Transfer books to and from PC?

[Summer7027]

I have become an avid reader because of my tablet but don't want the books I've read to show up there any more. Is there a way to transfer them OFF the Nexus 7 and ONTO my PC? I'm sure there is but I just don't know how. Any assistance here would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[bigtroutz]

It depends totally on the application you have used to load the books on to the N7. Many apps rename the file with codes and split the file into parts eg cover, text, etc depending on the file type. Others keep the original file name and structure. So we would need more info from you.

 

[Summer7027]

I used Google play, Kindle and Nook to download these books. Does that help?

 

[wunderbar]

I can't speak to nook, but for Google Play and Kindle the books are saddled with DRM. That doesn't mean you can't read them, it just means that you can't (easily) just copy/paste them to your computer from the N7. You can read Google Play books through a web browser at play.google.com. And I believe something similar exists for Kindle.

The advantage of these services is that they will sync your place in the book, bookmarks, notes, etc. For example I can read a chapter or two of a book on my android phone with a Google Play book while I'm standing in a line or having lunch at work or something similar, and then go home and pick up my Nexus 7 and it automagically goes to the place I left off reading on my phone. It'll do that in the web browser as well.

EDIT: as for books you've already read. They show up on in the apps because they exist as a purchase history. I know that on play books you can tap and hold on the book and select remove from Library, however that will mean you can never re-download that book and read it again.

Really the books actually don't live on your device after you've read them (unless they're "pinned" on play books). the list you see is just a listing of your purchase history, much like having a bookshelf full of books.

 

[bigtroutz]

I used Google play, Kindle and Nook to download these books. Does that help?

Your best bet is to download them to your Desktop from the original source with or without the desktop equivalent of your N7 app and then remove them from the pertinent N7 app from within that app, if you must have a copy on hand.

For example, Kindle typically puts the books you downloaded to the N7 in the folder /sdcard/Android/data/com.amazon.kindle/files/ with a alphanumeric code and splits the file into components.
It's not much use to you in that form and while it can be reformed into a usable eBook file with some effort, it is likely easier to just have Amazon download a copy to your pc.

you can learn more about the entire subject here:
MobileRead

edit:
regarding the cautionary about DRM (copy protection) the files you downloaded might or might not have DRM encoding because it varies by the book. DRM encoded files are problematic and they may or may not be readable in other eReaders. As I said, you best bet is to get a copy of the corresponding app downloaded to your desktop and redownload to that version.

 

[davidhm]

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I have a similar question. How do you move books that have been transfered from a Mac to N7 via usb, from the downloads to another location?
thanks
David

 

[bigtroutz]

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I have a similar question. How do you move books that have been transfered from a Mac to N7 via usb, from the downloads to another location?
thanks
David

if you can find the ebook files in an intelligible format (see my comment about how Kindle app renames & splits the file) then you can use a filemanager app on your N7 to move the files around.

Some commonly used ones would be:
ES File Manager https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...5lc3Ryb25ncy5hbmRyb2lkLnBvcCJd&token=4ho4BAqB
X-Plore (has dual pane) https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...s.Xplore&feature=search_result&token=Me-S_dU7..
File Expert https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...wxLDEsInhjeGluLmZpbGV4cGVydCJd&token=NgqSAh9T

and a host of others...

You may prefer using an app like AirDroid to handle the entire process from your Mac

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...airdroid&feature=search_result&token=ytJ4ox6y.