Kindle Collector

CRidley · 03-01-2011, 07:25 AM

Hello, I am new to this forum, although I have browsed it's pages a number of times.

I'm sure you've all noticed how bad organising your collections is on the Kindle 3 if you have a large amount of books?

Most of you will know about the collections.json file. I saw a request on this site for a user interface to manipulate it, so I made one.

You can find it at http://www.riddleware.co.uk/ (the site is hideous, you can tell I'm not a designer). Before you ask, it is free and contains nothing dodgy, I just wanted a tool to organise my collections, and thought I'd share it with you all - I'd also appreciate any feedback. (there are instructions on the site but any questions feel free to get in touch).

You can contact me from the contact page on my site.

Cheers.

Here's a quick screenshot :

It tells you if books are already in collections and shows which folders have books which are not yet in collections to make lif easier.

Jeton · 03-01-2011, 09:39 AM

This should help people with a lot of books.
I've read your comment regarding the icons of the app.
Why not use famfam's SILK icons?
http://www.famfamfam.com/lab/icons/silk/

They would look good and much better that the actual ones.

CRidley · 03-01-2011, 11:02 AM

Thanks, I'll try to add useful comments when i can.

chamekke · 03-01-2011, 11:44 AM

This looks very useful. Thank you!

FF2 · 03-01-2011, 01:03 PM

Something did not work correctly.

I just tried your program. I had had 85 Mysteries. Now I have 34.

Besides, I now have 44 pages of items whereas before I had about 18. So a slew of books seem to have wound up "collectionless."

I don't blame you. I will restore my backup copy (I made my own). It is beta.

Liesse · 03-01-2011, 02:50 PM

Looks brilliant: I will be downloading and trying this out!

CRidley · 03-02-2011, 04:35 AM

FF2, Sorry about that, I did fix a bug with adding collections, then used it extensively last night and it all seemd to work. I have updated the website with a new installer, so anyone who downloaded it before this comment should reinstall from the website.

If anyone has any issues like this i'd appreciate if you could send the collections.json file so I can debug.

FF2 · 03-02-2011, 10:47 AM

I am UNinstalling prior version and will give this one a try probably.

Question: With the older version, on the right, I saw UNcollected books in folders with ones that were already collected. I could NOT select (using Ctrl-click) multiple books at one time. At least, I think that was an issue? What I did at that point was drag the WHOLE folder to the Left column collection. Obviously, some books were already "collected." Can multiples be selected? Is dragging and entire folder (with mixed collected and non-collected) okay?

I will definitely keep my own backup when I try this again.

Paulinafrica · 03-02-2011, 12:22 PM

Hello CRidley Hats off to you for making the effort to produce a collections manager, unfortunately it has not worked too well for me. Installation was flawless, I launched the program and made one change from within the program and then restarted the kindle as instructed. Hey presto all my collections have vanished! Every one! I should have followed FF2's advice and backed up before I started! I don't know if the OS has any effect on the program? Win 7 HP 64bit. I should add, no harm done, I had a .json backup that I made about a week ago, just a warning to make a backup of your collections file beforehand.
Cheers
Paul

FF2 · 03-02-2011, 01:13 PM

Paul:

Was this with the newly updated version or the initial "buggy" version?

I have not tried the new version.

Paulinafrica · 03-02-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FF2

Paul:

Was this with the newly updated version or the initial "buggy" version?

I have not tried the new version.

Yes, it is the newly updated version 0.0.1.0 which I downloaded about an hour or so ago.
Cheers
Paul

Kindlevarazs · 03-02-2011, 05:46 PM

May I recommend one more program for handling collections?

Easy Collections on Kindle 3 - Use Koll3ction!
http://kindlevarazs.wordpress.com/20...glish-version/

Feel free to try and use!

FF2 · 03-02-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kindlevarazs

May I recommend one more program for handling collections?

Easy Collections on Kindle 3 - Use Koll3ction!
http://kindlevarazs.wordpress.com/20...glish-version/

Feel free to try and use!

Welcome. I might suggest that you start your own thread about your Collection manager/program. That will make things less confused if folks have questions or problems with one of them.

CRidley · 03-03-2011, 04:57 AM

@ FF2 - If you drag a whole folder into a collection, it will add all books in that folder to the collection, (any books in that folder already in the collection will stay in the collection without duplication). You can drag books (and folders) into as many collections as you have.

@ PaulinAfrica - I'm awfully sorry you found a bug, Any chance you kept the buggy collections.json file, as if I have a look I can probably fix it and find out what happened.

Also, the software should create a backup folder with your old collections.json file in it, just in case a bug occurs (it might be a simple question of a character in a book name that it doesn't like - although I organised 1000+ books on my kindle with it I have not tested for all possible input as I do not have the time to do this).

And by the way, I cannot see what books are on your kindle if you send me your collections.json as the names are encrypted 1-way, i just need to be able to see the structure of the file to try and find the issue.

