Stupid newbie question: Send to Device

[phenomshel]

Although I've spent the last month painstakingly sorting my books and adding them to calibre, this is the first time I've ever tried to use it to send books to a device. I came home with a Sony 600 yesterday - and believe me, it was unexpected to me, too.
Anyway, my question is with the Send to Device dialogue. If a book is in two formats, one compatible with the Sony Reader (epub) and one not (lit), do I need to use "send specific format", or will calibre automatically not send unsupported formats? I notice when I open the "send specific format" dialogue, it only shows compatible formats for the Sony. I'm sending it to the 8 gig SD card (Storage Card B) as opposed to the device's main memory.

System is Windows 7 64 bit, if that makes any difference in this scenario.

[itimpi]

There will be a list of formats known to be supported by the device. The one highest up the list is sent.

[phenomshel]

Thanks, itimpi. Yes,I got that far. I *think* what I'm trying to ask, in my own fuzzy way, is if Calibre will send unsupported formats to the Reader at all, or is it smarter than I am? *grin*.

[mikij]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

If a book is in two formats, one compatible with the Sony Reader (epub) and one not (lit), do I need to use "send specific format", or will calibre automatically not send unsupported formats? I notice when I open the "send specific format" dialogue, it only shows compatible formats for the Sony. I'm sending it to the 8 gig SD card (Storage Card B) as opposed to the device's main memory.

System is Windows 7 64 bit, if that makes any difference in this scenario.

The OS changes nothing.

I noticed that Calibre always sent a correct file format to my PRS-600. However, if you have an e-book in several compatible formats, your default format will be used (generally ePub, as set in Preferences...General...Preferred output format). If you want to send a compatible format other than default, e.g. Sony format, in that case select "specific format" and then LTR.

Hope it helps.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by mikij

The OS changes nothing.

I noticed that Calibre always sent a correct file format to my PRS-600. However, if you have an e-book in several compatible formats, your default format will be used (generally ePub, as set in Preferences...General...Preferred output format). If you want to send a compatible format other than default, e.g. Sony format, in that case select "specific format" and then LTR.

Hope it helps.

Apparently yes, Calibre is smarter than I am *grin*. But you have the scenario backwards. What I am trying to ask (and evidently doing a pretty poor job of it), is if Calibre will send a format that is not supported to the Reader (ie: lit). In other words: If I have a book in two formats, epub and lit, and I hit "send to device", will Calibre ONLY send the epub, but NOT the lit file?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

In other words: If I have a book in two formats, epub and lit, and I hit "send to device", will Calibre ONLY send the epub, but NOT the lit file?

Calibre will send one format. That format is chosen by working down the list in device customization. So it might send .lrf or it might send .epub, but it won't send both for the same book. It will never send .lit, because that format isn't in the supported list

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by chaley

Calibre will send one format. That format is chosen by working down the list in device customization.

This is one of the reasons I still use Save and not Send. I read on a device that supports multiple formats. I have multiple formats in my library from years of doing global conversions. I'm never sure what the best format is, so I send all formats, then choose the one I like best.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by chaley

Calibre will send one format. That format is chosen by working down the list in device customization. So it might send .lrf or it might send .epub, but it won't send both for the same book. It will never send .lit, because that format isn't in the supported list

Thanks, chaley, yes, this is the answer I was seeking.

[kovidgoyal]

@chaley: Nice avatar, my cat approves

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@chaley: Nice avatar, my cat approves

Mine too, he got Karma for both the avatar and the answer from me .