[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[chaley]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can the device settings for Kobo Utilities be changed to use the device serial number as the identifier?

Yes, if someone is willing to do the work then maintain the change.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can the device settings for Kobo Utilities be changed to use the device serial number as the identifier?

Are you volunteering to do so?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Are you volunteering to do so?

Nope.

[tadas]

I have over 8,000 books I want to upload to a fresh Kobo Libra 2, and I don't want them all to have a July 6, 2024 date. I'd like them to have the Calibre date, which ranges from 2013 to today.. The only useful thing I found was a two year old Reddit thread, where someone named Ricardo Neves said

I've used Kobo Utilities.

It got close to the way being shown in Calibre, but not exactly like it was shown in Calibre (so I had to pick the closest option/result).

Asked it to update metadata and sort books by "file timestamps", this option was the one that got the closest to the one being shown in Calibre software.

I can't find his options anywhere in Kobo Utilities. Can you help? Thanks!

[ownedbycats]

I'm not sure this is exactly what he refers to, but in the past I've used the last read column and 'store/restore current bookmark':



I switch this to my custom #kobodate column, disable storing on connect, and then use 'store/restore current bookmarks' to put the date on device.

It only takes custom columns. You can use template search & replace (program: raw_field('timestamp')) to copy the Calibre dates to one.

Also note that after send, you need to disconnect and let Kobo import the books to its internal database before restoring bookmarks has effect.

[DNSB]

What I use when moving books to a new device are the Update Metadata in Device Library and the Store/Restore Bookmarks tools in Kobo Utilities. Updata Metadata using the Date as I have set it uses the date the book was added to calibre as the date added for your Kobo. The Store/Restore Bookmarks tool transfers reading status, finished, etc. to the new Kobo.

[tadas]

Thanks for your message, but I'm still confused.

I made my Kobo Utilities Options look exactly like your screenshot, using the automatic column creation. I now have four columns, Kobo Last Read, Kobo % Read, Kobo Rating , and Kobo Reading Location.

What I *think* you're telling me is to create a custom column called #kobodate, populate it with the values in timestamp, and replace Kobo Last Read with the new kobodate column in Kobo Utility Options, and disabling store on connect in store/restore current bookmarks.

I found Preferences/Add New Columns and created an empty kobodate column. I also found Preferences/Template Functions, but am unclear how and where to include your code snippet. Can you point me to a howto?

When this is done, I'm assuming I'll get the desired sort order when I use Sort: Recent, correct?

Thanks for your help!

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I'm not sure this is exactly what he refers to, but in the past I've used the last read column and 'store/restore current bookmark':

Attachment 209416

I switch this to my custom #kobodate column, disable storing on connect, and then use 'store/restore current bookmarks' to put the date on device.

It only takes custom columns. You can use template search & replace (program: raw_field('timestamp')) to copy the Calibre dates to one.

Also note that after send, you need to disconnect and let Kobo import the books to its internal database before restoring bookmarks has effect.

[tadas]

Thanks for your reply. I did what you describe, and got an error about no columns when I tried running the bookmark util.

[tadas]

Originally Posted by DNSB

What I use when moving books to a new device are the Update Metadata in Device Library and the Store/Restore Bookmarks tools in Kobo Utilities. Updata Metadata using the Date as I have set it uses the date the book was added to calibre as the date added for your Kobo. The Store/Restore Bookmarks tool transfers reading status, finished, etc. to the new Kobo.

The keys that weren't mentioned in your message are:
1) You have to eject the Kobo and wait for it to import the books.
2) After reconnecting the Kobo, YOU MUST SELECT THE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY THAT YOU JUST UPLOADED before running "Update Metadata". Check that the number of updates made is what you expected.

The Store/Restore Bookmarks part isn't needed to solve my problem; I don't care about old reading status, etc.

Thanks, DNSB for showing the settings I needed for "Update Metadata".

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tadas

The keys that weren't mentioned in your message are:
1) You have to eject the Kobo and wait for it to import the books.
2) After reconnecting the Kobo, YOU MUST SELECT THE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY THAT YOU JUST UPLOADED before running "Update Metadata". Check that the number of updates made is what you expected.

The Store/Restore Bookmarks part isn't needed to solve my problem; I don't care about old reading status, etc.

Thanks, DNSB for showing the settings I needed for "Update Metadata".

#2 is not needed.

What you want is to go to Preferences > Sending books to devices and under Metadata management, you want to set Automatic management. That will update the metadata automatically when you connect to your library via USB. You will not need to select anything and you won't need to send the metadata as that will be done automatically.

[ownedbycats]

No, I think some things can only be updated through Kobo Utilities and not the KoboTouch driver.

[tadas]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

#2 is not needed.

What you want is to go to Preferences > Sending books to devices and under Metadata management, you want to set Automatic management. That will update the metadata automatically when you connect to your library via USB. You will not need to select anything and you won't need to send the metadata as that will be done automatically.

I already had "Automatic Management" selected, and it updates my categories ("Bookshelves" in Kobo parlance), as it has done for years. It did nothing for moving the Calibre date to "Last Read" in the database.

Using the "Update Metadata" in Kobo utilities is required in order to change the date "Last Read". It has to be after the books are transferred, and after Kobo does the database update -- before that happens, there is no record in the database for the new books for "Update Metadata" to adjust "Last Read".

The way I described works. Leaving out any steps makes it not work.

[recook]

Hi,

Originally Posted by DNSB

What I use when moving books to a new device are the Update Metadata in Device Library and the Store/Restore Bookmarks tools in Kobo Utilities. Updata Metadata using the Date as I have set it uses the date the book was added to calibre as the date added for your Kobo. The Store/Restore Bookmarks tool transfers reading status, finished, etc. to the new Kobo.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but how do i get to these 2 dialogs?
I didn't find that, neither in Kobo Utilities' Configure Plugin nor Configure current Driver - KoboTouchExtended.

[ownedbycats]

It's in the Kobo Utilities menu when the device is connected.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by tadas

The keys that weren't mentioned in your message are:
1) You have to eject the Kobo and wait for it to import the books.
2) After reconnecting the Kobo, YOU MUST SELECT THE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY THAT YOU JUST UPLOADED before running "Update Metadata". Check that the number of updates made is what you expected.

1. A problem when you have done something so often that it becomes habit.

2. For the most part, I just select all books.