Calibre Collections on Kindle Paper White

[AussieTupp]

Hi ... there used to be a superb plugin for my old Kindle (a 3G with keyboard). I have since upgraded to a PaperWhite (love it!) but can no longer use the plugin in Calibre to sort collections on the Kindle itself.

Is there such a plugin for the PaperWhite please?

[gavinjb]

I have heard of a Calibre Plugin that works with PW1 (not sure if it works with PW2 yet), but from what I heard you needed to Jailbreak your Kindle to use it, so I have avoided it.

If you look in the Kindle Developer's Corner you should be able to find some info on it.

[nynaevelan]

Also, you can use a Calibre plugboard to make creating your collections a little easier. I use this method to keep track of my collections. I've tried jailbreaking mine but I do not make that many mass collection changes to justify having to keep jailbreaking it when a new firmware comes out. Of course you also hold out to see what functionality the upcoming Cloud Collections will offer.

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

Also, you can use a Calibre plugboard to make creating your collections a little easier. I use this method to keep track of my collections.

Can you please explain about how to do the plugboard?

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

Can you please explain about how to do the plugboard?

Look here for info: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=118563

[JSWolf]

You cannot have Calibre manage your collections unless you have the PW2 jailbroken and something installed that will allow collections to be created via Calibre. Collections used to work with Calibre, but Amazon changed how collections worked. I'm not sure when Amazon changed things.

[AussieTupp]

Thanks everyone ... isn't it astonishing that something so simple should become so complex.

I've discovered a way to make searching for authors easier on the PW (I think I have PW1 but I'm not sure how to work that out!) so rather than going to the extremes that sound a bit scary, I'll plod along.

I really appreciate your input. Cheers!

[HeatherA]

My Paperwhite should be delivered tomorrow. I've just finished organizing all of my collections in Calibre and have them setup perfectly on my Kindle Keyboard. Will these collections transfer to the Paperwhite if I sideload my books from Calibre?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

Also, you can use a Calibre plugboard to make creating your collections a little easier. I use this method to keep track of my collections.

No, plugboards have nothing to do with collections. You'd use a plugboard to append a series name to the title or author of the book.

[tlindgren]

Originally Posted by AussieTupp

Hi ... there used to be a superb plugin for my old Kindle (a 3G with keyboard). I have since upgraded to a PaperWhite (love it!) but can no longer use the plugin in Calibre to sort collections on the Kindle itself.
Is there such a plugin for the PaperWhite please?

It's slightly complicated, since I have most of the it written down anyway I'll try to give an overview and links to the right threads. Hopefully it'll be a help for someone.

This was written for Paperwhite 1 (5.3.x firmware) but should also work on Paperwhite 2 (5.4.0-5.4.2.1) and I'm told Touch. Note that 5.4.3 and newer isn't supported by the required plugin and 5.4.2/5.4.2.1 has some quirks.

ixtab may be able to make the Kindle app support 5.4.4 on PW1/PW2 in the same slightly limited fashion it handles 5.4.2/5.4.2.1, but it doesn't support 5.4.4/PW1 at all at this time.

So, first the downgrade, skip if your firmware is on the supported list. I had 5.4.4 on my PW1 and had to use the baidu linked file there plus the 5.3.9 firmware link. For PW2 it wuld be 5.4.0 instead

Jailbreak the device
Install Mobileread Kindlet Kit on device
Install Touch/PW1/PW2 version of Calibre Kindle Collections
Install Collections Manager on Device
You then need to either keep it offline or block automatic updates of Kindle firmware, there are several ways and this seems to be easiest

Information on using it:
You need to navigate to and run the "Collections Manager" and run the "Import from Calibre" on your device each time you've updated the Collections via Calibre for it to take effect (device reboot is not required however).

As I understand it the reason why it's so complicated is because Amazon moved the "Collections Database" outside the area that is accessible via USB (so updating the local Kindle database MUST be done by an app running on the Kindle).