How to connect to OPDS catalog from Calibre

[Pogzy]

Hi,

I am quite new to mobile reading but just bought a Kobo. I use Calibre to manage my books on my PC. I've failed to set an existing OPDS catalog in Calibre so that I can search and download free ebooks from internet.

Is it possible?

If yes, how to do it please?

If not, are there others softwares that got this feature?

Bye, Pogzy

[Adoby]

No, it is not possible.

Many ebook reader apps/programs are also OPDS-clients.

The lack of a general OPDS-client in Calibre is most likely because it would make Calibre a little too good tool for downloading and spreading pirated books in bulk.

[Pogzy]

I understand the fact that it could be used as you mentioned. But for my own use it was not my goal.

I know public opds catalog full of free books, from national library or project such as Gutemberg filled with public domain books. A very nice way to get books for my new KOBO, so many classics authors I want to read.

I was very surpised by the lack of a nice OPDS client for Windows. As Calibre is my main tool to manage my ebooks on my Kobo...

I started writing some code in Python to get opds feeds, but I am very far waay from a real plugin, it is my first python coding.

In your opinion, does this type of plugin could be a bad idea for Calibre or not. To know if I continu this way or just try to get ebooks from OPDS by other means. I mean does this plugin could be welcome by the Calibre users and authors?

Regards
Fabien

[Adoby]

I think compulsive hoarders would like it a lot. And especially the group of compulsive hoarders that also are pirates.

But I suspect that most normal ebook readers don't have as much interest in it.

Most normal ebook readers spend time reading books. The time spent getting books is small compared to the time finding out what book to read next and to actually reading it.

Personally I don't have any need for a OPDS client in Calibre. The OPDS client in my ebook reader app is enough. I only use it occasionally.

[kovidgoyal]

You are welcome to create a calibre plugin to fetch books from opds feeds. I have nothing against it. There are many legitimate OPDS feeds on the internet that publish public domain books.

[Pogzy]

Hi, thank you for your agreement.

I've began to write a plugin to browse an OPDS Catalog. I am far from anything that could be shown. But it starts well, this is my first contact with Python but I was searching for a long time a way to code in this language.

I will keep you informed of my progress in this thread.

For now, I've got running a short plugin with only 1 OPDS catalog that displays it root links in a tree.
In another Python code set (not inserted for now in my plugin code), I download book from OPDS.

My goal before any release would be to have :
- a way to set a list of OPDS Catalogs, a way to add, update remove them, and select deselect some of them
- navigate through available links of OPDS catalog
- run a search over one or several catalogs and view metadata of search result
- download and add a book to calibre

Bye

[kovidgoyal]

Have fun

[Shahi]

Hey, Pogzy! How is it going? I spent lots of time looking for this feature in Calibre, but now it turns that it can't work with external OPDS! Pity.

[Pogzy]

Hi,

What is already done:
- open an opds catalog
- navigate through the different OPDS catalog sections and books and see metadata

What is still to do:
- download a found book from the OPDS catalog (in fact I have to insert existing code in my plugin, but it take some time to do GUI work)
- save OPDS catalog url, its metadata and settings in plugin prefs and reload prefs at start up
- code to add, remove or update OPDS catalog URL

In fact it moves smoothly, but I work on it only few minutes not every evenings, so it will take me about a week or two.

If you are very in a hurry and not so patient, I can release a pre version as soon as I add download, but in my opinion, it is not a good idea.

Bye

[Shahi]

Oh, just great to know that you're working on it. I am in no hurry

[Ethanaul]

Hello Pogzy, I'm really interrested in this project, can I speak about it on koboland.fr ?
I know that a lot of e-readers are waiting for a plugin as your.

Regards,
Ethanaul

[Ethanaul]

A small advertisement from Hadrien (one of the main contributor to OPDS): to ensure a perfect compatibility, the test must be done with the official test catalog

[svda]

Any progress?

[joshp.23]

So, I was wondering about progress here? I have a remote calibre server running "out there in the wild" and connect to it via android's fbreader. Is there a way to connect to it via another calibre instance or manage the collection via any other GUI of any sort?

I have a local copy of the library as well, but have found it difficult to keep everything updated, etc. I would prefer not to use dropbox (just another service to sign up for imo) or ubuntu one.

Does anybody know how Rsync or synking in any other way would work? For instance, if I had a system set up to sync the remote library from my local ONE WAY, would that cause any problems?

I would prefer the "remote gui" option, which is why this caught my eye. Again, any progress?

[Adoby]

Use some remote desktop utility. VNC, for instance.

I use VNC to connect to a small headless debian server from my android tablet. I use the app with the very fitting name AndroidVNC.