Hacks Beta Testers: Kindle Visual Guide [KindlePID]

[daffy4u]

pilotbob, Leep and I have been working a project and we need some beta testers.

The Kindle Visual Guide is a section of the MobileRead wiki that will contain step-by-step instructions with screen captures, showing Kindle owners how to use the command line to make their Kindle's more even more usable.

We have just completed out first pages on how to obtain the Kindle PID on 3 OS platforms.

KindlePID Vista
KindlePID XP
KindlePID Mac

We are also working on pages for KindleFIX and Mobi2mobi.

We'd appreciate it if you would click the links and check out the instructions to make sure everything is clear. We're especially interested in input from new Kindle users.

Please use this thread to post comments, suggested changes and even other Visual Guide instructions you would like us to add.

Thanks!

EDIT:

The main wiki page for the Visual Kindle Guide is up and will give you access to each of the scripts for the Vista, XP and Mac OS's.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

pilotbob, Leep and I have been working a project and we need some beta testers.

The Kindle Visual Guide is a section of the MobileRead wiki that will contain step-by-step instructions with screen captures, showing Kindle owners how to use the command line to make their Kindle's more even more usable.

We have just completed out first pages on how to obtain the Kindle PID on 3 OS platforms.

KindlePID Vista
KindlePID XP
KindlePID Mac

We are also working on pages for KindleFIX and Mobi2mobi.

We'd appreciate it if you would click the links and check out the instructions to make sure everything is clear. We're especially interested in input from new Kindle users.

Please use this thread to post comments, suggested changes and even other Visual Guide instructions you would like us to add.

Thanks!

That looks like what I did using Vista Thanks to Leep for all the 'walk thru's, and Tallmomof2 for her informational posts as well.

Good job.

[desertgrandma]

I "pinned" the command prompt window to the start page so all I have to do is go there and click for it to come up.......just saves a few steps.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I "pinned" the command prompt window to the start page so all I have to do is go there and click for it to come up.......just saves a few steps.

There have been a few folks who've mentioned they know very little about computeres and don't know how to get to a command prompt the first time. That's why I've gone into detail on how to open it.

I have actually have mine as a desktop icon, so great minds think alike.

I'm actually leaning as I do this myself. I'm learning how to use kindlefix for the first time and as you know I had to come to you for info on mobi2mobi.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

There have been a few folks who've mentioned they know very little about computeres and don't know how to get to a command prompt the first time. That's why I've gone into detail on how to open it.

I have actually have mine as a desktop icon, so great minds think alike.

I'm actually leaning as I do this myself. I'm learning how to use kindlefix for the first time and as you know I had to come to you for info on mobi2mobi.

Don't lean over too far Daffy!!! You might fall right on your........feathers!

And truly, don't you just love the command prompt? Its like a game.....every time I press "enter" I wonder
"will I get the lady (success) or the tiger? ('file not found')

But I"ve at least memorized my Kindle PID.......

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Don't lean over too far Daffy!!! You might fall right on your........feathers!

And truly, don't you just love the command prompt? Its like a game.....every time I press "enter" I wonder
"will I get the lady (success) or the tiger? ('file not found')

But I"ve at least memorized my Kindle PID.......

I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.

I'm actually having issues with kindlefix, the same issues I've seen others post about that I'm trying to work through. There may be lots of screen grabs for this one.

[daffy4u]

Got it! You could not defeat me kindlefix! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAH!

[badgoodDeb]

The last screen pic on the Mac version is wrong. It purports to show how to run kindlePID but the user actually typed kindleFIX .... and what resulted was the info on how to correctly call kindleFIX.

Unless you purposely didn't want to show your kindle's PID by showing the correct screen!

Thanks -- good info. I hadn't even thought about putting the shebang info into the scripts. (Though I'm familiar with the term). I just type /usr/bin/pythonw scriptname.... So, good info here!

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

The last screen pic on the Mac version is wrong. It purports to show how to run kindlePID but the user actually typed kindleFIX .... and what resulted was the info on how to correctly call kindleFIX.

Unless you purposely didn't want to show your kindle's PID by showing the correct screen!

Thanks -- good info. I hadn't even thought about putting the shebang info into the scripts. (Though I'm familiar with the term). I just type /usr/bin/pythonw scriptname.... So, good info here!

pilotbob's our Mac Man, so he should be able to make the change when he sees your post.

Thanks for the input!

[daffy4u]

KindleFIX for Vista and XP are up now. Please take a look.



Edit: This one may change. It works but I may have missed something that caused me to add an extra step. Stay tuned!

[JMikeD]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

and even other Visual Guide instructions you would like us to add.

Thanks!

I'd like step-by-step on how to add the Palm libraries to the Mac so we could use the mobi2mobi Perl scripts.

Mike

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by JMikeD

I'd like step-by-step on how to add the Palm libraries to the Mac so we could use the mobi2mobi Perl scripts.

Mike

I'm not a Mac person but I want to make sure I understand. You want to move Palm books (pdb?) onto a Mac and use mobi2mobi on them but you aren't trying to move them to your Kindle? You just want to change the metadata?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

The last screen pic on the Mac version is wrong. It purports to show how to run kindlePID but the user actually typed kindleFIX .... and what resulted was the info on how to correctly call kindleFIX.

Doh! Thanks that was a goof. I was focusing so much on getting a nice screen shot I didn't even notice I ran the wrong command that time. Fixed!

BTW: I love your avatar... I can't stop looking at it. Got a full size hi-res of that?

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Unless you purposely didn't want to show your kindle's PID by showing the correct screen!

I just made up the s/n... so it and the resulting PID are bogus... although I guess there is a 1 in a few trillion chance that I guessed an actual one.

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Thanks -- good info. I hadn't even thought about putting the shebang info into the scripts. (Though I'm familiar with the term). I just type /usr/bin/pythonw scriptname.... So, good info here!

I'm glad someone got something out of it.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Thanks -- good info. I hadn't even thought about putting the shebang info into the scripts. (Though I'm familiar with the term). I just type /usr/bin/pythonw scriptname.... So, good info here!

You should just be able to type:

python scriptname.py param1 param2 etc

since python should be in your path. But I have found using the shebang and the linked shortcuts in my path to be more convenient.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JMikeD

I'd like step-by-step on how to add the Palm libraries to the Mac so we could use the mobi2mobi Perl scripts.

Mike

Do they steps on the mobiperl site not work? I do plan to do this, but was basically going to steal those directions. I have yet to run mobiperl stuff on my Mac... only done that on Windows so far.

BOb