Using MSAccess to Remove I'M Reading list

razmichael · 12-01-2010, 10:13 PM

We purchased a Kobo wifi a few weeks ago and in general it has been great. My major issue was the lack of ability to remove the I'm Reading list. From the threads, I am apparently not alone in this. More for fun than anything else i decided to use MSAccess to interface with the Kobo DB. I built a basic application that shows the books in the I'M Reading list and allows you to select one or more and remove them. Initially I tried to link to the tables but issues with indexing caused problems so I switched to a Pass-Through SQL approach. I realize that Calibre will be fixing this (may already be done in the latest version) but I'll offer my DB in case anyone wants to play with it. It is not fancy and I have not added a bunch of error catching code but so far it has worked well for me but I do not guarantee there will not be problems - you will be accessing the Kobo DB from an external application! Instructions and the db can be downloaded from https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B21...ZWE5NThj&hl=en . It requires the ODBC driver install and is for Access 2007 or 2010 only. If interested and you have experience with Access ( and VBA) feel free to play with it.

taming · 12-02-2010, 06:34 AM

Changing the book to "Read" on Calibre (go to device menu) does move the book out of the I'm Reading list, back to Books, and marks it as Finished on the Kobo. At least on mine

. I am running the latest version of Calibre, 0.7.31.

zoran · 12-02-2010, 10:34 AM

.....

razmichael · 12-02-2010, 05:49 PM

Although I have no issues with a good command line, there is also an advantage to a nice gui interface that hides any sql or code. As I mentioned, the application I did up using MSAccess as the database interface provides an easy graphical way to select one or more books in the I'm Reading list and remove them as opposed to doing multiple command line SQL statements to find and then select a subset of books to remove. IF all you want to do is remove all books then a quick bat file calling sqllite would do fine. However, I really did it more for fun and to see how to integrate MSAccess as a front end into an sqllite database since it allows for teh development of forms, Visual Basic code etc (not that it couldn't also be made into an .exe). I only offer it up for anyone who also wants to try to "play" with this.

zoran · 12-03-2010, 01:02 AM

.....

timlegge · 12-03-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoran

There is a patch for Calibre for "I'm reading" removal. Never looked
into the source, but guy, responsible for the code, hangs around.
If he likes, no reason not to use it and add graphical interface to
get dedicated application. I'm aware interface code should be added
also, which makes it a lot bigger and prone to failure. If I'd run win
and want it to use graphical interface, I'd use Calibre myself.

Calibre runs on Linux too. That is where I develop...

Tim

zoran · 12-04-2010, 12:13 AM

.....

razmichael · 12-04-2010, 05:23 PM

This thread has taken a major turn! As much as I appreciate the interesting conversation about various Linux distributions, command line vs GUI etc, the intent of my post was to simply offer anyone who wanted to play with an alternate interface into the KOBO database a starting point within MSAccess (including the I'M Reading removal sql already integrated). I was very clear on the limitations and that I was not proposing a replacement for Calibre or any such thing. It did works very well as a GUI to remove or reset the I'm Reading books as well as the core to a different to view and/or play with the DB that could be used to add or do more things if someone wanted to explore or experiment. It would also be easy to add more functionality (which I have already done for my use), but I never suggested it was a major step forward or for everyone.

timlegge · 12-04-2010, 06:33 PM

Hi

Sorry. Your original posting is interesting. I did not realize access could talk to salute databases. It's not something I use much anymore. Ms access is one of microsoft's better tools. It's still awful ;-) but it has a lot of capabilities.

If I get some time I may check it out.

Tim

razmichael · 12-04-2010, 07:12 PM

Access has many faults but I have always appreciated the easy way for the "average" person to quickly develop a good front end through forms, including easy query design and many simple automated VBA functions. With a little more experience you can program some fairly good applications without being an expert programmer. I have often used it to develop front ends into mixed databased environments (mysql, sql, etc) - especially Microsoft SQL. Love them or hate them, there are many environments running Microsoft Office only. I guess I'm now changing the direction of the thread.

