MB Bookshelf Support

[Redshirt 1487]

Done screenshots

Thanks Alwin.

[coolspot 18]

Little slow to the party, I clicked on the link to mobilereads and it didn't point me to any specific thread.  Did a search for media browser and mediabrowser and no dice.  Can you relink to thread you started over there and I'll see what I can do.

[jagerm 6]

I'm using Bookshelf as a Recipe browser for my wife.  I'm having a problem with MB Classic opening the PDF files.  It works fine with MB Theater using Chrome as my external player.  However, with Classic, Media Center minimizes when I click the 'play' button, but no files appear, and when I look in classic configurator there isn't an option for external player for Books/PDF.

 

I'm on Windows 8.1 Pro x64.  All update levels are Beta.  I feel like I'm missing something simple.  Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

[Redshirt 1487]

Red,  is there a reason why every book in my collection shows the author like 20 times (like it was the cast)?

 

Fixed in latest version. 

 

It will trigger a full library scan to correct the existing information on the first launch after updating @@Abobader

[DGMayor 88]

Red,  is there a reason why every book in my collection shows the author like 20 times (like it was the cast)?

[Redshirt 1487]

I'm using Bookshelf as a Recipe browser for my wife.  I'm having a problem with MB Classic opening the PDF files.  It works fine with MB Theater using Chrome as my external player.  However, with Classic, Media Center minimizes when I click the 'play' button, but no files appear, and when I look in classic configurator there isn't an option for external player for Books/PDF.

 

I'm on Windows 8.1 Pro x64.  All update levels are Beta.  I feel like I'm missing something simple.  Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

The MBC plugin uses whatever is configured as the system default to open the various book files. It sounds like you have nothing defined. If your using Chrome to view pdf's, I'd right click on one select "open with", then choose the chrome browser and check always use this when opening this file type (or however the checkbox is worded).

[jagerm 6]

The MBC plugin uses whatever is configured as the system default to open the various book files. It sounds like you have nothing defined. If your using Chrome to view pdf's, I'd right click on one select "open with", then choose the chrome browser and check always use this when opening this file type (or however the checkbox is worded).

Thanks, I thought I had already done that.  I tried it again tonight and the PDFs open fine in Chrome.  However, a minor annoyance still persists.  After Chrome launches MBC immediately regains focus and I have to minimize MBC to see the file.  Not a big deal though.

[Luke 37060]

@@AlwinHummels

 

Would you be willing to take your screenshot gallery, and write a review of Media Browser here:

 

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=166

 

Similar to what Sfnetwork did here:

 

http://forums.androidcentral.com/android-applications/341947-media-browser-android-client.html

 

? Thanks !

[psykix 97]

Dumb question time!

 

So.. My missus currently has a Kindle Paperwhite and uses Calibre on her Mac to manage the books which are also stored locally on her Mac.

 

I wanted to move the books off her Mac and have them located on the NAS.

 

I've created a Books folder under my Multimedia folder on my NAS and stuck 1 book in it, and installed the plugin.

 

I'm not sure what it is supposed to offer me though? I can see it in MBT just fine.

 

Am I missing the point of the plugin?

 

If you could elaborate as to the functionality of the plugin then that would be great!

 

Cheers!

[AlwinHummels 134]

@@AlwinHummels

 

Would you be willing to take your screenshot gallery, and write a review of Media Browser here:

 

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=166

 

Similar to what Sfnetwork did here:

 

http://forums.androidcentral.com/android-applications/341947-media-browser-android-client.html

 

? Thanks !

Sorry Missed this, but Done

 

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2741977#post2741977

Edited January 18, 2014 by AlwinHummels

[Redshirt 1487]

Dumb question time!

 

So.. My missus currently has a Kindle Paperwhite and uses Calibre on her Mac to manage the books which are also stored locally on her Mac.

 

I wanted to move the books off her Mac and have them located on the NAS.

 

I've created a Books folder under my Multimedia folder on my NAS and stuck 1 book in it, and installed the plugin.

 

I'm not sure what it is supposed to offer me though? I can see it in MBT just fine.

 

Am I missing the point of the plugin?

 

If you could elaborate as to the functionality of the plugin then that would be great!

 

Cheers!

 

The server plugin is what defines what is a book entity. If the server plugin wasn't installed then the server may load the images in the book folder but doesn't know what the items actually are, which in turn would mean the client wouldn't know what to do with them. It's only when the MBBookshelf server plugin is installed that MBT will display the book extensions in it's external player configuration pages.

[psykix 97]

The server plugin is what defines what is a book entity. If the server plugin wasn't installed then the server may load the images in the book folder but doesn't know what the items actually are, which in turn would mean the client wouldn't know what to do with them. It's only when the MBBookshelf server plugin is installed that MBT will display the book extensions in it's external player configuration pages.

 

Thanks for the reply. I understand that bit (a la Photos plugin). Will it only work with a player on the server or client then? i.e. it has no advantage to the missus using her Kindle?

