read epub from a shell

farvardin · 07-25-2011, 10:28 AM

I was just wondering if there was a tool to read ebooks (epub) in the (unix) console.
It's still possible to export to html and read them with links for example, but a tool dedicated to ebooks, with bookmarks and such would be great.

DiapDealer · 07-25-2011, 10:59 AM

As much as I love—and rely on—the bash prompt, I really can't see this happening. Someone out there somewhere might spend time developing their own console epub reader... maybe. But even then, I doubt it would be easy to find.

Maybe start with the source for Lynx, if someone wanted to take a stab at it?

farvardin · 12-02-2011, 01:31 PM

there is this now : http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/epubmode.el

Namekuseijin · 12-02-2011, 03:54 PM

considering epub is basically some sort of compiled html, this would be a natural choice for lynx or elinks to receive a patch.

AZdave · 12-07-2011, 05:02 PM

You can try this.

Code:

unzip -x -C your.epub
lynx -image_links ./content/

it is somewhat tedious.

Jellby · 12-08-2011, 05:33 AM

Well, you could try with this script, and then open with lynx.

SBT · 12-08-2011, 08:48 AM

Oooh! Nice...

Even if it doesn't seem to work straight out of the box with lynx.
lynx apparently does not respect the 'xml:base="{dir}"' attribute, so that has to be set explicitly in the links in indexAAA.xhtml, I think.
Lynx does not handle <meta .... charset=.../>, I had to remove those lines from the book chapter xhtml files to get it to show anything but pure ascii.
Just a couple of minor modifications in the script should fix those. Maybe have a specific -shellepubreader option?

And of course one has to set up lynx to handle xhtml files in the first place.

AZdave · 12-09-2011, 01:06 AM

@Jellby: Thanks.

@SBT

Please post your modifications. This is neat.

SBT · 12-09-2011, 07:27 AM

I've posted a patch at the original thread for the script.
Hope it works for you too.

AZdave · 12-09-2011, 03:33 PM

SBT:

Thanks. Just to be clear for others. I had to

Code:

patch epub-read.sh epub-read_lynxviewer.patch
epub-read.sh -v Oz_Omnibus.epub

The -v switch uses lynx
I also turned images on in the lynx.conf file by adding the following.

Code:

     XLOADIMAGE_COMMAND:xv %s &
     MAKE_LINKS_FOR_ALL_IMAGES:TRUE

Thanks

SBT · 12-13-2011, 01:22 PM

Having got this far, a thought struck me... lynx has been popular among the visually impaired because it has been simple to integrate with text-to-speech tools. While we're at it, maybe add an option to pipe output from lynx to the festival TTS?
BTW, anybody know about epub-to-speech converters? Or user interface guidelines for the blind?

AZdave · 12-15-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBT

Having got this far, a thought struck me... lynx has been popular among the visually impaired because it has been simple to integrate with text-to-speech tools. While we're at it, maybe add an option to pipe output from lynx to the festival TTS?
BTW, anybody know about epub-to-speech converters? Or user interface guidelines for the blind?

Luckily my linux box at work has festival on it. It is pretty easy.

Code:

     PRINTER:TTS:festival --tts %s:80
     DOWNLOADER:TTS:festival --tts %s

The speech is low to medium quality.
p and select TTS . the number 80 is optional but it read the whole file.

The DOWNLOADER reads the html tags to you so it is not needed.

or

Code:

lynx -cfg=lynx.config indexAAA.html | festival --tts

But then I'm lost trying to select the links.

farvardin · 12-16-2011, 04:02 AM

thank you for all those tips!

SBT · 12-16-2011, 07:10 PM

@AZDave: That's neat... I thought about something along the lines of your second solution, but defining the TTS as a printer is much more elegant.
I wonder if it is possible to implement a pause/play functionality? I can't think of a particularly good solution, sending STOP/CONT signals to festival seems the only feasible option, and I'm not sure how to do that in a sensible manner through lynx.

Jellby · 12-17-2011, 04:35 AM

Maybe through system-wide hotkeys?

