New software for PC!

[Pomtroll]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I wish Sony gave you the capability to delete books from your account library. I have lots of stuff from almost 5 years of purchases that I would like to permanently delete and now it clutters this new software. In the old software, you could choose what you wanted downloaded from your account.

I agree with you here. I think it is ridiculous that you can't.

[vxf]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Thanks, vxf. Your experiences sound similar to mine. I didn't have any crashes, but everytime I switch into the Books category of the library it is very slow to refresh. I get a frustrating spinning circle for several seconds. I assume that's because my library was hundreds of books.

When I first installed Reader, it detected that I already has Reader Library and asked if I wanted to import. I said no since I was worried about creating duplicates of stuff and didn't want to risk anything that might corrupt the Reader Library software. So maybe starting clean is the way to go.

You can have both the old and new software installed. However I don't think that Sony will maintain the old one and soon any link to it will disappear from their website. My impression is that they have created the new software to reflect their shift to a more wireless ecosystem. Their table Reader app looks very similar to the new desktop software also from pictures.

Now I am kind of worried about transferring annotations. At least I still have them on my device and could wirelessly sync between my 950 and Mac. That's not an option if you have a 650 or other non-Wifi model. I wonder if you could copy annotation files from the application folders somehow?

I have both pieces of software installed. I wonder if that's why it's crashing so often....

Regarding annotations - I have no idea how to sync them, wired or not. I have a 950 - and all my annotated files are in an SD card in the 950. I don't dare plugging in my 950 with that software open - because I had to wipe my 350. But I did try to transfer files over using my 350 - I uploaded them first using the old software - and it wouldn't do it. The 'sync' feature does not allow me to sync files that are NOT on the desktop library to start with. In other words, I have not yet figured out how to use the 'sync' app to transfer a file from the device to the desktop library.

In other words - when i select which folders to sync, it allows me only selecting folders that are on the desktop library. But I can't sync stuff that is on my reader to start with. So I have no way to force it to import an annotated file.

Also, note that I did use the option to import stuff from the local library when installing the software. As a matter of fact it worked great - but it did not import annotations. It imported all my PDFs, but not the highlights, notes, annotations, etc.

I did think about trying to copy the notes over manually. But I could not figure our where the new software stores them. I even made some new annotations - but could not find them on my PC. Also, the new annotations were not automatically imported in the old software - which makes me suspect the two use different databases, or at least different paths.

Also, I noticed that the new software (according to documentation) is supposed to store everything under 'My Documents/My Ebooks'. Well, half of my files, after importing from the old library, are there. No idea where the other half are stored. Usual SONY mess....

Anyone with suggestions... I am all ears. There has GOT TO be a way to import old annotations in here...

[bumblesby]

I don't have any files under My Documents\My eBooks. But for the sake of backup and restore - I found the software DB under:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Sony Corporation\ReaderDesktop

My sony store downloaded books are still in:
My Documents\My Books\Reader Library

If I download a new book, not sure where that will go. Maybe the \My eBooks folder.

[vxf]

I have found a way to copy books over from the device to the library. You plug in the device, stop the sync, the click on the device icon on top (Reader) and now the tabs (books, periodicals, etc.) display what is on the Reader - find the file, select 'copy to my library' and it copies the file to the PC. With annotations.

But the annotations don't display properly on the new software - all the handwritten stuff is pasted in little image files you open on the document, clicking on them one-by-one. And the export feature does not work properly with annotations anymore either, it places annotations on the wrong spot on the page.

However... making progress...

[vxf]

Originally Posted by bumblesby

I don't have any files under My Documents\My eBooks. But for the sake of backup and restore - I found the software DB under:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Sony Corporation\ReaderDesktop

My sony store downloaded books are still in:
My Documents\My Books\Reader Library

If I download a new book, not sure where that will go. Maybe the \My eBooks folder.

Checking now. Thanks.

[Bookworm_Girl]

This is not the first time that Sony has renamed their software and changed the storage location. Here is what is happening. All of the files that you imported from your old library into the new Reader software are still linked to the old location: Document > My Books > Reader Library. Anything new that you download into the Reader software is going to be stored in the new location Documents > My Books > Reader. Your library will be split across two folders now. That's part of why I decided not to import since I had the advantage to learn from past experience.

