Calibre export to Kobo doubles entries

[veloopity]

I obviously don't understand how the synchronization works. I'd like to correct book metadata on my ancient Kobo Glo. Here is what I do:

- I edit the metadata in the Calibre library
- I mark all books and click 'send to device'

The result is now that for many books, the library table says (2 books) - or even (3 books). WTF? I'd have expected that the metadata on the device are updated when I modify them in the library. Instead, a new entry is added and the chaos that I wanted to clear up gets worse.

I'm sure this is due to the fact that I don't understand something. Is there an automatized way to drop double entries from the device, keeping just the newest version?

[Sirtel]

Yes, Calibre updates metadata for the books on the device, but only if it's aware that the book is already on the device - otherwise it creates a new entry. If you had your books on your Kobo, but they were not matched to the ones in the library, Calibre had no way of knowing that they were the same books.

There are several solutions.

- delete the books from your Kobo before sending the updated copies, or

- when you connect your Kobo to Calibre, you should see green checkmarks for the books on the device (in library view). If there is no green checkmark, then either the book is not on the device or Calibre doesn't know it is, in which case you need to use Match book to library to let it know.

Also, you might want to check "Don't treat replacements as new books" in the Kobo driver settings.

[theducks]

Yep. Bzzzt.
That is not how Kobo or many others work.

You (caused a) changed the file name (as affected by the Save... template), so the Kobo treats it as a New Book.

Kobo stores the Metadata during /Processing/ after you eject. That is where Calibre is doing the match

There is no simple work around If you change anything the save... template uses. Title and Authors are mostly mandatory (the resulting filename MUST be unique or it will stomp the previous file)

To update any other metadata on the device: use the Update metadata choice in Kobo Utilities Plugin (there is also an item for when the TOC gets affected)

[Sirtel]

Another thing: if you only change the metadata, not the files themselves, there's no need to send the books to your Kobo again. Match the books to the library copies and set the metadata management to Automatic (Preferences - Sending books to device - Metadata management). Also, check the boxes for Update Metadata on the device and Update metadata on Book Details pages in the Kobo driver settings in Calibre (the third tab, Metadata, on device & advanced).

Now the metadata on your device should be updated automatically every time you connect your Kobo to Calibre.