Glo Using Calibre and Dropbox for on the go library

[Chocky]

Can someone point me in the right direction to find out how to do this please?

I have now got a Dropbox account and changed the database storage location in Calibre to Dropbox.

But how do I download books from Dropbox onto what will be my new Glo HD?

I will only use this method if I am away from my main PC and have to do a Factory Reset for the new Glo HD I will be getting as this hasn't got a separate SD card to store books on.

[eschwartz]

See my sig.

[Chocky]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

See my sig.

I have found and already tried to follow the information in those links, blindly mostly.

Don't really understand what opds does though.

How long does generating catalogues normally take for about 160 books? (Been going for over 4 hours now without getting past the first step).

Then when all this is done, do you just use the Kobo web browser to go to the Dropbox website and download the books?

Thanks,

Steve

[eschwartz]

opds -- used with varios apps that can see a feed containing the books and links. But calibre2opds can also generate an HTML catalog, which is something you'll need. Of course, you *could* just maneuver around the file tree in Dropbox, but that is no fun.

As for why it's taking so long, I don't know -- that is strange. Try asking on the calibre2opds support thread in the calibre ==> related tools subforum.

Once you have a catalog, you can put that in your Dropbox Public folder and browse to it from any web browser as an ad hoc website to download books from.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Chocky

I have found and already tried to follow the information in those links, blindly mostly.

Don't really understand what opds does though.

How long does generating catalogues normally take for about 160 books? (Been going for over 4 hours now without getting past the first step).

Then when all this is done, do you just use the Kobo web browser to go to the Dropbox website and download the books?

Thanks,

Steve

Once you have an OPDS server available you could add it to the OPDS sites/servers Koreader lists in its menu. The Local calibre content server is one of the ones that are supplied with Koreader, along with "Project Gutenberg", "Feedbooks", "ManyBooks" and "Internet Archive". To add yours, just select "Add OPDS catalog" and enter a Catalog Name of your choice and the catalog URL. Then you will be able to select it from the list and access the catalog as you have defined it.

Luck;
Ken

P.S.; I am not sure that Dropbox will let you serve your calibre library to a "Public" folder anymore.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by Chocky

Then when all this is done, do you just use the Kobo web browser to go to the Dropbox website and download the books?

You don't need OPDS at all, you can use the browser to log into your dropbox acount and download books without setting up anything else. OPDS just gives you a nicer interface for browsing the books before downloading.

[GERGE]

I believe best way to have your books live in the cloud is to buy a lowendbox and install COPS there.

[Chocky]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

You don't need OPDS at all, you can use the browser to log into your dropbox acount and download books without setting up anything else. OPDS just gives you a nicer interface for browsing the books before downloading.

Considering I have read and re-read eschwartz's and Ken Maltby's posts, I still don't understand them

Just tried to see if I can just download a book from Dropbox webpage, and it seems I can.

As I will only use this if/when I have to do a factory reset when away from my PC and the new Glo HD not having an external SD card, I think I will take the simpletons route

[Chocky]

I've also got a Windows Tablet, so have now installed Calibre and Dropbox on that, so can load my eBook using Calibre when I am away by tethering it to my phone.

After all, it'll only be to get one or two books.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Chocky

How long does generating catalogues normally take for about 160 books? (Been going for over 4 hours now without getting past the first step).

Way too long for 160 books. One possible issue is that Kobo ereaders don't handle ebooks with errors gracefully. You might want to try sending smaller batches and see if you can locate the problem books.

Alternatively, open your ebooks with Sigil and use it's builtin Flightcrew verification tool to verify the ebooks. Or epubcheck to do the same. My personal choice is to use Sigil to edit and verify and then use the downloaded version of epubcheck to do a second verification pass.

[PeterT]

His error is NOT with Kobo processing the content; it's happening when the catalogue is being created by calibre2opds.