Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Calibre eBook Converter – Instructions

So I have had to help a few people figure out and start converting books via Calibre which is the bestest EVER! I’ve typed up these instructions so many times I decided to make them public, so I can now just provide a link lol. If you have been leaving your books in PDF format and not converting them before Calibre formats the PDF into your eReaders format so everything is a lot more reader friendly. So between me and a friend we typed up some Calibre Instructions and Tips for using the software. If you are intrigue and need to download the software I’ll put the link below. It is a free software, but I encourage donating, because you will be using this software a lot! You can also read on and organize your eBook library with this software. 



Step by Step Directions:

1. Upload files and save on your computer in a preferred folder as PDF
2. Open Calibre
3. Click the "Add Books" button
4. Select the PDF files youI want to convert from the where you saved your PDF’s
5. I rename the files (I'm anal retentive like that they have to be in the same format) They will often upload to Calibre with out of whack titles and authors.
6. Highlight all the new books once approtiately named and click "Convert Books" (Calibre knows what format to convert to since you selected your eReader in the set up)
7. Plug in my Kindle (Or whatever reader you have) to the USB port
8. Select all the books you want to add to your Reader and click "Send to Device" button
9. Check to make sure all files transferred in correct format and add to my "Collections" on my Kindle. I’m not sure how other readers display the books so this would vary depending on your specific eReader.

Tips for converting in bulk:

Tip-If you save you books in individule folders, like have all of your Gena Showalter in a folder, your Anya Bast in folder ect. then you can add entire folders at a time to Calibre.
•Click the drop down arrow next to Add Books
•Select -add books from directories (sub directories, Multiple books per directories)
•Browse box will open, go to the folder you want and click once on the folder you want and hit okay
•This will add the entire contents of folder into calibre instead of adding individually

Tip-To add the right covers and metadata in bulk

•First make sure the books that you just added have the title and author in the right place, sometimes it's switch, and sometimes it just has weird crap in there.
•Highlight the books that you want to download metadata (I do this right after I add a folder and click on top book from fold hit shift and select the last book)
•Click the drop down arrow next to edit Meta Data.
•Choose Download Meta Data and Covers
•Select Download Both when the box opens and it will now add publisher, series (sometimes) and the best cover (most the time)

Tip-Convert in Bulk

•Select and Highlight (by clicking the first book you want and then using shift and clicking last book) all of the books that you want to convert
•Click the drop down arrow next to Convert
•Click on Convert in Bulk
•Choose what format (pdf, epub, mobi, ect) and any other option and then click OK
•At this point when it's done it will still be highlighted, and you can just click Add to Device and the last step is done!

2 comments:

  1. I never knew you could convert in bulk! Cool! Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. You are very welcome. It is very helpful, one at a time takes forever!

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