Hack Request : 'Already Read This One' Indicator

knewbie · 03-21-2009, 04:54 PM

Hello All,

I'm a long-time ebook reader, and with the prs-505 I tend to travel with a LOT of books (3-400 mangas chapters, 2-300 books for a 2 weeks travel. I like having choice during a 20+hours plane trip)

I now intend to flash the firmware to have the clock and some other functions. But could it be possible to have an icon or a hack to indicate that this or that book has been read already (a % in the title or something)

Sometimes I download 100 short stories that I read in a few hours. I cannot get to remember all the names I already read, so sort of indicator would be a good piece of help to me...

Regards,
Knewbie

JSWolf · 03-21-2009, 05:03 PM

What you could do is make a collection entitled Read and then movie the eBooks you've already read into that collection and out of any other collections they may also be in and then you'll know for sure you've read them.

Lady Blue · 03-21-2009, 05:37 PM

When I click on a book in my Reader, the name of the book shows on the top of the page. Below that is a list as follows: CONTINUE READING, which shows the last page number read; BEGIN, which usually shows Page 1, END, which shows the number of pages in the book; then BOOKMARKS, TOC, etc.

If the page number showing after the item CONTINUE READING is the same as the page number showing after the item END, then I know I've already read the book. This works well if I'm away from my computer and cannot MOVE my finished book to a collecton entitled READ.

FizzyWater · 03-22-2009, 12:26 AM

Would be nice to move (or reassign) books to new collections from the Reader, wouldn't it...

Lady Blue · 03-22-2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Would be nice to move (or reassign) books to new collections from the Reader, wouldn't it...

It sure would. That and REAL directories; not virtual ones like the collections.

FizzyWater · 03-22-2009, 12:32 AM

Given how many people - users of all kinds of ebook readers - have asked for real (file) directories, you have to wonder why it's not a default option. What the heck makes it so hard to program?!

pepak · 03-22-2009, 12:44 AM

My guess - it's a lot easier to parse a flat XML file with metadata than a structured one.

Anyway, to indicate which books I read I move them from the internal memory to the memory card. They even get marked with an icon that way...

Lady Blue · 03-22-2009, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Given how many people - users of all kinds of ebook readers - have asked for real (file) directories, you have to wonder why it's not a default option. What the heck makes it so hard to program?!

That's been a big pet peeve of mine also. I could never understand the lack of this function. But I'm not real tech savvy regarding programming, so I figured there must be a good reason I'm just not understanding. I would really like to see this change in a firmware update someday soon, if that's even possible.

gwynevans · 03-22-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

That's been a big pet peeve of mine also. I could never understand the lack of this function. But I'm not real tech savvy regarding programming, so I figured there must be a good reason I'm just not understanding. I would really like to see this change in a firmware update someday soon, if that's even possible.

Mainly that the amount of customisation possible is very limited and is a matter of tweaking the existing configuration rather than being able to program new features. Yes, it would be nice to do, but for the moment, just deleting the book from the reader is probably the best that can be done...

gwynevans · 03-22-2009, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepak

Anyway, to indicate which books I read I move them from the internal memory to the memory card. They even get marked with an icon that way...

But you're having to do the move via a PC, or I guess possibly a script on another memory card, aren't you?

slayda · 03-22-2009, 10:17 AM

If you had one of the Hanlin V3 family and OpenInkPot, you could mark books as read. The OI guys are working on a version for the Sony PRS-505 (I think). Perhaps you'd like to check with them & maybe donate.

I really like that I can mark books as read and keep my folders (i.e. collections - yes you can have folders with OI) for each author together and still see which I have already read.

gwynevans · 03-22-2009, 04:36 PM

On the other hand, you'd not be able to read many of the books you currently can, so it's not quite as straightforward as that might suggest!

Angst · 03-25-2009, 01:17 PM

You probably could achieve this with Calibre using collections. Keep a collection of 'Books To Read' and move them to a 'Books Read' collection after you've finished reading the book. It would involve some extra work with Calibre, and you could only move the books to the new collection if you were connected to a computer.

If you don't like working with collections, you could achieve the same results by keeping your 'currently reading' and 'to read' books on your reader's hard drive and moving them to a SD card when you finish reading them.

knewbie · 04-01-2009, 03:19 PM

Thank you all for your suggestions, but my problem is mostly that I have no access to a computer most of the times I'm travelling. Or, at last, not willing to plug my PRS in the computer I have available (think virus encrusted crappy pc in the middle on Cambodia, for example).

Also I tend to fill a 4Gb card to the brim, and keep reading until I finished every book, and then I spend 1-2 days hunting for new books to read, fill the card to the brim...

