Help Saving things to external SD card

[tkavan]

I've downloaded several books from Amazon, Kobo, and other sources, and they all go to the internal SD card. I gather from other posts that it is not possible to move apps to the external card. But is it possible to configure the apps to have them store their data on the external card? I can't find any options or configuration files which would allow me to do this.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[txrose72]

Very few apps allow you to save some of their data on the external SD Card. Some readers have that option and the Astro File and Cloud Manager allows backups to be stored on the extSDcard. Kobo and Kindle do not have that option afaik.

 

[tkavan]

Very few apps allow you to save some of their data on the external SD Card. Some readers have that option and the Astro File and Cloud Manager allows backups to be stored on the extSDcard. Kobo and Kindle do not have that option afaik.

So what's the purpose of the external card? When do things get saved to it... when the internal card is full?

 

[txrose72]

You can fill it with media, video, music, pictures, documents, app backups and epub books using Overdrive media console.
In the 2.x OS the internal memory was partitioned so that apps had their own memory space. If the internal memory was large enough a portion was specified as the SDcard and if there was an External SD card in that case that was its name. If the internal memory was small (maybe less than 4 GB) there was no internal memory allocated to an SDcard and the external SD card then became the SDcard. In both cases the portion of each app which could be stored on the SD card was stored on the SDcard. I have a tablet with 2.3 OS having 16 GB internal memory and a Micro SD card slot. It has about 12 GB of internal memory allocated to the SDcard. The portion of the apps go there and not to the external SD Card. I have another 2.2 OS tablet with a Micro SD card slot and unspecified internal memory which has no internal SDcard allocated. The portion of the app storage is on the external SD card which is called SDcard. The 4.x OS with 8 GB or more internal memory all have a portion of the internal memory allocated to SDCard0. I don't know about those with 4 GB internal memory. The entire apps are stored in the SDcard0 memory and not into another chunk of internal memory like the 2.x OS. In neither system is the 2nd External SD Card used for apps storage. I have a 32 GB Galaxy Nexus which doesn't have a Micro SD slot. Most of that 32 GB is available for apps.

Maybe Google designers believed all 4.x devices would have large internal memories since memory had become so cheap (cost not selling price in the device). There does seem to be a move to 16 GB as the minimum internal memory size which allows near 10 GB or more available for apps.

That wasn't an option for us. I am able to keep about 1 GB available by leaving some apps which I seldom use on the cloud which lets the Tab operate at full speed.

 

[tkavan]

You can fill it with media, video, music, pictures, documents, app backups and epub books using Overdrive media console.

Thanks for the Overdrive tip, and the detailed explanation. I've just downloaded the Overdrive app, as well as a few library books. Now if I can find a way to move Kindle and Kobo books to the external drive, all will be well.
Tom

 

[txrose72]

If I put epub books in a books folder I added to the ExtSDcard I can click on them one at a time and Overdrive pops up as a load option. I can also change the default folder for Overdrive to that same books folder. This is an interesting free book source -www.obooks.com- which requires registration but is free. Many books are in PDF format which can't be scaled but can be converted to epub using Free EPUB Converter, EPUB to PDF Converter, Convert EPUB to PDF which is free. Some books are epub and Mobi formats which can be read using Kindle. I haven't figured out a way to put Kobo or Kindle books on the Micro SD card.

 

[Harry2]

... Now if I can find a way to move Kindle and Kobo books to the external drive, all will be well.
Tom

The Kindle app will show books at its book shelf which are in the folder 'kindle' on your external SD card (if the books have Kindle formats).
I've tried this with free MOBI format books and PDFs. You might try it with purchased Kindle books

But note, these imported books can't be moved to the Kindle server archive and can't be synced (Kindle WhisperSync).

Harry

 

[txrose72]

The Kindle app will show books at its book shelf which are in the folder 'kindle' on your external SD card (if the books have Kindle formats).
I've tried this with free MOBI format books and PDFs. You might try it with purchased Kindle books

But note, these imported books can't be moved to the Kindle server archive and can't be synced (Kindle WhisperSync).

Harry

Doesn't work on my Tab 2. Is the Kindle folder in the root dir of the extsdcard? Is there a way to get the Kindle app to search for books or to look in a specified folder?

 

[Harry2]

... Is the Kindle folder in the root dir of the extsdcard?

Yes.

... Is there a way to get the Kindle app to search for books or to look in a specified folder?

No.

Note, I tried this some time ago.
Maybe it doesn't work with the actual version of the Kindle app.
I'll try it again

Update:
Sorry for misleadung you.

My HTC phone hadn't an internal SD, only an external SD, so the folder kindle was on the external

Now I've tried it with my Sony tablet which has an internal and an external SD card. And there the folder kindler has to be on the internal


BTW, may I ask why you don't store your books on the Kindle server ("Remove from the device"), let only your current books on the tablet?

Harry

 

[txrose72]

Yes.

Now I've tried it with my Sony tablet which has an internal and an external SD card. And there the folder kindler has to be on the internal


BTW, may I ask why you don't store your books on the Kindle server ("Remove from the device"), let only your current books on the tablet?

Harry

Thats what I found, it only works on the first SDcard0 memory partition which could be an ext. Micro SD card if the internal memory did not include an SDcard partition.

Of course you're correct about using the Kindle Cloud for all books from the Amazon Store. I was concerned with Kindle compatible books from other sources. The Kindle Cloud storage only works for books from the Amazon Store not from other sources. If I put a .azw book into the Kindle folder in Sdcard0/Android/Data/com.amazon.Kindle/Files it shows up in the Carousel and the "All Items" list which is the Amazon Cloud but it is not actually on the Kindle server. When I select "Remove from the device" it also is removed from the "All Items" list.

 

[Harry2]

Well ... if you're willing to use the Kindle cloud an option is 'Send to Kindle'.
I use a file manager (ES File Explorer) for that, but there are other apps that do this ...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle/android

Harry

 

[Gromaticus]

No use if storage is limited to limited internal storage and I am wanting to read books while cruising the med with no internet access on deck. Any app that does NOT give a user a choice of where to store data does not allow a range of users to configure their particular device when so many have limited internal storage. I will dump Kindle app and find and alternative.

 

[mekennedy1313]

Though Kindle may not automatically access the external SD card you can still store books there for travel and simply move them to the active internal file when you want them while moving finished books to the external card.