05-22-2008, 08:41 AM | #1 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 73
Karma: 120
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: Sony Reader
|
Idea for a "Bookit" Plugin -- Maybe Kovid?
Since discovering Kovid's wonderful web2lrf tool, I look at web pages in a different way. If I come across the large, interesting article on a web page, I immediately think about converting it to an e-book for more comfortable reading at my convenience in my Sony Reader. The only problem is that it takes some considerable effort at present, since I have to save the page to html, then open a DOS window (Start - Run - type in CMD, CD to the directory, and then try and remember and type-in all the necessary syntax, paths, and filenames to launch the conversion).
This morning, as I ran across a big web article in Firefox, it hit me. What about a Firefox front-end for web2lrf?! The way it'd work... If you run across a great online article or other document you want to read off line in your reader, you'd click a little icon in a corner of the browser that looks like a book or a little bookworm or something, and the document would be instantly and automatically converted into an e-book and saved to your hard drive. Right-clicking on the icon would allow you to set options such as the place where files should be saved, etc. Or, instead maybe when you left-click the icon, a popup window would appear, letting you choose the where, filename, link-following, and other options supported by web2lrf. The latter would seem like the more powerful method since you could vary things with each e-book. Am I the only one who thinks this would be amazingly cool? |
05-22-2008, 09:53 AM | #2 |
Guru
Posts: 962
Karma: 568242
Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Paperwhite 1, iPad, iPhone
|
I think this might be a really useful tool, but I just don't know enough about how firefox would interact with the command line. I agree, it would be a cool little utility to have. Right now on my Mac I have an Automator script that does the same thing and works for any URL that I copy to my clipboard. I copy the URL (from a browser or email or whatever) and then run an Automator app that downloads the file and then executes the command line to convert the file to an LRF. Now if only Kovid has a command line utility to import into the database...
|
Advert | |
|
05-22-2008, 10:02 AM | #3 |
Member
Posts: 24
Karma: 28
Join Date: Mar 2008
Device: Sony Reader
|
It is indeed a great idea.
The Librie (prs-500 predecessor) actually came with a tool for IE that did just what you suggest. I used it quite often to convert html ebooks. |
05-22-2008, 10:22 AM | #4 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,005
Karma: 98078
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Device: iPad Mini 4
|
For anyone that every used iSilo on a palm or pocket pc it had a plugin for Internet Explorer that would do this. You also had the capability to set the link depth level as well as whether that applied to just that site or off site links as well. Was a very easy way to grab online magazines, newspapers etc.
|
05-22-2008, 11:58 AM | #5 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 73
Karma: 120
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: Sony Reader
|
Hi jplumley
If the utility is capable of taking variables from the command line, it should also be capable, with some adaptation, to be fed variables by a GUI of the kind I've described. The beauty of the plugin approach is that it would allow users to work in a very intuitive manner, right from within their browser. :-) Dane |
Advert | |
|
05-22-2008, 12:45 PM | #6 |
creator of calibre
Posts: 44,393
Karma: 23798586
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Mumbai, India
Device: Various
|
Sure, this would be a great idea, except that I don't know anything about writing firefox plugins (I use konqueror myself), but if someone wants to do this, I'll be happy to provide whatever support is needed from the calibre end.
|
05-22-2008, 04:08 PM | #7 |
Addict
Posts: 208
Karma: 1523
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Houston,TX
Device: PRS-T1
|
Hmm, at first glance it doesn't look like it would be that hard. My wife has a working dinner tonight, let me see if I can through together a quick prototype.
|
05-22-2008, 05:43 PM | #8 |
Addict
Posts: 208
Karma: 1523
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Houston,TX
Device: PRS-T1
|
Ok, I've got a working prototype...well it works in Firefox 2.0 under XP. Let me figure out how to adjust the settings and I'll upload it to my website.
This first version will not be very configurable, but once I get basics in place adding a menu and configuration dialogs shouldn't be that hard. One question though, I don't use web2lrf very much, how does the recursion setting work? I've tried -r 1 and --max-recursions=1 but it always seems to be following the links. Last edited by beowulf573; 05-22-2008 at 06:03 PM. |
05-22-2008, 05:52 PM | #9 |
Guru
Posts: 962
Karma: 568242
Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Paperwhite 1, iPad, iPhone
|
Setting up the basic extension seems simple, after looking at some tutorials. Shall we have a race? First one to develop one gets a free Reader? lol just kidding.
|
05-22-2008, 05:54 PM | #10 |
Guru
Posts: 962
Karma: 568242
Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Paperwhite 1, iPad, iPhone
|
LOL looks like I already lost. Hehe. Let me know if you need a beta tester.
|
05-22-2008, 07:16 PM | #12 |
creator of calibre
Posts: 44,393
Karma: 23798586
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Mumbai, India
Device: Various
|
Set -r 0 to not have it follow links.
|
05-22-2008, 09:51 PM | #13 |
The Pastor of Disaster
Posts: 202
Karma: 994
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: Sony PRS-650, Apple iPad 3 64GB Wifi
|
If this works, will it work with the GUI Calibre or just the command line version. I don't really know much in regards to command line stuff and prefer my GUI.
I can see this plugin being very, very useful. |
05-22-2008, 10:10 PM | #14 |
Addict
Posts: 208
Karma: 1523
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Houston,TX
Device: PRS-T1
|
Right now it just invokes web2lrf. Is there a way to invoke the gui to do the conversion?
I've done some more work on it, I'll upload a new version before I go to bed. |
05-22-2008, 10:13 PM | #15 |
creator of calibre
Posts: 44,393
Karma: 23798586
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Mumbai, India
Device: Various
|
I can probably add some code so that if you call the GUI with a file argument, it will add the file to the database.
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
My "read" tag idea enhancement for Calibre idea | rcuadro | Calibre | 10 | 01-20-2011 04:23 PM |
Used "That Plugin" Now My Kindle Books... | Anarel | Plugins | 3 | 06-02-2010 01:32 PM |
Bookit plugin for Firefox | beowulf573 | Sony Reader | 365 | 01-27-2010 09:18 PM |
Microsoft Reader plugin "Read in" for Word doesn't load anymore | K-Thom | Reading and Management | 15 | 04-17-2009 05:52 AM |