New Problem Using Overdrive for Books

Ive been using Overdrive from my library for some time quite successfully once the audiobook firmware came out and I learned to change Music in the load pathway to Audiobooks.

Last night I loaded three Overdrive books by the same author and I have a mess!  One book is by itself while the other two went into an Unknown File.  When I opened that file the other two books are there BUT are all mixed up as in The Narrows Part 1, The Closers Part 1, The Narrows Part 2, The Closers Part 2 etc; they will not play in order and have to be changed manually which is a pain.  

I finally figured out that this happened because author is in the load path and all three have the same author.  How to fix?  Does this also require a path change? To what?

Anybody that knows Overdrive have a suggestion for future reference? I won’t be making changes to this mess because DRM won’t allow but next time?

Donna in AR

I just hate it that nobody cares enough about audiobooks or maybe they just don’t use Overdrive.  Next time I can solve this multiple book/same author by putting no more than

one by that author on different clips;  as I now have 6 I think I can manage that.

I still believe this is a problem that might be dealt with by changing the  Overdrive load path.  I searched this forum and found a whole series of articles on using Overdrive and

the path problem was discussed at length to get the books into Audiobooks instead of music. I just needed someone like this person who has experience loading these books

because if you mess up the download you don’t get a second chance.  

I wonder what would happen if the Author was removed from the path leaving only the Title but not sure how to try that plan.  I have yet to try my new Clip+ and I did notice

someone else complaining about re-wind problems.  I thought those had all been fixed.  I will test Audible and Overdrive on it next.  It just bugs me not to be able to solve

this matter of books not listing properly.  Oh Well!

Donna in Arkansas

I haven’t been using Overdrive very long, but I know when I change the load path from \Music to \Audiobooks, I also choose to “Make New Folder” named with the book’s title.  I don’t remember it transferring the files into a folder of the author’s name by default - I thought it was dumping all the wma files into the \Audiobooks folder which was completely unacceptable to me.

That’s what I do, but I don’t typically have that many books out at once as I only have a 20 minute commute to work one-way, and I struggle to get through 1 book in 2 weeks. :) 

Hope that helps.

I use Overdrive but I don’t sync it directly to my clip. I download it to my computer (it makes a file in My Documents) and then copy and paste all the parts to the audiobook file in the clip. It’s worked every time (right title, author, order, etc.). I’ve used multiple books from the same author too. Don’t know if that will help, but I hope so

I haven’t thought to try copying the book directly to my Clip.  I’ve always used the Overdrive Console to transfer from my harddrive to my Clip.  Do you *have* to copy files in MTP mode?  The last time I transferred a book to my Clip I forgot to switch to MTP (it was definitely in MSC, not Auto-detect) and the book plays fine.

What exactly is the requirement for DRM-protected files?  I thought MTP was required, but I’m not complaining in the least!  I like the fact that my book shows up in MSC mode along with all my MSC-transferred music.  I can see everything without switching modes. 

Thanks so much for the ideas; I knew you booklovers were out there!  I’ve just always left mine in autodetect for books either ripped, Audible or Overdrive and it has always

worked perfectly.  As I said loading 3 books by one author won’t happen very often but it is a puzzle I’d like to solve.  I’ve been re-reading my way through Michael Connelly’s

Harry Bosch series in preparation for the new one in October.  Overdrive has made this possible so I can’t complain too much.

I like the folder idea because typically if you transfer using the OD console the author is given major preference.  I know my authors so titles are much more important to me.

As to DRM It will not let you move a book to another device and I’m not sure it will allow me to use the memory card on the Clip+.  My library only allows 7 day checkout of OD

BUT as has been stated on this forum before though it will delete from your computer the book will remain on your device indefinitely but of course you cannot load any more.

That gives a person reasonable time to finish which is fair use.

Copy and paste sounds like a good plan.  I guess I didn’t think that would work again because of DRM.  Your PC file is the one that is deleted first according to checkout time.

Thanks again for your ideas,

Donna in AR

With all the ideas given I found the WMA files in my documents.  Pulling them up I see three files, all titles.  As I have a day or two left for checkout I decided to load the

one that is all mixed in with the one I’m currently reading on my new Clip+ using copy/paste method;  DRM allowed me to do that.

When I look at them on the Clip+ in Audiobooks the book I re-loaded is there in order but not in a folder–all parts are shown separately.  When I look at them in My Computer

they are not visible in the tree-view at all.  Each part lists the title correctly BUT file is Unknown.  It appears that though I will be able to listen to this book in order without

having to manually change parts the problem occurs at the download stage in Overdrive. Again the mode may be a problem.

Daveyh, do you just skip the OD console transfer and go directly to your documents?  Do the files show separately rather than in a folder?  Should I have copied the folder

from the PC view to get the title instead of unknown?

Kmk, how does your new folder transfer to clip? I suppose on the OD console?

Donna

Check this page: Apps · OverDrive: ebooks, audiobooks, and more for libraries and schools - this page gives the version of the current OD Console software.  Make sure Help|About on your OD Console matches - if not, re-download & reinstall the OD software to make sure you have the most updated version of the Console available.  There’s no revision information (none that I could find) to see if the problem you’re describing has been fixed, but what you’re describing is a *bug* in the software - one which I’d hope they’d fix ASAP.

I think your assessment is correct - it’s the OD Download that screwed up.  How to correct next time (if a new version doesn’t fix it)… Download one book at a time, and when it’s done, Transfer it, and then create a Folder on your hard drive for that title, and move all files for that book into that folder to keep them separate from the next download.  OD Console will probably *NOT* know how to transfer the books once you move them into subfolders so you’ll have to manually move those files to your Clip.

You *can* re-download the BOOKS during the entire check-out period, correct?  Maybe delete them, and try again!?  Personally, this wouldn’t be my favorite solution as I have to travel to a library or other public places for high-speed internet to download my books, but I thought I’d offer it up as a possibility.

>> Kmk, how does your new folder transfer to clip? I suppose on the OD console?

Yeah, on the Transfer dialog on the OD console (where it allows you to change destination path on the clip to \Audiobooks), it also allows you to create a new folder on your destination path.  If you haven’t seen this ability, maybe I do have a newer version of the Console (I only downloaded it within the last month or so).

It sounds like what *you* need is the ability to specify the DOWNLOAD path.  I’d have to go through the download process again to see if that’s possible - I’ve always let OD Console take over and download to the default location.

Thanks kmk for all of your great ideas.  I think I have the latest console but I will re-check today. 

I don’t think you can download again through the console even during the checkout period but as I said I was able to manipulate the files in my documents and at least now

I have the two books that were truly messed up separated.  

I think my biggest mistake was doing all three books at once.  Thanks to you and other booklovers I have some options to try.

Donna in AR

Have you worked with the overdrive people? I have found them to be very helpful, if not always on point. 

I have had more than one book by one author onboard with no problems, so I know it can work. Sometimes, I notice that some parts of a book aren’t checked when you transfer them and I generally stop and start over. I love overdrive, since the book stays alive on the player until you are done.

When you view the books on  the player with the computer (in windows explorer or the like) do you see icons for the album for each book, followed by the parts in numbered order? (after you transfer to the player) if not, then something went wrong.  If the book is still current on the computer, then you can delete and re-transfer.

Jay in WI 

I’ve dealt with Overdrive’s support over some minor issues and I agree, they try to be very helpful. 

I am a fan of Overdrive.com as well.  I don’t mind deleting a book after I’m done with it.  I know some people are book collectors - I’m not!  Works for me.

K in MI