PRS-500 Mountable Sony Reader Filesystem - Page 2

Xenophon · 02-05-2007, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty1024

My intent is to produce a portable code base that leverages existing cross platform code. I had originally been working in Objective C producing a Native Mac OS X filesystem when I found Google Mac FUSE via Digg. I figured it was worth it to abandon the native filesystem and gain the portability to other platforms.

I expect to have Mac and Linux done in the next two weeks.

Then comes a Mac GUI App for monitoring inserts/removals to plug/unplug the filesystem and a .deb for Debian. Then a packaged installer with the ability to install Mac FUSE/libusb for the user (for Mac).

Hey Scotty -- How 'bout a PPC version for those of us who can't yet afford an Intel-based Mac? I'd be eager to give it a try!

Xenophon

tsgreer · 02-05-2007, 06:09 PM

PPC guy here too! Not sure when I will be able to afford a new Intel-based Mac...

scotty1024 · 02-05-2007, 06:28 PM

I'll be testing it tonight on a Powerbook 12" G4 1.5GHz (we kept it after upgrading the Wife to an Intel.)

scotty1024 · 02-05-2007, 06:51 PM

Also, the code has been tested under Leopard on Intel and it works. Just in case anyone was worried about Leopard compatibility.

My wife is handling all the testing. She can break Apple's bug reporting system while filing bugs, she has a real gift for breaking software...

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 03:45 PM

The new Sony firmware breaks the existing code.

I have new code up and running (complete with write support and PPC) and will be posting it as soon as testing is completed. Estimate is Sunday/Monday.

Based on feedback from my wife I was already tweaking it to present a virtual root directory that made it easier to navigate to where to drop books and mp3's. I've just had to speed that up.

I'm also working on a folder view that will parse the media XML file(s) and present a foldered view of the content found in those file(s). That will be in the next release.

NatCh · 02-09-2007, 03:53 PM

Great googley moogley.

If your apps don't get ported for Windows, scotty1024, then I just might have to buy a MacPuter.

ultim8fury · 02-09-2007, 04:19 PM

when you get around to the GUI I think you deserve the bounty I posted.

kovidgoyal · 02-09-2007, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty1024

The new Sony firmware breaks the existing code.

I have new code up and running (complete with write support and PPC) and will be posting it as soon as testing is completed. Estimate is Sunday/Monday.

Based on feedback from my wife I was already tweaking it to present a virtual root directory that made it easier to navigate to where to drop books and mp3's. I've just had to speed that up.

I'm also working on a folder view that will parse the media XML file(s) and present a foldered view of the content found in those file(s). That will be in the next release.

scotty, all those features are already implemented in the GUI of libprs500, do you really feel the need to duplicate all that code?

NatCh · 02-09-2007, 05:10 PM

Perhaps you might consider a formal collaboration? It sounds like you've each got at least half the problem licked from opposite ends....

Just a thought.

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 06:45 PM

I'm not after a bounty, I already married my bounty.

I'm doing it because I use Mac's and I've been working on Sony ebook publishing for many years now.

The wife and I are planning on WWDC this year in case anyone wants to meet up there.

Also, if anyone wants to combine and save ~$300 on Apple's buy 5 get 1 free deal on WWDC tickets let me know.

kovidgoyal · 02-09-2007, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Perhaps you might consider a formal collaboration? It sounds like you've each got at least half the problem licked from opposite ends....

Just a thought.

I'm happy to collaborate, all my code is in SVN so it should be really easy to submit patches and if anyone wants to do heavy development I'm happy to give them commit access to the repository.

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

scotty, all those features are already implemented in the GUI of libprs500, do you really feel the need to duplicate all that code?

I'm not saying anything about your software, I've never seen the GUI working. I never got the Qt stuff working on my Mac. Your command line tools works well and it makes a very handy diagnostic tool.

I don't know if "duplicate" is the correct word here.

But producing a mountable filesystem that slices/dices/frappe's it will make these features available to all developers in their own applications, as well as to your Average Joe using something off the shelf like Word.

And I admit it, I've been "ruined" by compiled languages. I wouldn't have much to contribute to a Python based project except explanations of things I've sussed out of the protocol/Reader files myself.

kovidgoyal · 02-09-2007, 09:01 PM

Well if you have the time, more power to you. I am taking libprs500 towards becoming an ebook library management app as I'm the kind of person that has wall-to-wall collections of pbooks and I want to have equivalent collections of ebooks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty1024

I'm not saying anything about your software, I've never seen the GUI working. I never got the Qt stuff working on my Mac. Your command line tools works well and it makes a very handy diagnostic tool.

I don't know if "duplicate" is the correct word here.

But producing a mountable filesystem that slices/dices/frappe's it will make these features available to all developers in their own applications, as well as to your Average Joe using something off the shelf like Word.

