Send files to... PDA

bleriot · 03-12-2010, 11:31 AM

Hi,

I discovered calibre a few days ago and now it is installed in my two computers (Windows / Ubuntu). I think it's simply a wonderful piece of software!

The only complaint I have about it is that it does not take into account the regular PDAs as reading devices! I own no specific ebook reader but use my Windows Mobile 6.5 ACER Betouch 101 PDA instead, since in this way, I have everything I need in a single device (contacts, phone, GPS, ebook reader, music player, video player...).

If I try to send my files to the PDA (which uses MobiPocket reader to read the ebooks) calibre complains about my request saying that there is no device connected. Of course, the PDA is not a dedicated ebook reader, I know, but I saw (debugging the connection) that the software is able to detect the USB pen drives connected to the computer.

Since most modern PDAs based on Windows Mobile may be configured to connect in two different ways, namely, as a PDA or as a pen drive...

... wouldn't it be possible to add an option to send the ebooks to a pen drive?

In this way, all those (including myself) that use these kind of devices would be able to send ebooks to the PDA without having to go to the computer, locate the (possibly converted) files, and copy them to the PDA...

This feature would be a "nice to have" one. In fact, there is a workaround to send the files to the PDA (as I have just described), but having it would be simply delightful.

I would like that this idea be taken as a suggestion for next versions' feature improvements.

Last, but not least:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALIBRE.

Regards,

Bleriot.

kovidgoyal · 03-12-2010, 11:40 AM

Use save to disk

bleriot · 03-14-2010, 05:38 AM

Mmmmm...

yes, of course. But I wasn't asking about DRM removal!

My suggestion was about the ability to send files to PDAs seen as regular pen drives...

Thank you very much for your attention.

Bleriot

bleriot · 03-14-2010, 05:39 AM

Oh, my!

I just read your signature and thought that it was part of your answer. Just forget my answer!!!

Bleriot

Graham · 03-14-2010, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Use save to disk

That's a good workaround for the Elonex 511EB as well.

Thanks Kovid,

Graham

Starson17 · 03-14-2010, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bleriot

But I wasn't asking about DRM removal!....
Oh, my!
I just read your signature and thought that it was part of your answer. Just forget my answer!!!

This is actually kind of funny. You're not the first to have confused Kovid's signature for an answer. Just a few days ago there was discussion of how to avoid that confusion, and I suggested he add the "Notice to all:" part in front. My thinking was that people would be less likely to believe it was part of a specific answer to them if it was clearly labeled as a notice to everyone. .....

You can see how well that idea worked

Oh well....

TikaMajere · 05-03-2010, 01:49 AM

I am also having this same problem with my PDA, which is a Ipaq Enterprise 210 running Windows Mobile 6, which, when connected to my computer, does not show up as a drive, but as "Other", so a save to disc doesn't work. Am I doing something wrong?

itimpi · 05-03-2010, 02:15 AM

I suspect you are doing nothing wrong. Calibre only provides an easy way to transfer files if the device in question exposes itself as a disk drive.

If you have an SD card then you could remove this from the PDA and plug it in separately using a SD card adapter and it would then probably show up as a disk drive so that you can use the Calibre Save to Disk option. I have seen forum references to others using this approach.

if the PDA supports ActiveSync then another possibility is to use "Save to Disk" in Calibre to put the files at a known location, and then transfer them to the PDA using ActiveSync.

theducks · 05-03-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starson17

This is actually kind of funny. You're not the first to have confused Kovid's signature for an answer. Just a few days ago there was discussion of how to avoid that confusion, and I suggested he add the "Notice to all:" part in front. My thinking was that people would be less likely to believe it was part of a specific answer to them if it was clearly labeled as a notice to everyone. .....

You can see how well that idea worked

Oh well....

It was a good idea. Maybe Kovid could lighten/change the color a tad and see if that helps?

