Calibre Sync for Android & iOS

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Wiggo

Well Drew, what can I say?

I've just tested on the internal storage of my iPad what I suggested. Well, it works like a charm.
Without "all dowloaded books" and everything is searchable and filterable.

But you seem to know better without understanding how Calibre works, without understanding how CS works and without understanding the FAQ and instructions.

Maybe you should try again with more concentration instead of writing another sermon.

I'm out.

Wiggo, I'm very sorry if I offended.
I have read the FAQ several times. I have been using Calibre and CC for years, using Regex Expression etc to construct virtual libraries, and print using bash to process the CSV output from the Calibre Catalogue function to produce a nice printed list. I do know how to use Calibre, but have not taken the time to develop any of my own plugins, so don't know the code.

I cannot find anywhere in the FAQ how to get the bar on the bottom with the icons for Layout, A-Z Sort, Filters, Virtual View.
On mine , the Smart Device screen shows just the connect to Calibre info, and the A;; Downloaded Books screen has just the Sort Ascending and Update Widget (which appears to do nothing).

I will try contacting the producers. I was just hoping someone who has used the functions I wish could give me a quick tip or three. I was hoping the elusive Virtual Views would enable custom booklists (granted, the FAQ does not promise what that does).

[Wiggo]

Drew!

Originally Posted by Wiggo

You need to select a new library via "select from device storage" and copy the Calibre library folder accordingly.

Click on „add library“, click on „select from device storage“ and follow the instructions. You need to copy your entire Calibre library folder to your phone. Not via Calibre, via explorer - the entire folder!

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Wiggo

Drew!



Click on „add library“, click on „select from device storage“ and follow the instructions. You need to copy your entire Calibre library folder to your phone. Not via Calibre, via explorer - the entire folder!

Many thanks! That allows access to sorting etc. And the Virtual View option seems useful.

The need to copy the whole Calibre database outside of Calibre, is a bit of a killer, which I presume means syncing regularly. But CS is useful if CC doesn't get fixed. So I might use the "Smart Device" but only send a couple of books at a time. This last comment in case any others are contemplating CS without cloud Calibre.

[Wiggo]

Originally Posted by Drew

Many thanks! That allows access to sorting etc. And the Virtual View option seems useful.

The need to copy the whole Calibre database outside of Calibre, is a bit of a killer, which I presume means syncing regularly.

A regular syncing was also necessary with CC.

Btw, with only 700 books, I wouldn't worry about all that.
Some would simply keep 700 books in their reading app

[Tigressdance]

After MANY years, I finally gave up on Calibre Companion. I found this app but now I need some help. I've searched and searched to try to find the answers, but I'm kinda stumped. I'm also very UN-techy, so the answers might end up being obvious.

First and foremost, HOW THE HECK TO I GET INTO THE LIBRARY VIEW like is demoed in the Google Play Store? I'm stuck on the transfer page. No matter what I do, I can't stop C-S from trying to sync to Calibre and just become a usable library manager. I can't sort or filter any of my books, nor can I see any of the metadata like is shown the app demo screenshots - just title, author, book cover, and check box to the left. If I click on a book I can see all the info and can read it, but it's just my library view that doesn't work.

Next, (presuming I get to this point) can I sort using multiple layers like Calibre? I like my books to be sorted first by author's last name, then by series order, then by alphabetical title. Is this possible with this app?

Additionally, as a very small side question, are all the book covers supposed to be so small in the books' details page? At first I thought maybe I just had a small file for that particular title, but looking through my different books, no, they are all showing that small.

Can I rename a library (again, assuming I can get to my library view)? Right now it's just called 'Smart Device.

Finally, and a very small question, which made me laugh - was there really a tetris game hidden in the logo of the app? I didn't play it, but it made me laugh and go, 'what?'

Thank you for any/all of your help. I think from what I've seen this app might be just what I need, but I've got to figure out these configuration challenges first.

[Wiggo]

You did the same mistake as @Drew.

Follow my instructions

[Tigressdance]

I'm going to state how IMPRESSED I am with C-S support. They were incredible! @Wiggo, I actually tried doing the "Select Device from Storage" but CS just kept telling me there was no metadata (commence pulling hair out!). CS got back to me and walked me through how to use the CONTENT SERVER method (never knew this was a thing, but, hey, we never stop learning, right?). In SECONDS my books were showing in a library type format! <3

However, there's still something I can't figure out.

I still can't figure out the sorting functions, to sort first by author's last name, THEN by series numbers, THEN by title. For example (using not real books/authors):

Abbot, Dana (author)
Pretty Flowers (Non Series Title, Alphabetical)
Work Harder (Non Series Title, Alphabetical)
Run Run (Book Series 1)
Jump Jump (Book Series 2)
Walk Walk (Book Series 3)
Bradenton, Eric (author)
etc.

Does that make sense? In Calibre all I have to do to sort like this is hit 'Title,' 'Series,' 'Author.' Calibre will keep the previous sorting choice while still prioritizing the most recent sort request.

I'm weird, I know, but it HAS to be sorted right! lol Thank you again!

