Can't get K4Android app to see Calibre/non-Amazon ebooks

MamaSylvia · 07-12-2011, 05:04 PM

I use Calibre to manage ebooks I obtain from any source other than Amazon. I have an old Droid 1 that I installed the Kindle app on. I'm able to have Amazon send ebooks to it with no problem. But I have been unable to send ebooks from Calibre to the Droid and have the K4Android app even see them, much less open them.

When the Droid is connected to my PC, Calibre sees it and offers me a "send to device" option. But I can't get Calibre to realize I want to send .mobi files to the Droid. It wants to send .pdf or .epub files, and when it asks whether to autoconvert the .mobi file and I click no, it doesn't send anything at all! Calibre does have a "send specific format to device" option, but when I select it for a book I only have stored in .mobi format, it only gives me the choice of epub or pdf formats to send it in. K4Android doesn't seem to read .pdf files and anyway I want the resizing options only offered on mobi and possibly prc files. I can't find anything in setup to select the "send to device" format(s) or location. Also, Calibre puts the (converted to the wrong format) ebooks in the eBooks directory on the Droid, NOT the Kindle directory. And the Kindle app apparently doesn't see ebooks in the eBooks directory. To get non-Amazon books on the Droid, I'm having to manually copy them from the Calibre sub-directory on my PC to the Kindle directory on the Droid - can you say "pain?"

I'm running v. 0.7.50 - I'll update to the most recent version if it will fix this problem but otherwise I'd just as soon not bother. The only relevant field I could find in Calibre was under "Behavior" where I have "preferred output format" set to mobi. If this is just a stupid-user problem, please tell me what I'm doing wrong!

DoctorOhh · 07-12-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaSylvia

I'm running v. 0.7.50 - I'll update to the most recent version if it will fix this problem but otherwise I'd just as soon not bother. The only relevant field I could find in Calibre was under "Behavior" where I have "preferred output format" set to mobi. If this is just a stupid-user problem, please tell me what I'm doing wrong!

Go to the Device interface plugin for Android devices and adjust the formats you want sent to the device and the directory to send the books to, see attached.

If you can't get that to work right then disable the driver plugin and use the Connect to folder feature to Send books to your device.

MamaSylvia · 07-12-2011, 06:41 PM

Rats. I don't have the Android plugin and I've been desperately trying to avoid having to deal with any plugins (NOT computer-savvy person here) but I guess I'll have to. I tried the connect-to-folder option and it crashed Calibre completely, both times I tried it.

Is the Android plug in here or at the Calibre site?

DoctorOhh · 07-12-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaSylvia

Is the Android plug in here or at the Calibre site?

This plugin comes with calibre so I think you do have the Android plugin. I don't believe calibre would connect to your device if your version didn't have the plugin. Go to Preferences - Plugins - Device interface plugins and doubleclick on the Android driver.

If your plugin doesn't have the same features you see in my image then you should upgrade.

Good Luck.

MamaSylvia · 07-12-2011, 11:29 PM

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! That plug-in is what was telling Calibre the wrong file type and location. I unchecked the file types Kindle can't read, checked the ones it can, and typed the Kindle directory at the beginning of the directory list, and de-selected the "use subdirectories" option, and now it works perfectly!

Calibre is very popular with Kindle users, so I shared your directions on the Kindle forum as well - other people were also using clunky workarounds so the ripples from your help will continue to spread. You give great non-techie directions! (and yes, that WAS meant as a compliment.)

DoctorOhh · 07-12-2011, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaSylvia

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

You're Welcome, I'm glad things worked out for you.

07-12-2011, 05:04 PM	#1
MamaSylvia Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 124 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Droid 1, Kindle 3	Can't get K4Android app to see Calibre/non-Amazon ebooks I use Calibre to manage ebooks I obtain from any source other than Amazon. I have an old Droid 1 that I installed the Kindle app on. I'm able to have Amazon send ebooks to it with no problem. But I have been unable to send ebooks from Calibre to the Droid and have the K4Android app even see them, much less open them. When the Droid is connected to my PC, Calibre sees it and offers me a "send to device" option. But I can't get Calibre to realize I want to send .mobi files to the Droid. It wants to send .pdf or .epub files, and when it asks whether to autoconvert the .mobi file and I click no, it doesn't send anything at all! Calibre does have a "send specific format to device" option, but when I select it for a book I only have stored in .mobi format, it only gives me the choice of epub or pdf formats to send it in. K4Android doesn't seem to read .pdf files and anyway I want the resizing options only offered on mobi and possibly prc files. I can't find anything in setup to select the "send to device" format(s) or location. Also, Calibre puts the (converted to the wrong format) ebooks in the eBooks directory on the Droid, NOT the Kindle directory. And the Kindle app apparently doesn't see ebooks in the eBooks directory. To get non-Amazon books on the Droid, I'm having to manually copy them from the Calibre sub-directory on my PC to the Kindle directory on the Droid - can you say "pain?" I'm running v. 0.7.50 - I'll update to the most recent version if it will fix this problem but otherwise I'd just as soon not bother. The only relevant field I could find in Calibre was under "Behavior" where I have "preferred output format" set to mobi. If this is just a stupid-user problem, please tell me what I'm doing wrong!

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07-12-2011, 06:41 PM	#3
MamaSylvia Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 124 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Droid 1, Kindle 3	Rats. I don't have the Android plugin and I've been desperately trying to avoid having to deal with any plugins (NOT computer-savvy person here) but I guess I'll have to. I tried the connect-to-folder option and it crashed Calibre completely, both times I tried it. Is the Android plug in here or at the Calibre site?

07-12-2011, 11:29 PM	#5
MamaSylvia Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 124 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Droid 1, Kindle 3	THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! That plug-in is what was telling Calibre the wrong file type and location. I unchecked the file types Kindle can't read, checked the ones it can, and typed the Kindle directory at the beginning of the directory list, and de-selected the "use subdirectories" option, and now it works perfectly! Calibre is very popular with Kindle users, so I shared your directions on the Kindle forum as well - other people were also using clunky workarounds so the ripples from your help will continue to spread. You give great non-techie directions! (and yes, that WAS meant as a compliment.)

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