Best way to sync my books to a Android tablet & why migrate to a tag only system.

[Bksfinest]

This seems like a decent place for me to start. I'm a minimalist, a minimalist with a large library, which is competing. I believe it is best to concentrate on one book at a time and not the flashy features. However, Calibre creates duplicates without deleting the original. I want to create a solution for this I found CC and downloaded both FB and Moon Readers. Now, have any of you found a solution that helps you maintain your library, sync to your devices and edit metadata completely without creating a new file structure? I still have my files organized by genre folders, AND I LOVE IT THIS WAY.

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[Bksfinest]

Of course, I'm not stuck in my ways so if anyone can provide guides or reasons why I should migrate to tag only I am all ears. But genre folders work for me, because I read by mood or requirement not author.

[Adoby]

I do the same, and I don't use calibre to find what to read. Instead I use the browsing capabilities in Mantano Premium. And I have all my (good) books ready to read on my Xoom. Currently about 3500 books in about 8GB.

One argument against folders based on genre is that many books can be assigned to several genres. Tags are better that way.

Calibre is my main storage for books. I also have several backups. Before import to calibre. The calibre library itself, in several generations. The books stored on my xoom.

I "only" use calibre to very carefully fix metadata on new books, and then connect calibre to a folder and send copies of the new books there. Also I use a custom column with "main genre" to create subfolders for genres. The folder is shared over wifi and can be accessed by my Xoom.

On my Xoom I run the app "Folder Sync" to automatically update a copy of this folder on my Xoom. Since only changed or new books have to be copied a sync is very fast. I have set Folder Sync to try to sync every hour, but only if my Xoom is charging. Usually my xoom is charging when I am working on the computer, so normally the sync is fully automatic.

After a sync I have to import the new books to Mantano. The books are imported "in situ", so no new copies are made on the Xoom. I also create "Collections" in Mantano based on the subfolders for main genres.

Mantano also allows you to easily browse the books using the tags, titles, series, author and so on. Almost as good as calibre itself.

It all works fine for me, but it is not perfect. Any changes to errors in metadata has to be fixed in calibre, and the book has to be manually reimported to Mantano after the next sync.

Also it would have been nice to be able to automatically map tags to collections in Mantano using some form of logic:

Historical Crime = Fiction and (Crime or Sleuth or Detective or Police or "private investigator") and (Historic or Historical) and not Fantasy

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Bksfinest

This seems like a decent place for me to start. I'm a minimalist, a minimalist with a large library, which is competing. I believe it is best to concentrate on one book at a time and not the flashy features. However, Calibre creates duplicates without deleting the original.

You can do what you want with the originals. Leave them as a back up or delete them. Calibre will not delete them because it doesn't want to be responsible for eliminating a book if the Add books process fails for some reason.

Originally Posted by Bksfinest

I want to create a solution for this I found CC and downloaded both FB and Moon Readers.

I think you have found the best way to keep your books sorted on your device. I use Calibre Companion and Moonreader+ too. I have around 10,000 books but manage my tags closely and have only about 240 tags. Using tags is better than a dedicated folder structure because most all books could easily be in more than one folder because multiple genres would apply. This would require duplicate copies of the book in many folders. Tracking such a system is much more work in the long run.

Originally Posted by Bksfinest

But genre folders work for me, because I read by mood or requirement not author.

Your statement above is exactly why you should go to a tag system. Using Calibre Companion it is much easier to search for a particular genre, mood or requirement. Forget how the folders or files are formatted since there is no longer any need to search through any folders.

Originally Posted by Adoby

I do the same, and I don't use calibre to find what to read. Instead I use the browsing capabilities in Mantano Premium. And I have all my (good) books ready to read on my Xoom. Currently about 3500 books in about 8GB.

I essentially do the same. I have around 2200 books on my tablet out of a larger library. The difference for me is I use the Calibre Companion app to manage the books on my device and launch my books for reading from this app.

Originally Posted by Adoby

Mantano also allows you to easily browse the books using the tags, titles, series, author and so on. Almost as good as calibre itself.

If you used Calibre Companion then the searches / browsing feature would be as good as calibre itself. This is due to the same searches and metadata that are used in calibre can be used in Calibre Companion.

Originally Posted by Adoby

It all works fine for me, but it is not perfect. Any changes to errors in metadata has to be fixed in calibre, and the book has to be manually reimported to Mantano after the next sync.

One advantage of Calibre Companion is no more re-importation of books.

A second advantage of CC is the ability to easily sync the metadata on your tablet with the updated metadata in calibre. This only requires you to do a wireless connection to calibre of your tablet as a device. Wait the minute or three for calibre to sync the metadata and then disconnect. All of your metadata for your book entries in Calibre Companion on your device will now match exactly the metadata you have set in Calibre.

Originally Posted by Adoby

Also it would have been nice to be able to automatically map tags to collections in Mantano using some form of logic:

Historical Crime = Fiction and (Crime or Sleuth or Detective or Police or "private investigator") and (Historic or Historical) and not Fantasy

I don't have an exact solution for this, but I do download all of my tags for calibre from Goodreads using the goodreads metadata source plugin. This allows me to map the incoming tags. I have Historical Crime set to come in as Crime and Historical Fiction. But you can change the mapping of incoming genres to whatever suits you. My Goodreads tag mapping can be found here.

