[GUI Plugin] Copy book covers as Standby images (Sony/Kindle/Nook)

[elemenoP]

Now that there are multiple covers, is one of them the "default" when you send it or do you have to go into your reader's screensaver settings each time and set the cover image?

Thanks,
eP

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

Now that there are multiple covers, is one of them the "default" when you send it or do you have to go into your reader's screensaver settings each time and set the cover image?

Thanks,
eP

On a Sony, if you continue to copy only one cover then it will still always be called calibre_cover.jpg and you will not need to change anything in the Select Standby settings.

If you copy multiple covers in one go, then the first in the list will still be calibre_cover, the next calibre_cover02, then calibre_cover03 ... etc. In this case, if you want the screensaver to cycle round all the copied covers, you will need to revisit your screensaver settings to make sure that calibre_cover02, calibre_cover03 etc are ticked. If you still only want a single cover to display, then just make sure only that particular cover is ticked.

Personally, I think I'll stay with the single copy option because it's more like the "real book" experience, but I know some people like a selection of standby images, e.g. all the covers for a book series.

[elemenoP]

That is great, thank you. I can copy the covers of the next few books I'm going to read, then I can switch them out on the reader instead of having to connect to the computer.

eP

[CraftyDan]

Hey Jackie,

Nice improvements.

I have a suggestion and/or request:

The Sony 600 with PRS+ now supports covers, but it uses in an entirely different directory. I wouldn't be surprised this will be the only new wallpapering device to pop up with this problem.

If there was a user field to enter the path string, it could become a user option -- perhaps with "default" buttons that fill it in for known device paths. The auto-sensing is nice, though.

Keep up the good coding!

[cybmole]

this looks really good but what I'd really like is for cover maintenance to sync with calibre's book & collections auto maintenance.

i.e. if I delete a book from Sony650 then reconnect to calibre - I'd like the calibre plug in to remove that associated cover from the screen saver set, and when I add books via calibre, for the covers to be automatically added( if I'm within the 15 book limit) - will that be possible at some point ?

Ultimately, I'd like the Sony, when it goes to sleep mode. to use the only cover of the book that I was last reading. that's if is sleeps while in a book, if it sleeps while on main menu than it should cycle all available covers.

finally, please consider upping the 15 book limit to say 50 - there's oodles of space on the sony drive!

[nynaevelan]

Hi:

I've just started using this plugin, is it possible to be able to add covers at a different time without it overwriting the previous covers which are in the directory?

Nyn

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by CraftyDan

Hey Jackie,

Nice improvements.

I have a suggestion and/or request:

The Sony 600 with PRS+ now supports covers, but it uses in an entirely different directory. I wouldn't be surprised this will be the only new wallpapering device to pop up with this problem.

If there was a user field to enter the path string, it could become a user option -- perhaps with "default" buttons that fill it in for known device paths. The auto-sensing is nice, though.

Keep up the good coding!

Thank you, Dan I have 2 Sony devices (505, 650) both with PRSPlus. I've never known quite what the 600 can and can't do as I've never had one. I didn't know the 600 had a standby wallpaper feature. I can certainly have a look at this. If it's OK, I will send you a PM with some detailed questions.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by cybmole

...if I delete a book from Sony650 then reconnect to calibre - I'd like the calibre plug in to remove that associated cover from the screen saver set, and when I add books via calibre, for the covers to be automatically added( if I'm within the 15 book limit) - will that be possible at some point ?

Wouldn't this be a bit dangerous? Some users use their reader as a library and send hundreds (thousands?) of books at a time. In addition, I think this may require the (pretty simple) copy cover code to be built into the main calibre code for the Sony device driver. I'm not sure that Kovid is currently interested in fully incorporating this kind of niche cosmetic feature. It's also way beyond my coding capabilities Nevertheless, when the dust settles from the release of calibre 0.8, I could contact developer chaley (the expert on all Sony matters) to see if he has any ideas on whether it could be done more simply. I have, so far, avoided doing anything which involves editing the Sony database files on the reader in case I do more harm than good. I may decide to stick to that decision as I'm not a developer, I'm a housewife with a bit of a coding hobby and a few ereaders!