07-25-2011, 10:28 AM	#1
farvardin Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: htc dream, htc desire, cybook odyssey	read epub from a shell I was just wondering if there was a tool to read ebooks (epub) in the (unix) console. It's still possible to export to html and read them with links for example, but a tool dedicated to ebooks, with bookmarks and such would be great.

12-07-2011, 05:02 PM	#5
AZdave Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 1028 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chandler, AZ Device: Samsung Stratosphere (coolreader), BeBook Neo,EBookman	You can try this. Code: unzip -x -C your.epub lynx -image_links ./content/ it is somewhat tedious.

12-09-2011, 07:27 AM	#9
SBT Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 810184 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Norway Device: prs-t1, tablet, Nook Simple, assorted kindles, iPad	I've posted a patch at the original thread for the script. Hope it works for you too. Last edited by SBT; 12-09-2011 at 08:43 AM.

12-09-2011, 03:33 PM	#10
AZdave Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 1028 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chandler, AZ Device: Samsung Stratosphere (coolreader), BeBook Neo,EBookman	SBT: Thanks. Just to be clear for others. I had to Code: patch epub-read.sh epub-read_lynxviewer.patch epub-read.sh -v Oz_Omnibus.epub The -v switch uses lynx I also turned images on in the lynx.conf file by adding the following. Code: XLOADIMAGE_COMMAND:xv %s & MAKE_LINKS_FOR_ALL_IMAGES:TRUE Thanks Last edited by AZdave; 12-09-2011 at 03:54 PM.

12-13-2011, 01:22 PM	#11
SBT Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 810184 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Norway Device: prs-t1, tablet, Nook Simple, assorted kindles, iPad	epub to speech? Having got this far, a thought struck me... lynx has been popular among the visually impaired because it has been simple to integrate with text-to-speech tools. While we're at it, maybe add an option to pipe output from lynx to the festival TTS? BTW, anybody know about epub-to-speech converters? Or user interface guidelines for the blind?

07-25-2011, 10:59 AM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	As much as I love—and rely on—the bash prompt, I really can't see this happening. Someone out there somewhere might spend time developing their own console epub reader... maybe. But even then, I doubt it would be easy to find. Maybe start with the source for Lynx, if someone wanted to take a stab at it?

12-02-2011, 01:31 PM	#3
farvardin Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: htc dream, htc desire, cybook odyssey	there is this now : http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/epubmode.el

12-02-2011, 03:54 PM	#4
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	considering epub is basically some sort of compiled html, this would be a natural choice for lynx or elinks to receive a patch.

12-08-2011, 05:33 AM	#6
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,570 Karma: 20150435 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Well, you could try with this script, and then open with lynx.

12-08-2011, 08:48 AM	#7
SBT Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 810184 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Norway Device: prs-t1, tablet, Nook Simple, assorted kindles, iPad	Oooh! Nice... Even if it doesn't seem to work straight out of the box with lynx. lynx apparently does not respect the 'xml:base="{dir}"' attribute, so that has to be set explicitly in the links in indexAAA.xhtml, I think. Lynx does not handle <meta .... charset=.../>, I had to remove those lines from the book chapter xhtml files to get it to show anything but pure ascii. Just a couple of minor modifications in the script should fix those. Maybe have a specific -shellepubreader option? And of course one has to set up lynx to handle xhtml files in the first place.

12-09-2011, 01:06 AM	#8
AZdave Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 1028 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chandler, AZ Device: Samsung Stratosphere (coolreader), BeBook Neo,EBookman	@Jellby: Thanks. @SBT Please post your modifications. This is neat.

12-16-2011, 04:02 AM	#13
farvardin Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: htc dream, htc desire, cybook odyssey	thank you for all those tips!

12-16-2011, 07:10 PM	#14
SBT Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 810184 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Norway Device: prs-t1, tablet, Nook Simple, assorted kindles, iPad	@AZDave: That's neat... I thought about something along the lines of your second solution, but defining the TTS as a printer is much more elegant. I wonder if it is possible to implement a pause/play functionality? I can't think of a particularly good solution, sending STOP/CONT signals to festival seems the only feasible option, and I'm not sure how to do that in a sensible manner through lynx.

12-17-2011, 04:35 AM	#15
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,570 Karma: 20150435 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Maybe through system-wide hotkeys?

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