Books don't "auto-convert" when added via content server

[mkgtu]

I have calibre desktop set to automatically convert newly added books to EPUB, even if the original format is also EPUB. That works fine when adding books directly on the desktop.

But when adding books using the content server via a browser on my phone, the epub gets added to the desktop app but does not convert. Is this by design or is it a glitch.

USE CASE SCENARIO
I am usually doing this by "adding" a book on my phone's browser by uploading an ACSM file acquired from Libby. So I'm not adding the actual book itself via the server. The desktop app processes the acsm correctly and adds the actual book to the app. I can then download that epub to my phone via the server and send it to my Kindle via "Send to Kindle". All well and good and the epub displays properly on my phone and Kindle Oasis, including the "left aligned" text option.

However, I also have an older Kindle Voyage that I still like to use, but it will not display the text as "left aligned". One of the permanent options I have set for all conversions, to any format, in calibre is to "left align" the text. That way it is kind of "embedded" in the book and will display that way even on older Kindles that can't make use of the text alignment options in the newer Kindle formats that Amazon sends to the devices.

This is not a major issue, but it would be nice if books added via the server would also "obey" the setting to automatically convert all added books to epub using the output options the user has set. That would enable a person to do all these basic "adding" functions using the content server on a mobile device and not have to wait do so on a computer.

[mkgtu]

I think I answered my own question by reading the "sticky" attached to this section. I was not aware that you could convert books via the content server. Even after reading that, it took a bit of hunting before I discovered that the "circular arrows" icon on the details page in the browser was a "conversion" button, not a refresh or recycle button.

But my problem is solved. I can Just "re-convert" the newly added epub via the serbver using my phone. The resulting file does now display the left aligned text "sent" to my older Kindle. But I do note that when you convert from epub to epub via the server, calibre does not retain the "original epub" as it always does when converting directly in the app. I always like to hang on to those original files, especially if the book was added via an acsm file. The originals often come in handy if you really mess up tweaking the new epub. You can just erase and start over.

Still would be nice of calibre would just auto convert whne the new book is added and therefore retain the original.

[BetterRed]

Not sure if this is doable on the server:

If I think I might 'need' it, I keep the original file in the book's data folder. Thus, I get to keep the original file with it's original name in a place where it's easily found. If necessary I can make an explicit decision to throw away what I have and start over, while retaining any metadata updates.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

The server is a *much* simplified interface that does not support many, many things that the main calibre program supports. There are no good tools to manage formats for instance, which IIRC is why ORIGINAL_* formats are not created when converting on the server.

[mkgtu]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Not sure if this is doable on the server:

If I think I might 'need' it, I keep the original file in the book's data folder. Thus, I get to keep the original file with it's original name in a place where it's easily found. If necessary I can make an explicit decision to throw away what I have and start over, while retaining any metadata updates.

BR

I think I get what you mean. The problem with the "original file" is that I never really had one in most cases. All I had to start with was the ACSM file. When you "add" that to calibre via the server website, calibre acquires the book from the source using that acsm "license". As i understand it, you can't used that license again.

But I think going forward, if I want to convert the original epub, I'll first download the original from the content-server and save it to some folder on my phone. Then I'll convert the original still in calibre via the server, rename it - I usually add (epub) to the filename to distinguish these books from Amazon purchased items - download it to my phone, then "send it to Kindle".

I've only started using these Libby acsm downloads more extensively because of Amazon's recent changes denying the ability to download and transfer via USB. This way I can get the books into calibre and still read them on Kindle.

All this is obviously simpler in the main calibre app, where there are also more tools and options. But this roundabout process is helful whne you don't have access to your computer.