Search the Community

I have now added a 4th program to the mix, and decided to place all under the banner of a suite - KindEbook Suite. I believe it will be better served by having its own topic, rather than attempt to edit the first few posts in the old one - KindEbook Wishlist. It is also a chance to de-clutter and make some improvements. MAIN PROGRAM KindEbook Wishlist COMPLIMENTARY PROGRAMS AZWPlug Add Book & All Formats To Calibre UpdateFromOPF Bucket-for-URLs ConvertEbook (now replaced by Batch Ebook Convert if you wish) Redundant where KFX files are concerned. Batch Ebook Convert (new) CalibBrowser - Multi-faceted viewer for calibre (while kind of complimentary, not part of the suite proper, not a step to apply) ASSISTIVE PROGRAMS Batch Create & Run TeraCopy Timer RECOMMENDED 3RD PARTY PROGRAMS & RESOURCES calibre - Integral to the last two of my complimentary programs, and an important element of the first one. Basically an ebook database & conversion program, but also offers plenty more, especially adding ebooks to or removing ebooks from your reading device. Wikipedia Sigil - A wonderful open source ebook editor & creator. Great for fixing issues with EPUB files, especially after converting from another format. Wikipedia MobileRead Forums - Excellent resource for all things ebook. BookBub - Great advisory source for ebooks, that lets you know via email about great bargains at Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks. I still use KindEbook Wishlist with anything I obtain at Amazon via BookBub links, but usually just for a purchase record ... essentially I ADD (mostly freebies) and then immediately RELOCATE to my bought (b) user. A BIG Thanks to @willichan who told me many months ago, about BookBub. Usage Of My Programs To help others to understand about these programs and how to use them for the best benefit, I thought it best to outline how I use them, usually each and every day. Quick Summary Of Usage (in order of use) 1. KindEbook Wishlist - Amazon Kindle Wishlist, Price Checker, History of Changes, Record of Purchases. 2. Bucket-for-URLs - Assistant to KindEbook Wishlist with new ebook discoveries, if a lot of them. When BookBub freebies lead to many others at Amazon. 3. AZWPlug - Add Kindle purchases to a database and to calibre, plus get right-click detail of selected ebook file (once added to database). 4. UpdateFromOPF - Make changes or corrections to the Metadata (OPF) file in calibre. 5. Batch Ebook Convert - Convert existing ebook (usually AZW3, sometimes MOBI) to EPUB and if missing, MOBI. 6. TeraCopy Timer - Make backups locally (outside of calibre library), and to thumbstick for transfer to another PC etc. 7. Batch Create & Run - Make passworded and zipped backups to Google Drive (locally). 8. Add Book & All Formats To Calibre - Add one backup copy of each ebook (all formats) to calibre on another PC. KindEbook Wishlist AZWPlug Add Book & All Formats To Calibre UpdateFromOPF Bucket-for-URLs ConvertEbook Batch Ebook Convert

Only early days at this point, but I have been pondering such a program for a while. As good as calibre is (thank you Kovid Goyal), which is a great and wonderful ebook suite of tools and a fair database, it does have its limitations. One of which, is how it deals with multiple libraries, another is the views you get. CalibBrowser will seek to address those. What CalibBrowser is not going to be, is an editor for existing calibre libraries. That will be left up to calibre, which is very much needed still, and covers many aspects I will never look at. Unlike calibre, which is quite a complex program, CalibBrowser also seeks to be simple. It is mainly a viewer, at this point, but will later be able to create its own libraries. However, it does not and will not export them to calibre, especially as calibre employs a far different method and structure to what CalibBrowser will employ. When CalibBrowser starts, it looks for calibre executables and the main Calibre Library. Whatever isn't found, you get prompted for with a browse option. A calibre library, is a set of ebook folders (Author\Ebooks) and a database file, always named metadata.db, and which causes an issue when it comes to multiple libraries, but makes life a bit easier when reconstructing any corrupted libraries. However, there are better ways to deal with that, as my program will show. The metadata.db file is an SQL database, so I am having a learning curve right now, as I have only ever dealt with an SQL database previously, codewise, when I created my INItoSQL program some time last year, as an exercise to prove a point. At the moment, things are pretty basic, and not everything works 100%. Here is a screenshot, to give an idea of it, but keep in mind, I intend to expand the current GUI for other stuff I will be adding. Older Screenshots Gawd, I just noticed the '3|7' in the Book Input field (original screenshot). I was using that during troubleshooting for the multiple images scrolling and forgot to disable it ... not that it impacts anything. When it comes to maths, I struggle a bit, especially when tired. Right scrolling was easy, with a continuous loop, was easy to implement. Left scrolling was significantly harder for my poor brain ... until I realized I needed to see them as Min and Max. As you can see the program is usable, and all the buttons, aside from the Program Information one, work. You can even load different calibre libraries, and even reload after making