Looking for an E-book Indexing / Inventory / Cataloging Program - Page 5

Xenophon · 10-07-2007, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can Readerware handle the fct that if I have an ebook edition and a pbook edition that they are different books?

Readerware uses the ISBN as the key to identify books. It also supports having multiple copies of a single book, each with a different location. I imagine that this capability was originally added to support libraries and used book stores, but it sure seems like it would allow you to have one copy on your shelf and another on your computer (for example).

I own Readerware, and use it to catalog my paper books. I haven't started entering my electronic books yet, but that's how I'm currently planning to handle them.

nekokami · 10-07-2007, 10:36 PM

ReaderWare doesn't seem to know about different editions of the same book, i.e. same title and author, but different binding (hc/pb/ebook) and hence different ISBN. I haven't updated my copy in about a year, though, so maybe the author has fixed that by now. I did write to him about the problem a while back. I guess it would be non-trivial to automate the link, because the title or author might have been spelled slightly differently in the multiple entries, but I still think you ought to be able to link up the different editions quickly and easily.

AnemicOak · 10-07-2007, 10:52 PM

I use Book Collector from collectorz.com for my pbook, or at least I was I haven't been to good about keeping it up to date. It's decent software. I've also messed with Shelfari which is an interesting site.

JSWolf · 10-08-2007, 01:34 AM

Do any of these programs such as Book Collector or Readerware allow me to put in an ebook and tell it what formats I have the book in? For example, I download a book from Baen in LIT format. Then I convert it to LRF. Now I have it in both LIT and LRF. Would i need two entries, or would a comments field be available? Also, because these are ebook, I would hope there would be no field for whether it's paperback or hardback since that would not be appropriate for these. Would be for my dead tree books though.

nekokami · 10-08-2007, 11:32 AM

Readerware has user-configurable fields that you could use for this purpose, or you could use a general-purpose comments field, as you suggested. You can download a trial version for free from http://readerware.com. (I have no financial interest in this company.)

AnemicOak · 10-08-2007, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do any of these programs such as Book Collector or Readerware allow me to put in an ebook and tell it what formats I have the book in? For example, I download a book from Baen in LIT format. Then I convert it to LRF. Now I have it in both LIT and LRF. Would i need two entries, or would a comments field be available? Also, because these are ebook, I would hope there would be no field for whether it's paperback or hardback since that would not be appropriate for these. Would be for my dead tree books though.

For Book Collector you could select ebook as the format & then put the file types in a comments area or you could create custom formats & have separate entries for each. It's pretty flexible.

They do have a demo you can download to try it out for your self.

~Brian

JSWolf · 10-08-2007, 01:56 PM

I'll have to give these programs a trial and see how they work for my needs. Thanks all!

Martijn · 10-09-2007, 07:17 AM

I've been using Tellico for a while now (http://periapsis.org/tellico/), and it works pretty well.
I use it for both my bibliography for scientific articles (it has a BibTeX export function) and my paper books (though that file is in desperate need of updating).

It has good support for downloading information on the book based on the ISBN number an such.
Furthermore it is a collection manager program, so it can be used for any kind of collection. There are some pre-defined ones like book, video, music, wine, coin, etc. but you can also define your own by entering the fields.
The fields can even be added to an existing or predefined collection if needed.

JSWolf · 10-09-2007, 03:04 PM

It would help a lot if it actually ran with Windows.

Martijn · 10-10-2007, 05:00 AM

Hmmm, that's a little snag yeah

Perhaps it runs under Cygwin, but that would require a bit of work I guess.

JSWolf · 10-10-2007, 10:42 AM

I think Cygwin is more hassle then it is worth. I already have two programs to check out sometime. Plus I could make an Access database if need be.

kovidgoyal · 10-10-2007, 11:38 AM

Once its ported to KDE4 it should run under windows natively.

JSWolf · 10-10-2007, 12:24 PM

I don't think it will be ported as it says it's for KDE 3.x.

kovidgoyal · 10-10-2007, 12:29 PM

most KDE apps will be ported. Most of the porting is quite automatic. Of course it depends on how much time the author has.

Evadman · 10-19-2007, 06:21 PM

It annoys me greatly that there is not a mainstream program for cataloging ebooks and such. I make it a point to buy books that come with an electronic version, or just the electronic version itself.

I also have begun converting some of my docs into LIT files (then LRF) so I can take them wherever I need to go. As a programmer having books like this instantly available is a huge win, and toting a library is much harder than 15 or 20 2 GB MicroSD cards. Trying to figure out where the book is though is driving me bonkers.

Since there son't seem to be a mainstream cataloger (besides Readerware which costs $ and doesn'thave the features I want anyway) I think I will just write one. Being a programmer at heart, this shouldn't bee too bad. Throw something like MS SQL Express as the backend with a 4 GB limit should be enough for any cataloger. I will have to do some research to see if there is a cataloging service you can hit 9library of congress, amazon, etc) like you can for mp3's.