 

I guess what i was trying to do was centralise the place where the books are held, along with adding metadata and have it as a sort of library where the missus and daughter can pick which books to sync to their Kindles - maybe I'm looking for a problem that doesn't exist!

 

Cheers :-)

 

EDIT : I guess I thought it would somehow interface with Calibre and use Calibre as an intermediary for the Kindle.

Edited January 18, 2014 by psykix

[Redshirt 1487]

If your wife is using my Android client on her Kindle then when she clicks on a book, the client will download the book and display it in whatever reader is installed. Means it's possible to not have to preload all your books to have access to them. 

[psykix 97]

If your wife is using my Android client on her Kindle then when she clicks on a book, the client will download the book and display it in whatever reader is installed. Means it's possible to not have to preload all your books to have access to them. 

 

Ah.. Well they both use Kindle Paperwhite - and I presume no client is available for those. They won't read books on anything else - even though they also have iPads!

[AlwinHummels 134]

Sorry my work was for nothing, they deleted my post on http://www.mobileread.com :-(

 

Post deleted.

Do Not spam us with promotional products.

Your post has been deleted.



Don
(Moderator)

 

Edited January 20, 2014 by AlwinHummels

[lanos 4]

I have it set so I can access my server from outside the network and I'm having trouble opening my cbr/cbz files on my windows 7 tablet pc. When I try to open using comic rack the program opens but doesn't open the book, when I use CDisplay the program opens and gives an error. Is the android app the only way to access books from outside the network?

[Redshirt 1487]

I don't think any of the mobile clients have added support for it. With the exception of Android.

[Drazgo 8]

Since the last update all my books are not displaying in MB.

 

It is showing the number of items but it doesn't display anything in the book library when you click on it.

 

If I drop a single folder or file into the root book library directory, it may or may not flash up in MB to say that it was added.  But when you go to look for it, again nothing there.  Doesn't seem to care about format, epub, rtf, or pdf. 

 

Any ideas on this?  What can I provide to help?

Edited March 26, 2014 by Drazgo

[Redshirt 1487]

What client are you seeing this in? Does it show the books in the web client?

[speechles 1917]

Is this plugin including some kind of metadata scraper? I see people suggest folder and backdrop jpg. I have mine work from cover.jpg and metadata.opf, but I have a small problem.

 

 

In the first picture I made custom images these don't look clumsy they are fine different sizes. In the last two you can see not every source I scoured covers from kept the same resolution ( damn them! ). Rather than rescale all these myself ( 4692 in that ebooks folder! ) can there be an option or something so certain book folders have resized/scaled covers, while others don't and keep their native look. Would this happen if I used folder/backdrop rather than cover to name my jpegs? I like the how this works. Great work redshirt and thanks for all the work you put into this.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Edited June 2, 2014 by speechles

[oldschool 7]

I'm not sure what's going on, but I've never been able to get this plugin to work.

 

I have added a folder to the library for Books. MB3 has scanned the folder and shows a whole bunch of books. I have them in individual folders, but I can structure the books in any way suggested. I see there are instructions on how to structure your TV and Movie folders, but not for books.

 

After I've scanned the books, it shows a box for the book, but that's it. There isn't a Run button like there is with the movies or TV episodes. I have no idea how to launch a book.

 

I'm using the Web Browser, and I have Calibre on this PC setup as the default viewer for the .mobi and other book types. What else do I need to do?

[lexisdude 133]

bump oldschool

I second that.

I have tried multiple formats (pdf, mobi, epub, txt) -- despite the format. It shows the placesetter. When I click on the book (initially going into folder) - it gives all the book information. But 0 ways to open it. This is across all the browsers (Win 8.1 app, classic, theater, and web client)

So what gives?

What is the purpose of having a book browser with no way of opening the file?

I have even noticed several screen shots from other users - that show no open/run/play ability..

Is this plugin just broke? Does the author or users have any insights into this? I noticed your post is about 3 months old with no replies...

 

[Redshirt 1487]

The plugin does what it's supposed to, which is allow the server to see books. It's up to each individual client developer to add support to their client. The Android client supports opening of books, as does MBC and MBT. As for the other clients. Feature requests will be need to be made.

 

Edit: MBC requires the MB Bookshelf client plugin installed.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Redshirt

[Zealot 0]

Is this safe to use with a Calibre curated library? I saw the recommended folder structure on the wiki and it isn't like Calibre's structure of:

\Library
    \Author1
        \Book1
            Book1.lit
            Book1.pdf
            cover.jpg
            metadata.jpg
        \Book2
            Book2.lit
            Book2.pdf
            cover.jpg
            metadata.jpg
    \Author2

I have several thousand books in my library and would hate it if I had to go back and manually add/change all of them again.

 

Thanks,

Simon

[Redshirt 1487]

It works with Calibre's preferred layout. The only downside is your drilling down through the authors which don't have images unless you manually add them.