[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[hpotter]

Hello DavidFor,
Is it possible to manage two kobo with your plugin?
Thank you in advance.

[Terisa de morgan]

This is the translation. There're some strings I haven't seen checking the options, so I don't know if there will be any mistake.

KoboUtilities-1.8.3-es.zip

[PeterT]

You can manage multiple Kobo's; at least so far as items like backups go. The backups are named using both the device type as well as the device serial number.

However, there only is a single column available for each of the reading stats, so stats / reading positions would be combined for the two devices (and optionally only the furthest reading location would be retained).

[ebookskippy]

Thanks davidfor -P-

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

This is the translation. There're some strings I haven't seen checking the options, so I don't know if there will be any mistake.

Attachment 131478

Thanks. I'll get the update out tonight or tomorrow.

[hpotter]

Originally Posted by PeterT

You can manage multiple Kobo's; at least so far as items like backups go. The backups are named using both the device type as well as the device serial number.

However, there only is a single column available for each of the reading stats, so stats / reading positions would be combined for the two devices (and optionally only the furthest reading location would be retained).

Thank you for this rapid (and complete) answer.

What is the effort so that the plugin is be able to deal with multiple reading status?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by hpotter

Thank you for this rapid (and complete) answer.

What is the effort so that the plugin is be able to deal with multiple reading status?

You can do it right now manually. What you need to do is:

- For each device, create a set of custom columns for the reading status. You would need to name them so that you know which is which.
- With no devices connected, configure the plugin to use one set of columns.
- Connect the device for the configured columns and fetch the status.
- Eject the device
- Repeat the above for each device.

I haven't tried it, but that should work. A way to partly automate this is to take copies of the configuration file and replace it before starting calibre and connecting each device. You could wrap starting calibre in a script to replace the file before starting.

I have thought about adding this this to the plugin, but, I haven't really had a need. And I think you are the first to suggest it. I'll put it on my TODO list to have a look and see how easy it is. But, it isn't likely to happen any time soon.

[hpotter]

Originally Posted by davidfor

You can do it right now manually. What you need to do is:

- For each device, create a set of custom columns for the reading status. You would need to name them so that you know which is which.
- With no devices connected, configure the plugin to use one set of columns.
- Connect the device for the configured columns and fetch the status.
- Eject the device
- Repeat the above for each device.

I haven't tried it, but that should work. A way to partly automate this is to take copies of the configuration file and replace it before starting calibre and connecting each device. You could wrap starting calibre in a script to replace the file before starting.

I have thought about adding this this to the plugin, but, I haven't really had a need. And I think you are the first to suggest it. I'll put it on my TODO list to have a look and see how easy it is. But, it isn't likely to happen any time soon.

Thank you again for the quick answer; the solution is OK.

However, in the family we have 4 Kobo glo and it is difficult to manage like this.

[davidfor]

I have just uploaded an update to the plugin. The only change is to update the Spanish translations thanks to Terisa and vIosOnE.

It should be announced by calibre in the next hour or so.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I have just uploaded an update to the plugin. The only change is to update the Spanish translations thanks to Terisa and vIosOnE.

It should be announced by calibre in the next hour or so.

Yes, the update announcement did show up.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by hpotter

Thank you again for the quick answer; the solution is OK.

However, in the family we have 4 Kobo glo and it is difficult to manage like this.

With four devices in active use, I can see why you would want this. I have three, but only really read on one of them, so I just ignore the updates from the others.

I have started looking at this. So far it is mainly involved staring at the config dialog to work out how to handle the configuration. Looking at it I realised two things. Firstly, most of the options on it could be device dependent. Secondly, I don't have a good idea how to do this yet. The dialogs going to be the hard part. Once I have that, the rest will be "easy".

[PeterT]

I was wondering about the feasibility of base column names that would be specified in the plugin that would then be auto suffixed by the serial # of the device.

Of course then there is the challenge of getting the user to create the correctly named columns by hand and also the challenge of how to override those if you (for instance) want to restore the reading location from one device to another

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I was wondering about the feasibility of base column names that would be specified in the plugin that would then be auto suffixed by the serial # of the device.

Of course then there is the challenge of getting the user to create the correctly named columns by hand and also the challenge of how to override those if you (for instance) want to restore the reading location from one device to another

It's an idea. It might be possible to have a wizard that create the columns. That would be handy in any case.

Restoring the values from one device to another is something that has occurred to me. It's function that I think is needed.

[hpotter]

Originally Posted by davidfor

It's an idea. It might be possible to have a wizard that create the columns. That would be handy in any case.

Restoring the values from one device to another is something that has occurred to me. It's function that I think is needed.

The current storage (in .opf file) is the following:

meta name="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadpct" content=" abcdef "
meta name="calibre:user_metadata:#kobolastread" content=" abcdef "
meta name="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadloc" content=" abcdef "

Would it run with the following one (name being the MAC address)?

meta name="00:90:A2:xx:yy:zz" content="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadpct = abcdef "
meta name="00:90:A2:xx:yy:zz" content="calibre:user_metadata:#kobolastread = abcdef "
meta name="00:90:A2:xx:yy:zz" content="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadloc = abcdef "

It is just a question; I've no knowledge at all on the topic.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by hpotter

The current storage (in .opf file) is the following:

meta name="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadpct" content=" abcdef "
meta name="calibre:user_metadata:#kobolastread" content=" abcdef "
meta name="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadloc" content=" abcdef "

Would it run with the following one (name being the MAC address)?

meta name="00:90:A2:xx:yy:zz" content="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadpct = abcdef "
meta name="00:90:A2:xx:yy:zz" content="calibre:user_metadata:#kobolastread = abcdef "
meta name="00:90:A2:xx:yy:zz" content="calibre:user_metadata:#koboreadloc = abcdef "

It is just a question; I've no knowledge at all on the topic.

It isn't the data storage that I am working out, that will be the same as now. Except there will be a set of custom columns for each device. As to the content of the OPF, I have no control over that. Calibre writes that whenever it writes the metadata to the OPF file in the library or to the books. And the format of each attribute is defined. To use the MAC address, it would be part of the column name.

The issue is how to create that configuration. How to display on the screen and then store it in the configuration file. At the moment, I'm planning to use a similar method to the Reading List plugin. A tab for "Profiles" which have the device specific configuration, a tab for the list of known devices and a tab for all the other options (keyboard and the button configuration). You will be able to create as many profiles as you want. Each can be assigned to one device. Or one can be set for all unknown devices. This is effectively what happens now.

That feels like it will work. And it has the added advantage of being able to "borrow" a lot of code from