Since I haven't started writing it yet, feel free to toss requests here or shoot me an email or something. I can't promise dates or anything because they will be based on my time and what features we come up with.

what I can promise is that it will be windows based written in visual basic (maybe MS Access for a version or 2 since it is so easy) I wouldn't mind screenshots of your access DB HarryT, it will get a jump start on things. One of the limitations of Access though is that you have to have access to use it, so that will exclude a lot of users since access is about as much as a eReader now

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10-07-2007, 10:36 PM	#62
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	ReaderWare doesn't seem to know about different editions of the same book, i.e. same title and author, but different binding (hc/pb/ebook) and hence different ISBN. I haven't updated my copy in about a year, though, so maybe the author has fixed that by now. I did write to him about the problem a while back. I guess it would be non-trivial to automate the link, because the title or author might have been spelled slightly differently in the multiple entries, but I still think you ought to be able to link up the different editions quickly and easily.

10-07-2007, 10:52 PM	#63
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I use Book Collector from collectorz.com for my pbook, or at least I was I haven't been to good about keeping it up to date. It's decent software. I've also messed with Shelfari which is an interesting site.

10-08-2007, 01:34 AM	#64
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Do any of these programs such as Book Collector or Readerware allow me to put in an ebook and tell it what formats I have the book in? For example, I download a book from Baen in LIT format. Then I convert it to LRF. Now I have it in both LIT and LRF. Would i need two entries, or would a comments field be available? Also, because these are ebook, I would hope there would be no field for whether it's paperback or hardback since that would not be appropriate for these. Would be for my dead tree books though.

10-08-2007, 11:32 AM	#65
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Readerware has user-configurable fields that you could use for this purpose, or you could use a general-purpose comments field, as you suggested. You can download a trial version for free from http://readerware.com. (I have no financial interest in this company.)

10-08-2007, 01:56 PM	#67
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I'll have to give these programs a trial and see how they work for my needs. Thanks all!

10-09-2007, 07:17 AM	#68
Martijn Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 855 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Netherlands Device: iLiad	I've been using Tellico for a while now (http://periapsis.org/tellico/), and it works pretty well. I use it for both my bibliography for scientific articles (it has a BibTeX export function) and my paper books (though that file is in desperate need of updating). It has good support for downloading information on the book based on the ISBN number an such. Furthermore it is a collection manager program, so it can be used for any kind of collection. There are some pre-defined ones like book, video, music, wine, coin, etc. but you can also define your own by entering the fields. The fields can even be added to an existing or predefined collection if needed.

10-09-2007, 03:04 PM	#69
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It would help a lot if it actually ran with Windows.

10-10-2007, 05:00 AM	#70
Martijn Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 855 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Netherlands Device: iLiad	Hmmm, that's a little snag yeah Perhaps it runs under Cygwin, but that would require a bit of work I guess.

10-10-2007, 10:42 AM	#71
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I think Cygwin is more hassle then it is worth. I already have two programs to check out sometime. Plus I could make an Access database if need be.

10-10-2007, 11:38 AM	#72
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,859 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Once its ported to KDE4 it should run under windows natively.

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10-10-2007, 12:24 PM	#73
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I don't think it will be ported as it says it's for KDE 3.x.

10-10-2007, 12:29 PM	#74
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,859 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	most KDE apps will be ported. Most of the porting is quite automatic. Of course it depends on how much time the author has.

10-19-2007, 06:21 PM	#75
Evadman Member Posts: 10 Karma: 30 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	It annoys me greatly that there is not a mainstream program for cataloging ebooks and such. I make it a point to buy books that come with an electronic version, or just the electronic version itself. I also have begun converting some of my docs into LIT files (then LRF) so I can take them wherever I need to go. As a programmer having books like this instantly available is a huge win, and toting a library is much harder than 15 or 20 2 GB MicroSD cards. Trying to figure out where the book is though is driving me bonkers. Since there son't seem to be a mainstream cataloger (besides Readerware which costs $ and doesn'thave the features I want anyway) I think I will just write one. Being a programmer at heart, this shouldn't bee too bad. Throw something like MS SQL Express as the backend with a 4 GB limit should be enough for any cataloger. I will have to do some research to see if there is a cataloging service you can hit 9library of congress, amazon, etc) like you can for mp3's. Since I haven't started writing it yet, feel free to toss requests here or shoot me an email or something. I can't promise dates or anything because they will be based on my time and what features we come up with. what I can promise is that it will be windows based written in visual basic (maybe MS Access for a version or 2 since it is so easy) I wouldn't mind screenshots of your access DB HarryT, it will get a jump start on things. One of the limitations of Access though is that you have to have access to use it, so that will exclude a lot of users since access is about as much as a eReader now