[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[davidfor]

Attached is a new beta with a few changes.

Firstly the comments template in the metadata update. As I mentioned in discussion after my last beta, I am questioning the best way to do the template. The last beta uses the "jacket" style of template. Then I played with the "plugboard" style of template. There are things to be said for both. The former is simpler, but the latter is more powerful. So, this beta allows both. Which style is used, depends on the first word of the template. So, the two examples are:

jacket:{comments}<hr/><p>{tags_label}: {tags}</p><p>{rating_label}: {rating}</p><p>{_kobo_last_read_label}: {_kobo_last_read}</p><p>Word count: {_words}</p>

template:{comments}{tags:|<p>Tags: |</p>}{rating:|<p>Rating: |</p>}{#kobo_last_read:|<p>Last Read: |</p>}{#words:|<p>Word count: |</p>}

So, if the template starts with "jacket:", it will be treated as the jacket style. That means simple replacement of the template elements. If the template starts with "template:" or "plugboard:", it will be processed like a plugboard template with fill evaluation of the template elements.

And as a reminder, the template goes into a file called "kobo_template.xhtml" in the "resources" directory of you calibre configuration. It doesn't have to be on one line as my examples, but, any new-lines in the final comments will be used in the synopsis displayed on the device.

What I want is an opinion of which to support. I don't really want to support both. I might, but, if I hit problems later, I might have to drop one. So, try it and tell me what you think.

While doing the above, I got annoyed by the wait while the selected books were checked before the options dialog was displayed. I couldn't do anything about the time taken, so added a progress dialog to show that something was being done.

The other changes are related to some "fiddling" I have been doing. I've been fiddling with the driver and kept having to open the configuration when the device wasn't connected. Going through the calibre preferences was a pain, so, I added a function to do this. Then I needed to swap between the main and the extended driver, so, another function added to swap the driver. Then, I kept forgetting which driver I was using. So, I added the driver to the tooltip of the plugins toolbar button. And as I was doing that, I added the current device name and firmware version if a device was connected.

For the driver options, if there is a device connected, it will show the correct device or open the configuration for it. If the device isn't connected, it looks to see which of the main and extended drivers are enabled and goes from there. It will handle if the extended driver isn't installed.

So, the list for this beta is:

• Update: Use template for comments/synopsis with a choice of "plugboard" style or "jacket" style.
• Update: Display progress dialog when getting book list for updating metadata.
• New: Submenu for the calibre driver.
  • New: Menu option to swap between main and extended driver.
  • New: Menu option to open driver configuration. If a device is connected, will open its configuration. Otherwise, it opens whichever is enable of the main and extended drivers.
• New: Display device name, firmware version and the driver name in tooltip of button.

Please test and tell me how these all work. Or don't. And tell me what you think is best for the comments template.

[Terisa de morgan]

I've been testing it and I've some questions/problem/doubts:

1. The template format works better for me as it's easy for using custom columns (once I remember that custom column use # instead of _), and the data shows fine at the device (if the template is right, that is, or it shows the error)
2. This works, however, only when I manually send the metadata, it is not updated automatically when I add a book to the device and I connect it the second time

I've found a problem, however, after updating the status:

• I've got some books at my library that I've cleared the status.
• I update the status at the device (It happens, as the date changes and they appear at the beginning of the list at the device library)
• The next time I connect the device, they still appear as differences that I should add to the library (I attach the screen capture), and in some cases the position has not been cleared.
  

And I've not seen any progress bar when I've connected the device.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I've been testing it and I've some questions/problem/doubts:

1. The template format works better for me as it's easy for using custom columns (once I remember that custom column use # instead of _), and the data shows fine at the device (if the template is right, that is, or it shows the error)

That's basically my thought as well. Plus this is a lot more like a metadata plugboard, so doing it the same way feels more correct. And in fact, that's all the code is. Read the template, call the plugboard function using it.

1. This works, however, only when I manually send the metadata, it is not updated automatically when I add a book to the device and I connect it the second time

The metadata update is still manual. And automating it as part of the driver is the reason for the other changes in this beta. There are some things I really dislike about the driver that I am trying to fix before I do that. If I get that right, it will help to reduce that bane I mentioned elsewhere.

I've found a problem, however, after updating the status:

I'll come back to this.

And I've not seen any progress bar when I've connected the device.

The progress bar should show when you select a few books and start the update metadata function. If there have only selected a couple of books, you might not notice it. But, when I updated a 1000 books last night, it seemed to take forever.

[Terisa de morgan]

Ok, I'd understood wrong about the progress bar. And I suspect problem with status updates is due to, in this case, the proper action would be to reset the reading status.

