which I'd like to keep, and b) there is extensive metadata for my library (e.g. titles, authors, ratings, dates, tags) which are saved in a .bib (i.e. bibtex) file, and c) these metadata are not available from the PDF files (as most publishers seem not to populate these fields meaningfully). Is there a way to get my articles on my reader without copying them into Calibre's library AND preserve as much metadata from BibDesk as possible? Manually adding the information is not a choice. Thanks, Jonas

05-24-2012, 06:09 PM	#7
Ferencz Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: nst	reference management & knowledge organization hi, aside my private library (for what it works like a charm) I'd like to use Calibre for syncing my university-stuff with my reader (and annotations vice-versa). I use Citavi which has very powerful research features but I cannot synchronize my texts directly to my eReader (nook) - and this feature isn't a high priority on their roadmap. atm I could only use Calibre's bibtex-export to copy a catalog to Citavi but a bibtex-import (from Citavi) would be much more helpful because Calibre's handling of metadata is too limited for academic purposes (also stated in bug 775051). A really great benefit would be the possibility to synchronize highlights between an ereader & Calibre to sync them with Citavi for reference management. Last edited by Ferencz; 05-24-2012 at 06:13 PM.

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10-26-2009, 05:47 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,156 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	No, not really. If bibdesk is able to set metadata in PDF, the sony reader will pick up title and author but little else

10-26-2009, 08:03 PM	#3
zimmerleut Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: PRS 600	Unfortunately, BibDesk can't write PDF metadata. I guess there'd be a way to use the driver plugins for reader devices in other programs? Is there a documentation of the interfaces? Or is there a description of what the PRS 600 needs to find a file&metadata?

10-27-2009, 02:15 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,156 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	the prs 600 maintains metadata ina simple xml file, there a a number of tools around that manipulate it

10-27-2009, 11:33 AM	#5
zimmerleut Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: PRS 600	It seems Calibre has CLI tools to do that. Does that work under Mac OS X? If not, could you point me to such tools? Thanks, Jonas

10-27-2009, 11:50 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,156 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre's CLI tools dont allow you to manipulate the XML file, only read it.