Getting My eBook Act Together - Finally

[leebase]

I've been terrible about consistently using Calibre to organize my ebooks. Mostly I've used it just for liberating my Amazon books. Which is frustrating with it "works, breaks, works, breaks" over the years. I have it working again - but I'm finally moving past that.

One of the things I desire most is to have my ebubs organized into Series. The default "download metadata" doesn't do a good job. Thanks to ChatGPT, I learned there is a GoodReads plugin.

So I set the metadata download to JUST update the series and to use Goodreads - and it's working nicely.

I'm also using multiple libraries. I have a "clean things" library where I work on whatever set of files until I'm happy. Then I merge those books into my master library.

Of course, this assumes my computer remains stable. I hope it will. I don't plan on upgrading it for years.

[drofgnal]

I hear you. I'm a troglodyte when it comes to using calibre as well. I use it as well to liberate amazon books and it's horribly disorganized. But it works so I leave it along. I have a version and DeDRM plugin that works and whenever it asks me to update I pass. Better the devil you know...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by leebase

I've been terrible about consistently using Calibre to organize my ebooks. Mostly I've used it just for liberating my Amazon books. Which is frustrating with it "works, breaks, works, breaks" over the years. I have it working again - but I'm finally moving past that.

One of the things I desire most is to have my ebubs organized into Series. The default "download metadata" doesn't do a good job. Thanks to ChatGPT, I learned there is a GoodReads plugin.

So I set the metadata download to JUST update the series and to use Goodreads - and it's working nicely.

I'm also using multiple libraries. I have a "clean things" library where I work on whatever set of files until I'm happy. Then I merge those books into my master library.

Of course, this assumes my computer remains stable. I hope it will. I don't plan on upgrading it for years.

It's eventually going to stop working nicely as Goodreads is chock full of errors in the series info. You could have errors already that you just don't know about. I suggest you double check everything that comes from Goodreads or stop using it for your metadata as you'll be double checking anyway if you want accurate data.

[John F]

Originally Posted by leebase

I've been terrible about consistently using Calibre to organize my ebooks. Mostly I've used it just for liberating my Amazon books. Which is frustrating with it "works, breaks, works, breaks" over the years. I have it working again - but I'm finally moving past that.

...

I wonder why that is? As I recall, the only time I've had calibre "break" (and I update it) is when I purchase a new reader (Kobo).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by John F

I wonder why that is? As I recall, the only time I've had calibre "break" (and I update it) is when I purchase a new reader (Kobo).

There was a time when the Calibre update (from 4.x to 5) broke the deDRM. And of course all the Amazon shenanigans - older Kindle apps forcibly updating, no longer downloading new books and so on. Download & Transfer has worked all along, but that's only available to eink Kindle owners.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by John F

I wonder why that is? As I recall, the only time I've had calibre "break" (and I update it) is when I purchase a new reader (Kobo).

Even when getting a new Kobo, I've never had calibre break.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Even when getting a new Kobo, I've never had calibre break.

The OP obviously meant that liberating their Amazon books broke, not Calibre.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's eventually going to stop working nicely as Goodreads is chock full of errors in the series info. You could have errors already that you just don't know about. I suggest you double check everything that comes from Goodreads or stop using it for your metadata as you'll be double checking anyway if you want accurate data.

Do you have a better alternative? I'm all ears

[leebase]

Originally Posted by John F

I wonder why that is? As I recall, the only time I've had calibre "break" (and I update it) is when I purchase a new reader (Kobo).

Oh...things like a Calibre update that isn't compatible with the drm plugin. The kindle app updating itself even when you have it set not to. Switching computers and having to relearn how to get it all working again.

I've written my own documentation now so that I can remember without having to relearn and refigure out. We will see how long it holds.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Download & Transfer has worked all along, but that's only available to eink Kindle owners.

Yep, that's how I have it working. I had bought a older kindle paper white some time ago and gave it to my daughter. My new paperwhite doesn't work.

Plus you have to remember to log the older kindle's serial number into the plugin settings, a step I had forgotten. And then when "Download to USB", you have to remember which of your many kindle devices is the right one

[leebase]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The OP obviously meant that liberating their Amazon books broke, not Calibre.

Correct.

[John F]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Even when getting a new Kobo, I've never had calibre break.

I guess it depends on what you consider "break". Maybe not calibre itself, but when a new model Kobo comes out, doesn't the plugin need to be updated to get the full plugin functionality?

[John F]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

There was a time when the Calibre update (from 4.x to 5) broke the deDRM.

Since I don't normally update calibre (or the plugins) I most likely missed that. I'm currently on calibre 6.22.

And of course all the Amazon shenanigans - older Kindle apps forcibly updating, no longer downloading new books and so on. Download & Transfer has worked all along, but that's only available to eink Kindle owners.

I'm over the Amazon DRM thing. If they want to make it difficult, I'll buy somewhere else.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by John F

Since I don't normally update calibre (or the plugins) I most likely missed that. I'm currently on calibre 6.22.

It was fixed soon enough, so you may have missed it. But there was a lot of hullabaloo in the calibre forum, by folks who did update. Fortunately there were temporary workarounds.

I'm over the Amazon DRM thing. If they want to make it difficult, I'll buy somewhere else.

I still buy from them occasionally. There are three working methods at the moment, and I like to keep informed about everything concerning DRM in any case, so I do visit both Kindle and Calibre forums regularly.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by John F

I guess it depends on what you consider "break". Maybe not calibre itself, but when a new model Kobo comes out, doesn't the plugin need to be updated to get the full plugin functionality?

There is a check box "[ ] attempt to use newer firmware". That will work with a newer unknown Kobo if the database aspects used are unchanged.