Experienced users - what are your best practices, hints and tips for a new user? - Page 2

Lilio · 12-16-2009, 10:02 PM

I am new at calibre and am having a problem. Got my old books loaded into calibre, and worked on the metadata page - worked quite well. However. I purchased two new books and cannot get them into calibre - they remain in my barnes and Noble Desktop e reader. How do I get them to load into calibre??

Xenophon · 12-17-2009, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by user_none

@ficbot, for liberating secure eReader files I recommend you look for version 0.09 of the script you're using on a place like pastebin. That version outputs both crappy HTML and PML. The PML can be fed into calibre for a much better conversion.

Ummm... Perhaps I'm a bit dense this week, but I've not figured out how to load PML directly into calibre without using DropBook to re-package as a pdb file.

What's the (likely quite obvious) trick that I haven't spotted?

kovidgoyal · 12-17-2009, 10:54 AM

In the add books dialog select all files (PML isn't registered as an ebook extension in calibre)

Lilio · 12-17-2009, 12:24 PM

Heeeelp! Somehow I got duplicates of all my books on calibre. It says if I delete them it will also delete from my computer. I have them stored in my ereader from Barnes and Noble. Finding out how to set metadata on calibre which is helpful since BN will not do that, nor will nook when I get it. In the meantime, I am having all sorts of problems starting calibre. Is there a calibre for dummies out there somewhere. Any other hints. Thanks

texasnightowl · 01-16-2010, 11:23 PM

Figured I'd update here - since we're after the holidays I'm finally getting some time to play. I've imported my collection...over 550 books...and I'm doing metadata one by one since I wasn't happy with some of the bulk results. I'm about a quarter done with many more hours to go. :>

Lilio · 01-23-2010, 01:48 AM

I have not tinkered around with calibre for a while since I was busy using my new ereader. I do seem to have some problems importing books. I downloaded some new ones to my nook, but when I hit, get books, nothing happens. Maybe I am forgetting to do something, but I cannot figure out what. Earlier I somehow easily entered all the books I had and just as easily entered metadata. Now, nada, or a get a message that all the books will enter and duplicate. Sorry for being such a yoyo, but what do I do?

texasnightowl · 01-24-2010, 11:11 PM

Lilio - Sorry no one has responded here...I'm not good enough with it yet to help!

I have finally finished updating the Metadata on the 550 books I imported! That took a while! Now, my question is this: Is this a good point at which to "convert" all my files so that the metadata changes and book covers etc. become part of the new file? Or, is that the way it actually does work? I have a mix of mobi and epub mostly, and want to do conversions so that everything is in epub and mobi (I have a Kindle for now, but...). So for files that are already in mobi but had metadata changes, should I convert them to mobi anyway? Does the metadata get written into the file that way?

rmm200 · 01-24-2010, 11:46 PM

I would love to see a tutorial for each device. I am sure the way I use Calibre on a Sony with Collections is different than what I would do if I had a Nook - but I have no idea how it would be different...

Importing an existing hierarchical library into Calibre deserves a tutorial of its own.

Robert

kovidgoyal · 01-25-2010, 12:29 AM

yes converting a file from mobi to mobi will update the metadata

theducks · 01-25-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

Lilio - Sorry no one has responded here...I'm not good enough with it yet to help!

I have finally finished updating the Metadata on the 550 books I imported! That took a while! Now, my question is this: Is this a good point at which to "convert" all my files so that the metadata changes and book covers etc. become part of the new file? Or, is that the way it actually does work? I have a mix of mobi and epub mostly, and want to do conversions so that everything is in epub and mobi (I have a Kindle for now, but...). So for files that are already in mobi but had metadata changes, should I convert them to mobi anyway? Does the metadata get written into the file that way?

You can update a selected formats Metadata by clicking th "insertion" button I pointed at in the attached picture:

kovidgoyal · 01-25-2010, 12:57 AM

@the ducks: That wont update the metadata in the format, it will update the metadata in the calibre database from the format.

texasnightowl · 01-25-2010, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

yes converting a file from mobi to mobi will update the metadata

Thanks...that will have to wait for tomorrow so I can keep an eye out for any errors. I assume it "overwrites" the existing file?

BTW, I think I am a convert to the "tag" way of doing things. While doing all the metadata, I also tagged each item by place purchased, read or unread, and the freebie items got marked free.

I have a LOT more unread items than I thought I had. I won't be partaking in any Fictionwise sales for a while.

theducks · 01-25-2010, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@the ducks: That wont update the metadata in the format, it will update the metadata in the calibre database from the format.