The PRS-505 is limited in this way that I cannot manage collection ON the reader.
A nice hack would be to say that if the actual page of a book is equal to the last page, then put this other icon instead. Possible ? not sure.

Another would be to crate a collection marked "Already Read" and move the book from the reader to that collection when done. Or to be able to erase a book from the reader when I'm done. Not sure at all it is possible...

netseeker · 04-01-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knewbie

Or to be able to erase a book from the reader when I'm done. Not sure at all it is possible...

If you have the latest firmware installed then you already have the possibility to delete books on the reader. Open the menu of a book and take a look in the tools-submenu...

03-21-2009, 04:54 PM	#1
knewbie Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Nokia N95 / Now PRS-505SC	Hack Request : 'Already Read This One' Indicator Hello All, I'm a long-time ebook reader, and with the prs-505 I tend to travel with a LOT of books (3-400 mangas chapters, 2-300 books for a 2 weeks travel. I like having choice during a 20+hours plane trip) I now intend to flash the firmware to have the clock and some other functions. But could it be possible to have an icon or a hack to indicate that this or that book has been read already (a % in the title or something) Sometimes I download 100 short stories that I read in a few hours. I cannot get to remember all the names I already read, so sort of indicator would be a good piece of help to me... Regards, Knewbie

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03-21-2009, 05:03 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What you could do is make a collection entitled Read and then movie the eBooks you've already read into that collection and out of any other collections they may also be in and then you'll know for sure you've read them.

03-21-2009, 05:37 PM	#3
Lady Blue the snarky blue one Posts: 6,001 Karma: 3877825 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: deep in the heart Device: PRS500, 505 & 600, PRST1 & T2, Kindle PW, Moto Razr, Galaxy Tab 2-10"	When I click on a book in my Reader, the name of the book shows on the top of the page. Below that is a list as follows: CONTINUE READING, which shows the last page number read; BEGIN, which usually shows Page 1, END, which shows the number of pages in the book; then BOOKMARKS, TOC, etc. If the page number showing after the item CONTINUE READING is the same as the page number showing after the item END, then I know I've already read the book. This works well if I'm away from my computer and cannot MOVE my finished book to a collecton entitled READ.

03-22-2009, 12:26 AM	#4
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	Would be nice to move (or reassign) books to new collections from the Reader, wouldn't it...

03-22-2009, 12:32 AM	#6
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	Given how many people - users of all kinds of ebook readers - have asked for real (file) directories, you have to wonder why it's not a default option. What the heck makes it so hard to program?!

03-22-2009, 12:44 AM	#7
pepak Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 4150 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T3, Kobo Libra H2O	My guess - it's a lot easier to parse a flat XML file with metadata than a structured one. Anyway, to indicate which books I read I move them from the internal memory to the memory card. They even get marked with an icon that way...

03-22-2009, 10:17 AM	#11
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	If you had one of the Hanlin V3 family and OpenInkPot, you could mark books as read. The OI guys are working on a version for the Sony PRS-505 (I think). Perhaps you'd like to check with them & maybe donate. I really like that I can mark books as read and keep my folders (i.e. collections - yes you can have folders with OI) for each author together and still see which I have already read.

03-22-2009, 04:36 PM	#12
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	On the other hand, you'd not be able to read many of the books you currently can, so it's not quite as straightforward as that might suggest!

03-25-2009, 01:17 PM	#13
Angst Cannon Fodder Posts: 2,819 Karma: 50921712 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Probably a library Device: PRS-350, Kindle DX, Kindle Paperwhite	You probably could achieve this with Calibre using collections. Keep a collection of 'Books To Read' and move them to a 'Books Read' collection after you've finished reading the book. It would involve some extra work with Calibre, and you could only move the books to the new collection if you were connected to a computer. If you don't like working with collections, you could achieve the same results by keeping your 'currently reading' and 'to read' books on your reader's hard drive and moving them to a SD card when you finish reading them.

04-01-2009, 03:19 PM	#14
knewbie Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Nokia N95 / Now PRS-505SC	Thank you all for your suggestions, but my problem is mostly that I have no access to a computer most of the times I'm travelling. Or, at last, not willing to plug my PRS in the computer I have available (think virus encrusted crappy pc in the middle on Cambodia, for example). Also I tend to fill a 4Gb card to the brim, and keep reading until I finished every book, and then I spend 1-2 days hunting for new books to read, fill the card to the brim... The PRS-505 is limited in this way that I cannot manage collection ON the reader. A nice hack would be to say that if the actual page of a book is equal to the last page, then put this other icon instead. Possible ? not sure. Another would be to crate a collection marked "Already Read" and move the book from the reader to that collection when done. Or to be able to erase a book from the reader when I'm done. Not sure at all it is possible...

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