SD Card Reader

cnf · 05-06-2009, 06:45 PM

Is there any way to have calibre to recognize my sdcard from my PRS-505 when it is in a separate reader? I mostly just insert the sdcard into the reader instead of connecting the prs to my machine.

kovidgoyal · 05-06-2009, 06:52 PM

No, there isn't.

jotheman · 06-18-2009, 12:30 PM

That's a pitty. Any chance you will implement something like this, Kovid?

Using a card reader would be a much faster option for some users (BeBook uses USB 1.1 = sloooowwww)...

Hopeful,

jo.

wodin · 06-18-2009, 01:41 PM

I use a card reader for my jetBook's (also USB 1.1) SD card, and I just use the save to disk feature. It works well because the jetBook supports file folders, and the default file structure of Calibre is just what it likes.

If your reader doesn't support folders, you can use the save to single directory feature.

user_none · 06-18-2009, 07:51 PM

The issue with using an SD card reader is determining what type of reader the card will be used in. Calibre supports a number of devices and each requires books to be put in different places. Some (the 505/700) use an XML file for storing metadata. I'm not saying it's impossible to have an SD card reader supported but it is not trivial.

jotheman · 06-18-2009, 11:35 PM

BeBook has folder support. And as far as I remember, you could put files anywhere on the Sony PRS 500 and they would show up in the library...

user_none · 06-19-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotheman

BeBook has folder support. And as far as I remember, you could put files anywhere on the Sony PRS 500 and they would show up in the library...

Cybook requires books to be in the eBooks folder. Kindle requires them in the documents folder, blackberry looks like it wants it in the ebooks (note: ebooks and eBooks are different) folder, Jetbook in the Books folder.

There has to be some way for Calibre to know what device the card is going to be used in. Just putting books on the card will only work for some of the devices. Also, the subdirectory support is important so it does not break future devices that are added.

kovidgoyal · 06-19-2009, 10:17 AM

To be done right, calibre will have to implement USB connection notifications in a cross platform way, instead of using polling (which is what it does now). Not an easy thing to do right.

p3aul · 06-19-2009, 12:46 PM

When I plugged in the sdcard from my PRS505 there were a number of folders, including one called calibre. I just transferred my books from calibre to that folder and the machine reads them fine. It didn't transfer over the book cover though, but the title and author transferred. Since this is simpler that plugging in the USB, as soon as I get the book-cover problem fixed, this is the way i'll go

jotheman · 06-19-2009, 11:14 PM

I flashed my BeBook/HanlinV3 with the latest openinkpot with the latest snapshot (much better than the original firmware, in my opinion. It allows to delete files on the fly!) and there is an "all locations mode", which will display all files on the card, no matter where they are. Not very useful, though.

wodin · 06-20-2009, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by user_none

The issue with using an SD card reader is determining what type of reader the card will be used in. Calibre supports a number of devices and each requires books to be put in different places. Some (the 505/700) use an XML file for storing metadata. I'm not saying it's impossible to have an SD card reader supported but it is not trivial.

Another argument for the jetBook, it can use most any file folder structure but is particularly well suited to the structure that Calibre uses for writing to disk.

That way I don't have put up with the slow USB 1.1 hardware, but can stick the SD card in a 2.0 reader and the jetBook doesn't know the difference.

jotheman · 06-20-2009, 10:12 PM

Why not just tell calibre on which reader one intends to use the card or where one wants calibre to put the files. A new 'SD card preferences' pane or something like that. The only thing left would then be to make calibre somehow recognize a card that has been 'paired' with it when it's mounted.

user_none · 06-20-2009, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotheman

Why not just tell calibre on which reader one intends to use the card or where one wants calibre to put the files. A new 'SD card preferences' pane or something like that. The only thing left would then be to make calibre somehow recognize a card that has been 'paired' with it when it's mounted.

If you can think of a user friendly way to do this then that's one step down. A wizard would work but it would need to be easy to use.