And it would be nice the driver updating comments this way, yes.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I've found a problem, however, after updating the status:

• I've got some books at my library that I've cleared the status.
• I update the status at the device (It happens, as the date changes and they appear at the beginning of the list at the device library)
• The next time I connect the device, they still appear as differences that I should add to the library (I attach the screen capture), and in some cases the position has not been cleared.
  Attachment 145246

To check you are doing what I think you are doing:

- In the calibre library, you reset the reading status columns.
- On the device you mark the device a unread.
- When you connect, the reading progress stores shows these books with a zero progress, but a new "last read" date.

Yes, that's probably wrong but I've haven't been able to decide exactly what the behaviour should be. There is an in the store to "clear if unread'. Selecting that will clear the calibre columns if the book is unread on the device. But, it will probably keep showing the book.

If you use the "Update metadata" function of the plugin to set the books to unread, and use the "Reset reading position", the last read date is cleared on the device. After that, the book won't be picked up by the store unless the "clear if unread" option is selected.

From that, I suppose what I should do it is the book has status unread on the device, it should be ignored unless the "clear if unread" option is selected.

Does that sound right?

I'm not sure about the case where the reading position wasn't changed. Is that the case for "Wading into Murder"? From memory, older firmware only changed the reading status when you marked a book as unread or finished. The reading position wasn't changed and if you opened the book again, it would open to that position. But, I'm sure the recent firmware changes the percent read, the actual reading position and the last read date as well as the status. I haven't checked this recently, so maybe it has changed again.

I think I'd need to see the database for this one. I'd need to see what has actually been changed or not to work out what is happening.

[Terisa de morgan]

No, that's not exactly what I'm doing. I'm doing nothing at the device, I expected the plugin to do it And I'm not using the update metadata function either.

That's the problem, I think, I was only using "update status", expecting it to mark books as unread. "Wading into Murder" is not a problem, as it is my current reading. I'll clear the status through the other function and that's all.

Thank you very much.

[davidfor]

OK, another beta to add the function suggested in the Goodreads Sync thread. The change is to add two check boxes to the "Show Reading Position Changes". These are:

- "Select updated books in library" - Any book whose progress changes, will be selected in the library after OK button is pressed.

- "Update Goodread reading progress" - This will call the "Update reading progress" function in the Goodreads Sync plugin.

The first option can be used by itself. The second option needs the first to be selected and is only available if the Goodreads Sync plugin is installed. This should work with any version of the Goodreads Sync plugin since 1.7.6.

This beta also includes the changes from the two beta's over the last month. I'll probably be releasing this officially late next week. In the meantime, please report any problems you see or any suggestions for improvements.

[Terisa de morgan]

Thank you, the first option will be very nice for me, as now I do it manually with a view

[Terisa de morgan]

It works OK for me.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

Thank you, the first option will be very nice for me, as now I do it manually with a view

Glad you like it. I've been trying to work out why I hadn't done it in the past.

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

It works OK for me.

And that's always good to hear.

[JSWolf]

Using the latest non-beta how do I get eBooks marked that are on the H2O but have not been read so if for some reason I needed to reset and I wanted to put back all the books I had on it before?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Using the latest non-beta how do I get eBooks marked that are on the H2O but have not been read so if for some reason I needed to reset and I wanted to put back all the books I had on it before?

That's done with the "Store/restore current bookmak" function. The store gets the reading status from the device, the restore puts it back. You need to configure the custom columns and you can have the store run automatically. The help describes all this. And there has been a lot of discussion in this thread.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by davidfor

That's done with the "Store/restore current bookmak" function. The store gets the reading status from the device, the restore puts it back. You need to configure the custom columns and you can have the store run automatically. The help describes all this. And there has been a lot of discussion in this thread.

I have the custom columns configured and I get values stored for books that I have started/opened. But I get nothing for eBooks that are on the H2O and I have not opened/started. So if I had to restore the database and all the books, how would I do so?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have the custom columns configured and I get values stored for books that I have started/opened. But I get nothing for eBooks that are on the H2O and I have not opened/started. So if I had to restore the database and all the books, how would I do so?

The plugin isn't recording what is on the device, it is recording the status. For books that haven't been opened, there isn't a useful status, so nothing is read. The simplest thing to do after a reset is to send all te books that aren't finished. So, no status or percent read less than 100.

Alternatively, use the reading list plugin and create a list that records the books on device when it is connected.

[JSWolf]

Would it be possible to add in a bit where it marks one of the already customized fields with some value to say that the book is not opened but is on the device and clear if for any books that are marked but not on the device?

I think that would work and make it easier than another plugin.