Windows 8 Calibre Viewer develoment started

[timdams]

Hello all,
Just wanted to mention that I've started writing a small frontend for Calibre to be used in Windows 8 .
For now it will be a read-only frontend to Calibre (meaning you can't edit anything in the databse). The viewer supports library-switching and ability to read those booktypes that Win8 'metro' supports.

Attached a preview of the app.
(the ugly "load/setup/tester" buttons are there for dbug purposes. In the final app, most stuff will be banned to the charms bar)

If you've got any ideas of stuff that should definitely be in there, let me know. I'd especially like to hear how you'd like to see the main view: i.e in screenshot with a sidebar that views additional data, etc)

[kovidgoyal]

Interesting. Why not just use a browser based front end with the calibre server running in the background? Or is this your "Learn Metro" project

[timdams]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Interesting. Why not just use a browser based front end with the calibre server running in the background? Or is this your "Learn Metro" project

It's defintely a learn metro project, though I also am more like to have apps, instead of doing it all through the browser (call me old-fashioned )

[kovidgoyal]

Cool. Feel free to ask if you have any questions about the db structure.

How are you dealing with calibre and your app accessing the db at the same time? calibre locks the db so I assume you just error out at that point. Are you planning to open source it, so others can learn from your learn metro efforts

[timdams]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Cool. Feel free to ask if you have any questions about the db structure.

How are you dealing with calibre and your app accessing the db at the same time? calibre locks the db so I assume you just error out at that point. Are you planning to open source it, so others can learn from your learn metro efforts

Db structure: so far it's pretty clear (used SqliteSpy).

Locking: currently the sqllite project for .net can't work with files unless they are located in certain specific folders (e.g. downloads/documents/desktop). To circumvent this I make a local copy of the chosen database each time the app (damn you metro for forcing me in doing these ugly hacks ). So far, this actually works nice.
The drawback ofcourse is that any changes made through calibre while both are running, won't show up in the app.
Anyhow, I've just started messing around with this yesterday, so we'll see what happens

Opensource: haven't really given it any thought yet, though even anyone is interested I'd gladly put the code up somewhere (github) for others to toy around with.

[timdams]

For those toying around in WinRT. I've compiled some tips/tricks if you're planning on doing something with Calibre in WinRT. Hope it helps.You can find them here.

[kepler42]

Originally Posted by timdams

For those toying around in WinRT. I've compiled some tips/tricks if you're planning on doing something with Calibre in WinRT. Hope it helps.You can find them here.

Great article. Thanks for sharing

[timdams]

Search contract implemented (pretty straightforward). Will describe how later on.
Basically this allows the win8 to query the calibre-db from anywhere in the win8 metro shell using the search charm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdneXt0UsE0

[danellender]

Timdams,

Thanks for working on this. As a calibre user, I'm definitely interested in an app for win8. One constant problem I have with these apps is the developers neglect to provide a portrait orientation for their apps. Just curious, is this a difficult option to provide? Even the Windows App store forces me to turn to landscape mode when it opens.

[timdams]

Originally Posted by danellender

Timdams,

Thanks for working on this. As a calibre user, I'm definitely interested in an app for win8. One constant problem I have with these apps is the developers neglect to provide a portrait orientation for their apps. Just curious, is this a difficult option to provide? Even the Windows App store forces me to turn to landscape mode when it opens.

Hi there,
making a Store App have different orientations isn't that difficult to do actually. The main 'drawback' for me , as one who sux in making nice ui's, is that every ui/view needs to be done twice: one for each orientation. (because even if everything in your is defined relative to one another, some manual repositioning will always have to occur).

I'll keep you're very good remark in mind though!

[robcohen]

Hi Tim,
Saw a mention of this on your blog today and wondered if anything came of this. Nowadays Modern/Metro apps in general are more relevant as Win8.1 starts to evolve.

If you want an alpha or beta volunteer perhaps I could be useful. PM me if you like.

I do think this sort of app would get some usage, at least among a certain set of Calibre users who are trying to rationalize life with bites of Modern; er, find useful Modern apps that are compelling enough to warrant increased use of that environment. That is my situation certainly and might even use it to readas well because the Kindle app has made it impossible to side load your own books in the Modern app.

Hope something comes of this effort!

rob

[Marty_B]

Since this effort appears to have died, and I manage a large database of archival material using Calibre, I decided to write one myself for use on my surface RT. It just appeared in the store this morning under the name Calibre Viewer. I would include a link to it, but don't want to run afoul of self-promotion rules on this forum.

I should note that the listed price (99c) is effectively a suggested donation. The trial version is 100% identical and not time limited. I only added the price in hopes of defraying the cost of the developer's license, but again, it's voluntary.

In terms of the database lock: due to the oddness of windows store apps and the limitations of the sqlite implementation for store apps, a local copy has to be created within the sandbox. I check on startup to see whether the original metadata.db has changed, and if so a new copy is created. This is read-only: no changes can be made from the app itself. Maybe in future versions.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Marty_B

Since this effort appears to have died, and I manage a large database of archival material using Calibre, I decided to write one myself for use on my surface RT. It just appeared in the store this morning under the name Calibre Viewer. I would include a link to it, but don't want to run afoul of self-promotion rules on this forum.

Feel free to start a thread in the Calibre - Related Tools subforum with a full description of the app.

[Marty_B]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

Feel free to start a thread in the Calibre - Related Tools subforum with a full description of the app.

Thank you.