kindle_OCR/docs/development_history.md

Amazon Kindle Book Scanner Implementation Plan

Objective

Automate scanning of book pages from Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader for text translation purposes.

Book Details

• URL: https://read.amazon.com/?asin=B0DJP2C8M6&ref_=kwl_kr_iv_rec_1
• Username: ondrej.glaser@gmail.com
• Password: csjXgew3In
• Starting Page: Page 3 (first text page)

Implementation Approach

Using Python with Playwright for browser automation (more reliable than Selenium for modern web apps).

Planned Steps

Phase 1: Setup and Authentication ✅

1. Environment Setup

   • Install Python dependencies (playwright, asyncio)
   • Initialize Playwright browser
   • Set up project structure

2. Amazon Login

   • Navigate to Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader
   • Handle login form with credentials
   • Wait for successful authentication
   • Verify we reach the reader interface

Phase 2: Book Navigation ⏳

3. Book Access

   • Navigate to specific book URL
   • Wait for book to load completely
   • Handle any loading screens or prompts

4. Page Navigation

   • Navigate to page 3 (first text page)
   • Implement page forward/backward navigation
   • Handle page loading delays
   • Detect when page content is fully loaded

Phase 3: Scanning Implementation ⏳

5. Page Scanning

   • Take screenshot of current page content area
   • Save images with sequential naming (page_001.png, page_002.png, etc.)
   • Ensure high quality capture for OCR purposes

6. Automation Loop

   • Scan current page
   • Navigate to next page
   • Repeat until book end or manual stop
   • Handle edge cases (end of book, network issues)

Phase 4: Testing and Refinement ⏳

7. Testing
   • Test login process
   • Test single page capture
   • Test multi-page scanning
   • Error handling and recovery

Technical Considerations

Browser Automation

• Tool: Playwright (chosen for modern web app support)
• Browser: Chromium (best compatibility with Amazon)
• Mode: Headful initially for debugging, headless for production

Image Handling

• Format: PNG for quality
• Naming: Sequential numbering (page_001.png, page_002.png)
• Quality: High resolution for OCR accuracy
• Storage: Local directory with organized structure

Error Handling

• Login failures (wrong credentials, CAPTCHA)
• Network timeouts
• Page loading issues
• Navigation errors
• Book access restrictions

Security Notes

• Credentials stored in script (for automation)
• Consider using environment variables in production
• Respect Amazon's terms of service
• Personal use only (translation purposes)

File Structure

kindle_scanner/
├── IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md (this file)
├── kindle_scanner.py (main script)
├── requirements.txt (dependencies)
├── scanned_pages/ (output directory)
│   ├── page_001.png
│   ├── page_002.png
│   └── ...
└── logs/ (error logs and debug info)

Dependencies

• playwright
• asyncio (built-in)
• pathlib (built-in)
• datetime (built-in)

Current Status

• Phase 1: Setup and Authentication ✅ COMPLETED
• Phase 2: Book Navigation ✅ COMPLETED
• Phase 3: Scanning Implementation ✅ COMPLETED
• Phase 4: Testing and Refinement ✅ COMPLETED

Implementation Results

✅ SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

Date Completed: 2025-09-21 Status: FULLY FUNCTIONAL

Test Results

1. Login Functionality: ✅ WORKING

   • Successfully authenticates with Amazon
   • Handles redirects and login flow
   • Detects Kindle reader interface

2. Page Navigation: ✅ WORKING

   • Arrow key navigation (primary method)
   • Button clicking (fallback)
   • Multiple page advancement strategies

3. Screenshot Capture: ✅ WORKING

   • High-quality PNG output (~350KB per page)
   • Perfect resolution for OCR (1920x1080)
   • Sequential naming (page_001.png, page_002.png, etc.)

4. Complete Workflow: ✅ WORKING

   • Successfully captured 5 consecutive pages (pages 3-7)
   • Automatic page progression
   • Error handling and recovery

Files Created

• kindle_scanner.py - Core library with all functionality
• complete_workflow.py - Test workflow (captures 5 pages)
• production_scanner.py - Full book scanning script
• README.md - Complete usage documentation
• requirements.txt - Python dependencies

Known Challenges

1. Amazon may have anti-automation measures
2. Page loading timing can be unpredictable
3. Book reader interface may vary
4. Network stability requirements
5. Potential CAPTCHA or security checks

Fallback Plans

• If Playwright fails, try Selenium
• If automation is blocked, manual page capture guidance
• If login issues, try different authentication approach
• If page detection fails, implement manual page confirmation

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Last Updated: Initial creation Status: Planning phase complete, ready for implementation