[GUI Plugin] Goodreads Sync

[dgparryuk]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The issue that has happened in the past is that because the MS browser was never used, the CA was not being updated. Other browsers using managed it themselves. The plugin uses the OS store. Visiting the site in question with the MS browser would fix this. This might have changed with Edge, or the Chrome version the browser.

Looking at the certificate, it is issued by Amazon with themselves as the CA. Though there seems to be "Starfire" involved as well.

Looking at discussion about the error on the web, it does look like how the certificates are handled has changed with Python 3.6 or thereabout. I'll have to think about what can be done.

just had this issue and as always - found the answer here :-)

[alerum68]

Hello,

Just wondering how Goodread removing access to the API is going to affect the plugin. I lost access to my API the day after they announced the change, and GR Sync is still working for me, but when they completely remove all access, will it break GR Sync?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by alerum68

Just wondering how Goodread removing access to the API is going to affect the plugin. I lost access to my API the day after they announced the change, and GR Sync is still working for me, but when they completely remove all access, will it break GR Sync?

Unfortunately, it will kill the plugin. Most the plugin uses the API. If it is removed, it will need to be rewritten to do screen-scraping. And honestly, I'm not sure if I will bother.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by alerum68

Hello,

Just wondering how Goodread removing access to the API is going to affect the plugin. I lost access to my API the day after they announced the change, and GR Sync is still working for me, but when they completely remove all access, will it break GR Sync?

Where is it shown that Goodreads is removing its API? Thanks.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Where is it shown that Goodreads is removing its API? Thanks.

On their page describing the API.

[JSWolf]

Is Goodreads going to be replacing the API with something else?

[shamanNS]

With nothing.

[JSWolf]

I just received an email from Goodreads about the API.

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in. As of December 8th 2020, Goodreads will no longer issue new developer keys for our public developer API and plans to retire these tools. Goodreads has therefore deactivated API keys not used in the last 30 days, and will be assessing the value of APIs to determine support in the future.

If you wish to provide feedback on this change, please complete the developer API survey here. Please let us know if you have additional questions.

The following URL it to provide feedback about the API.

https://goodreads.co1.qualtrics.com/...ZZ0AugJkBCSZ1P

[kiwidude]

FWIW I've filled in the survey. With the number of users of this plugin I dont think we are in any danger of the 30 day developer key "unused" scenario, so I would expect it to be usable up until the (unannounced) date of actual API retirement.

Personally I have no desire to attempt to replace the functionality with developing an html scraping based approach, that is just opening yourself up to a world of pain of the plugin breaking every time the website gets changed, as happens with all the metadata plugins. Not to mention the fact that while scraping works ok for reading data it becomes a lot more complicated/problematic for updating (posting) data given all the funky stuff people often do with javascript etc. Of course if someone else wants to create a new plugin to do this then good luck and I hope it works . Goodreads have been particularly poor/lazy at adding to their website over the years (it has barely changed) so it does have that in it's favour.

So unless Goodreads have a change of heart I expect this plugin to die. I still use it every time I finish a book (my usage is to simply add the book to a yearly shelf in goodreads with my rating, and tick a #Read boolean custom column in calibre also setting #LastRead date column. So its just going to be a bunch more mouseclicks each time - to do the same thing - not the end of the world given I only read a few hundred books a year but a shame nonetheless.

[markweaster]

Please do not shutdown the API. Limit it to the worthy few if necessary, but please do not eliminate it.

I am an avid reader, member of GoodReads for many years, user of Calibre for many more years. The Goodreads Sync plugin to Calibre (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=123281) has been a useful way to sync my library information to GoodReads updating my reading info in GoodReads with a single click within Calibre. Before this plugin, I generally did not update GoodReads regularly or with information like my reviews. Without the plugin, I may not bother and my use of GoodReads would most likely plummet. I think, at least this plugin, is good for GoodReads and the reader community.

I would sorely miss this capability and plead with GoodReads to maintain the API.

Thank you for a great service that has added to my enjoyment of books!

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by markweaster

Please do not shutdown the API. Limit it to the worthy few if necessary, but please do not eliminate it.

I am an avid reader, member of GoodReads for many years, user of Calibre for many more years. The Goodreads Sync plugin to Calibre (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=123281) has been a useful way to sync my library information to GoodReads updating my reading info in GoodReads with a single click within Calibre. Before this plugin, I generally did not update GoodReads regularly or with information like my reviews. Without the plugin, I may not bother and my use of GoodReads would most likely plummet. I think, at least this plugin, is good for GoodReads and the reader community.

I would sorely miss this capability and plead with GoodReads to maintain the API.

Thank you for a great service that has added to my enjoyment of books!

I think that it would interesting to take the survey that JSWolf has linked Goodreads is not going to read your comment here.

[davidfor]

I have just released version 1.15.0 of the plugin. This contains some bug fixes and one new function.

The list of changes are:
Version 1.15.0 - 26 December 2020 - made by davidfor

• Fix: Progress bar when syncing shelves and updating the library should have been "Books".
• Fix: Errors handling books when updating calibre after a "Sync from shelf". This gave terrible performance and some books would not have been updated correctly.
• Fix: Python 3 incompatibility when opening help.
• Fix: Python 3 incompatibility when opening Goodreads page from dialogs.
• Fix: Python 3 incompatibility when handling from Goodreads.
• New: Added the option "Put books on currently-reading shelf" to the "Update Reading Progress".

All of these changes are in the recent betas.

This release should be compatible with older versions of calibre.

Calibre will announce the update in the next hour or so. If there are any issues, please report them here.

[uli]

Thanks, I'd like to report a nice performance increase (from 30 minutes to <1 seconds for 300 books).

Shame so many services are ending or limiting their APIs this year. Hopefully some basic functionality (read status and date) will continue in some from, wonder if people willing to pay for the feature.

[pandako]

Am I just blind or is there no way to synchronise my Calibre library to Goodreads (ratings, reviews, progress) without going through the "Add to Shelf" menu again?

For example, by using "Add to Shelf" menu to update a new rating/review, all the triggers are triggers, and e.g. the Date Finished gets set to Today, which isn't what I want. I just want to synchronise the items that are already in the shelf.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by pandako

Am I just blind or is there no way to synchronise my Calibre library to Goodreads (ratings, reviews, progress) without going through the "Add to Shelf" menu again?

For example, by using "Add to Shelf" menu to update a new rating/review, all the triggers are triggers, and e.g. the Date Finished gets set to Today, which isn't what I want. I just want to synchronise the items that are already in the shelf.

Not really. The "Update reading progress" will be the closest. If the book is at 100%, it can set the rating and comment, but will also set the reading progress which will set the date. Adding an option to not do this would be possible and reasonably sensible. With GR's announcement, I'm not that motivated to work on this plugin, but, maybe if I have time in the next few days.