Touch Basic: Annotations, Flags in PDFs not synced with computer

B770 · 05-14-2015, 09:54 AM

Hello,

I am reading PDFs with the pocketbook 624 toch basic and highlighting some words or entering some annotations. After reading the PDF I want do connect the pocketbook to my computer and sync the PDF so that I have my annotations also on the computer.

I've tried it with the standard reader but it is not working

Any ideas?

Thanks

eschwartz · 05-14-2015, 08:02 PM

Does the Pocketbook embed annotations inside the PDF? I would think it more likely that it saves them as ancillary data, similar to how the Kindle does, and I assume any reader does to EPUB or mobi7/8.

Assuming that is the case... you can pretty much give up now. Annotations support in ebooks is haphazard and there is no transferrable standard.

Unlike PDF annotations which has had a lot more time to mature.

B770 · 05-15-2015, 06:14 AM

Thank you for your reply.

I noticed that pocketbook stores annotations, screenshots, highlighted parts of the PDF and so on in separate files in the directory system\config\Active Contents. The reader creates a new folder for every PDF. This is not the best solution but it is working for me.
Is there a possibility to sync this complete folder directly with the connected dropbox? Or is it possible to write a shell script that copies the folder to the dropbox?

Thanks!

eschwartz · 05-15-2015, 10:32 AM

I don't see why not. I know how I'd do it if I was on a Kindle at least... that is what I have experience with.

Someone, I think brianinmaine, posted an extension for KUAL (Kindle Unified Application Launcher). It ran a script which he found somewhere else, which apparently can upload files to a Dropbox account on-demand. You could probably do something similar on the Pocketbook.

Does Pocketbook have a builtin Dropbox client? If so, symlink the annotations folder to the Dropbox sync folder.

B770 · 05-15-2015, 12:19 PM

Yes, the pocketbook reader has a builtin dropbox client.
The idea with the symlink sounds good but I dont know how to enter a shell in the pocketbook.

eschwartz · 05-15-2015, 01:45 PM

Looking through the Pocketbook Developers Corner I see someone has published a "pbterm" hack, try that.

Although it doesn't appear to support interactive-style console applications, that shouldn't be a problem for symlinking. Don't try using vim though.

hawhill · 05-21-2015, 05:15 AM

Koreader can store annotations in the PDF. But it can only do highlighting, no comments yet.

05-14-2015, 09:54 AM	#1
B770 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Pocketbook 622	Touch Basic: Annotations, Flags in PDFs not synced with computer Hello, I am reading PDFs with the pocketbook 624 toch basic and highlighting some words or entering some annotations. After reading the PDF I want do connect the pocketbook to my computer and sync the PDF so that I have my annotations also on the computer. I've tried it with the standard reader but it is not working Any ideas? Thanks

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05-14-2015, 08:02 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Does the Pocketbook embed annotations inside the PDF? I would think it more likely that it saves them as ancillary data, similar to how the Kindle does, and I assume any reader does to EPUB or mobi7/8. Assuming that is the case... you can pretty much give up now. Annotations support in ebooks is haphazard and there is no transferrable standard. Unlike PDF annotations which has had a lot more time to mature.

05-15-2015, 06:14 AM	#3
B770 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Pocketbook 622	Thank you for your reply. I noticed that pocketbook stores annotations, screenshots, highlighted parts of the PDF and so on in separate files in the directory system\config\Active Contents. The reader creates a new folder for every PDF. This is not the best solution but it is working for me. Is there a possibility to sync this complete folder directly with the connected dropbox? Or is it possible to write a shell script that copies the folder to the dropbox? Thanks!

05-15-2015, 10:32 AM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I don't see why not. I know how I'd do it if I was on a Kindle at least... that is what I have experience with. Someone, I think brianinmaine, posted an extension for KUAL (Kindle Unified Application Launcher). It ran a script which he found somewhere else, which apparently can upload files to a Dropbox account on-demand. You could probably do something similar on the Pocketbook. Does Pocketbook have a builtin Dropbox client? If so, symlink the annotations folder to the Dropbox sync folder.

05-15-2015, 12:19 PM	#5
B770 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Pocketbook 622	Yes, the pocketbook reader has a builtin dropbox client. The idea with the symlink sounds good but I dont know how to enter a shell in the pocketbook.

05-15-2015, 01:45 PM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Looking through the Pocketbook Developers Corner I see someone has published a "pbterm" hack, try that. Although it doesn't appear to support interactive-style console applications, that shouldn't be a problem for symlinking. Don't try using vim though.

05-21-2015, 05:15 AM	#7
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	Koreader can store annotations in the PDF. But it can only do highlighting, no comments yet.