Download Formats for Companion - why no .m4b?

[mnarel]

I am new to companion, but LOVE the app so far.

I am both an avid e-reader and audiobook listener. I manage my audiobook library with calibre as well, and I have books in each of the three most popular audio formats currently in use .mp3, .axx, .m4b (both DRM and DRM free).

At present companion only recognizes .mp3 for download however. The mp3 download works perfectly and allows me to listen to those files in bookmobile (or itunes for use with apple carplay in my vehicle).

I have been desperate for an app that would allow me to manage my complete library including audio transfer to my Iphone/Ipad without the necessity of cables and the abomination of Itunes, and companion is just sooooo close.

I am not a coder by any means, so I don't know how big an ask this is, but:

Would it be possible to have .m4b, .axx, and perhaps others (.m4a, .wav, etc as might make sense) to companion? Is this anything more than just adding recognition of those file suffixes to the list of sync-able file types?

This would be a HUGE value add for those audiophiles with diverse libraries who are looking for a one stop tool that doesn't require them to reformat all of their content.

[chaley]

The problem is that calibre does not recognize those formats as "books". CC gets its list of acceptable formats from calibre.

From time to time I (we) have added non-calibre formats to CC's list, with the result that CC and calibre disagree on what formats are valid. In addition, we now have the problem that if we add a format to one version of CC (e.g., Android) then the other version will be different. (Yes, Android and iOS CC are maintained by different people who have *very different* time constraints.). As such, I am not willing to add more "random" formats to CC itself.

However ...

I am willing to change the wireless device driver in calibre to permit a user to add "extra" acceptable formats (extensions) to be sent to CC. I know that this works in Android CC (I just tried it) and I strongly believe it will work in iOS CC. I will test the change a bit more then submit it to Kovid for the next calibre release.

Using this scheme, to add a new format, a user must

1. tell calibre about the non-standard formats by opening the "SmartDevice" (the wireless device driver) customization dialog. (I will add a CC FAQ explaining how to open this dialog.)
2. connect as a wireless device so CC will be informed about these new formats. Disconnect.
3. in CC's Settings / Formats and folders, select that format(s) as one(s) that CC can receive, setting the priority by choosing its position in the list.
4. Connect to calibre and transfer books.

This is how we should have solved the problem from the beginning.

[chaley]

Well, that idea didn't work out. I was able to transfer a file to CC, but CC was unable to find any "reader app" for the file. Fixing this requires building the extensions into CC.

Back to the drawing board ...

[chaley]

I decided to go ahead with adding the ability to list "extra" formats (extensions) that calibre is willing to send to CC. Starting with the next release of calibre (3.12 I think) you can add these extensions in the Wireless Device (SmartDevice) configuration (calibre Preferences / Plugins. Search for SmartDev, then push the "Configure" button).

The next version of Android CC will contain a "super" list of file extension -> mime types. This should help solve the problem where a reader app cannot be found. This CC version will go to beta this week.

We think that iOS CC will work with this new feature without change. I can't test it because I don't own an iOS device.

[Steve_Haley]

Originally Posted by chaley

We think that iOS CC will work with this new feature without change. I can't test it because I don't own an iOS device.

I'll try to test it this weekend, but as chaley wrote, we think it should work already. iOS CC hands off the books to reader apps differently to Android, and didn't use the extensions in the same way to begin with.