Export feature? Why YES, we do have that in Site Updates

  • July 18, 2014, 11:22 p.m.
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Granted, it's pretty rudimentary at this point. The export feature will export an entire book to a text file, dumping out all of the published entries in chronological order. It gets sent to a text file, so there's no formatting (but the nice thing about Markdown is it's still pretty readable in its unformatted form). It does not (currently) include comments - but I'll probably look at ways to improve it as we go along.

The cool thing about this is it shouldn't slow things down at all. Your request gets sent to a message queue in the background, and if the file is massive you can continue to use Prosebox without interruption. When your file is ready, you'll be emailed a link to download it.

To use the shiny new feature, simply visit any of your books from your profile page. At the top of the front page listing for your book, there's a new Export button along with the buttons to edit or delete your book.

As always, let me know if you have any problems using it. Enjoy!


EvequeFou July 18, 2014

While I hope we don't need it for a long time, the ability to back up, or pack up and move elsewhere, is always valuable. People are most genuinely willing to stay when they have the choice to leave and intentionally don't.

Thanks for your work on this!

simple mind EvequeFou ⋅ July 18, 2014

Yeah, this seemed to be the last major barrier for some people to consider using the site, so it's been on my list forever. :)

Silverstar46 July 18, 2014

Cool! thanks!

RosesAreRed July 18, 2014

Great..!

Lepetit pumpkinesque July 19, 2014

Yay!!!!!!!! I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you! All of the hugs and kisses and exclamation points!

So tell me more: can we get our photos from here too? If not, will we ever?

Again, I know I have bothered You about this since (omg) last July- so thank you thank you thank you!

simple mind Lepetit pumpkinesque ⋅ July 19, 2014

:)

Currently it's just text. At some point I think it would be really cool to have a PDF export feature that prints it out just as it appears on the page, but I'm not sure what kind of bandwidth load that might entail. Someone who posts 800,000,000 pictures over the course of a year, that could be... big....

Lepetit pumpkinesque simple mind ⋅ July 19, 2014

That would be ME! Haha.

Well keep it in mind for maybe a premium feature? Or a special upgrade? Id be willing, just sayin'!

simple mind Lepetit pumpkinesque ⋅ July 19, 2014

Yeah, I'd still like to offer a paid premium version at some point... but life has sidetracked me. And that would be a pretty cool perk. :)

sassafras Lepetit pumpkinesque ⋅ July 19, 2014

I basically only read this entry to find the excited comment from LP because I KNEW it would be here! Yay :)

Lepetit pumpkinesque sassafras ⋅ July 19, 2014

That's because you are my friend and you KNOW me. Love you

Deleted user July 19, 2014

I noticed this earlier. :) I have 2 requests and 2 requests only. A way to search our books and a way to customize our backgrounds. Then PB would be PERFECT!

Deleted user July 19, 2014

While we're on the subject of site updates, I have a question I've been meaning to ask you. I like to see who visits my stuff, but currently have to code each individual entry to do it. Is there anyplace we can insert the code just once, or will there be in the future?

simple mind Deleted user ⋅ July 19, 2014

Not currently, no. But the site continues evolving so I think entry templates are certainly a future possibility.

Deleted user simple mind ⋅ July 19, 2014

AWESOME! jumps for joy

Deleted user July 19, 2014

Hey the "add entry" button is gone! :(

simple mind Deleted user ⋅ July 19, 2014

I just figured it was redundant with the Write Entry links in both the top and side menus. I can add it back if it causes grief.

Deleted user simple mind ⋅ July 19, 2014

Oh, ok! I totally forgot about that "write entry" link.

Deleted user July 19, 2014

Hi

This is a much needed feature. Thank you very much. I will check it out shortly.

Next step would be to export multiple books in one go to a text file, sorting entries from all these books as entries based on their published date. ;-)

I am not going to ask for the PDF version of it yet. When you decide to cross that bridge, people will pay for it.

ThisIsME July 19, 2014

Thank you!

I need tea. July 19, 2014

Deleted user July 19, 2014

Thanks for this. It works great.

Added to the FAQ: http://prosebox.wikispaces.com/How+can+I+back+up+a+book%3F

Deleted user Deleted user ⋅ July 19, 2014

Thanks for all your work on the FAQ - I use it all the time! Any idea why there's not a link to it on PB's front page?

Deleted user Deleted user ⋅ July 19, 2014

Oh, but there is--- the FAQ link on the left menu goes there. [simple mind] added it a few months ago.

Deleted user Deleted user ⋅ July 19, 2014

Ohhh... I guess I haven't checked recently enough. Glad to see it there, it's an amazing resource.

Deleted user Deleted user ⋅ July 19, 2014

...and I probably wouldn't have started it without your help!

Deleted user July 19, 2014

Great, thanks. This gives an easy way to search a book for a certain word as well.

Deleted user July 19, 2014

Fabulous, thank you so much! :)

Etoile Filante July 19, 2014

Magnifique xXx

middle age pearl July 19, 2014

You the man!

Everything Good Rebecca July 19, 2014

I love the way this continues to get better all the time!

Nin July 21, 2014

Dude, I just got done exporting my current book and I had to stop and comment. That is the BEST text doc export that I have ever had (no junky code to have to weed through to read your entry and strange formatting). I dont know what you did, but its perfect. Thank you!

simple mind Nin ⋅ July 21, 2014

Thanks! I store entries as the original Markdown, which is actually designed to look good as plain text (unlike HTML). So it just works out. :-)

Nebiyah July 23, 2014

Kudos for thinking through the user experience! Cuz waiting 2 hours for a 6-meg XML file from aherm ye olde site that shall remain nameless was enough fun the first time.

Notkieran July 23, 2014

Oooh, thank you!

QueSeraSera July 24, 2014

thanks for all of these new features!!!!!!!!!!

Lepetit pumpkinesque August 28, 2014

This still makes me giddy!!

Deleted user September 27, 2014

AWESOME! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!

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