changes to one with calibre. The calibre program does not need to be running, even to view an ebook in the Calibre Reader. The combo selector for a library and the ADD button are only temporarily placed where they are, until I expand the GUI. My intention at this point, is to add another five thumbnail images, directly below existing. Currently they aren't clickable, but I may add that. Here is another screenshot, of what you see when you click the larger Cover image. If you want to have a play with the program as is, then you will need to also get the 'sqlite3.dll' file from some online source. When CalibBrowser starts successfully with the selected calibre library, it copies its metadata.db file to a sub-folder of the program called 'Backups'. It also creates a sub-folder in that, based on the library name, to house it. That copied file, is the one the program uses, though it does not even edit that, and file modification is checked every time the program starts with a particular library, or when you Reload or select a library. If the original source file has been modified, then the program copy is overwritten. The Reload Database button does nothing, if there is no change detected, and reports such. Place the required 'sqlite3.dll' file in the CalibBrowser root folder. Download includes source files (sqlite3.dll excepted). Also required of course, is an install of calibre, plus some ebooks in a created library - Calibre Library is the default when you first add ebooks to calibre. The Mobile Read Forums, is a great source for all things ebook, and calibre can be found there in the E-Book Software section. CalibBrowser.zip 1.34 MB - Upload 4 (previous downloads: 1 + 12 + 5 + 282) CalibBrowser (new).zip My apologies for the program being created in AutoIt v3.3.0.0. It is the first one I have done in a while, with an older AutoIt version. Basically my Win 7 Netbook, which has a current version of AutoIt, was busy and is always busy doing something, and not suitable for doing big projects for several reasons. My older but more powerful Win XP Laptop, has a better programming environment, better computer chair (most important for my knees etc), better external monitor (wider and newish), full size external keyboard & mouse, and a great suite of setup tools to assist me. I run several older versions of AutoIt already on my Laptop, but haven't yet determined what I need to adjust to add a current version of AutoIt to the mix. This also applies to my hugely beneficial Toolbar For Any program (one of those tools), which I constantly use with SciTE. At some point, when finished, I may update the program to the current AutoIt version ... especially as I believe I am now proficient enough to do so, having become quite familiar with it in the last year or so, making many programs with it. Enjoy!

This version has been discontinued. See the new version here. MANUAL MODE+ ONLY. No longer fully working automatically for price and adding new ebooks. NOTICE - As many of you are probably aware, internal links from the old forum are no longer working in many instances, which is apparently due to how those links were created in the first place. With that in mind, all the broken links here will not be fixed by me just yet, until some time has passed and a Forum rollback is no longer likely. Downloads should be working however, except when Jon may be updating or fixing something. Here's a simple little nifty program ... well it is for me ... and maybe you, if you like to keep tabs on a certain online store's prices for those ebooks you are interested in, but are not in your price range yet. BE AWARE - This is coded using AutoIt version 3.3.0.0, an oldy but goody, so it may need modification to run or compile with later or current AutoIt. Reportedly not at this point, as all seems fine. BE ADVISED - This is not affiliated or supported or likely appreciated or even recommended by them &/or Partners. As always, use my stuff at your own risk, and I seriously suggest you check out my disclaimer on my Toolbox page (see my signature below). Basically, I haven't tested this much yet, as it is hot off the press, and no prices have changed yet for me to give the ultimate definitive test, but it should work ok ... until they change an important element that the program relies on. I've kept it pretty basic and simple, and others are welcome to add improvements, just so long as they respect me, and share here. This program is only allowed to be shared (made available for download) from the AutoIt Examples forum, until I give permission otherwise. What does it do? It is a simple database, that you populate using web page links from a certain store for their ebooks. I just got mine off my Wishlist pages. It keeps a record of up to four prices for each ebook. Title, Author (or Editor), URL, Price (Start, Current, Lowest, Highest), Date (Start, Last Check), are all stored in the program's INI database. Also, what I am presuming is the ISBN, which is used to make each entry unique. If a price has changed since Start, it will be indicated by an asterisk in the number (first) column. Why? Seller, Publishers and even Authors on occasion, like to play games with ebook prices. Hopefully this little tool, will even the odds in our favor, maybe even put us in front. OLDER NEWS (relocated to 2nd post) NEWS (15-06-2015) The program no longer works for price and that element may remain broken. It does however still assist with any current