Problems connecting Galaxy Tab 10.1 to Calibre

[starrigger]

I'm just getting started with the Galaxy Tab 10.1, so I may be missing something obvious. I have a successful USB connection from PC to Tab. I can drag and drop ebook files. But I haven't been able to make Calibre see the device.

I went into Plugins in Calibre, and enabled the one for Android Phones (I didn't see any for other Android devices). I tried to set the path for copying the files, but wasn't sure whether the path should include GT-P7510 or Tablet -- the defaults seemed to indicate no. I tried it both ways, in any case. But no luck recognizing the device.

Is it necessary for an ebook app to be open on the device when the connection is made? I've installed several, and plan to try them and see which I like best. In any case, it didn't seem to matter whether I had an app open or not. Is there something I'm overlooking?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by starrigger

Is there something I'm overlooking?

You might want to see this thread for possible help.

[starrigger]

I did read that thread. It wasn't helpful, unfortunately. Whereas that person, with the 7" Gal Tab was able to do this:

GT Select Menu – Settings – Wireless and Network – USB Settings
GT Select Mass storage if not already selected

...those options are not available on the GT 10.1. (No field for USB settings, no option for mass storage. And when I connect it to the PC, no option offered to mount it as a drive. It shows up in Windows Explorer, but not with a drive letter.

On the device, it says: MTP-connected. (Whatever that means.)

[itimpi]

If a reader device cannot be made to show up as a drive letter in Calibre then there is no easy way for Calibre to use it.

You might want to see if it shows up as a folder that can be seen via Calibre so that the Send to Folder functionality can be used?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by starrigger

On the device, it says: MTP-connected. (Whatever that means.)

Here is MTP explained. As itimpi said if you can't assign the device a drive letter then calibre will not be able to connect to it directly. You might want to investigate the calibre content server to get books to it wirelessly.

Alternatively the manufacturer might have an app or firmware upgrade on their site that can mount their device in a more traditional way.

[starrigger]

Originally Posted by itimpi

If a reader device cannot be made to show up as a drive letter in Calibre then there is no easy way for Calibre to use it.

You might want to see if it shows up as a folder that can be seen via Calibre so that the Send to Folder functionality can be used?

No, unfortunately that doesn't work, either.

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Here is MTP explained. As itimpi said if you can't assign the device a drive letter then calibre will not be able to connect to it directly. You might want to investigate the calibre content server to get books to it wirelessly.

Alternatively the manufacturer might have an app or firmware upgrade on their site that can mount their device in a more traditional way.

From what I've read (since posting my question), this appears to have been a design decision by Samsung, not to allow the device to mount as a drive letter.

I know how the content server works for Stanza, but Stanza doesn't seem to have an Android version. (I wonder if Aldiko can talk to the content server.)

So far, I have to say the Android experience has been somewhat disappointing (in ways unrelated to ebooks). I'm glad I have 30 days to decide whether to keep the device or not.

[itimpi]

Note that the Content server can work in two fundamental ways. One is the OPDS catalog level that needs support built into the reader program, and Aldiko is meant to support this. The other is as simple HTML pages and then the behavior you get depends on how the devices browser interacts with the content server and passes any downloaded files to a reader program.

Regarding Stanza it is extremely unlikely that an Android version will ever emerge. It looks as though Amazon (who bought Stanza) have decided to let it die through neglect as they have stopped updating or bug-fixing it. Since Stanza seems to not work on iOS 5 when that comes out in a few weeks time it will likely kill Stanza as mainstream reader software on the iOS platform as well.

[starrigger]

Thanks. I'll try Aldiko and the content server. That's a shame about Stanza. (Even though I only ever use it on my wife's barely functional iTouch.)

[starrigger]

Okay, I give up. How do you get to the content server in Aldiko? I can see stores, but I don't see a way to add a new place to connect to.

[starrigger]

Okay, I finally found it. Under Catalogs, you have to add a catalog, then create the link to Calibre server. BTW, I had a devil of a time trying to find anywhere in the Calibre manual or on MR the exact syntax for creating a URL to one's own Calibre server. I finally fumbled from memory. (I know it's been given on the board here many times, but I couldn't find it with a search. Seems to me it ought to be on a sticky.)

In case anyone else has a similar problem, I'll put it here:

http://yourcomputer:8080

is the form for reaching the Calibre content server when you're in your own house on your own network -- where yourcomputer is the name on the local network of the computer running the server.

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by starrigger

In case anyone else has a similar problem, I'll put it here:

http://yourcomputer:8080

is the form for reaching the Calibre content server when you're in your own house on your own network -- where yourcomputer is the name on the local network of the computer running the server.

Note that using the network name instead of the IP address relies on the router doing name resolution for its clients on the local net, which not all devices do. If you can't find the server using the name, try the IP address of the computer.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by starrigger

Okay, I finally found it. Under Catalogs, you have to add a catalog, then create the link to Calibre server. BTW, I had a devil of a time trying to find anywhere in the Calibre manual or on MR the exact syntax for creating a URL to one's own Calibre server.

It isn't easy to find. Maybe you could submit/recommend a change to the FAQ. Either modify this section or create a similar section for the Android or a generic wireless section.

Originally Posted by starrigger

In case anyone else has a similar problem, I'll put it here:

http://yourcomputer:8080

is the form for reaching the Calibre content server when you're in your own house on your own network -- where yourcomputer is the name on the local network of the computer running the server.

Most of us use the IP of our computer, for a home network it is usually something like this http://192.168.1.2:8080/ replace the 2 with the actual number of your computer.

The url is listed on the start page (see attached). Maybe it would be better to not list it specifically associated with Stanza. Or, if possible, bolding that url would draw more attention to it.

[kovidgoyal]

I've expanded the FAQ entry for Android devices:

http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....d-phone-tablet

[starrigger]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I've expanded the FAQ entry for Android devices:

http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....d-phone-tablet

Thanks, Kovid. May I suggest a couple of tweaks to that?

1. The lines:
There are two ways that you can connect your Android device to calibre. Using a USB cable wirelessly, over the air.

are probably supposed to read:

There are two ways that you can connect your Android device to calibre. Using a USB cable--or wirelessly, over the air.

2. The line:
Replace 192.168.1.2 with the local IP address of the computer running calibre.

would be more helpful (at least to me) if it said more:

Replace 192.168.1.2 with the local IP address of the computer running calibre. If your local network supports the use of computer names, you can replace the IP address with the network name of the computer. (This can be easier to manage, especially if your network does not consistently assign the same IP address to each computer.) ...

3. Add the following paragraph:

Some reading programs support browsing the Calibre library directly. For example, in Aldiko, click My Catalogs, then + to add a catalog, then give the catalog a title such as "Calibre" and provide the URL listed above. You can now browse the Calibre library and download directly into the reading software.

4. When I was trying to look up the URL format for the content server, I couldn't find it in the manual. This is because I was searching the pages for content server. I think it would be really helpful if you added links in that section of the manual back to this section.

Thanks a lot, Kovid.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by starrigger

4. When I was trying to look up the URL format for the content server, I couldn't find it in the manual. This is because I was searching the pages for content server. I think it would be really helpful if you added links in that section of the manual back to this section.

Which pages were these, exactly?