My Readings : A new interface for Calibre on tablets and smartphones

[hugoheitz]

Originally Posted by Lynxai

I own a MacPro, I have a separated partition with Windows 8 for Comicrack and other things.

About your configuration, you should use MyReadings and DS411j on your Asus 101, in that way you won´t need to download any files!

That s really what I want ! I hope I will fix the issue with MyReadings tonight !


Manga usually comes like images inside a folder, a really pain. You´re right, the first step is zip them (use CBZ, not CBR, CBR don´t save the metadata inside the file).
Try to install Comicvine plugin in Calibre and read about CBC format.

Together gonna get this!

I zip a few folders.
Is there a special way to convert a zip into a cbz ? Or it is just the file extension that makes it a cbz ?
I found this :
".cbz" files are really just renamed ".zip" files. So, put the comic jpgs into the order you want, then use some compression software (like WinZip, standard on PCs) to create say "Comic.zip". Then rename the extension so that it's "Comic.cbz". If I can do it, anyone can!

I will install Comicvine plugin in Calibre.

I found this about CBC
http://comicrack.cyolito.com/forum/9...-comic-support

Can I ask you how you use your NAS and your calibre library ?
I have an issue on the calibre library. I cant delete a book, I get an error (errno13).
I tried to fix it using NFS but still the same issue.

I keep you posted !

Thanks for your support
Hugo

[mariosipad]

Originally Posted by hugoheitz

The COPS directory under web/ is cops/ with user admin

For MyReadings, I have used root.

May I need to have "admin" user ?

Any idea ?

On a Synology (at least with DSM 4) the user "root" has the same right s as user "admin".
I think you do not have a user problem, but a permission problem.

Try to give directories with "problems" to give universal read/write/execute permissions (ssh into your Synology then -> chmod -R 777 /volume1/web/myreadings [assuming that is where your myreadings directory is]). Do the same with the data directories.

If it works then try to restrict the permissions.

[sbdomo]

Some informations:
cbz are zip files renamed (with all pages in jpg)
cbr are rar files.
Don't use cbr because on Synology NAS you don't have rar extension in the web server.
The zip extension is active then in My Readings you can read a cbz in the viewer without donwload it.

With DSM 5, you can't use Xsendfile. That extension doesn't work and I don't find why (in DSM 4, all is fine).

The message :"You have a open_basedir restriction. If you can't access to your library, try to add your library path in open_basedir" is to say that you must add the path of your metadata.db library. If it's OK with COPS, it should be OK with My readings.

[Lynxai]

Mariosipad is right, it must be a permission problem.
I won't install dsm5 by now, thanks sbdomo.

MyReadings doesn't need to download cbz, you can use the "web viewer", which is pretty cool and confortable and the principal motive for me to use it. I have wife and a little baby girl, I need the EASIER way to access my media content (Calibre for books/comics and Plex for everything else).
All my books are in /media/libros along with metadata.db file, comics are in /media/comics, not very original. I have two separated libraries in Calibre pointing to these paths.

[hugoheitz]

Originally Posted by sbdomo

With DSM 5, you can't use Xsendfile. That extension doesn't work and I don't find why (in DSM 4, all is fine).

The message :"You have a open_basedir restriction. If you can't access to your library, try to add your library path in open_basedir" is to say that you must add the path of your metadata.db library. If it's OK with COPS, it should be OK with My readings.

I am already in DSM 5. I will not use XSendfile.

I add the path to my library in the open_basedir and it is working fine with COPS.

I will look to the permissions issues tonight and also add a login protection to my library because I have an error that seems linked to the fact that my library is with no login on myreadings.

Some feedbacks from a friend who tries the online viewer :

+++ the interface design is really nice.

but the online viewer is not really usable for epub or cbz :
no full screen mode (neither with safari or chrome) it is clearly a limitation because chrome can do a full screen mode.

commands are on top of the image, you lose some space, it is difficult to read.

the online mode can help in case of emergency but not in order to read a complete book or comic.

it still seems the best on syno...

[sbdomo]

Hello,

Originally Posted by hugoheitz

I will look to the permissions issues tonight and also add a login protection to my library because I have an error that seems linked to the fact that my library is with no login on myreadings.

Some informations: The login is not for calibre library but for My Readings (you add it with admin.php).
Login for library is not necesary because if your library is not in web directory, nobody can access it by the web without another application as My Readings...

For the readers:
I think the epub viewer is slow and less ergonomic than not online reader.
But I don't think that for the cbz viewer:

Originally Posted by hugoheitz

no full screen mode (neither with safari or chrome)

I don't uderstand why. You have a full screen mode and you can hide the two tools bar (at the top and at the bottom of the viewer). With the icon on the top/right you can choose how to manage it:
For exemple double tap for show/hide tools bar and swipe to change page, zoom in and out with two fingers ("pinch-to-zoom")... I created My Readings for tablets (my ipad), and all is do for command it with finger and in full screen mode ("standalone mode" in iOS)
And, in general cbz are big, the viewer load only the page you're reading, the page before and after. It could be faster than dowload all the cbz for a not online reader...
The only problem on iOS for the standalone mode (full screen) is that I can't hide the status bar of iOS and then we loose some pixels at the top... Perhaps with a future version of iOS (?)...