ebooks on the list, and I may add the ability to add more ebooks, and manually paste the current price, etc. Not all is lost. (15-06-2015) I have coded a partial fix, which allows you to manually enter (copy & paste) prices. (16-06-2015) Ebooks can now be added manually. (17-06-2015) More improvements. IMPORTANT - Please update from v1.1 to v1.2 or later, due to a Query bug. WARNING - Before running v1.6 (and later) for first time, you may want to read all notes. IMPORTANT - Before downloading this latest update, or if using it already, please make yourself familiar with some later information here. It may even be better to just wait for the next update, and not use this one. (v3.4) For those who have not kept up with updates since v2.0. KindEbook Price Query.au3 Previously: 113 + 78 downloads KindEbook Price Query v3.4.zip Previously: 151 + 57 downloads (v3.5) For those who have kept up with updates. KindEbook Price Query.au3 KindEbook Price Query v3.5.zip (v3.6) For those who have kept up with updates & First time users. KindEbook Price Query.au3 KindEbook Price Query v3.6.zip (v3.7) For those who have kept up with updates & First time users. KindEbook Price Query.au3 Previously: 30 downloads KindEbook Price Query v3.7.zip Previously: 31 downloads (v3.8) For those who have kept up with updates, but not First time users yet. Sources included in the zip file. PARTIAL FIX KindEbook Price Query v3.8.zip Previously: 32 downloads (v3.9) For those who have kept up with updates, and First time users. Sources included in the zip file. MANUAL MODE KindEbook Price Query v3.9.zip Previously: 26 downloads (v4.0) For those who have kept up with updates, and First time users. Sources included in the zip file. MANUAL MODE+ KindEbook Price Query v4.0.zip Previously: 28 downloads IMPORTANT - See this post for extra INI entries to improve web page read for Summary (prior post explains). RECOMMENDED - Users could maybe benefit from reading various comments in Intercept Right-Click Listview Context Menu topic. CHANGES (17-06-2015) (v4.0) MANUAL MODE, but with some more automation. A Query ALL can now start at the currently selected entry, via a prompt. An option to auto close current browser tab (using Ctrl + W), has been added for when getting price in manual mode. Input Box window widened slightly in ADD Ebook manual process. A delay option has been added, to allow a pause for specified seconds between queries during a Query ALL. This delay may be helpful in preventing erroneous detection as a malicious scraper. Ebook cover can now be a .jpg file, in the Image Data folder, where filename matches ISBN ID. Bugfix for whitespace in Price in manual mode (sorry about that). (16-06-2015) (v3.9) MANUAL MODE only for prices and adding ebooks. Program can now have ebooks added to it manually, when in 'manual' mode. The Timer and Wait labels are now dealt with correctly, by being hidden when not required or wanted. An Input Box is continually presented for user to manually add an Ebook's details (Title, etc). No other fix has been added yet, to deal with broken status in regard to automatic price checking. That last, also includes not automatically getting details when adding ebooks. I may do that next. (15-06-2015) (v3.8) PARTIAL FIX - Manual Price adding only. Program is broken as far as getting prices automatically from Amazon, but a 'manual' mode has been added, and set by default, but can be reset to 'automatic' in program settings. The manual mode allows you to do your usual Query (one or ALL), and presents you with an Input box to manually paste the price you have copied from the ebook webpage that has been executed. You can stop at anytime, by clicking the Cancel button. The usual Report will be displayed and any changes stored. NOTE - You cannot currently ADD any new ebooks to the list with this version, but I will address that issue soon. (13-06-2015) (v3.7) NO LONGER WORKING FOR PRICE AND ADDING NEW EBOOKS. A major update that resolves a bug, and perhaps made v4.0 (as originally planned) redundant. Bugfix for Timer Label causing a miscount of control numbers when swapping users in certain scenario. Prompt when making a Query from relocated bought ebooks user. Private Comments are now queried when copying or moving an ebook to another user, if they exist for that ebook. All Shared Comments are now stored and read from the shared file 'Comments.ini', though they still also exist in each user file for now, if no longer referenced or updated there. Any conflicts during this updating change, between users, meant comments were combined but separated by a pipe '|' character. Still advise you read v1.6 notes. PREVIOUS VERSIONS (relocated to 2nd post) NOTE - See extra comments at Post #13. IMPORTANT This program is based on settings in that store, that are relevant to me as a customer from AUS. It also relies on a leading dollar sign at the start of each price (and other currency entry listed in INI file), which is removed during comparisons. I did not remember to include the pound sign, so if you need to, modify the source code. That last will definitely be necessary for others from other countries. I'll add any currencies advised of, in the next update. It is simple enough to change, and I may just make an INI entry, that can be modified by whoever, to suit. ADDENDUM - Relocated to Chat topic. NOTE - This program was initially considered and talked about in this Chat topic. SCREENSHOTS v3.5+ Earlier OLDER (v3.4)