Email from Web Browser

timctrahan · 09-16-2010, 06:30 PM

I am interested in modifying the web interface to allow the user to initiate emailing to one of the defined users. I have several relatives that are not computer savy in which I would like to maintain a collection of ebooks and allow them to have them sent to their kindle devices straight from the web ui so I can expose that to them.

I am a .Net developer, and I have set up the project and am able to make code changes and see them reflected (i can muddle through python). I am finding it difficult to trace through all of the different modules to find the relevant code to update.

Specifically, i would like to modify the gui.js file to display the defined email's in the connect and share module, have the xml.py module query the defined email addresses and append to the book records so that the gui.js file can make a separate request to send the email.

In any case, i will continue to search through the code, but pointers to where the db.search_getting_ids is declared and an overall approach would be appreciated.

I think this feature would be useful, and would like to see it in the project.

Thanks!
Tim

desertgrandma · 09-16-2010, 06:36 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, Tim.

Quite a feat you've set for yourself there. Best of luck.

You do realize you'd have to strip the drm before anyone else could read the books, if they are protected, right?

kovidgoyal · 09-16-2010, 06:42 PM

It's an interesting idea. search_getting_ids is defined in library/caches.py

In general when looking for a function definition in python code, I use the following simple grep expression

grep -r "def function_name" src/calibre/*

The email code is in calibre.utils.smtp

And you've already discovered the server code

My only caveat is that you should have the list of email addresses hidden behind a generic "email" link so as not to clutter up the listing. Since the server has jquery available it should be easy to expose the list of addresses when the link is clicked.

kovidgoyal · 09-16-2010, 06:53 PM

Incidentally, you do know that you can browse the calibre content server directly from the Kindle?

timctrahan · 09-16-2010, 07:44 PM

desertgrandma,

Yes, I realize that. Thank you. I have a wife and a mother that if it is at all complicated, they won't want to do it, but both can browse a web site. I would like to have something set up that they can easily pick what's in my library, including the news feed content and have it sent to their kindle. My mother lives 3 hours away and doesn't even have a computer, so this would allow me to support her easily.

kovidgoyal,

Yes, I actually browsed with my Kindle. I didn't look to closely, but I assume it is the mobile.py in the server folder that is rendering for the mobile devices.

As far as the best way to display it, I was thinking of a pop-up like the jquery blockui addon for allowing a user to select who to email, but I have been mainly browsing through the code today, so haven't gotten to how to display it.

The lack of an IDE is really slowing things down! I have set up netbeans, but I am assuming there is no all including project file, so I have just been tinkering here and there to validate the effect in the application.

Thanks,
Tim

kovidgoyal · 09-16-2010, 07:52 PM

I use a customized build of vim as my IDE, so I doubt that would be helpful. A good beginner IDE is Eclipse+Pydev. No real project file is required, pydev scans the source tree and sets everything up automatically.

And calibre-server --develop

picks up code changes automatically and restarts itself. So hacking on the content server should be a fairly pleasant experience.

desertgrandma · 09-16-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timctrahan

desertgrandma,

Yes, I realize that. Thank you. I have a wife and a mother that if it is at all complicated, they won't want to do it, but both can browse a web site. I would like to have something set up that they can easily pick what's in my library, including the news feed content and have it sent to their kindle. My mother lives 3 hours away and doesn't even have a computer, so this would allow me to support her easily.

Well then.......I'm looking forward to seeing your "success" post. Between you and Kovid, I'm sure it can be done.

timctrahan · 09-17-2010, 02:04 AM

Any guidance you can give me on getting the project to run in eclipse (or aptana studio 3) I created a new pydev project and set the project contents to the c:\calibre directory (where i pulled down everything to) and check the create default src folder and am using python 2.7.

I am getting unresolved import errors allover the project, so apparently I am missing something. Would love to get the project running in an ide so I can set break points and actually query the objects being created so i can understand how to interact with them.

Thanks!
Tim

kovidgoyal · 09-17-2010, 12:25 PM

I doubt you'll ever be able to get a debugger setup to run with calibre. But then debuggers are highly overrated when it comes to python. I have never once used a debugger in the last 4 years of calibre development

Use the following trick to get to an interactive python prompt

from calibre import ipython
ipython({'myobj'

bj})

where the dictionary contains the names and objects that you want to be available in your interactive session.

timctrahan · 09-17-2010, 05:19 PM

Well,

After about 6 hours of poking around, i finally figured out how to access the defined email accounts from the xml.py module...

Sometime 2012 i should have this working.

lol

timctrahan · 09-18-2010, 03:18 PM

quick question...

Within the device.py file in the gui2 section,

The send_by_mail function accepts a defaulted to true parameter for do_auto_convert. However, if an acceptable format for the device you are about to send the email to does not exist, the function prompts the user to confirm the book should be converted.

Is there a reason the function doesn't just accept the do_auto_convert flag when true and go ahead and convert, or am I missing something in the preceeding logic?

I don't want to just throw in code that overrides something I'm not seeing...
Thanks,
Tim

kovidgoyal · 09-18-2010, 03:32 PM

do_auto_convert is an internal parameter (it's used to allow recursive calling). In any case, don't use the GUI functions to do email. Use the functions in calibre.utils.smtp

timctrahan · 09-18-2010, 03:58 PM

Is there a non-gui version of auto_convert_mail and queue_convert_jobs?

kovidgoyal · 09-18-2010, 04:04 PM

You shouldn't be doing conversion in the server (the server is supposed to be a read only process). As for sending mail, just re-implement _send_mails from gui2.device. You will probably want to put it in its own thread (use the threading module for that).

timctrahan · 09-18-2010, 06:12 PM

Ok, but how would you propose sending of a book in the library that hasn't yet been converted to the proper format for the user's destination device? I can understand the server being for a specific purpose, but one of the core functions of the application is being able to convert between formats, is there a reason not to expose that functionality via the web interface?