In the next version, you will have the possibility to save, on the server, a bookmark for epub and cbz (to open again the book at the same page or to notify that you have finish the book). If you see a feature you want for the cbz viewer, you can suggest it, I'll will try to add it...

[Lynxai]

Originally Posted by hugoheitz

Some feedbacks from a friend who tries the online viewer :

+++ the interface design is really nice.

but the online viewer is not really usable for epub or cbz :
no full screen mode (neither with safari or chrome) it is clearly a limitation because chrome can do a full screen mode.

commands are on top of the image, you lose some space, it is difficult to read.

the online mode can help in case of emergency but not in order to read a complete book or comic.

It´s pretty usable to me. On Ipad you can "make" an app from any web, this way you have full screen mode and a nice MyReadings icon on your desktop tablet.

[hugoheitz]

Originally Posted by hugoheitz

I will look to the permissions issues tonight and also add a login protection to my library because I have an error that seems linked to the fact that my library is with no login on myreadings.

Added protection to myreadings yesterday.
It now works fine !

I have a few suggestions about the admin interface. I will suggest it on github.

It's really pretty. search is fast.
A great job !

[hugoheitz]

Originally Posted by Lynxai

Other solution is a software conversion from Comicrack .xml to Calibre .opf, I tried to change the extension but didn´t works . Anyone knows a valid way to do it?

I am OK, we need to find a way to get the metadata information in calibre.
I dont have comicrack.xml so I cant convert to calibre.opf.
I will try to search about this point.

I will also look about installing comicrack.

Do you use Parallels or a dual boot for windows ?

[dickloraine]

I use calibre for my comics too. I like the organization of calibre more than comicrack which is very confusing to me. If you import cbz to calibre, calibre is able to read metadata which is stored in the zip comment. If you use comickrack that is not the case there, comicrack writes the metadata in a xml file inside the zip. Fortunately there is a neat little program called comic tagger available for free. It can tag your comic automatically and it supports both ways of storing the metadata (i use both, I use the comicrack app on android and it reads the metadata).
So if you have tagged your comic already in comickrack, you just have to copy the metadata to the other format and then import into calibre. You may need to adjust the reading in calibre in the preferences. If you do not have the comicks tagged already, just use comic tagger to do it.
One problem with calibre is, that it reads comic metadat, but not writes it. So if you want the metadata in your files, first use comic tagger and then import into calibre.

[Lynxai]

I use dual boot.

That´s right Dikloraine, Comictagger is the other solution. Althought it crashes frequently on my mac. Right now I keep fighting with comicvine plugin on calibre, trying to make it works properly.

Almost forget, Comicrack works flawless converting cbr to cbz, you can use it for that, so you can read on MyReadings.

[hugoheitz]

Originally Posted by dickloraine

I use calibre for my comics too. I like the organization of calibre more than comicrack which is very confusing to me. If you import cbz to calibre, calibre is able to read metadata which is stored in the zip comment. If you use comickrack that is not the case there, comicrack writes the metadata in a xml file inside the zip. Fortunately there is a neat little program called comic tagger available for free. It can tag your comic automatically and it supports both ways of storing the metadata (i use both, I use the comicrack app on android and it reads the metadata).
So if you have tagged your comic already in comickrack, you just have to copy the metadata to the other format and then import into calibre. You may need to adjust the reading in calibre in the preferences. If you do not have the comicks tagged already, just use comic tagger to do it.
One problem with calibre is, that it reads comic metadat, but not writes it. So if you want the metadata in your files, first use comic tagger and then import into calibre.

This is great news, I will try that ASAP.
I keep you posted.

OK.
Yesterday evening, I have fixed an issue with Calibre that prevented me to remove books from the library. I have understood that I needed to create a NFS mapping with correct rights on it to allow creation of temporary files in the top level directory when Calibre tried to delete files.
It is now running fine.

I have downloaded comic tagger and installed it.

It gives me choice for metatags beetween comicrack or comic book lover. What is the correct one for Calibre ?
Can I find a tutorial to scan a directory full of jpg, tag the comic correctly and zip it in CBZ in order to integrate into calibre and also to be able to read it directly in MyReadings ?

Thanks !

[dickloraine]

Comic book lover is the correct one (but you could use both, they are not exlusive). It writes the information in the zip comment, from where calibre reads it. Since comic tagger uses comic vine for the metadata, you have to adjust ine setting in calibre, to get the right series number. Go to preferences-> Plugins -> Read Metadata plugins -> Read comic metadata. Configure the plugin and enter "issue" for reading the series information.

If you have folders instead of cbz, just zip the folder and rename the extension to "cbz". Then use comic tagger to tag them. If you have many seperate folders with seperate comics, maybe this batch could be of use:

for /d %%X in (*) do "c:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a -mx=0 -tzip "%%X.cbz" "%%X\"

Just replace the path to 7z with your path. (I have no idea about Macs, maybe there are no batches on a mac? Than you have to do it manualy).

[sbdomo]

Hello,
There is a new version:
new features
and the zip: Version 0.3

For Synology with DSM 5, you can read that:
DSM5

There are several explanations, for example : how to configure your NAS for Xsenfile.

[hugoheitz]

Originally Posted by sbdomo

Hello,
There is a new version:
new features
and the zip: Version 0.3

For Synology with DSM 5, you can read that:
DSM5

There are several explanations, for example : how to configure your NAS for Xsenfile.

This is great news.

I dit install it yesterday evening.