Connect/Disconnect to Calibre

[noap_]

What is the proper way of connecting my Kobo to the PC (Calibre) when running Koreader? Standard setting seems to be that it doesn't connect at all (only charges the Kobo).
Do I have to enable and disable the USB connection everytime I want to connect and disconnect, respectively, my device with Calibre?

I've seen that there's an option of connecting via WIFI. Would you recommend that option over cable connection? Are there any advantages, besides not having to connect a cable?

In short: I'm looking for the most convenient way to get books on my kobo (Koreader), preferable structured a certain way.


EDIT:
Figured out how to create a hidden folder under Windows: create folder named ".foldername."
The trailing dot disappears after hitting enter key.

[Ken Maltby]

What is your PC's OS? What program is saying "invalid file name"? What "Launcher" program are you using?

I use the USB enable function of the Kobo Start Menu (KSM7) to make a USB connection to my win 7 machine. That puts two new drive letters in windows explorer, one for the internal uSD card and one for the external uSD card. The internal card is labled KOBOeReader (L:), the external one is labled Removable Disk (M:). I copy over files to my hidden folder by just drag&drop.

I have the Kobo plugins disabled in calibre, so "calibre cannot detect devices that are managed by disabled plugins." So the device doesn't show, in caliber, when I make the USB connection.

You can make your hidden folder a device in caliber, though. Then calibre will build its file/folder structure there, from any existing books there, and will add to it as you send books to the folder device. This is one way to interface KOReader with calibre and your Kobo device, using the USB cable.

There are also wireless ways to connect to calibre. You can "pull" files from calibre using the OPDS function of KOReader. (The simplest way to move one book at a time, IMHO.) You can also "Push" books to your device from calibre, using KOReader's "Calibre wireless connection" function.

Luck;
Ken

[noap_]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

What is your PC's OS? What program is saying "invalid file name"? What "Launcher" program are you using?

Win7. I was able to figure that problem out. I forgot the trailing dot after the foldername.

[...]
You can make your hidden folder a device in caliber, though. Then calibre will build its file/folder structure there, from any existing books there, and will add to it as you send books to the folder device. This is one way to interface KOReader with calibre and your Kobo device, using the USB cable.

That's the way how I did it as well. But this way the structure within the folder im pointing Calibre at ("connect to folder") is given by Calibre. I can't just navigate around and point Calibre to some subfolders when sending ebooks, can I? So with this method I end up manually moving the transfered ebooks to their subfolders using the Windows explorer. Not a very elegant method imho.

There are also wireless ways to connect to calibre. You can "pull" files from calibre using the OPDS function of KOReader. (The simplest way to move one book at a time, IMHO.) You can also "Push" books to your device from calibre, using KOReader's "Calibre wireless connection" function.

The Calibre wireless connection function sounds good. But I would be facing the same problem as adressed in my previous lines I guess.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by noap_

Win7. I was able to figure that problem out. I forgot the trailing dot after the foldername.


That's the way how I did it as well. But this way the structure within the folder im pointing Calibre at ("connect to folder") is given by Calibre. I can't just navigate around and point Calibre to some subfolders when sending ebooks, can I? So with this method I end up manually moving the transfered ebooks to their subfolders using the Windows explorer. Not a very elegant method imho.


The Calibre wireless connection function sounds good. But I would be facing the same problem as adressed in my previous lines I guess.

Right; that's why I just use my own file structure and either drag&drop the files or use the calibre OPDS server. (I have used the other methods to make sure they work as described.)

I use calibre to convert to epub or for epub to epub, so they are consistent. Then I can right-click the book and "Open containing folder" and then drag the proper file into the proper folder in the hidden file structure on my external uSD card.

With the OPDS wireless method you can define the folder to put the file in, each time you download, if you want. So you can put it where you want in your own file structure.

Luck;
Ken