12-01-2010, 10:13 PM	#1
razmichael Member Posts: 24 Karma: 106 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ottawa Device: Kobo WiFi	Using MSAccess to Remove I'M Reading list We purchased a Kobo wifi a few weeks ago and in general it has been great. My major issue was the lack of ability to remove the I'm Reading list. From the threads, I am apparently not alone in this. More for fun than anything else i decided to use MSAccess to interface with the Kobo DB. I built a basic application that shows the books in the I'M Reading list and allows you to select one or more and remove them. Initially I tried to link to the tables but issues with indexing caused problems so I switched to a Pass-Through SQL approach. I realize that Calibre will be fixing this (may already be done in the latest version) but I'll offer my DB in case anyone wants to play with it. It is not fancy and I have not added a bunch of error catching code but so far it has worked well for me but I do not guarantee there will not be problems - you will be accessing the Kobo DB from an external application! Instructions and the db can be downloaded from https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B21...ZWE5NThj&hl=en . It requires the ODBC driver install and is for Access 2007 or 2010 only. If interested and you have experience with Access ( and VBA) feel free to play with it.

12-02-2010, 10:34 AM	#3
zoran himself Posts: 576 Karma: 11226 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	..... Last edited by zoran; 12-05-2010 at 12:52 AM.

12-03-2010, 01:02 AM	#5
zoran himself Posts: 576 Karma: 11226 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	..... Last edited by zoran; 12-05-2010 at 12:52 AM.

12-04-2010, 12:13 AM	#7
zoran himself Posts: 576 Karma: 11226 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	..... Last edited by zoran; 12-05-2010 at 12:51 AM.

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12-02-2010, 06:34 AM	#2
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Changing the book to "Read" on Calibre (go to device menu) does move the book out of the I'm Reading list, back to Books, and marks it as Finished on the Kobo. At least on mine . I am running the latest version of Calibre, 0.7.31.

12-02-2010, 05:49 PM	#4
razmichael Member Posts: 24 Karma: 106 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ottawa Device: Kobo WiFi	Although I have no issues with a good command line, there is also an advantage to a nice gui interface that hides any sql or code. As I mentioned, the application I did up using MSAccess as the database interface provides an easy graphical way to select one or more books in the I'm Reading list and remove them as opposed to doing multiple command line SQL statements to find and then select a subset of books to remove. IF all you want to do is remove all books then a quick bat file calling sqllite would do fine. However, I really did it more for fun and to see how to integrate MSAccess as a front end into an sqllite database since it allows for teh development of forms, Visual Basic code etc (not that it couldn't also be made into an .exe). I only offer it up for anyone who also wants to try to "play" with this.

12-04-2010, 05:23 PM	#8
razmichael Member Posts: 24 Karma: 106 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ottawa Device: Kobo WiFi	This thread has taken a major turn! As much as I appreciate the interesting conversation about various Linux distributions, command line vs GUI etc, the intent of my post was to simply offer anyone who wanted to play with an alternate interface into the KOBO database a starting point within MSAccess (including the I'M Reading removal sql already integrated). I was very clear on the limitations and that I was not proposing a replacement for Calibre or any such thing. It did works very well as a GUI to remove or reset the I'm Reading books as well as the core to a different to view and/or play with the DB that could be used to add or do more things if someone wanted to explore or experiment. It would also be easy to add more functionality (which I have already done for my use), but I never suggested it was a major step forward or for everyone.

12-04-2010, 06:33 PM	#9
timlegge Addict Posts: 305 Karma: 78651 Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Device: Kobo, Kobo Wifi, Kobo Touch	Hi Sorry. Your original posting is interesting. I did not realize access could talk to salute databases. It's not something I use much anymore. Ms access is one of microsoft's better tools. It's still awful ;-) but it has a lot of capabilities. If I get some time I may check it out. Tim

12-04-2010, 07:12 PM	#10
razmichael Member Posts: 24 Karma: 106 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ottawa Device: Kobo WiFi	Access has many faults but I have always appreciated the easy way for the "average" person to quickly develop a good front end through forms, including easy query design and many simple automated VBA functions. With a little more experience you can program some fairly good applications without being an expert programmer. I have often used it to develop front ends into mixed databased environments (mysql, sql, etc) - especially Microsoft SQL. Love them or hate them, there are many environments running Microsoft Office only. I guess I'm now changing the direction of the thread.

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