How do I update book info on device (Sony) without losing annotations & highlights?

[Eugenie]

My reader device: Sony Reader PRS-650.

In the Calibre library, I've updated many of my books with new covers. They are also sorted by author's last name.

I want this updated info to appear on my Sony Reader device for those particular books.

But when I connect my Sony Reader and click "Send to Device," the Library view in Calibre shows that they are now on the device TWICE (Device column says "(2 books)" beside each title.)

Am I supposed to delete the old version of the book from the device? The problem is the Sony Reader allows users to make annotations, highlights, and bookmarks on the pages of a book. If I delete the old version of a book from the device, won't I lose any annotations and highlights I made on it?

P.S. If this helps, here are the preferences I've set for my device:

Calibre Preferences:

Sending Books to Devices:

• Metadata Management: Manual
• Template: {author_sort}/{title} - {authors}

Advanced - Plugins - Device Interface Plugin:

• SONY DEVICE INTERFACE (1.0.0) for Sony Readers older than PRST1.
• Customization: "Save template as {author_sort}/{title} - {authors}" (same as above)
• Use sub directories: ON
• Use author sort for author: ON
• Metadata fields to turn into collections: I specified a custom field named #collections
• Of the four remaining options, only the 2nd one is unchecked.

[kovidgoyal]

Switch to the device view in calibre and you can edit the metadata for existing books on the device, by clicking on the title or author in the book list (only for SONY devices).

If the books in your library and device have different metadata then it will indeed create two copies. The only way to prevent that os to delete and resend with calibre, but as you say, that will cause you to lose annotations.

[Eugenie]

Thank you for your prompt reply, Kovid.

However, after I switched to Device view, Calibre will not let me edit the metadata.

"Edit Metadata" on the toolbar is dimmed.

"Edit Metadata" on the menu (Edit Metadata > Edit Metadata individually) results in this error message:

ERROR: Cannot edit metadata
No books selected

Maybe I misunderstood your instructions?

When you wrote...

you can edit the metadata for existing books on the device, by clicking on the title or author in the book list

... did you mean I can only edit the author and title of the book? What if I want the cover to match the cover I have in my Calibre library?

P.S. Note that none of these books are DRM-protected.They are all public domain titles from sites like Project Gutenberg.

P.P.S. Also note that my Sony Reader is not the latest one (PRST1, which is WiFi). Mine is the PRS-650. Do your instructions apply to my model?

[kovidgoyal]

Click the Device icon in calibre. You get a list of books on the device. Then click the title of the book you want to change. Press the F2 key, type in the new title.