PRS-500 Collections on external Memory cards

jakeluck · 08-10-2007, 10:37 PM

as i am approaching 100+ books now on the reader, the ability to creat collections on SD card becomes even more important than it was 6 months ago. Locating a book in Date, Author or Bookmarks all takes 5-6 page ups/downs. Is it technical feasible to REPLACE one of the top level say list_by_Author and replace it with the content of a manually constructed XML?

CJBarrow · 08-18-2007, 05:31 PM

I couldn't agree more, when I bought the reader last year I contacted Sony because I thought there was a bug in the firmware as it would not allow me to add collections to the SD card. Sony told me it was something they had looked at but it was not possible to do.

jakeluck · 08-19-2007, 12:13 AM

not possible? that's why we have homebrew

yvanleterrible · 08-19-2007, 09:33 AM

But why would one need so many books on the reader at a time?I have about 20 on it since april and I change one or two every few weeks.

Uncle Duke suggested to have a tiny card for each file group you need. You can still find low volume SDs for next to nothing. Having a couple dozen wouldn't take that much room and could be stored inside the reader jacket easily; inside little transparent vinyl pouches or a cut part from a photo slide storage album page. Just identify the cards and you're set.

I classify everything alphabetically by author and then title. So I'd need a card for the 'A's , a bigger one for 'D's and one for about 5 lesser used letters etc. Easily manageable.

But I do agree that a software patch is required for collections on a card.

CJBarrow · 08-19-2007, 11:40 AM

I must admit I am a bit of a pack rat when it comes to books, I have 4 thousand or so in bookcases, boxes and up in my loft, most of which I have read more than once. This was one of the reasons I wanted a book reader, I was running out of space. Now my ebook collection on the reader is now up to 100 read books plus another 10 or so waiting to be read. I tend to read books by one author at a time and move on when I have read everything they wrote, so for me having collections would help with organising books on my reader, I only use my computer as a backup for my book collection.

Chris.

HarryT · 08-19-2007, 11:53 AM

Could you not organize your book collection on your computer, and simply have on your Reader those that you're either reading or about to read? Might be a little easier to do it that way, perhaps. I'm like you - I tend to read entire series in one go.

NatCh · 08-20-2007, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Could you not organize your book collection on your computer, and simply have on your Reader those that you're either reading or about to read?

That's the route I decided to take myself, I even added a "reading shelf" folder for things I plan to load next, helps me keep track of what I mean to read.

jakeluck · 08-22-2007, 02:32 AM

one of the reasons i keep all those books on the reader is because of bookmarks i made on various books while reading. is there a way to synchronize that with the library in CONNECT?

NatCh · 08-22-2007, 09:07 AM

About the only thing I've found that would work that way would be to delete the books from ConnSoft, and re-copy them to the PC from the Reader. It'll bring the bookmarks along with the books.

nerys · 09-01-2007, 01:58 AM

Personally I would love folder access - I would love to keep a random colletion of 100 or so common or special titles handy. If we are on vacation this increases the chances that if a family member wants to read a book I will have something they are interested in reading. Right now I keep 4 or 5 mem sticks with different generes handy but its a pain in the butt being about to use folders would SO simplify this. ALSO there is just something COOL about being able to put a LIBRARY into this one little device :-) with the current ale carte display of all books this is impossible.

andyafro · 09-01-2007, 04:30 AM

can anyone tell me why it is not possible to have collections on your sd card must be a software thing surley someone can come up with a homebrew program that sorts this

why is it so hard to do?

HarryT · 09-02-2007, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyafro

can anyone tell me why it is not possible to have collections on your sd card must be a software thing surley someone can come up with a homebrew program that sorts this

why is it so hard to do?

I don't know. Perhaps you could have a go yourself and tell us?

My guess - and that's all it is - is that it's because the storage card uses the FAT file system, whereas internal memory uses a more sophisticated Unix file system. Perhaps collections use some "attribute" of the file system which isn't available on FAT? As I say, that's just a guess on my part.

Perhaps, though, you might like to dig into it more deeply and discover what the reason is.

kovidgoyal · 09-03-2007, 01:38 AM

As far as I can tell it's just because SONY's devs were lazy/working on a tight schedule.

NatCh · 09-04-2007, 12:20 PM

I'm voting with kovidgoyal on this one.