I currently have both Reader Library and Reader installed so I can go back to the old one if I want. There is no way I'm connecting my 950 to the new software yet either.

vxf, here's what you want to do for your 950. Go to Settings > Application Preferences > Page Sync and turn it on. That is the setting that will now transfer info wirelessly between your computer and your 950. Since I didn't import any of my new books, I just downloaded one of my past purchases into Reader that I know is already on my 950 with annotations. The first time that I opened it in the Reader software it asked me if I want to go to the last page read. I said yes. All of my notes were also transferred.

When you are reading a book on your 950 and you know that you are further along on the computer, you need to tell it manually to sync. Within the book press the Options button. Then select Page Sync in the Options menu. It will tell you the last read page and ask if you want to go there.

I just tried a test with a Kobo book. I imported it from Reader Library into the new Reader software. It is already on my 950. I am able to sync between it and my 950 so it works for anything in your library and not just Sony bookstore purchases.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Pomtroll

I agree with you here. I think it is ridiculous that you can't.

If they aren't going to allow delete, then they should have something like the Home and Archive screens like the Kindle for PC/Mac software has. At least that way you could keep the Archive stuff separate from your main library and not downloaded to your computer.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by vxf

I have found a way to copy books over from the device to the library. You plug in the device, stop the sync, the click on the device icon on top (Reader) and now the tabs (books, periodicals, etc.) display what is on the Reader - find the file, select 'copy to my library' and it copies the file to the PC. With annotations.

But the annotations don't display properly on the new software - all the handwritten stuff is pasted in little image files you open on the document, clicking on them one-by-one. And the export feature does not work properly with annotations anymore either, it places annotations on the wrong spot on the page.

However... making progress...

I just thought of something else. A caution here. When you copied files from the device to the library in old Reader Library, it did not put the files in the Documents > My Books > Reader Library folder. It put them in that Application database folder that you found. If you ever reinstall the software then it rewrites over those folders and you could lose those books. I would check to see where it put those copied over books on your computer and if the new Reader software treats them the same or different.

[vxf]

You are correct about how folders are organized. I have both pieces of software installed, so my documents are now scattered across four folders, plus annotations god-knows-where.

I realized that the only way to force the new software to store everything in one single folder - and import annotations - is to force a re-import from the device, rather than the existing reader library (yours was a smart move, not importing....).

So I set to do just that.

First, I tried deleting everything from the new software, to start from scratch. Hard thing to do in itself... had to uninstall, delete files and folders manually.

So now I re-installed and tried copying everything from my 950 and ran into a new problem. If I plug in just my 950, I can access it fine via the new software. But if I plug in a memory stick into the reader, everything freezes on connection. And I have everything on a memory stick, not on the device itself (internal memory is too tiny). Might have to split things...

But I want to keep using a memory stick to backup everything like I have been doing so far with the old software...

Well, one challenge at the time, I guess...

[petercreasey]

I don't understand why anyone would consider switching from a workable Sony Reader Library package to a new package.

The old Sony Reader Library does everything I need in an acceptable fashion.

I have no desire at this point to risk messing things up on my PC, ereaders, etc. with a new software package.

Just my 2 cents worth!

[Bookworm_Girl]

If you are planning on adding a T1 to your ereaders, then one might want to switch.

Some other things I noticed about the software last night:

• Positive that in the list view you can see publisher now and also a progress bar.

• It doesn't tell you the number of books anywhere so I have no idea how big my library or collections are.

• I can't find an info button. For example it no longer shows you the file path of the book you are viewing.

• The periodical view is neat how the sections of the paper become tabs across the top. It takes awhile for large papers to load though (spinning beachball on the Daily Mail, it was ok for Wall Street Journal).

[petercreasey]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

If you are planning on adding a T1 to your ereaders, then one might want to switch.

B, Please advise as to why this is as I do have a T1 preordered.

Thanks!

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

B, Please advise as to why this is as I do have a T1 preordered.

Thanks!

The existing Sony software won't recognize the T1. The new one will. So unless you plan on using Calibre instead, then you will need to switch to the new Sony software.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Kolenka

The existing Sony software won't recognize the T1. The new one will. So unless you plan on using Calibre instead, then you will need to switch to the new Sony software.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. Also if you get the new T1 and want to keep common collections, notes, etc synced with your old readers, like I do today between my 350 and 950.

[petercreasey]

Originally Posted by Kolenka

The existing Sony software won't recognize the T1. The new one will. So unless you plan on using Calibre instead, then you will need to switch to the new Sony software.

K, How can Calibre be used with books offered by the Sony Store?