[Adoby]

I have tried CC, and was disappointed. Didn't like how I had to use both calibre and CC at the same time to copy books. Also it was excruciatingly slow to connect. And the browsing interface was very ugly. That is why I started using automatic sync using FolderSync and the much prettier browsing capabilities in Mantano. May try CC again, to see how it has improved...

I would like to be able to push books to my device directly from Calibre, without having to operate CC from my device at the same time. Push, not pull. I achieve that now with the shared folder and the FolderSync app. Perhaps separate CC into three parts, a stupid and silent app that always listen in the background to automatically receive book pushes from calibre. A book pull app to remotely browse and download from calibre, like now. And a book browser and reader launcher app.

Or "just" get the Mantano people to enable automatic rescan of metadata in already imported books that have been updated. That would make my current method almost perfect. Who knows, they may even integrate Mantano closer with calibre?

I would prefer to use the same app to both browse and read the books. Makes it easier to keep track of recently read books, and books I am currently reading.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Adoby

I have tried CC, and was disappointed. Didn't like how I had to use both calibre and CC at the same time to copy books.

This is how calibre works with all devices.

Originally Posted by Adoby

Also it was excruciatingly slow to connect.

I guess it depends on what you consider slow. I have 2200 books and it connects completely, including updating all metadata in about 1.5 to 2 minutes. This is just as fast as being connected via MTP over a USB cable.

Originally Posted by Adoby

And the browsing interface was very ugly. That is why I started using automatic sync using FolderSync and the much prettier browsing capabilities in Mantano.

I can't help you on the beautification aspect. CC allows me to increase the font and cover size to suit my aging eyes. It supports custom columns and all calibre metadata. Every book has an on the fly Book Jacket without having to embed it in the book. Finally it has the full search capabilities of calibre.

It sounds as if you have a decent configuration that works well for you. No reason to switch up something that works for you. Personally I find importing a waste of time.

Originally Posted by Adoby

I would like to be able to push books to my device directly from Calibre, without having to operate CC from my device at the same time.

This is an interesting idea. I'm not sure how this would enhance my use of calibre.

Originally Posted by Adoby

Perhaps separate CC into three parts, a stupid and silent app that always listen in the background to automatically receive book pushes from calibre. A book pull app to remotely browse and download from calibre, like now. And a book browser and reader launcher app.

CC is currently broke into 3 parts (including the last two you mention), but I understand your point about the silent app that receives pushes from calibre.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Adoby

I would like to be able to push books to my device directly from Calibre, without having to operate CC from my device at the same time. Push, not pull. I achieve that now with the shared folder and the FolderSync app. Perhaps separate CC into three parts, a stupid and silent app that always listen in the background to automatically receive book pushes from calibre. A book pull app to remotely browse and download from calibre, like now. And a book browser and reader launcher app.

It seems that you are in fact pulling. Calibre writes some stuff to a folder, and then later your device does a folder sync to pull the contents of that folder to the device. But putting that niggle aside ...

You can do what you want today using the reading list plugin if you are willing to leave calibre running somewhere. Quoting the reading list plugin page:

• Lists can be manually populated, auto-populated based on books on a device, or auto-populated based on a tag/custom column value
• ...
• Optionally sync each list to one or more devices, a folder or iTunes
• Specify whether list sync should add only new items not on device, add all items every time, remove all items that are on the list, or replace all items on the device with the list
• Optionally force a sync to the device of your list if adding while it is connected

Once set up, your would use calibre and the plugin to maintain a list of the books you want on your device. There is no need for your device to be connected while maintaining that list. Later, at your leisure and wherever you happen to be, you ask CC to connect as a wireless device. Calibre tells the reading list plugin that the device has connected, at which point the plugin and calibre cooperate to do all the necessary syncing: add and delete books, and update metadata and covers for books already on the device.

[Adoby]

The thing I like the most with my current scheme is that I don't even have to have my PC and my Xoom running at the same time. That was really the goal I wanted to achieve in the first place. But I cheat using an always on NAS... I connect calibre to a folder on my NAS, that is also shared over wifi. That means that I can always work in calibre and push books, without caring even if the Xoom is running or not. Usually when I am on the PC the Xoom is in a dock charging on another floor, and it will still automatically sync when needed. And I don't have to go fetch it or start CC or anything. When I am done with calibre and have updated the faked device in the shared folder, I can just shut off the PC.

The next time I am using the Xoom, I do have to hit import in Mantano to make the new books available in Mantano, that is a little annoying. But I can catch up on MobileRead while it is importing.

I can usually avoid having to reimport anything by being careful with metadata the first time. Another trick to avoid having to do a manual reimport after changing metadata is to add a version number to the title. Title v2. Mantano will then just think that the previous book has been deleted and will import the new one with updated metadata.

I don't use any reading lists. The books on my Xoom are all books that I intend to read, or read again. I just make sure that ALL books that I am interested in and have fixed up are available on my Xoom. Sometimes I create custom collections in Mantano to keep track of books I am reading or intend to read next.

I normally only use calibre to fix metadata and covers for new books. And to send them to the shared folder on the NAS.