transferring highlights onto other ereaders

eredr · 11-16-2017, 05:58 AM

Hello

I currently load my ebooks (which I have purchased from different sources) onto my Kobo using Calibre and alf, as is instructed on the forum

As I read my books I highlight text and I am wondering whether, if I were to buy a new ereader in the not too distant future, whether Kobo or another brand, whether there would be a way I could transfer the books including my highlighted text to the new ereader - say using Calibre?

I can't seem to find the answer on here from my search - apologies if this is answered in a thread somewhere

Many thanks

HarryT · 11-16-2017, 06:43 AM

In general, no.

I believe there is a way of exporting your highlights from Kobo as a text file (ask in the Kobo forum for details), but there would be no way of transferring them to a different device.

davidfor · 11-16-2017, 07:09 AM

As Harry said, in general no. There is no general standard for annotations used, and basically the device manufacturers make no allowance for interoperability.

For the Kobo devices, the annotations are stored in a database, and it is possible to transfer data between them. It's a manual process and really just suitable for moving to a new device.

Ken Maltby · 11-16-2017, 08:36 AM

You might want to ask over at the KOReader Forum as KOReader has both a "progress sync" feature and a "ZSync feature" to move books/documents between devices running KOReader. I think the .sdr files are included in the file transfer, but it is not something I have checked on lately.

Luck;
Ken

eredr · 11-19-2017, 06:23 AM

Thank you very much everyone! I had wondered whether it was possible to do it using Calibre but I will ask at the Kobo forum

Does anyone know if some ereaders more interoperable than others in this way?

HarryT · 11-19-2017, 07:19 AM

Not really, no. There is no standard - it's as simple as that.

Both Amazon and Kobo allow you to export your highlights. That's pretty much as much as you can do.

davidfor · 11-19-2017, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eredr

Thank you very much everyone! I had wondered whether it was possible to do it using Calibre but I will ask at the Kobo forum

The Annotations plugin can fetch the annotations from Kobo and Kindle ereaders and some other places. But, it stores them as HTML and has no way to restore them later. This is by design. There are no automated methods of doing this that I know of.

Quote:

Does anyone know if some ereaders more interoperable than others in this way?

See my answer above. That means "NO".

eredr · 11-24-2017, 10:51 PM

Ok thanks again, good to know!

sun surfer · 11-24-2017, 11:15 PM

I did this one time and thought never again. It was very complicated. I think it was from a Sony to another. I could explain what I remember of the process but suffice to say it was time consuming and involved transferring note files onto my computer, going into them and reformatting and then adding them to the new device. Calibre was part of the process.

eredr · 12-03-2017, 02:40 AM

Good to know thanks. Sounds like too much hassle. Maybe some day it will be easy to do!

11-16-2017, 05:58 AM	#1
eredr Member Posts: 17 Karma: 564 Join Date: Dec 2016 Device: Kobo	transferring highlights onto other ereaders Hello I currently load my ebooks (which I have purchased from different sources) onto my Kobo using Calibre and alf, as is instructed on the forum As I read my books I highlight text and I am wondering whether, if I were to buy a new ereader in the not too distant future, whether Kobo or another brand, whether there would be a way I could transfer the books including my highlighted text to the new ereader - say using Calibre? I can't seem to find the answer on here from my search - apologies if this is answered in a thread somewhere Many thanks

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11-16-2017, 06:43 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	In general, no. I believe there is a way of exporting your highlights from Kobo as a text file (ask in the Kobo forum for details), but there would be no way of transferring them to a different device.

11-16-2017, 07:09 AM	#3
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	As Harry said, in general no. There is no general standard for annotations used, and basically the device manufacturers make no allowance for interoperability. For the Kobo devices, the annotations are stored in a database, and it is possible to transfer data between them. It's a manual process and really just suitable for moving to a new device.

11-16-2017, 08:36 AM	#4
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	You might want to ask over at the KOReader Forum as KOReader has both a "progress sync" feature and a "ZSync feature" to move books/documents between devices running KOReader. I think the .sdr files are included in the file transfer, but it is not something I have checked on lately. Luck; Ken

11-19-2017, 06:23 AM	#5
eredr Member Posts: 17 Karma: 564 Join Date: Dec 2016 Device: Kobo	Thank you very much everyone! I had wondered whether it was possible to do it using Calibre but I will ask at the Kobo forum Does anyone know if some ereaders more interoperable than others in this way?

11-19-2017, 07:19 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Not really, no. There is no standard - it's as simple as that. Both Amazon and Kobo allow you to export your highlights. That's pretty much as much as you can do.

11-24-2017, 10:51 PM	#8
eredr Member Posts: 17 Karma: 564 Join Date: Dec 2016 Device: Kobo	Ok thanks again, good to know!

11-24-2017, 11:15 PM	#9
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	I did this one time and thought never again. It was very complicated. I think it was from a Sony to another. I could explain what I remember of the process but suffice to say it was time consuming and involved transferring note files onto my computer, going into them and reformatting and then adding them to the new device. Calibre was part of the process.

12-03-2017, 02:40 AM	#10
eredr Member Posts: 17 Karma: 564 Join Date: Dec 2016 Device: Kobo	Good to know thanks. Sounds like too much hassle. Maybe some day it will be easy to do!

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