How to alter filename that delivers to Kindle

[timmydrozz]

If I use Calibre for a magazine regularly, the file name is simply the name of the magazine each time. Therefore, when arriving on my Kindle it overwrites the previous week. How can I change the naming convention to include the date? Sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm brand new to Calibre.

[MarjaE]

Is the filename in your library in Calibre the same each time?

First, Calibre libraries include one set of metadata, the individual files may include another. You can select the items or select all, and "embed metadata" in Calibre to sync the file's metadata with the library's.

Second, there are export options under tweaks to change how Calibre names files when it exports them.

Third, there's always the possibility of exporting to a tranfer folder on your computer, renaming them there, and sideloading them to your Kindle.

I hope one of these things helps.

[BetterRed]

@timmydrozz - in my magazine/journal physical library I put the publication title in the Authors column and the Date/Issue Number in Title, so -- Authors = "Vanity Fair" Title = "2016-06"

I know its counter-intuitive, but it works for me. I don't have a Kindle, so don't know how my scheme would work with a Kindle.

BR

[dwig]

Originally Posted by timmydrozz

...How can I change the naming convention to include the date? Sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm brand new to Calibre.

It's not a dumb question.

Check out the "Sending Books to Devices" section of Prefs. You can create a "Save Templete" that creates a filename based on various attributes (title, author, series, time stamp,...). You should be able to create one that results in unique filenames for each issue.

You can also use the "Metadata Plugboards" preferences to have calibre alter the (not: filename) display name in the copy sent to your Kindle as well. Using a plugboard to append the issue date to the title might be desireable. I use a plugboard of this nature to prepend the series and series number to titles of books that should be read specific order. That way my reader displays the series info as part of the title.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by dwig

It's not a dumb question.

Check out the "Sending Books to Devices" section of Prefs. You can create a "Save Templete" that creates a filename based on various attributes (title, author, series, time stamp,...). You should be able to create one that results in unique filenames for each issue.

That sets a default for use by the device drivers. Most device drivers will have their own setting. If you change any part of the driver configuration, you will need to maintain the save template in the driver

You can also use the "Metadata Plugboards" preferences to have calibre alter the filename in the copy sent to your Kindle as well. Using a plugboard to append the issue date to the title might be desireable. I use a plugboard of this nature to prepend the series and series number to titles of books that should be read specific order. That way my reader displays the series info as part of the title.

No, the metadata plugboards modify the metadata in the books. It doesn't affect the file names.

[dwig]

Originally Posted by davidfor

...
No, the metadata plugboards modify the metadata in the books. It doesn't affect the file names.

Correct, but...

... my Kindle doesn't display the filenames, only the title and author. By using a plugboard to alter the title I can add information, in my case the series info, to what is displayed. For the OP, appending some date info would help in making the difference between two editions more visible. Of course, the OP would need to also have the filename altered to avoid the overwrite problem.

[theducks]

Kindles use Metadata, Not filenames

dwig is correct... Plugboard to insery additional data into the Title or Author metadata

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by dwig

Correct, but...

... my Kindle doesn't display the filenames, only the title and author. By using a plugboard to alter the title I can add information, in my case the series info, to what is displayed. For the OP, appending some date info would help in making the difference between two editions more visible. Of course, the OP would need to also have the filename altered to avoid the overwrite problem.

While I don't have a Kindle, I understand all that. You might want to reread your post that I quoted:

Originally Posted by dwig

You can also use the "Metadata Plugboards" preferences to have calibre alter the filename in the copy sent to your Kindle as well.

You explicitly stated that the metadata plugboards changed the file name. They don't. I was correcting that statement.

[dwig]

Originally Posted by davidfor

You explicitly stated that the metadata plugboards changed the file name. They don't. I was correcting that statement.

Correct. I mistyped my original post about this. I meant "display name" and typed "filename" by mistake.

There are two issues that the OP needs to deal with:
1. alter the filename of calibre's "exports" so that the new issues don't overwrite the earlier issues.
2. Once #1 is dealt with, he will realize that he now has multiple issues that appear identical on his Kindle since the Kindle's list of books uses the metadata and not the filename. He will then find out that he needs to also have calibre alter the display name as well.

[timmydrozz]

As MarjaE asked in the first response, the title of the magazine is the same in every instance of downloading to my Calibre, whether done by schedule or "download now". Except for the very first one, at the end of April, which had the title plus the date in brackets. When that file sent to my Kindle, the Kindle naming also contained the date and thus has never been overwritten. So I'm guessing the first step I need to do is to alter how it gets named in my library.

It seems like selecting the file and choosing edit metadata might get me there, but I haven't found exactly what to there yet. But more ideally would be for it to show up initially in my library with the filename already including the date. Maybe that requires altering the code for the download, the "recipe"?

[eschwartz]

As stated (several times) above, you need to create a filename save template. Go to Configure this device (see screenshot) and add some unique identifying content to the filename save template -- e.g. published date.

...

I don't use the news feature, but ISTR hearing that the Kindle hides old periodicals in a menu somewhere when it sees multiple editions of the same periodical.

[timmydrozz]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

As stated (several times) above, you need to create a filename save template. Go to Configure this device (see screenshot) and add some unique identifying content to the filename save template -- e.g. published date..

I am not seeing any different results, perhaps because I am writing this incorrectly? I used {pubdate}/{author_sort}/{title} - {authors}/{pubdate}
because I wasn't sure if it went at the beginning or the end, plus I just added the same brackets already in use. I also tried it as {pubdate}-{author_sort}/{title} - {authors}-{pubdate} but still no changes. Am I on the right track? Appreciate your patience walking me through this.

[eschwartz]

Nothing wrong with that template. So calibre should certainly not overwrite the old versions when using Send-to-Device.

When you send a new periodical to the device, where in the documents folder is it getting saved to? When you say "but still no changes", do you mean in the Kindle UI when you try to read multiple issues, or do you mean in the folder structure when connected via USB?

[timmydrozz]

I was just looking at the UI, didn't think of looking at the folder structure. There is just one version of the magazine with the magazine name and no date information in the UI other than the date that Kindle re-loaded it.

In the folder, which is just Kindle>documents, I do see many versions of magazine which have the name then "-asin_" and then a long string of letters and numbers followed by "-type_PDOC-v_0.azw". They are only from the last couple days however, not all previous issues that had been overwritten. The last couple days I had been re-sending after making tweaks like this, which is why there are multiple versions even though it's actually the same issue - it's a weekly magazine.

[eschwartz]

Okay, so the files are on the Kindle. Good.


As I said above, I believe the Kindle automatically stores old versions in some sort of Archived Editions sort filter or other (on the assumption that most people don't really want to clog up the view with ancient newspapers, maybe?). So check the UI options for that.
Unfortunately, I cannot be any more specific, as I don't really do periodicals and have no personal experience dealing with them.