Identify books needing update on device

[BobC]

This might not be possible but always worth asking.

I have a number of different devices all of which have books on that have been loaded via Calibre. A problem I hit from time to time is that I may make an edit to a book in the library (usually correcting spelling but sometimes a bit more drastic surgery). I then upload the book to one of the devices. The problem then is it's easy to loose track of which device is "up to date".

Devices are mainly Kobo but there are a couple of Android devices.

Is there any add-on or other approach to being able to highlight books which have a different edited date in the library from the date of the file on the device ? I suggest using the date as size or a checksum probably wouldn't work where the file in the library was an EPUB but the one on a Kobo was KEPUB.

BobC

[uli]

The KoboTouchExtended driver has a tab with the options for 'Update metadata on device' and 'Update metadata on Book Details pages'.

For Android maybe the Reading List add-on set to "Add/overwrite all items on device".
This can be very slow if you have too many books.

[ownedbycats]

I use Reading List and a clear-on-sync add/overwrite list called "Send to Device."

I also have a tristate boolean column, #onkobo. Undefined = not on device. Yes = current version on device. No = Need to re-upload (mostly updated fanfics). I use custom column icons to replace the checks.

For multiple devices, a fixed-value or tag-like column might work better, e.g. Kobo (Up-to-date), Android (Need to Sync)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I use Reading List and a clear-on-sync add/overwrite list called "Send to Device."

I also have a tristate boolean column, #onkobo. Undefined = not on device. Yes = current version on device. No = Need to re-upload (mostly updated fanfics). I use custom column icons to replace the checks.

For multiple devices, a fixed-value or tag-like column might work better, e.g. Kobo (Up-to-date), Android (Need to Sync)

Different lists based on the different devices. You would have to add the book(s) to each device list.

[ownedbycats]

Admittedly, you can just use the reading lists and just ignore the column altogether. I just use it so I know what books are on my device.

[BobC]

Thanks to all for the ideas - I already have a tristate column that I use to show that the book has been updated, however the problem is in tracking to which devices the updated version has been transferred.

It would need six or seven other columns (one for each device) and a lot of manual updating to do this which is why I was looking for some way of easily comparing file dates (though thinking about it that may not work as the devices filestamp probably reflects when the file was uploaded rather than the original library filestamp date).

I just didn't want to have to do device updates on a stack of readers each time I edited a book.

At least I know that the problem isn't a matter of using an add-on I hadn't heard of or using some less obvious facility of Calibre itself.

Perhaps the simplest way would be an old-fashioned paper form - fill in when I update a book and tick off the devices when I update them.


BobC

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BobC

Thanks to all for the ideas - I already have a tristate column that I use to show that the book has been updated, however the problem is in tracking to which devices the updated version has been transferred.

It would need six or seven other columns (one for each device) and a lot of manual updating to do this which is why I was looking for some way of easily comparing file dates (though thinking about it that may not work as the devices filestamp probably reflects when the file was uploaded rather than the original library filestamp date).

I just didn't want to have to do device updates on a stack of readers each time I edited a book.

At least I know that the problem isn't a matter of using an add-on I hadn't heard of or using some less obvious facility of Calibre itself.

Perhaps the simplest way would be an old-fashioned paper form - fill in when I update a book and tick off the devices when I update them.


BobC

The easiest solution is the Reading List plugin. When you finish updating, you just add the eBook to the lists and done. Then you plug in each Reader and use Reading List to update. You'll know easily if you've done them all or not.

[ownedbycats]

What I would suggest is making device-specific Reading Lists (add/overwrite all, auto-sync, clear-on-sync). Then as you plug your devices on the books will be updated.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by BobC

At least I know that the problem isn't a matter of using an add-on I hadn't heard of or using some less obvious facility of Calibre itself.

Perhaps the simplest way would be an old-fashioned paper form - fill in when I update a book and tick off the devices when I update them.

What I do is Save to Disk to a local "master" directory. Then I just use robocopy batch files (stored on device) to sync changed files from the master directory to the device.

I use separate master directories for Kindle formats and EPUB.

For Kindle:

robocopy "%userprofile%\Dropbox\ebooks\kindle" "%~d0\documents" /s /xx /fft /dst /r:0 /w:0 /np /ndl

For Kobo or KOReader:

robocopy "%userprofile%\Dropbox\ebooks\epub" "%~d0\epub" /s /xx /fft /dst /r:0 /w:0 /np /ndl

Caveat, this method doesn't copy covers to Kindle so I use MOBI PDOC if I want my fanfics to have covers. No automatic KEPUB conversion either and you'll need to update metadata on Kobo database separately.

[JSWolf]

To update an eBook I've changed, I use Reading List to do so because I don't have to remember to do it or which eBook. I just have to plug in the Kobo with Calibre running and it works.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

What I would suggest is making device-specific Reading Lists (add/overwrite all, auto-sync, clear-on-sync). Then as you plug your devices on the books will be updated.

That looks promising - Its ages since I used reading lists so I need to get up to date with them. Immediate problem is I'm still on Calibre 4 so can't use Action Chains. Also need to work out how to distinguish between four "Kobo Glos" (One is a HD but the other three are simple Glos).

Thanks.
BobC

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BobC

That looks promising - Its ages since I used reading lists so I need to get up to date with them. Immediate problem is I'm still on Calibre 4 so can't use Action Chains. Also need to work out how to distinguish between four "Kobo Glos" (One is a HD but the other three are simple Glos).

Thanks.
BobC

If you are still on Calibre 4 because of DeDRM, you can install DeDRM v7.0.0b4 to use with Calibre 5. It's what I am using and it seems to be working for ePub and Mobi/KF8.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you are still on Calibre 4 because of DeDRM, you can install DeDRM v7.0.0b4 to use with Calibre 5. It's what I am using and it seems to be working for ePub and Mobi/KF8.

Thanks for the reassurance Jon,

Just done it when I got the message and checked DRM. Now to make sense of Action Chains.

BobC

[ownedbycats]

Here's where to look when adding an action:



I have a chain to add to my send-to-device list, update the #onkobo column, and edit the #kobocoll column.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BobC

Thanks for the reassurance Jon,

Just done it when I got the message and checked DRM. Now to make sense of Action Chains.

BobC

Before you dive into Action Chains, make your lists in Reading List first. Get that working and then give Action Chains a go.