Tim

09-16-2010, 06:30 PM	#1
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Email from Web Browser I am interested in modifying the web interface to allow the user to initiate emailing to one of the defined users. I have several relatives that are not computer savy in which I would like to maintain a collection of ebooks and allow them to have them sent to their kindle devices straight from the web ui so I can expose that to them. I am a .Net developer, and I have set up the project and am able to make code changes and see them reflected (i can muddle through python). I am finding it difficult to trace through all of the different modules to find the relevant code to update. Specifically, i would like to modify the gui.js file to display the defined email's in the connect and share module, have the xml.py module query the defined email addresses and append to the book records so that the gui.js file can make a separate request to send the email. In any case, i will continue to search through the code, but pointers to where the db.search_getting_ids is declared and an overall approach would be appreciated. I think this feature would be useful, and would like to see it in the project. Thanks! Tim

09-17-2010, 12:25 PM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,535 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I doubt you'll ever be able to get a debugger setup to run with calibre. But then debuggers are highly overrated when it comes to python. I have never once used a debugger in the last 4 years of calibre development Use the following trick to get to an interactive python prompt from calibre import ipython ipython({'myobj'bj}) where the dictionary contains the names and objects that you want to be available in your interactive session.

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09-16-2010, 06:36 PM	#2
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to MobileRead, Tim. Quite a feat you've set for yourself there. Best of luck. You do realize you'd have to strip the drm before anyone else could read the books, if they are protected, right?

09-16-2010, 06:42 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,535 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	It's an interesting idea. search_getting_ids is defined in library/caches.py In general when looking for a function definition in python code, I use the following simple grep expression grep -r "def function_name" src/calibre/* The email code is in calibre.utils.smtp And you've already discovered the server code My only caveat is that you should have the list of email addresses hidden behind a generic "email" link so as not to clutter up the listing. Since the server has jquery available it should be easy to expose the list of addresses when the link is clicked.

09-16-2010, 06:53 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,535 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Incidentally, you do know that you can browse the calibre content server directly from the Kindle?

09-16-2010, 07:44 PM	#5
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	desertgrandma, Yes, I realize that. Thank you. I have a wife and a mother that if it is at all complicated, they won't want to do it, but both can browse a web site. I would like to have something set up that they can easily pick what's in my library, including the news feed content and have it sent to their kindle. My mother lives 3 hours away and doesn't even have a computer, so this would allow me to support her easily. kovidgoyal, Yes, I actually browsed with my Kindle. I didn't look to closely, but I assume it is the mobile.py in the server folder that is rendering for the mobile devices. As far as the best way to display it, I was thinking of a pop-up like the jquery blockui addon for allowing a user to select who to email, but I have been mainly browsing through the code today, so haven't gotten to how to display it. The lack of an IDE is really slowing things down! I have set up netbeans, but I am assuming there is no all including project file, so I have just been tinkering here and there to validate the effect in the application. Thanks, Tim

09-16-2010, 07:52 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,535 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I use a customized build of vim as my IDE, so I doubt that would be helpful. A good beginner IDE is Eclipse+Pydev. No real project file is required, pydev scans the source tree and sets everything up automatically. And calibre-server --develop picks up code changes automatically and restarts itself. So hacking on the content server should be a fairly pleasant experience.

09-17-2010, 02:04 AM	#8
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Any guidance you can give me on getting the project to run in eclipse (or aptana studio 3) I created a new pydev project and set the project contents to the c:\calibre directory (where i pulled down everything to) and check the create default src folder and am using python 2.7. I am getting unresolved import errors allover the project, so apparently I am missing something. Would love to get the project running in an ide so I can set break points and actually query the objects being created so i can understand how to interact with them. Thanks! Tim

09-17-2010, 05:19 PM	#10
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Well, After about 6 hours of poking around, i finally figured out how to access the defined email accounts from the xml.py module... Sometime 2012 i should have this working. lol

09-18-2010, 03:18 PM	#11
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	quick question... Within the device.py file in the gui2 section, The send_by_mail function accepts a defaulted to true parameter for do_auto_convert. However, if an acceptable format for the device you are about to send the email to does not exist, the function prompts the user to confirm the book should be converted. Is there a reason the function doesn't just accept the do_auto_convert flag when true and go ahead and convert, or am I missing something in the preceeding logic? I don't want to just throw in code that overrides something I'm not seeing... Thanks, Tim

09-18-2010, 03:32 PM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,535 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	do_auto_convert is an internal parameter (it's used to allow recursive calling). In any case, don't use the GUI functions to do email. Use the functions in calibre.utils.smtp

09-18-2010, 03:58 PM	#13
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Is there a non-gui version of auto_convert_mail and queue_convert_jobs?

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09-18-2010, 04:04 PM	#14
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,535 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You shouldn't be doing conversion in the server (the server is supposed to be a read only process). As for sending mail, just re-implement _send_mails from gui2.device. You will probably want to put it in its own thread (use the threading module for that).

09-18-2010, 06:12 PM	#15
timctrahan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Ok, but how would you propose sending of a book in the library that hasn't yet been converted to the proper format for the user's destination device? I can understand the server being for a specific purpose, but one of the core functions of the application is being able to convert between formats, is there a reason not to expose that functionality via the web interface? Tim