Originally Posted by cybmole

Ultimately, I'd like the Sony, when it goes to sleep mode. to use the only cover of the book that I was last reading. that's if is sleeps while in a book, if it sleeps while on main menu than it should cycle all available covers.

I'm pretty sure that detecting how you'd entered sleep mode would require additions to the Sony firmware rather than calibre. Definitely out of my scope. You could try asking kartu, the PRSPlus custom firmware developer, whether such a thing is doable.

Originally Posted by cybmole

finally, please consider upping the 15 book limit to say 50 - there's oodles of space on the sony drive!

Well, at least I can give a more positive reply on this one It is easy enough to change the max limit. I didn't want to be responsible for people clogging up their device particularly if they inadvertantly selected copy cover whilst having hundreds of books highlighted. I thought I'd start conservatively and wait to see if I got requests to increase it. Congratulations on being the first!

Out of interest, how many images have you typically been using when you choose to cycle? Although there doesn't appear to be a technical limit on the Sony, I wondered whether there was a practical limit.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

I've just started using this plugin, is it possible to be able to add covers at a different time without it overwriting the previous covers which are in the directory?

Hi Nyn,
I wrote it this way, as a first attempt, so that no-one would end up with a file maintenance problem. I thought some less technical users may not want to have to delete old covers manually in a file browser. I'll have a think whether I can offer both options:

• copy & replace all existing covers (as now)
• copy & add to existing covers

whilst still retaining a measure of automatic file maintenance.

In the meantime you can simulate adding to existing covers by including the book covers you want to keep with the new book covers when you do the next Copy Cover from the calibre library window.

[nynaevelan]

Thanks for the suggestion, I found a workaround by moving the first group to another directory then adding the second set and changing the file numbers so they would all show up. And of course I have more than 15 in the group but it is nice to have my covers of my 3 favorite series showing up. I jailbroke my kindle just to try your plugin.

Thanks for the plugin and for the consideration,

Nyn

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

I jailbroke my kindle just to try your plugin.

Oh dear, I hope I won't be shot at dawn! I had hoped to avoid that scenario.

There's a good chance that the maximum limit of 15 will be increased if that's what most people want.

[caleb72]

Thanks for the Kindle addition. Has made my life much easier.

Regards
Caleb

[jackie_w]

@caleb72 - You're welcome

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Hi Nyn,
I wrote it this way, as a first attempt, so that no-one would end up with a file maintenance problem. I thought some less technical users may not want to have to delete old covers manually in a file browser. I'll have a think whether I can offer both options:

• copy & replace all existing covers (as now)
• copy & add to existing covers

whilst still retaining a measure of automatic file maintenance.

In the meantime you can simulate adding to existing covers by including the book covers you want to keep with the new book covers when you do the next Copy Cover from the calibre library window.

I'd also like to add covers without losing existing ones. it's not easy to resend old, with all without copious use of custom columns in calibre to get then all showing at the same time same main browse window ready to send

as most readers are designed to hold 100s of books, if not 1000s, and as a cover picture file is usually is no larger than a single book, I don't think you have to worry about there being too many covers sent to device

Two parameters in customise plug in would sort it.:
1. remove old cover(s) when sending new covers- choose: yes/no
2. set max number of covers allowed , enter a number or leave blank/use zero for unlimited.

if user opts for keep old and also for setting a max value then remove oldest files first, or just disallow that combination if it's too much trouble.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by cybmole

I'd also like to add covers without losing existing ones.

Two parameters in customise plug in would sort it.:
1. remove old cover(s) when sending new covers- choose:
2. set max number of covers allowed , enter a number or leave blank/use zero for unlimited.

if user opts for keep old and also for setting a max value then remove oldest files first, or just disallow that combination if it's too much trouble.

I'm not comfortable with the 'unlimited' option, but the 'add to existing' option is already in progress for the next release. So is a larger maximum. You originally requested 50, do you strongly feel that this is not enough?

I am really interested to know how many standby images people have typically been using on their readers (before using this plugin, of course). Is it dozens, hundreds or thousands?

When it's written would you like to volunteer to Beta test before release?