New to Kobo, want to manage with Calibre

[chaley]

I did a similar experiment as jackie_w. I use a template to build collections so there can't be anything in the OPF. I had the same results.

The tests:

1. Test putting a book in a collection in one send:
   
   • Mark a book not on the device with a new item that isn't on any book
   • Send the book
   • Eject
   • The tag is there after the book imports.
2. Test Update cached metadata on device:
   • Reconnect
   • Change the unique item created above.
   • Push "Update cached metadata on device"
   • Item changed in the device book list
   • Eject
   • item changed on the device.
3. Test removing the new collection item:
   • Reconnect
   • Remove book from the device.
   • Eject
   • Book and item are gone.

This shows for me that a single send is all that is needed except for series.

I am using the base KoboTouch driver in case that matters.

[Patrick Faret]

A quick note for Chaley,
what does "you need to add the appropriate metadata to calibre, in your case a tag" mean?
How is this done

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Patrick Faret

A quick note for Chaley,
what does "you need to add the appropriate metadata to calibre, in your case a tag" mean?
How is this done

You have the kobo driver set up to build collections from the tags field. Every tag value will be made into a collection on the kobo. If you want a book to be in a collection then that collection name must appear as a tag on the book. Add and remove books from collections by adding and removing tags using either the edit metadata dialog or editing directly on the book list. When you are ready, connect the kobo and it will be updated to show collections that reflect the changes you made in the tags.

Often there are tags you don't want to be collections. In this case, people use a tags-like custom column for collections so there is no intermixing of tags and collection names.

[Patrick Faret]

Thanks Chaley,
but I can't understand what a tag is or what form it takes. Could you give me an example?
Thanks in advance

[DNSB]

In the left hand column (the Tag Browser windows), click on the dropdown arrow by Tags. This should show you a list of what tags exist in your library. Some of them may be genre related, others can be almost anything including such popular bits of uselessness such as "novel", other authors, etc.

Personally, I used to use a collection of custom columns to generate collections (genre, finished, etc.) but the only survivor is the finished collection. I ended with too many collections for them to be useful.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Patrick Faret

Thanks Chaley,
but I can't understand what a tag is or what form it takes. Could you give me an example?
Thanks in advance

I strongly recommend that you watch the Introduction to calibre video.

Why did you put "tags" into the Kobo collections setup dialog if you don't know what they are?

The two images below show how tags are displayed and edited in calibre. I switched calibre to French to (I hope) make it easier to understand.

This is the calibre main interface, showing the tags column and the tag browser.


This is the calibre edit metadata dialog showing where you can modify the tags.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Patrick Faret

Can you tell me how to attach the images you're asking me for? I'm not very good with computers.
In the meantime, I'll tell you how the first dialog box is configured:
1 Collections: checked
2 Collection columns: tags
3 Collection template: unchecked
4 create collections: ticked
5 delete empty shelves: ticked
6 Load covers: ticked

As for the second image, mine is identical to yours

In the Kobo driver under the Collections, covers, & uploads tab, where you have Collections columns checked, in the box to the right, put in tags. Use the tags column for your collection names.

My guess is that you've left the column name out and the driver has no column to use to get the collections names.

[Patrick Faret]

The name of the Calibre column is Tags. But in Kobotouchextend, the name of the labels column has kept its English name of tags,
I've always had this configuration, ever since I got my Kobo readers. It's since the Kobo Elipsa 2e that I've had these problems.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Patrick Faret

Well, when I want to add a book to an existing collection, it doesn't work straight away. I have to reconnect to Calibre and then eject the kobo, and then I get the book back into its collection. When I search for the book, in Calibre, before sending it to the kobo, I click on integrate metadata. but it doesn't work every time

What happens is that the eBook(s) get processed and added to the database. The reconnect upload the metadata so you can have things like series and collections.

If you go to the NickelMenu thread in the Kobo forum, you can install it and find out the configuration to allow you to reconnect your Kobo to computer without having to unplug the USB cable. I use it to double connect with only plugging in the USB cable once per session.

Before you first plug in your Kobo, you are best to go to the home screen and then plug it in.

Another thing to do it install Kobo Utilities and set it up to backup your Kobo database when you plug in the Kobo so if for some reason it gets corrupted, you'll have a recent copy to restore.

And finally, install Reading List so you can automatically mark which eBooks you have on your Kobo. You will have to setup a custom Y/N column. Also with Reading List, you can set it up so you can mark eBooks so when you plug in your Kobo they will get sent right away without you having to remember which eBooks you want to send to your Kobo.

[Patrick Faret]

Thank you all for your advice, now all I have to do is experiment.
See you soon for the results of the tests, which I hope will be conclusive.