Can't get Nextcloud working

[Uncle Robin]

I originally posted this in a related thread, but that thread's gone a week without response and is about to be pushed off the front page, so I'm trying anew, because the books I'm currently reading are making me very keen to share notes and highlights wirelessly as Nextcloud is intended for:



I am having trouble getting Nextcloud (free shared hosting provide setup via Nextcloud's website) setup

The attachments show the app password from nextcloud and my attempt to enter that info into KOReader. I copied the login details and pasted into Notepadd++ then into the reader settings.lua on my KOReader to avoid typos.

The error message in the crash log is
WARN Error fetching existing notes from Nextcloud Server HTTP response code is not OK

I tried modifying the URL to
https://tio.lv.tab.digital/apps

but that made no difference to the result. What am I doing wrong?

[pazos]

I saw your message on the other thread. Unlikely to receive support here, too.

For many reasons:

- it is currently broken, see:

https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/13623

- Instructions in https://github.com/koreader/koreader...extcloud-notes are not end user friendly yet. They assume you're confortable with nextcloud, understand the app infrastructure within nextcloud and the user have installed and enabled the relevant application, called "notes"


Fixing all this is high on my to-do list but I don't want to mess up with my main nextcloud instance, so I'll need to fire up a temporary nextcloud instance somewhere and test agaisnt it.

I'll post here when the issues are addressed so you can retry again.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by pazos

I saw your message on the other thread. Unlikely to receive support here, too.

For many reasons:

- it is currently broken, see:

https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/13623

- Instructions in https://github.com/koreader/koreader...extcloud-notes are not end user friendly yet. They assume you're confortable with nextcloud, understand the app infrastructure within nextcloud and the user have installed and enabled the relevant application, called "notes"


Fixing all this is high on my to-do list but I don't want to mess up with my main nextcloud instance, so I'll need to fire up a temporary nextcloud instance somewhere and test agaisnt it.

I'll post here when the issues are addressed so you can retry again.

Thanks for the reply. You've provided exactly what I was looking for really, a status report. Now that I know there is no easily available wireless note-syncing available for KOReader, I'll just carry on using my phone to take a photo and Google Translate for OCR when I see something I really want to share.

[pazos]

What about readwise?. It should work and might fill your user case.

It isn't an alternative to joplin because you don't control your data. But it shouldn't be too different to an email account on google or microsoft

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by pazos

What about readwise?. It should work and might fill your user case.

It isn't an alternative to joplin because you don't control your data. But it shouldn't be too different to an email account on google or microsoft

The big difference is - it ain't free I have 8GB with my shared host Nextcloud provider for $0. I did check out Readwise, but after the trial period, the monthly charge is more than I want to pay for the convenience of sharing my reading highlights

[shuvashish76]

It's worth trying out Joplin
Additional hurdles : You need to fetch data from desktop version of KOReader to desktop Joplin. And to send your sidecars+books directory to desktop you've to use Syncthing plugin or KOReader's ProgressSync. From KOReader desktop version export highlights only support for "Export all notes in all books in current book or all books in history".
Benefits: All can be done locally without internet, all with foss solutions. No account creation stuff. And you can then sync them back to you're phone/other devices Joplin+Syncthing or any preferred service.

Alternatively you can use KOReader Sync plugin which recently added support for KOReader's built-in "ProgressSync" account support. Though I'm using it without account i.e. sync with Syncthing only. If bookmarks column is configured it can backup them as well
In this method you don't need KOReader desktop version. Bookmarks/notes will be saved to Calibre i.e. safely saved to book files' metadata.

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Now that I know there is no easily available wireless note-syncing available for KOReader, I'll just carry on using my phone to take a photo and Google Translate for OCR when I see something I really want to share.

There are wireless note-sync options available especially when you're a desktop user. You just need to set-it-up once.
I won't push Sync-thing topic further as this thread is about nextcloud setup.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by shuvashish76

It's worth trying out Joplin
I won't push Sync-thing topic further as this thread is about nextcloud setup.

Since I started this thread, I feel authorised to say "please tell me more"

As I already have Joplin, and use it a lot, and have the KOReader Sync plugin installed on calibre, I'd love a simple, straightforward, step-by-step how to on getting wireless note sharing enabled. If you can explain it in terms an ullu can grasp, I'd be very grateful.

One example of something I can't grok: You mention "desktop KOReader" but that appears to be only available for Linux, not Windows?

[shuvashish76]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

You mention "desktop KOReader" but that appears to be only available for Linux, not Windows?

I'm on linux but WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is easy these days. Assuming you're on Windows 10 or 11...
3 rabbit-holes

1. Enable WSL and get used to it like how to access WSL files via Windows and vice versa. There are many guides...here is a video guide (skip irrelevant parts). I like this guy vibe. Or check any other WSL guide.

2. Install one linux distribution (most likely Ubuntu i.e. the default on for WSL). Upgrade packages, install KOReader and Joplin (sudo apt get-install koreader joplin)

3. Finally configure Joplin plugin for KOReader and get them sync.

You can install Syncthing either on Windows or WSL and point to the KOReader's home directory. WSL better I guess.
It might seem overwhelming if you never used linux or terminal before but IMO it should be as easy as copy-pasting commands.

(Alternatively if it's your personal laptop/desktop...and you're comfortable...completely replace (or dual-boot) Windows with linux (some beginner friendly distro like Linux Mint). Not the best advice to someone who just want note syncing but linux gives you much more configuration options and more user-power. Again not here to convince to use linux.)

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by shuvashish76

Again not here to convince to use linux.)

My experience with Linux dates back to around 2002. That's when I started dualbooting, and ended up spending more time in Linux than Windows. I really liked Mandrake especially, and LOVE GNU Emacs. Sadly, as time went on, my declining motor skills meant I was making more and more use of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and to this day, there is no FOSS equivalent that is anywhere near as good - I know because I keep monitoring that situation.

Add to that the fact that an app I use every single day more than any others is very much Windows only (as with Dragon, the WINE forums are full of records of failed attempts to get it working there) and Linux is not an option for me. Setting up a VM or WSL just to run KOReader desktop to enable setting up ANOTHER app to then enable ANOTHER app for sharing notes would indeed be a veryy Rube Goldbergesque kind of solution.

[shuvashish76]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Setting up a VM or WSL just to run KOReader desktop to enable setting up ANOTHER app to then enable ANOTHER app for sharing notes would indeed be a veryy Rube Goldbergesque kind of solution.

Yes it's a deep rabbit-hole. Most likely you'll face other issues time to time if you use wine or WSL as by definition they're hacks to get things working. Then spend more time on reporting bugs, wait for fixes, test them etc...more time consuming. Better to keep things simple and don't change something if it's already working fine for you.
Windows support thread: https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/7653

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

My experience with Linux dates back to around 2002. That's when I started dualbooting, and ended up spending more time in Linux than Windows.,

I think I started using internet in 2013 only and linux in 2021.
ThankYou for sharing your experience.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by shuvashish76

I think I started using internet in 2013 only and linux in 2021.
ThankYou for sharing your experience.

I am quite determined to avoid Wndows 11, soI'm currently looking at either stupming up ofr one year of paid support for Win 10, switching to an LTSC version of Win 10, or running Win 10 in a VM inside a linux distro. A few monthgs of deliberation and consultation ahead. If a near Dragon-quality LOCAL speech recognition FOSS app turned up in the meantime, that would make a switch much more likely

[pazos]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

The big difference is - it ain't free

Ooops, I forgot about that

Anyway, there's also https://github.com/fairlygood/provid...ights.koplugin.

Nextcloud has support for webdav.