Ok, so this might sound like a bit much, but the following are the steps I have to take to get my book collection database onto my Palm T|X:

  1. Export from Booxster (on my Mac) to an XML file
  2. Prepend a dummy record that has all fields to top of XML file (see end of this entry for xml)
  3. Import XML into online (MySQL) version of DB (for use on this blog, for instance), using Navicat software
  4. Delete the dummy record via [delete from books where keyword = ‘deleteme’]
  5. Export the db again, this time from the newly created online version, to XML again via Navicat
    • This is because the FMP import (see next step) barfs on the XML file created in the Booxster export (step 1). But this is not so bad, because I want to update the online version anyway…
  6. Import this second XML file into a FileMaker Pro (FMP) database
  7. Sync the Palm T|X, using FMSync software to sync FMP with JFile on the Palm.

Seems like a lot of work, but the whole process takes about 5 minutes, with about 30 seconds of user interaction (biggest wait is the import of Booxster XML into online version via Navicat). At the end, I have my 3 database versions synced up. The PalmOS version is especially useful when I go into a bookstore – no more duplicate purchases, or the converse of passing up a purchase because I thought I had a copy.


<book>
<isbn > 0</isbn >
<lccn > 0</lccn >
<title > A test record</title >
<authors >
<author > Brown, Dan</author >
</authors >
<genre > </genre >
<obtainedFrom > Bookstore</obtainedFrom >
<dateObtained > 05-01-2004</dateObtained >
<language > English</language >
<format > Hardcover</format >
<publisher > Doubleday</publisher >
<locale > US</locale >
<location > Case 4</location >
<placePublished > New York</placePublished >
<series > None</series >
<editionNumber > 1st ed.</editionNumber >
<deweyClassNumber > 813/.54 21</deweyClassNumber >
<locClassification > PS3552.R685434 D3 2003</locClassification >
<locSubjects >
<locSubject > Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519 Appreciation Fiction.</locSubject >
</locSubjects >
<copies > 2</copies >
<pages > 454</pages >
<year > 2003</year >
<originalYear > 2003</originalYear >
<price currency="USD" > 24.95</price >
<pricePaid currency="USD" > 70.00</pricePaid >
<read > true</read >
<dateRead > 06-01-2004</dateRead >
<rating > 0</rating >
<keywords >
<keyword > deleteme</keyword >
</keywords >
<signed > true</signed >
<owned > true</owned >
<locked > false</locked >
<dateAdded > 07-19-2006</dateAdded >
<dateModified > 07-20-2006</dateModified >
<lentOut > false</lentOut >
<hasCoverImage > true</hasCoverImage >
<condition > Fine/Fine. </description >
<notes > </notes >
</book >