impserve: user-created plugins and requests....

[nrapallo]

In the thread impserve: serving content and accessing the internet for the 1200/1150, you will find the ebookutils software package created by ashkulz. The latest plugins can also be found here.

Therein, you will find the impserve python script and/or windows program that will allow your EBW11500 (or REB1200) to interact with your local hard disk (for local .imp content transfers) and the internet (for surfing and downloading .imp/.prc/.pdb/.pdf/.djvu/.lit natively i.e. directly onto your reader).

Impserve's usefulness can be extended by user-supplied 'plugins' which are written in python (and yes, its easier to change someone's else code than write your own). Once completed and tested, the plugin could be permanently placed in the plugin directory of the impserve install directory and then be available for each invocation of the impserve program.

Along with the initial plugins provided by ashkulz, I have been able to write several more plugins (that can now be used with either device 1200/1150), namely:

1. AdjustSmallestFont.py - Forces smallest font to use (first user-supplied impserve plugin)
   
   
2. PrcConverter.py - Converts any nonDRM'ed .mobi/.prc/.pdb compatible (non-Huff-dic encoded) ebook directly into .imp and downloads it onto your reader. At the same time, it stores a copy of the .imp ebook in your (first) local bookshelf. Once done, just tap your 'Bookshelf' and find it! Hint: look at the dos window opened by impserve for more information about Category, Title and Author actually used by the .imp ebook.
   
   
3. PdfConverter.py - Converts any nonDRM'ed .pdf ebook directly into .imp and downloads it onto your reader. At the same time, it stores a copy of the .imp ebook in your (first) local bookshelf. If it takes too long i.e. file size is too big, it may abort. New all-in-one design; now defaults to landscape mode (just set OPTION to your choice's name).
   
   
4. DjvuConverter.py - Converts any .djvu ebook directly into .imp and downloads it onto your reader. At the same time, it stores a copy of the .imp ebook in your (first) local bookshelf. These can be huge files and most will fail! New all-in-one design; now defaults to landscape mode (just set OPTION to your choice's name).
   
   
5. LitConverter.py - Converts any MS Reader .lit ebook directly into .imp and downloads it onto your reader. At the same time, it stores a copy of the .imp ebook in your (first) local bookshelf. These usually convert quite well and fast!
   
   
6. AdjustImageSize.py - Converts any large images (bigger than 128x128) down to 128x128 and converts them to lesser colored images! The final image can be in OPTION Orig format or replaced by a 256-color GIF, 256-color PNG, 16-color GIF, 16-color PNG, B&W, Box, or blank Dot image so as to reduce the memory "strain" on the device. New all-in-one design; now defaults to Orig (just set OPTION to your choice's name). Useful primarily for the EBW1150!
   
   
7. ImpSaver.py - Allows any .imp ebooks downloaded directly onto your reader WHILE SURFING THE INTERNET (from impserve) to now also be stored in your (first) local bookshelf.

Notes:
For item 2 above, Mobi2IMP 9.4 must be installed; (for how to install this software, see http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22178).

For items 3-4 above, PDFRead 1.8 must be installed; (for how to install this software, see http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21906).

For item 5 above, Lit2sb must be installed; (for how to install this software, see http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20592). Must make the .lit default association to be Lit2sb.exe and edit (the plugin) to match your Lit2sb "home" directory PATH for this to work!

For item 6 above, PIL (Python Image Library) needs to be installed, see http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/ to install.

When you want to use a plugin, copy it to the plugins directory within the impserve src directory. When not in use, place it in a plugins-disabled directory or its original directory.

Have any ideas for plugins? want to write one and share?

Have fun and show them all what this little LCD device can do!

Revision History

initial release - (Sept 6, 2008) Initial combined offering
release 2 - (Sept 8, 2008) Added AdjustImageSize
release 3 - (Sept 18, 2008) Added LitConverter, ImpSaver; plugins now usuable on any device (1200/1150)
release 4 - (Sept 21, 2008) re-vamped plugins to use all-in-one design; PrcConverter.py now downloads from munseys.com!
release 5 - (Sept 27, 2008) re-vamped plugins to skip unwanted Content-Types, use local temp directory and no longer need any external .bat files (now incorporated within)!

p.s. you only need the latest release. (Now includes sample content/index.html and content/next.html)

Enjoy!
Nick Rapallo
(nrapallo)