And I admit it, I've been "ruined" by compiled languages. I wouldn't have much to contribute to a Python based project except explanations of things I've sussed out of the protocol/Reader files myself.

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Well if you have the time, more power to you. I am taking libprs500 towards becoming an ebook library management app as I'm the kind of person that has wall-to-wall collections of pbooks and I want to have equivalent collections of ebooks.

If your code was in C or C++ I'd be happy to collaborate with you, but it isn't.

I've got many 10's of GB's of ebooks so I'm already into ebook library management. I agree, you want some for sure.

But I think the mountable filesystem will make it easier for people to write a variety of library management systems using their familiar development API's.

Imagine how much easier your Python coding would have been if you could have just read/written files using the standard Python API's. Maybe at some point you'll rip out the USB protocol support and just hop on board the mountable filesystem bus with your project. You'll be free to focus on the library management code and let someone else sweat the USB details as Sony versions the device.

kovidgoyal · 02-09-2007, 10:53 PM

An ebook reading device is more than just a filesystem with book files in it. There's metadata as well.

I'm architecting the library so that device interaction is via a plugin. The plugin needs to only provide functions to get the list of books, delete a book and add a book. It takes care of metadata handling internally. If I were to migrate to a filesystem based way of doing it, there'd still be non-trivial code needed for updating the XML databases on the reader. Now that SONY has basically locked out the rest of the filesystem anyway, the justification, imho, for a filesystem view doesn't really exist.

You are correct in that a filesystem interface is the easiest to use for other developers, provided it contains metadata handling as well, however, a command line interface like prs500 is not that much harder.

On a side note, how do you manage your ebook collection?

EDIT: I have no programming language related hangups, though I do find python to be the most efficient (for the developer) language over long term use, so if you ever need help I'll be happy to contribute C code.

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02-05-2007, 06:09 PM	#17
tsgreer Lovin' the e-book life... Posts: 633 Karma: 2509 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Colorado Device: Ebookwise 1150, Sony PRS-505, Amazon Kindle, BeBook (with OpenInkpot)	PPC guy here too! Not sure when I will be able to afford a new Intel-based Mac...

02-05-2007, 06:28 PM	#18
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	I'll be testing it tonight on a Powerbook 12" G4 1.5GHz (we kept it after upgrading the Wife to an Intel.)

02-05-2007, 06:51 PM	#19
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	Also, the code has been tested under Leopard on Intel and it works. Just in case anyone was worried about Leopard compatibility. My wife is handling all the testing. She can break Apple's bug reporting system while filing bugs, she has a real gift for breaking software...

02-09-2007, 03:45 PM	#20
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	The new Sony firmware breaks the existing code. I have new code up and running (complete with write support and PPC) and will be posting it as soon as testing is completed. Estimate is Sunday/Monday. Based on feedback from my wife I was already tweaking it to present a virtual root directory that made it easier to navigate to where to drop books and mp3's. I've just had to speed that up. I'm also working on a folder view that will parse the media XML file(s) and present a foldered view of the content found in those file(s). That will be in the next release.

02-09-2007, 03:53 PM	#21
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Great googley moogley. If your apps don't get ported for Windows, scotty1024, then I just might have to buy a MacPuter.

02-09-2007, 04:19 PM	#22
ultim8fury Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 368 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK Device: PRS500, Looking at 700	when you get around to the GUI I think you deserve the bounty I posted.

02-09-2007, 05:10 PM	#24
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Perhaps you might consider a formal collaboration? It sounds like you've each got at least half the problem licked from opposite ends.... Just a thought.

02-09-2007, 06:45 PM	#25
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	I'm not after a bounty, I already married my bounty. I'm doing it because I use Mac's and I've been working on Sony ebook publishing for many years now. The wife and I are planning on WWDC this year in case anyone wants to meet up there. Also, if anyone wants to combine and save ~$300 on Apple's buy 5 get 1 free deal on WWDC tickets let me know.

02-09-2007, 10:53 PM	#30
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	An ebook reading device is more than just a filesystem with book files in it. There's metadata as well. I'm architecting the library so that device interaction is via a plugin. The plugin needs to only provide functions to get the list of books, delete a book and add a book. It takes care of metadata handling internally. If I were to migrate to a filesystem based way of doing it, there'd still be non-trivial code needed for updating the XML databases on the reader. Now that SONY has basically locked out the rest of the filesystem anyway, the justification, imho, for a filesystem view doesn't really exist. You are correct in that a filesystem interface is the easiest to use for other developers, provided it contains metadata handling as well, however, a command line interface like prs500 is not that much harder. On a side note, how do you manage your ebook collection? EDIT: I have no programming language related hangups, though I do find python to be the most efficient (for the developer) language over long term use, so if you ever need help I'll be happy to contribute C code.

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