[Tigressdance]

Also, I just realized that it was just the METADATA that downloaded, not the .epub itself. Is there any way to download the books? My tablet does not have a mobile data service and anything not stored locally may not be accessible.

Is there anyway to download the .epub files in bulk as well? I can download each book individually, but when you're looking at 3k of files that's not really feasible.

Sorry for the handholding, but thank y'all!

[Wiggo]

For metadata and having all the books on your device follow my instructions.

Copy the entire Calibre folder which contains your library to your phone in the directory advised by CS.
This folder has your books and your metadata (metadata.db file).

I can’t tell you more, it’s really that simple

Edit: for batch actions

Touch and hold the books until a check mark shows up.

Then


Then

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by Tigressdance

- was there really a tetris game hidden in the logo of the app? I didn't play it, but it made me laugh and go, 'what?'

Yes tetris game

[Tigressdance]

Thanks all! Books are successfully added and library ACTIVE. CS apparently doesn't have the advanced sorting features I was hoping for and the views will take some getting used to, but it's still better than CC at this point (cause, you know, it actually WORKS?). ;-) Thanks again and Merry Christmas!

[Wiggo]

Originally Posted by dunhill

Yes tetris game

lol - I have never clicked on the logo until now.

[JimmXinu]

I finally noticed that CC became completely unusable after the last update. So I spent all evening last night and a good chunk of today figuring out how to get what I want with Calibre Sync.

I thought I'd share my journey in case it can help anyone else. As always, YMMV. And I'm very long-winded today, it seems.

The whole point, as far as I'm concerned, is to have all the epub files for my library on my phone and to be able to update and search reasonably well. I have 6351 books in my library as of today, just under 2G for the metadata and epubs.

First, the failures:

Smart Device Mode
To try and keep my existing work flow, I spend several hours trying to use Calibre Sync's Smart Device mode.

For whatever reason, it is extremely limited compared to the other library modes--title and author are the only available metadata with search, but no sort capability. And plugboards are ignored, so it doesn't work to put other info in the title like I do for Kindle.

Furthermore, it broke if I tried to send more than a few dozen books across. Then it got in a state where there were entries for a bunch of books, but no epub. And the only way I found to delete those entries was send them again--successfully--then delete them from Calibre.

When I gave up, I couldn't even find a way to delete the Smart Device library other than to uninstall the app.

Calibre Content Server Mode
Worked reasonably well for metadata and searching, able to sync the metadata in a decent amount of time.

But trying to download epubs in large numbers just didn't work. If the screen locked while it's downloading, it stopped.

And there's a little toast/dialog popup for each and every download. Restarting the app was the only way I found to clear them en masse.

There is a feature to list books without downloads, but it took longer than re-syncing the library to the server.

Device storage / Internal or SD card mode with USB transfer
Given Wiggo's advice, I figured this at least should work.

But for me with Win10 and Android phone(Galaxy S10e), I could not get a large library to copy over USB successfully. From what I read, it's a common thing with android?

And because it's a special device in windows, I couldn't point Calibre to a dir on the phone as a library, or use rsync. So reasonable update was out, too.

I considered ejecting the SD card I keep in the phone to plug in the computer, but rejected it as impractical for updates; I use a phone case.

Dropbox Mode
Same as Content Server, basically. Metadata only initially; terrible mass epub download. Plus having to upload/sync library to Dropbox.

I assume all other cloud service modes would work basically the same. Dropbox just happens to be the only one I already use.

The Winner, for me at least:

Device storage / Internal or SD card mode with syncthing transfer
This is what I eventually ended up with. syncthing is an open source do-it-yourself file sync utility. Binaries for desktops are available and in android app store. (I am not associated with them, and I don't know anything more about it.)

I configured syncthing on win10 to make my calibre library available 'send only' to my phone where I configured syncthing to save it to an internal storage dir in 'receive only' mode. I also configured it to skip sending .caltrash and *.azw3 files.

It took several hours to sync initially--which seemed a bit slow for <2G. But it worked regardless of phone locking/unlocking, making a call, starting/stopping syncthing on either end, and changes to library while it was working.

To update, I need to start syncthing on both win10 and android, but it's all there and (so far) works reliably. I don't foresee leaving it running all the time.

It's possible I could have use Dropbox to save the library to a dir for Calibre sync, I didn't try. If I was going to jump through those hoops, I'd rather have direct sync under my control and not via cloud.

Update: Syncing for updates takes longer than I would ideally like, and the majority of it is syncthing on Android scanning the existing library dir on phone. But 3-5 minutes isn't unreasonable, IMO.

[fanficdude1]

I went with rsync through termux, specifically because I run Linux, and it's working OK for me. I wish CS had the same "sync updated books" options that CC does. If it's doing that, there's no feedback whatsoever.

[Hschwickart]

Originally Posted by calibre_sync

Hi all,

I am the developer of Calibre Sync that provides all in one solution for synchronisation of libraries to your mobile device.

https://calibresync.bitbucket.io/

Please check it out, we are releasing frequent updates and it is availble for both Android and iOS.

I would really like to check it out, but I'm not willing to pay without a free test period.