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eliascotto / export-kobo

A Python tool to export annotations and highlights from a Kobo SQLite file. Now with web UI.
MIT License
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export-kobo

A Python tool to export annotations and highlights from a Kobo SQLite file. Now with a web UI.

Python 3 required.

Tested with the latest Kobo Clara

Usage

$ # print all annotations and highlights to stdout
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite

$ # start a web server to navigate the content with a UI
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --ui

$ # print the help
$ python3 export-kobo.py --help

$ # export to file instead of stdout
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --output /path/to/out.txt

$ # export in CSV format
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --csv

$ # export in Markdown format
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --markdown

$ # export in JSON format
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --json

$ # export in Kindle My Clippings format
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --kindle

$ # export in Markdown list format and add chapter headings 
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --markdown --add-chapter-headings

$ # export annotations only
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --annotations-only

$ # export highlights only
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --highlights-only

$ # export as CSV to file annotations only
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --csv  --annotations-only --output /path/to/out.txt

$ # print the list of books to stdout
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --list

$ # print the list of books in CSV format
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --list --csv

$ # export annotations and highlights for the book "Alice in Wonderland"
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --book "Alice in Wonderland"

$ # as above, assuming "Alice in Wonderland" has ID "12" in the list printed by --list
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --bookid 12

$ # export a single book in Markdown format
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --bookid 12 --markdown

Example output

Type:           highlight
Title:          Alice in Wonderland
Author:         Lewis Carroll
Chapter:        CHAPTER II. The Pool of Tears
Date created:   Tuesday, 27 October 2020 07:04:48
Annotation:
### ### ###
Poor Alice!
### ### ###

Reference text:
=== === ===
“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English);
=== === ===

Web server

  1. run $ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --ui
  2. open http://127.0.0.1:5000 (or other port)

Installation

  1. Clone this repository:

    $ git clone https://github.com/elias94/export-kobo

    or manually download the ZIP file from the Releases tab and unzip it somewhere;

  2. Enter the directory where export-kobo.py is:

    $ cd export-kobo

  3. Copy in the same directory the KoboReader.sqlite file from the .kobo/ hidden directory of the USB drive that appears when you plug your Kobo device to the USB port of your PC. You might need to enable the View hidden files option in your file manager to see the hidden directory; Examples command to copy the sql file from the Kobo Reader on MacOS and Linux. 

    $ cp /Volumes/KOBOeReader/.kobo/KoboReader.sqlite ./

  4. Now you can run the script as explained above, for example:

    $ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite

  5. (Optional) If you want to use the web server, make sure you have installed Flask in your python environment.

    $ pip3 install flask

NOTE (2018-02-28): Frederic Da Vitoria confirms that the export script also works if you have the Kobo application for Windows PC. In this case the database file is called Kobo.sqlite and is located in the directory C:\Users\[your user name]\AppData\Local\Kobo\Kobo Desktop Edition\.

Development

For the web version, the CSS is generated with tailwind. To run the CLI and produce the CSS output, first make sure you have tailwind installed globally, then run 

$ npx tailwindcss -i ./static/main.css -o ./static/styles.css --watch

Troubleshooting

I ran the script, but I obtained too much data

If you want to output annotations or highlights for a single book, you can use the --list option to list all books with annotations or highlights, and then use --book or --bookid to export only those you are interested in:

$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --list
ID  Title
1   Alice in Wonderland
2   Moby Dick
3   Sonnets
...

$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --book "Alice in Wonderland"
...
$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --bookid 1
...

You can also exporting to a file redurecting the output of the script:

$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --bookid 1 > Alice\ in\ Wonderland.txt

Alternatively, you can export to a CSV file with --csv --output FILE and then open the resulting output file with a spreadsheet application, disregarding the annotations/highlights you are not interested in:

$ python3 export-kobo.py KoboReader.sqlite --csv --output notes.csv
$ libreoffice notes.csv

I filtered my notes by book title with --book, but I got no results

Check that you wrote the book title exactly as printed by --list (e.g., copy-and-paste it), or use --bookid instead.

Notes

  1. Around May 2016 Kobo changed the schema of their KoboReader.sqlite database with a firmware update. The export-kobo.py script in the main directory of this repository works for this new database schema. If you still have an old firmware on your Kobo, and hence the old database schema, you might want to use one of the scripts in the old/ directory. Note, however, that those scripts are very old, possibly buggy, and they are no longer supported (old Web page).

  2. Since I no longer use a Kobo eReader, this project is maintained in "legacy mode". Changes to the schema of the KoboReader.sqlite database can be reflected on the code only thanks to users sending me their KoboReader.sqlite file, for me to study its schema.

  3. Bear in mind that no official specifications are published by Kobo, hence the script works as far as my understanding of the database structure of KoboReader.sqlite is correct, and its schema remains the same.

  4. Although the KoboReader.sqlite file is opened in read-only mode, it is advisable to make a copy of it on your PC and export your notes from this copy, instead of directly accessing the file on your Kobo eReader device.

Difference from Original Version

The original version of this script is from Alberto Pettarin. The original repository is currenlty archivied and no longer maintained, and in the comments the author says that he hasn't anymore a Kobo reader.

Acknowledgments

Alberto Pettarin for the original version.

License

export-kobo is released under the MIT License.

originally by Elia Scotto | Website