Change how series are shown (Kobo Aura)

MidknytOwl · 03-24-2018, 08:41 AM

Hello!

I have a Kobo Aura, but have been using Calibre since my first little Sony. As such, some of the books I have I added to Calibre quite a few years ago.

I recently replaced a file of one of my books, and after adding it to my reader I noticed that the older books display series on my Kobo different than the newer books do. I much prefer the older way, where I can see the title of the book and the series separate, versus the newer way where I mostly just see the series and not much of the title. (e.g. I like the look of The Demigod Files much more than the way The Lightening Thief is displayed in the picture.)

Any idea on how to have it do one style over the other?

Thanks!

Terisa de morgan · 03-24-2018, 08:46 AM

The second one is not the Kobo style for series at all. It looks like there is a metadata plugboard which is adding series and number in front of the title. And the second one does not have the series info either (not connected twice for receiving series?)

MidknytOwl · 03-24-2018, 04:40 PM

Yeah, I have no idea what happened, but the second one is how it does all of my books now.

I don't know what you mean by not connected twice for receiving series. As an experiment I took the first book off the device and re-added it, not changing anything else or opening it. Now it looks just as ugly as the other ones.

Do I need to delete something?

PeterT · 03-24-2018, 09:34 PM

The series info needs to be present in the Kobo's internal database. Unfortunately the records that need to be updated aren't created until after the books have been imported into the Kobo and that only happens when the device is disconnected the first time.

When you reconnect the device then the Kobo driver will add the series info into the database.

This does require Metadata management to be set to Automatic.

davidfor · 03-24-2018, 11:11 PM

@MidknytOwl: I'm repeating some of what the others have said, but...

From the two books, the second one either has the series info in the title in the metadata in calibre, or you are using a metadata plugboard to tweak the title when sending the book.

If the series info is in the title in calibre, then you need to fix that. And make sure the series info is populated correctly.

If you have a metadata plugboard for the driver and book type, you need to remove that or change it to produce what you really want. You can see these on the Metadata plugboard page of the calibre preferences.

For the plugboard, have you recently changed between using the KoboTouch and KoboTouchExtended driver? If so, that might explain the recent change in title as the plugboards are specific to the driver and you might now be using one from some time ago.

To get the series info populated you need the following:

Series info on the book in the calibre library.
The "Set series information" option enabled in the driver you are using.
"Metadata management" set to automatic on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences.

With the above, the series info is checked and updated whenever you connect the device. But, it cannot be set when you first send a book to the device. The book must be imported and in the database on the device before the driver can set the series info. This means you send the book, disconnect the device and let it import the book. Then connect again and the series info will be set.

MidknytOwl · 03-25-2018, 01:22 PM

Yay!! It worked.

I couldn't find the metadata plugboard the first time, though I don't know why since it's right there. (I haven't done any tweaking in Calibre for years, and I've gotten rusty.) You were right, I did in fact have one that was putting the series info in the title, and the set series information was also unchecked. Good to know that it has to be connected twice for that information to get put on the Kobo - that will save me some headaches in the future I'm sure.

I'm having a very vague memory now that when I first got my Kobo a few years ago I thought the series data just didn't work, as a downside to getting a Kobo versus how my old Sonys handled/displayed series. (And to try to fix it I probably would have removed and re-added the books, so the second connection never happened.) I think I must have added the plugboard to correct the "problem."

Good thing I had a random older book that showed me they could be formatted the other way.

Now my books are nice and pretty for the first time in years. Thank you guys so much!

03-24-2018, 08:41 AM	#1
MidknytOwl Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 644 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kobo Aura	Change how series are shown (Kobo Aura) Hello! I have a Kobo Aura, but have been using Calibre since my first little Sony. As such, some of the books I have I added to Calibre quite a few years ago. I recently replaced a file of one of my books, and after adding it to my reader I noticed that the older books display series on my Kobo different than the newer books do. I much prefer the older way, where I can see the title of the book and the series separate, versus the newer way where I mostly just see the series and not much of the title. (e.g. I like the look of The Demigod Files much more than the way The Lightening Thief is displayed in the picture.) Any idea on how to have it do one style over the other? Thanks! Attached Thumbnails

03-24-2018, 11:11 PM	#5
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303822 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	@MidknytOwl: I'm repeating some of what the others have said, but... From the two books, the second one either has the series info in the title in the metadata in calibre, or you are using a metadata plugboard to tweak the title when sending the book. If the series info is in the title in calibre, then you need to fix that. And make sure the series info is populated correctly. If you have a metadata plugboard for the driver and book type, you need to remove that or change it to produce what you really want. You can see these on the Metadata plugboard page of the calibre preferences. For the plugboard, have you recently changed between using the KoboTouch and KoboTouchExtended driver? If so, that might explain the recent change in title as the plugboards are specific to the driver and you might now be using one from some time ago. To get the series info populated you need the following: Series info on the book in the calibre library. The "Set series information" option enabled in the driver you are using. "Metadata management" set to automatic on the "Sending books to devices" page of the preferences. With the above, the series info is checked and updated whenever you connect the device. But, it cannot be set when you first send a book to the device. The book must be imported and in the database on the device before the driver can set the series info. This means you send the book, disconnect the device and let it import the book. Then connect again and the series info will be set.

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03-24-2018, 08:46 AM	#2
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,330 Karma: 12117215 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	The second one is not the Kobo style for series at all. It looks like there is a metadata plugboard which is adding series and number in front of the title. And the second one does not have the series info either (not connected twice for receiving series?)

03-24-2018, 04:40 PM	#3
MidknytOwl Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 644 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kobo Aura	Yeah, I have no idea what happened, but the second one is how it does all of my books now. I don't know what you mean by not connected twice for receiving series. As an experiment I took the first book off the device and re-added it, not changing anything else or opening it. Now it looks just as ugly as the other ones. Do I need to delete something?

03-24-2018, 09:34 PM	#4
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,590 Karma: 74358024 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	The series info needs to be present in the Kobo's internal database. Unfortunately the records that need to be updated aren't created until after the books have been imported into the Kobo and that only happens when the device is disconnected the first time. When you reconnect the device then the Kobo driver will add the series info into the database. This does require Metadata management to be set to Automatic.

03-25-2018, 01:22 PM	#6
MidknytOwl Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 644 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kobo Aura	Yay!! It worked. I couldn't find the metadata plugboard the first time, though I don't know why since it's right there. (I haven't done any tweaking in Calibre for years, and I've gotten rusty.) You were right, I did in fact have one that was putting the series info in the title, and the set series information was also unchecked. Good to know that it has to be connected twice for that information to get put on the Kobo - that will save me some headaches in the future I'm sure. I'm having a very vague memory now that when I first got my Kobo a few years ago I thought the series data just didn't work, as a downside to getting a Kobo versus how my old Sonys handled/displayed series. (And to try to fix it I probably would have removed and re-added the books, so the second connection never happened.) I think I must have added the plugboard to correct the "problem." Good thing I had a random older book that showed me they could be formatted the other way. Now my books are nice and pretty for the first time in years. Thank you guys so much!

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