Desktop App Some UX questions for Kobo users that use notes and highlights

[Legoless]

Hi folks,

I am a hobbyist Python coder currently working on a Python application for Kobo devices that fetches notes and highlights from the Kobo and compiles them into a Markdown file, with notes and highlights ordered by their occurrence in the book and organized by chapter. The purpose of this application is to create a concise reference sheet for all notes and highlights of a particular book, to help people study and retain information more easily.

Currently, the app can do the following:

- Allow the user to batch export annotations for one book into a Markdown file or multiple books at once into separate Markdown files.

- Allow you to take notes directly to the Markdown file and keep these notes in the Markdown file the next time the Kobo's annotations are exported to the file.

My questions are:

- Would you find an app like this useful?

- Are you familiar with Markdown?

- What information would you like to see in the Markdown file that compiles all the annotations? Currently, it lists the book's title and series of annotations, which is just a series of notes and highlights grouped by the chapter of the book they belong to. Is this enough?

- What would an ideal feature list for an app like this include?

- Do you use any note-taking applications? If so, do they support Markdown? I am developing this app for integration with Joplin since it is Markdown-friendly and free.

Thanks for taking the time.

[Quoth]

I proof read new works and revisions on Kobo.
I use Calibre and Kobo Utilities to copy back the highlight + annotation and info to a window, then copy and paste as a new file in KATE (like Windows Notepad++). The filenames have booktitle & revision. i use sessions (notepad++ or KATE) to have all the files for a project or book or series. I clean up the file to have the structure I want with a couple of regex.

Yes, I'm familiar with various flavours of markdown inc simplest text files that work with MS Word or LO Writer import/copy/paste.

I used to use Jota on Android for additional notes (plain text). Now I use Advanced Notebook in Sage (though I have an Elipsa and had a reMarkable) as it does good on device conversion of pen input (ONLY in the separate Nebo based notebooks) and then I can export plain text or docx (if there is also converted shapes, formula, checkboxes and free hand writing / sketches).

I'm not interested in anything not a calibre plug-in as all kobo content is managed in calibre inc bought books. I do sometimes also annotate PD or bought books. I only sideload ever, on Kindle or Kobo, or other ereaders or apps.

As well as the Kobo Utilities (to copy Kobo highlights & annotations elsewhere and has all the info Kobo saves), calibre has the Annotations, which can read any number of books highlights & annotations into the Calibre database for those books.

I'm not much interested in markdown, nor a standalone application. There is also a configuration option I don't use on Kobo to export to a text file per book.

I can't see exactly what this offers that the three existing popular solutions don't do. I think there is some other program.

I can't see what having Markdown (which flavour?) adds to the original capture (which has to use the touch screen to highlight and touch keyboard to annotate, because there is no pen conversion on the Sage or Elipsa).

There are a few people that don't like calibre, but the Kobo built in option works to export on all models.

[Quoth]

Also I have no interest in Joplin. I copy direct via USB or on my own LAN. If I need more than plain text I use LO Writer.

In general I'm not going to use anything that uses "sync" via the Internet. It's not just a case of encryption.
I'd not use OneNote either.

Edit
I also dislike applications on Linux using Snap, Flatpak or AppImage rather than a deb package, but I do run some.
Used Windows for 20+ years and now mostly Linux Mint + Mate desktop.

[Quoth]

Also you've double posted.

See also https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=349637
This is the 4th solution

[Legoless]

Thanks Quoth.

Is there a way to delete the old post?

Also, im not sure what you mean by "4th solution". Do you mean it's the 4th time someone's attempted to do what I'm doing?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Legoless

Thanks Quoth.

Is there a way to delete the old post?

Also, im not sure what you mean by "4th solution". Do you mean it's the 4th time someone's attempted to do what I'm doing?

I mentioned that Kobo has export (via option enabled by editing config) and that Calibre has two ways, and I couldn't remember what the 4th method I'd seen was, at the time I first replied. But this is it:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=349637

Do check out the native Kobo export (the config adds an extra menu item in a couple of places), Calibre Annotations (multiple books into database) and the Kobo Utilities (on Calibre) method to read it per book to clipboard as well as the utility I've not used in the link. Because I manage all the ereaders (not just Kobos) via USB from Calibre.
Support https://www.mobileread.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=166
Web site https://calibre-ebook.com/ Direct support MacOS, Linux and Windows. Big load of 3rd party plugins.

Yours is at least the 5th.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Legoless

Is there a way to delete the old post?

The Moderators can delete or move posts.

[DNSB]

Moderator Notice
I've closed the thread with the double post but am leaving this one alive.