Thanks. The Balloon help was too subtle for me

, Re-reading, I see it is That it Sets Metadata in Calibre, not the other way around: Just another useful piece discovered.
Thanks

Sydney's Mom · 01-26-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

Figured I'd update here - since we're after the holidays I'm finally getting some time to play. I've imported my collection...over 550 books...and I'm doing metadata one by one since I wasn't happy with some of the bulk results. I'm about a quarter done with many more hours to go. :>

Well, I did that to my collection, which was 770 books when I started. Luckily, the fetch metadata button worked 80% of the time, and I went back to the source to download info when it didn't. I was afraid it was just my AR nature, but I am really glad I took the time to get everything into Calibre. I now only have 2 pages of books on my kindle (had 70) and it works better, and I am able to search for books to read much more easily.

Sydney's Mom · 01-26-2010, 02:24 PM

I mark items read 2 ways - I use a tag, 0read0, and I rate the book. That means everytime I download metadata, I have to delete the rating. Really helps me look for authors I really liked.

01-23-2010, 01:48 AM	#21
Lilio Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: nook/BN ereader	calibre I have not tinkered around with calibre for a while since I was busy using my new ereader. I do seem to have some problems importing books. I downloaded some new ones to my nook, but when I hit, get books, nothing happens. Maybe I am forgetting to do something, but I cannot figure out what. Earlier I somehow easily entered all the books I had and just as easily entered metadata. Now, nada, or a get a message that all the books will enter and duplicate. Sorry for being such a yoyo, but what do I do?

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12-16-2009, 10:02 PM	#16
Lilio Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: nook/BN ereader	I am new at calibre and am having a problem. Got my old books loaded into calibre, and worked on the metadata page - worked quite well. However. I purchased two new books and cannot get them into calibre - they remain in my barnes and Noble Desktop e reader. How do I get them to load into calibre??

12-17-2009, 10:54 AM	#18
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,364 Karma: 27230406 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	In the add books dialog select all files (PML isn't registered as an ebook extension in calibre)

12-17-2009, 12:24 PM	#19
Lilio Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: nook/BN ereader	Heeeelp! Somehow I got duplicates of all my books on calibre. It says if I delete them it will also delete from my computer. I have them stored in my ereader from Barnes and Noble. Finding out how to set metadata on calibre which is helpful since BN will not do that, nor will nook when I get it. In the meantime, I am having all sorts of problems starting calibre. Is there a calibre for dummies out there somewhere. Any other hints. Thanks

01-16-2010, 11:23 PM	#20
texasnightowl Guru Posts: 797 Karma: 2873645 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas Device: PW5, Oasis 3, K4B(NT), K3/KK	Figured I'd update here - since we're after the holidays I'm finally getting some time to play. I've imported my collection...over 550 books...and I'm doing metadata one by one since I wasn't happy with some of the bulk results. I'm about a quarter done with many more hours to go. :>

01-24-2010, 11:11 PM	#22
texasnightowl Guru Posts: 797 Karma: 2873645 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas Device: PW5, Oasis 3, K4B(NT), K3/KK	Lilio - Sorry no one has responded here...I'm not good enough with it yet to help! I have finally finished updating the Metadata on the 550 books I imported! That took a while! Now, my question is this: Is this a good point at which to "convert" all my files so that the metadata changes and book covers etc. become part of the new file? Or, is that the way it actually does work? I have a mix of mobi and epub mostly, and want to do conversions so that everything is in epub and mobi (I have a Kindle for now, but...). So for files that are already in mobi but had metadata changes, should I convert them to mobi anyway? Does the metadata get written into the file that way?

01-24-2010, 11:46 PM	#23
rmm200 Groupie Posts: 195 Karma: 414 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bend, OR Device: Sony PRS-600	I would love to see a tutorial for each device. I am sure the way I use Calibre on a Sony with Collections is different than what I would do if I had a Nook - but I have no idea how it would be different... Importing an existing hierarchical library into Calibre deserves a tutorial of its own. Robert

01-25-2010, 12:29 AM	#24
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,364 Karma: 27230406 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	yes converting a file from mobi to mobi will update the metadata

01-25-2010, 12:57 AM	#26
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,364 Karma: 27230406 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	@the ducks: That wont update the metadata in the format, it will update the metadata in the calibre database from the format.

01-26-2010, 02:24 PM	#30
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,899 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	I mark items read 2 ways - I use a tag, 0read0, and I rate the book. That means everytime I download metadata, I have to delete the rating. Really helps me look for authors I really liked.

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