@Kindlevarazs - looks good might check it out. Also yes, please start your own thread so I can spam it with details of my app

Kindlevarazs · 03-03-2011, 05:48 AM

Sorry, I didn't think it seems spam:-(

03-01-2011, 07:25 AM	#1
CRidley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 34 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	Kindle Collector Hello, I am new to this forum, although I have browsed it's pages a number of times. I'm sure you've all noticed how bad organising your collections is on the Kindle 3 if you have a large amount of books? Most of you will know about the collections.json file. I saw a request on this site for a user interface to manipulate it, so I made one. You can find it at http://www.riddleware.co.uk/ (the site is hideous, you can tell I'm not a designer). Before you ask, it is free and contains nothing dodgy, I just wanted a tool to organise my collections, and thought I'd share it with you all - I'd also appreciate any feedback. (there are instructions on the site but any questions feel free to get in touch). You can contact me from the contact page on my site. Cheers. Here's a quick screenshot : It tells you if books are already in collections and shows which folders have books which are not yet in collections to make lif easier. Last edited by CRidley; 03-01-2011 at 07:33 AM. Reason: Adding a bit more info

03-02-2011, 12:22 PM	#9
Paulinafrica Zealot Posts: 118 Karma: 36978 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Device: Kindle Android, Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	Hello CRidley Hats off to you for making the effort to produce a collections manager, unfortunately it has not worked too well for me. Installation was flawless, I launched the program and made one change from within the program and then restarted the kindle as instructed. Hey presto all my collections have vanished! Every one! I should have followed FF2's advice and backed up before I started! I don't know if the OS has any effect on the program? Win 7 HP 64bit. I should add, no harm done, I had a .json backup that I made about a week ago, just a warning to make a backup of your collections file beforehand. Cheers Paul Last edited by Paulinafrica; 03-02-2011 at 12:43 PM.

03-02-2011, 05:46 PM	#12
Kindlevarazs Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 494362 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Budapest, Hungary Device: Kindle 3	Another one?! May I recommend one more program for handling collections? Easy Collections on Kindle 3 - Use Koll3ction! http://kindlevarazs.wordpress.com/20...glish-version/ Feel free to try and use!

03-03-2011, 04:57 AM	#14
CRidley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 34 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	@ FF2 - If you drag a whole folder into a collection, it will add all books in that folder to the collection, (any books in that folder already in the collection will stay in the collection without duplication). You can drag books (and folders) into as many collections as you have. @ PaulinAfrica - I'm awfully sorry you found a bug, Any chance you kept the buggy collections.json file, as if I have a look I can probably fix it and find out what happened. Also, the software should create a backup folder with your old collections.json file in it, just in case a bug occurs (it might be a simple question of a character in a book name that it doesn't like - although I organised 1000+ books on my kindle with it I have not tested for all possible input as I do not have the time to do this). And by the way, I cannot see what books are on your kindle if you send me your collections.json as the names are encrypted 1-way, i just need to be able to see the structure of the file to try and find the issue. @Kindlevarazs - looks good might check it out. Also yes, please start your own thread so I can spam it with details of my app Last edited by CRidley; 03-03-2011 at 05:02 AM. Reason: Added info

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03-01-2011, 09:39 AM	#2
Jeton Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 46 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle 3	This should help people with a lot of books. I've read your comment regarding the icons of the app. Why not use famfam's SILK icons? http://www.famfamfam.com/lab/icons/silk/ They would look good and much better that the actual ones.

03-01-2011, 11:02 AM	#3
CRidley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 34 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	Thanks, I'll try to add useful comments when i can.

03-01-2011, 11:44 AM	#4
chamekke Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 13510 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	This looks very useful. Thank you!

03-01-2011, 01:03 PM	#5
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	Something did not work correctly. I just tried your program. I had had 85 Mysteries. Now I have 34. Besides, I now have 44 pages of items whereas before I had about 18. So a slew of books seem to have wound up "collectionless." I don't blame you. I will restore my backup copy (I made my own). It is beta.

03-01-2011, 02:50 PM	#6
Liesse Zealot Posts: 120 Karma: 610994 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: UK Device: Kobo Libra 2, Forma	Looks brilliant: I will be downloading and trying this out!

03-02-2011, 04:35 AM	#7
CRidley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 34 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	FF2, Sorry about that, I did fix a bug with adding collections, then used it extensively last night and it all seemd to work. I have updated the website with a new installer, so anyone who downloaded it before this comment should reinstall from the website. If anyone has any issues like this i'd appreciate if you could send the collections.json file so I can debug.

03-02-2011, 10:47 AM	#8
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	I am UNinstalling prior version and will give this one a try probably. Question: With the older version, on the right, I saw UNcollected books in folders with ones that were already collected. I could NOT select (using Ctrl-click) multiple books at one time. At least, I think that was an issue? What I did at that point was drag the WHOLE folder to the Left column collection. Obviously, some books were already "collected." Can multiples be selected? Is dragging and entire folder (with mixed collected and non-collected) okay? I will definitely keep my own backup when I try this again.

03-02-2011, 01:13 PM	#10
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	Paul: Was this with the newly updated version or the initial "buggy" version? I have not tried the new version.

03-03-2011, 05:48 AM	#15
Kindlevarazs Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 494362 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Budapest, Hungary Device: Kindle 3	Sorry, I didn't think it seems spam:-(

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