Save Conversion Settings

[BetterRed]

Can this be added to Calibre - save a set of Conversion settings to a named list, select and apply a member of the list to a selected document(s).

GUI-wise I envisage Save and Load options on the Conversion dialogue box.

My preference would be that the list of Conversion Setting templates be available to all Libraries, failing that the ability to replicate the list between libraries.

I imagine the list would have to be 'partitioned' into in-out format groups, eg PDF2EPUB, MOBI2PDF, to prevent using settings inappropriate to the source and target formats.

I'd really like some indication as to whether this is a) doable, and b) whether it might be done in say the next few months - if not then I'll get a new thinking cap.

BR

[speakingtohe]

You probably already know about the input and output options in preferences, but just in case

Helen

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

You probably already know about the input and output options in preferences, but just in case

Helen

Thanks Helen, yes I know of those settings and I use them to the extent that I can - but they are primarily about formats, my issues are more about layouts and styles.

I find getting the 'best' settings for my conversions is a bit of a hit and miss affair, so I'd like to build up a collection of different combinations that I can reuse experimentally.

Here's a picture of what I thiught it might look like - I appreciate there's a lot more than that.

BR

[theducks]

Why not a 'borrow' button that uses the settings used on another title ?

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Thanks Helen, yes I know of those settings and I use them to the extent that I can - but they are primarily about formats, my issues are more about layouts and styles.

I find getting the 'best' settings for my conversions is a bit of a hit and miss affair, so I'd like to build up a collection of different combinations that I can reuse experimentally.

Here's a picture of what I thiught it might look like - I appreciate there's a lot more than that.

BR

I suggeted something similar but Kovid did not think the idea was worth pursuing. I made the suggestion because I convert books for a number of different devices for family and friends and it would be easier to choose the the settings for "my sister who has a Sony" rather than " my friend who has a Kindle". There is a messy way to do it discussed in another thread. I will try to find it and post the link.

Found it - please see below

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=160581

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

Why not a 'borrow' button that uses the settings used on another title ?

Are you saying that a "borrow" feature already exists, if so pray tell where 'tis

If you are suggesting something like "Copy/Paste" then that would do me nicely, providing I could borrow the settings from a book in one library and apply them to a book in another library.

Then my "list of Conversion Settings" would be in a library, which means Kovid would not have to worry about maintaining the list in the metadata database.

Thanks ducks - BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Thasaidon

I suggeted something similar but Kovid did not think the idea was worth pursuing. I made the suggestion because I convert books for a number of different devices for family and friends and it would be easier to choose the the settings for "my sister who has a Sony" rather than " my friend who has a Kindle". There is a messy way to do it discussed in another thread. I will try to find it and post the link.

Found it - please see below

Thasaidon - your link is Error 404

I like the idea The Ducks has given us, what about you ?

Found it ===>>> Multiple conversion settings feature request

I envisage I'll end up with about 30 Conversion Settings, the idea of copying things in and out of the Calibre config directory and starting & stopping Calibre would drive me banana's and be ultra-prone to me making mistakes.

"We" get told by the Calibre guru's not to access the Library folders which Calibre, on Windows at least, puts in the users Documents folder. The conversions folder is in Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\calibre\; if the the gurus knew I was messy around in there, they'd send in the drones

If it was small number of settings and occasional use then it would be OK, but I have several thousand documents I want to convert.

I really don't want to process my source documents in batches according to the Conversion Settings they will use. I want to process them by subject and date, irrespective of original source, format or style (which are the Conversion settings determinants). Otherwise nothing will be finished until everything is finished

I've put a post into the Plugins suggestions box regarding this request. I thought The Ducks Borrow idea might be amenable to being done in a plugin.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Are you saying that a "borrow" feature already exists, if so pray tell where 'tis

If you are suggesting something like "Copy/Paste" then that would do me nicely, providing I could borrow the settings from a book in one library and apply them to a book in another library.

Then my "list of Conversion Settings" would be in a library, which means Kovid would not have to worry about maintaining the list in the metadata database.

Thanks ducks - BR

It does not exist (yet ).

Since book Conversion settings are stored in the DB, Conversions Options table.. I was thinking a tool could be added to the conversion screen to do a 1 time 'Borrow" (there are just way too many issues using a link to a Book) from a selected title.

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Thasaidon - your link is Error 404

I like the idea The Ducks has given us, what about you ?

Found it ===>>> Multiple conversion settings feature request

BR

Thanks for publishing the correct link. I was just about to leave work for home when I posted my earlier contribution.

Yes The Ducks idea would be solve all my problems. Good thinking that man!

We just have to suggest the idea to Kiwidude now.

[speakingtohe]

Maybe if the borrow doesn't work out a button on the conversion screen saying save the settings for this book as the default.

Helen

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Maybe if the borrow doesn't work out a button on the conversion screen saying save the settings for this book as the default.

Helen

Helen, yes, that would be a step forward

My ideas for theDucks Borrow idea are

• Add a setting to Preferences->Conversion->Common called "Borrow Library" which references a Calibre Library.
  
• Add a "Borrow" button to Conversion, clicking it would display the list of titles in the Borrow Library, from which a selection is made, the Conversion Settings from the selected book in the Borrow Library would be injected into the Book being converted.

But that probably takes it out of the domain of PlugIns

My Borrow Library would have the 30 odd "templates" I mentioned earlier - with names like "PDF2EPUB_UKPARL_GreenPaper", "RTF2EPUB_EUROSTAT_CountryReport" etc.

If the result is unsatisfactory then I can quickly try another template by typing C and clicking Borrow again. Some institutions use different styles on similar documents for no apparent reason. Particularly the one with a currency problem

BR