The other part of this would be the detecting the card. Right now, devices are detected based on their USB ids: vendor, product and revision. While a simple text file on the card that say Jetbook for instance would work, there is still the issue of detecting the card and differentiating it from another mass storage device.

What might work is if a wizard was used that shows all connected devices. The user selects the device, pairs it to a card. A text file is written that says what type of device it is intended for. The when Calibre runs though the devices it could check for this file. One issue that would need to be worked out is this would require all detected mass storage devices to be mounted so Calibre can check for the file can be check.

Changes would have to be made to these components for this to work: GUI, device detection, all device drivers, device mounting. Basically the entire device subsystem would need to be re-designed for this to work.

05-06-2009, 06:45 PM	#1
cnf Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Antwerpen, Belgium Device: PRS-505	SD Card Reader Is there any way to have calibre to recognize my sdcard from my PRS-505 when it is in a separate reader? I mostly just insert the sdcard into the reader instead of connecting the prs to my machine.

06-18-2009, 12:30 PM	#3
jotheman Sleeper. Posts: 109 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Boox Max2, Kinde Voyage, reMarkable, Dasung Paperlike Pro	That's a pitty. Any chance you will implement something like this, Kovid? Using a card reader would be a much faster option for some users (BeBook uses USB 1.1 = sloooowwww)... Hopeful, jo. Last edited by jotheman; 06-18-2009 at 12:34 PM. Reason: sloooooowwww

06-19-2009, 11:14 PM	#10
jotheman Sleeper. Posts: 109 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Boox Max2, Kinde Voyage, reMarkable, Dasung Paperlike Pro	BeBook on openinkpot I flashed my BeBook/HanlinV3 with the latest openinkpot with the latest snapshot (much better than the original firmware, in my opinion. It allows to delete files on the fly!) and there is an "all locations mode", which will display all files on the card, no matter where they are. Not very useful, though.

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05-06-2009, 06:52 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,176 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	No, there isn't.

06-18-2009, 01:41 PM	#4
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	I use a card reader for my jetBook's (also USB 1.1) SD card, and I just use the save to disk feature. It works well because the jetBook supports file folders, and the default file structure of Calibre is just what it likes. If your reader doesn't support folders, you can use the save to single directory feature.

06-18-2009, 07:51 PM	#5
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,487 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	The issue with using an SD card reader is determining what type of reader the card will be used in. Calibre supports a number of devices and each requires books to be put in different places. Some (the 505/700) use an XML file for storing metadata. I'm not saying it's impossible to have an SD card reader supported but it is not trivial.

06-18-2009, 11:35 PM	#6
jotheman Sleeper. Posts: 109 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Boox Max2, Kinde Voyage, reMarkable, Dasung Paperlike Pro	BeBook has folder support. And as far as I remember, you could put files anywhere on the Sony PRS 500 and they would show up in the library...

06-19-2009, 10:17 AM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,176 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	To be done right, calibre will have to implement USB connection notifications in a cross platform way, instead of using polling (which is what it does now). Not an easy thing to do right.

06-19-2009, 12:46 PM	#9
p3aul Captain Courageous Posts: 239 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: calibre, PRS 505	When I plugged in the sdcard from my PRS505 there were a number of folders, including one called calibre. I just transferred my books from calibre to that folder and the machine reads them fine. It didn't transfer over the book cover though, but the title and author transferred. Since this is simpler that plugging in the USB, as soon as I get the book-cover problem fixed, this is the way i'll go

06-20-2009, 10:12 PM	#12
jotheman Sleeper. Posts: 109 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Boox Max2, Kinde Voyage, reMarkable, Dasung Paperlike Pro	Why not just tell calibre on which reader one intends to use the card or where one wants calibre to put the files. A new 'SD card preferences' pane or something like that. The only thing left would then be to make calibre somehow recognize a card that has been 'paired' with it when it's mounted.

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