Or possibly they had some sort of directive or specific design requirement/concern that countervailed it.

RWood · 09-04-2007, 01:01 PM

I favor the design theory rather than a tight schedule. KISS is a great way to go if your ultimate plans are for the mass market.

08-10-2007, 10:37 PM	#1
jakeluck Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 3252 Join Date: Dec 2004	Collections on external Memory cards as i am approaching 100+ books now on the reader, the ability to creat collections on SD card becomes even more important than it was 6 months ago. Locating a book in Date, Author or Bookmarks all takes 5-6 page ups/downs. Is it technical feasible to REPLACE one of the top level say list_by_Author and replace it with the content of a manually constructed XML?

08-18-2007, 05:31 PM	#2
CJBarrow Book worm Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader/Cybook Gen3/Hanlin V5	Book collections on SD Card I couldn't agree more, when I bought the reader last year I contacted Sony because I thought there was a bug in the firmware as it would not allow me to add collections to the SD card. Sony told me it was something they had looked at but it was not possible to do.

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08-19-2007, 12:13 AM	#3
jakeluck Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 3252 Join Date: Dec 2004	not possible? that's why we have homebrew

08-19-2007, 09:33 AM	#4
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	But why would one need so many books on the reader at a time?I have about 20 on it since april and I change one or two every few weeks. Uncle Duke suggested to have a tiny card for each file group you need. You can still find low volume SDs for next to nothing. Having a couple dozen wouldn't take that much room and could be stored inside the reader jacket easily; inside little transparent vinyl pouches or a cut part from a photo slide storage album page. Just identify the cards and you're set. I classify everything alphabetically by author and then title. So I'd need a card for the 'A's , a bigger one for 'D's and one for about 5 lesser used letters etc. Easily manageable. But I do agree that a software patch is required for collections on a card.

08-19-2007, 11:40 AM	#5
CJBarrow Book worm Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader/Cybook Gen3/Hanlin V5	I must admit I am a bit of a pack rat when it comes to books, I have 4 thousand or so in bookcases, boxes and up in my loft, most of which I have read more than once. This was one of the reasons I wanted a book reader, I was running out of space. Now my ebook collection on the reader is now up to 100 read books plus another 10 or so waiting to be read. I tend to read books by one author at a time and move on when I have read everything they wrote, so for me having collections would help with organising books on my reader, I only use my computer as a backup for my book collection. Chris.

08-19-2007, 11:53 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Could you not organize your book collection on your computer, and simply have on your Reader those that you're either reading or about to read? Might be a little easier to do it that way, perhaps. I'm like you - I tend to read entire series in one go.

08-22-2007, 02:32 AM	#8
jakeluck Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 3252 Join Date: Dec 2004	one of the reasons i keep all those books on the reader is because of bookmarks i made on various books while reading. is there a way to synchronize that with the library in CONNECT?

08-22-2007, 09:07 AM	#9
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	About the only thing I've found that would work that way would be to delete the books from ConnSoft, and re-copy them to the PC from the Reader. It'll bring the bookmarks along with the books.

09-01-2007, 01:58 AM	#10
nerys Addict Posts: 243 Karma: 48 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: PRS 500 - REB 1200	Personally I would love folder access - I would love to keep a random colletion of 100 or so common or special titles handy. If we are on vacation this increases the chances that if a family member wants to read a book I will have something they are interested in reading. Right now I keep 4 or 5 mem sticks with different generes handy but its a pain in the butt being about to use folders would SO simplify this. ALSO there is just something COOL about being able to put a LIBRARY into this one little device :-) with the current ale carte display of all books this is impossible.

09-01-2007, 04:30 AM	#11
andyafro Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 140 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: sony reader prs-500	can anyone tell me why it is not possible to have collections on your sd card must be a software thing surley someone can come up with a homebrew program that sorts this why is it so hard to do?

09-03-2007, 01:38 AM	#13
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	As far as I can tell it's just because SONY's devs were lazy/working on a tight schedule.

09-04-2007, 12:20 PM	#14
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'm voting with kovidgoyal on this one. Or possibly they had some sort of directive or specific design requirement/concern that countervailed it.

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09-04-2007, 01:01 PM	#15
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	I favor the design theory rather than a tight schedule. KISS is a great way to go if your ultimate plans are for the mass market.