Notes added in Calibre browser viewer won't sync to content library

[hollowpoint]

Issue: Highlights or notes added in a browser on iOS or Android sync to Calibre on PC but are not visually rendered in the viewer.

What I tried:
* Enabled content server
* Enabled the setting: Preferences > Sharing over the net > Advanced > Allow unauthenticated local connections to make changes.
* Accessed a book in Firefox on Android, added notes, they do save locally.
* Pressed "Sync" in the Calibre browser app.
* Checked the book in Calibre source library---it syncs, but the notes made on devices are not visually rendered in the book content in Viewer.
* Tried a couple rounds of reloading book in browser, restarting Calibre, re-syncing the book from browser. Same result.

System details:
* Calibre 5.14 for Windows 10 x64
* Samsung Galaxy phone, Android 11, Firefox browser

[hollowpoint]

[Blanked due to further updates]

[hollowpoint]

Ok, observed more about syncing annotations.

Main takeaway: looks like all annotations whether made in Calibre viewer on a PC, or in a browser on a device conncted to Calibre content server, do get properly saved in the Calibre database. But annotations made on one type of device do not round-tripped and visually rendered with the book on remote devices.

So if you're in Calibre viewer on PC and add annotations to a book, those annotations will not be rendered when you later view that same book in your Ipad's browser (which is connected to Calibre server). And the reverse is also true: if you add annotations to a book from a device's browser, those annotations do sync to Calibre database, but they are NOT visually rendered if you open the book in Calibre viewer. To confirm that all annotations regardless of device are saved in Calibre, right-click the book in Calibre and select: View > Browse annotations. There you can see all annotations made, from devices or from Calibre viewer.

So here's a feature request for the Calibre roadmap: Would it be possible to take all annotations that are saved with a book, and visually render them with that book, regardless which device the annotations were made on?

[kovidgoyal]

That is already the case provided you tell the calibre viewer which username on the server to sync with, look in the miscellaneous section of the viewer preferences.

[hollowpoint]

Thanks Kovid. I'm having trouble finding that setting.

Is is: Preferences > Misc > ??

[theducks]

Originally Posted by hollowpoint

Thanks Kovid. I'm having trouble finding that setting.

Is is: Preferences > Misc > ??

The Viewer has its own Preferences.
That is where you find it.

[hollowpoint]

Found it, thx. That resolves the issue.

[hollowpoint]

One related Q: Does anyone know of plans to develop device-specific calibre viewer apps? I get the browser-based approach: write once, works everywhere (in FF, Chrome). But just wondered if apps are on the roadmap. I've used many other reader apps, but a Calibre viewer with 100% functionality on Android/iOS would be a nice add.

ETA: So I found this old thread from 2018, where someone asked the same Q about iOS, with Kovid's response. Assume this is still the case, unless someone knows otherwise.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I am not working on any mobile apps. There already exist many apps that can talk to calibre. And I am working on the calibre content server, which allows you to manage your calibre library from a web browser on any computer/phone/tablet/whatever.