Starson17 · 05-03-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TikaMajere

I am also having this same problem with my PDA, which is a Ipaq Enterprise 210 running Windows Mobile 6, which, when connected to my computer, does not show up as a drive, but as "Other", so a save to disc doesn't work. Am I doing something wrong?

No, you're not doing anything wrong. Calibre can't see ActiveSync devices, only drives with letters. I have 3 WinMo devices, I use all 3 as e-readers, but can't save directly to any of them from Calibre via ActiveSync (one of them - the newest- can optionally appear as a USB drive, so I can save direct to it, as long as it's connected as a USB drive and not as an AS device.)

itimpi's answers are the two most common methods - both work fine.

Other approaches are to set up the content server (that's my favorite) and get books via the browser, or to configure an ActiveSync (or 3rd party) synchronization folder, use Calibre to save into the sync folder, then AS will auto-transfer the books when it synchronizes the files in the sync folder with the corresponding folder on your IPAQ.

TikaMajere · 05-03-2010, 03:32 PM

Thanks to all who replied so quickly!

03-12-2010, 11:31 AM	#1
bleriot Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: PDA w/ Windows Mobile 6.5	Send files to... PDA Hi, I discovered calibre a few days ago and now it is installed in my two computers (Windows / Ubuntu). I think it's simply a wonderful piece of software! The only complaint I have about it is that it does not take into account the regular PDAs as reading devices! I own no specific ebook reader but use my Windows Mobile 6.5 ACER Betouch 101 PDA instead, since in this way, I have everything I need in a single device (contacts, phone, GPS, ebook reader, music player, video player...). If I try to send my files to the PDA (which uses MobiPocket reader to read the ebooks) calibre complains about my request saying that there is no device connected. Of course, the PDA is not a dedicated ebook reader, I know, but I saw (debugging the connection) that the software is able to detect the USB pen drives connected to the computer. Since most modern PDAs based on Windows Mobile may be configured to connect in two different ways, namely, as a PDA or as a pen drive... ... wouldn't it be possible to add an option to send the ebooks to a pen drive? In this way, all those (including myself) that use these kind of devices would be able to send ebooks to the PDA without having to go to the computer, locate the (possibly converted) files, and copy them to the PDA... This feature would be a "nice to have" one. In fact, there is a workaround to send the files to the PDA (as I have just described), but having it would be simply delightful. I would like that this idea be taken as a suggestion for next versions' feature improvements. Last, but not least: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALIBRE. Regards, Bleriot.

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03-12-2010, 11:40 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,860 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Use save to disk

03-14-2010, 05:38 AM	#3
bleriot Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: PDA w/ Windows Mobile 6.5	Mmmmm... yes, of course. But I wasn't asking about DRM removal! My suggestion was about the ability to send files to PDAs seen as regular pen drives... Thank you very much for your attention. Bleriot

03-14-2010, 05:39 AM	#4
bleriot Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: PDA w/ Windows Mobile 6.5	Oh, my! I just read your signature and thought that it was part of your answer. Just forget my answer!!! Bleriot

05-03-2010, 01:49 AM	#7
TikaMajere Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: PDA	I am also having this same problem with my PDA, which is a Ipaq Enterprise 210 running Windows Mobile 6, which, when connected to my computer, does not show up as a drive, but as "Other", so a save to disc doesn't work. Am I doing something wrong?

05-03-2010, 02:15 AM	#8
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I suspect you are doing nothing wrong. Calibre only provides an easy way to transfer files if the device in question exposes itself as a disk drive. If you have an SD card then you could remove this from the PDA and plug it in separately using a SD card adapter and it would then probably show up as a disk drive so that you can use the Calibre Save to Disk option. I have seen forum references to others using this approach. if the PDA supports ActiveSync then another possibility is to use "Save to Disk" in Calibre to put the files at a known location, and then transfer them to the PDA using ActiveSync.

05-03-2010, 03:32 PM	#11
TikaMajere Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: PDA	Thanks to all who replied so quickly!

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