IF you could design the user interface for the next Kobo Firmware

[Ken Maltby]

Hmm... I thought TOC (Table of Contents) for epubs were constructed within the epub.

The reading software (Adobe Reader Mobile) would be extracting, using and presenting the TOC already in the epub. Just extracting the data contained in the TOC, for the database, when first accessing the file should be instantaneous by human perceptions.

I completely miss whatever logic there would be for having data from each "split" in the
database, at all. They are accessed sequentially by the reading software and are indexed for random page access, already. I doubt very much that Adobe made a special reader program that uses Kobo's database, for anything.

Luck;
Ken

[JSWolf]

Does Kobo compact the SQL database or does it just keep on growing?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Does Kobo compact the SQL database or does it just keep on growing?

I've only seen a shrink in the database on one occasion when I deleted a couple of hundred books. I don't know if this was due to a database compact operation after the mass delete but didn't look like enough of a change for a compact operation.

Regards,
David

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... I thought TOC (Table of Contents) for epubs were constructed within the epub.

The reading software (Adobe Reader Mobile) would be extracting, using and presenting the TOC already in the epub. Just extracting the data contained in the TOC, for the database, when first accessing the file should be instantaneous by human perceptions.

I completely miss whatever logic there would be for having data from each "split" in the database, at all. They are accessed sequentially by the reading software and are indexed for random page access, already. I doubt very much that Adobe made a special reader program that uses Kobo's database, for anything.

From what I've seen in the database, there seems to be information stored on reading position in a chapter plus what looks like a set of time stamps. Nothing to do with the Adobe or Access code but a place to store statistics. The phrase "overkill" comes to mind.

Regards,
David

[omnimodis78]

One thing that has been bothering me is that when you manually choose to mark a book as finished, it doesn't get flagged as finished in the reading stats. I know it might be a silly thing, but if the option is there to mark books as finished, then why not make that reflect in the one place where stats are shown?

Also, annotations - it shouldn't be tied in to books alone. All annotations should be accessible from a centralized location, the way Sony e-readers do it. If I hightlight stuff in a book, I don't want to keep reopening that book later just to see those highlights.

My first Kobo also had the option to close books - not sure why, but I miss that option. I have opened a few books by mistake, and I would like to close it the same way I can close a real book and put it back on the shelf...

[Uschiekid]

Originally Posted by omnimodis78

One thing that has been bothering me is that when you manually choose to mark a book as finished, it doesn't get flagged as finished in the reading stats. I know it might be a silly thing, but if the option is there to mark books as finished, then why not make that reflect in the one place where stats are shown?

I like this...since if I re-open a book to check something after finishing it, then I want to re-mark it as finished, I don't want it to believe I've re-read it and should count as another book to my score. If you want it to add to your count, use the TOC or the <--> at the bottom to race to the end of the book and flip the last page. There definitely should be two options or my book count would be unrealistically high.

[arnique]

I would like the return of the back button leading directly to the library! I hate having to navigate back to that rotten Kobo Home page every time I've accidentally clicked the wrong book. It is such a hassle having to click through more than once to get where all my books are.

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by arnique

I would like the return of the back button leading directly to the library! I hate having to navigate back to that rotten Kobo Home page every time I've accidentally clicked the wrong book. It is such a hassle having to click through more than once to get where all my books are.

I agree I think that would be a great option.

Regards

JAck

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by arnique

I would like the return of the back button leading directly to the library! I hate having to navigate back to that rotten Kobo Home page every time I've accidentally clicked the wrong book. It is such a hassle having to click through more than once to get where all my books are.

It is still there on the mini, I have seen it twice before it was quickly erased or covered up with another menu.

On the Aura they have a back button to the shelves but it can take a minute or two if you have a number of collections, and then it will not take you back to where you were, but to the first page of the shelf menu. So it is more of a start over if you have lots of time button instead of a back button.

Helen

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... I thought TOC (Table of Contents) for epubs were constructed within the epub.

The reading software (Adobe Reader Mobile) would be extracting, using and presenting the TOC already in the epub. Just extracting the data contained in the TOC, for the database, when first accessing the file should be instantaneous by human perceptions.

I completely miss whatever logic there would be for having data from each "split" in the
database, at all. They are accessed sequentially by the reading software and are indexed for random page access, already. I doubt very much that Adobe made a special reader program that uses Kobo's database, for anything.

Kobo is using the TOC (from the NCX file) in the epub. But, it is read once when the books is first processed, loaded into the database and used from there when reading. I have played with the different pieces to prove this to my satisfaction.

The split files rows are only for kepubs. These don't go through the Adobe code, but through the ACCESS reader. I haven't spent as much time looking at these and haven't really seen the reason for them. Especially as they also record the actual TOC entries.

I am sure that ARM has no interaction with the database. I assume that it talks to the Kobo software which stores this.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by DNSB

From what I've seen in the database, there seems to be information stored on reading position in a chapter plus what looks like a set of time stamps. Nothing to do with the Adobe or Access code but a place to store statistics. The phrase "overkill" comes to mind.

For epubs, the reading position is stored in two parts. One part is the current file or TOC entry. The other is pointer to the current place in the file. The pointer appears to be a walk of the HTML/XML structure. For the book I am reading, I have:

OEBPS/Text/Chapter09.xhtml#point(/1/4/26/1:0)

Each number represent a count of tags at that level of nesting. The <body> is the fourth tag and I am 26 paragraphs into the chapter. That count includes the <hx> tag for the chapter title. The last two numbers represent the number of characters into the paragraph. I haven't checked this for a while, but looking at it now, it might be recording the last paragraph and character on the screen.

When you were last reading the book is recorded. This is used to decide which books are on the old style home screen and the order in library. The tiled home screen uses data from another table.

Is that more information than anyone wanted to know?

[Ken Maltby]

Well I don't think that we will be able to establish how the database could be improved, for inclusion in any proposal for the user interface. (OT; How many readers have enough interest in their reading statistics, to need all the record keeping of this database? I could care less about the stats they are collecting.)

For now I have more hope for "giorgio130"'s port that any improved Kobo FW.

Luck;
Ken

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Well I don't think that we will be able to establish how the database could be improved, for inclusion in any proposal for the user interface. (OT; How many readers have enough interest in their reading statistics, to need all the record keeping of this database? I could care less about the stats they are collecting.)

For now I have more hope for "giorgio130"'s port that any improved Kobo FW.

Luck;
Ken

I don't know I kind of like the idea of stats on my reading. But maybe that particular feature could be turned on or off by the user as he/she desires?

regards

Jack

[Ken Maltby]

Even in the early days, when databases were simple things, they needed frequent maintenance/management to keep their growth in check. Giving a database free rain to collect data from every ebook file access that it encounters, almost invites disaster. Then making what little database maintenance you do dependent on a sync to your servers, smacks of ulterior motive.

Paranoid, I know, after all no book seller would collect data on their customers, no way.

Luck;
Ken

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Even in the early days, when databases were simple things, they needed frequent maintenance/management to keep their growth in check. Giving a database free rain to collect data from every ebook file access that it encounters, almost invites disaster. Then making what little database maintenance you do dependent on a sync to your servers, smacks of ulterior motive.

Paranoid, I know, after all no book seller would collect data on their customers, no way.

Luck;
Ken

I never fully understood why Kobo Absolutely refuses to integrate all Epubs in its desktop software but yet on the android software you can certainly fully import all epubs into it. I also think that if the computer via the desktop software handled the data and everyday tasks when in sync with the device and once it was created maintained etc was pushed to the device for use would make for a faster Kobo Reader of all Genres.

regards

Jack