[Solved] Catalogue of audio books

[kanaske]

i want to use this program to catalouge my audio books, not epub or any other text format. i do not want it to move them from my 2 eternal drives but just store info about them. can i do that with this software? every thing i have found so far says it will move them.

[itimpi]

You can create Calibre database entries for such books without having any actual book files stored in Calibre itself. You can then have covers, metadata, etc about each book stored in Calibre. In such a case Calibre is merely being used as a cataloguing system and is not managing the actual book files. If that is all you want then it will work. However if you are looking for more than that then you may have issues.

[kanaske]

hints on how i do this?

[itimpi]

There is an option in Calibre under the "Add Books" button to add empty book entries. Once you have done that you can then edit them to contain the information you want.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by kanaske

hints on how i do this?

This thread or this thread might help.

[deddajay]

I'm in the process of doing this myself. Like Kanaske, my audiobooks are stored on 2 external drives and I don't want to import the actual files into Calibre.

I've found a relatively quick and easy way to do this. This is my method, and it may help others.

For ease, I moved all my books with authors beginning with A into one folder, all B into a second folder, and so on. This makes it easier to manage.

I use a third party program called ZZEE Art Directory Print to create a list of folder names with unlimited recursive depths, but no files names added. This gives a format of H:\O\Orson Scott Card\Orson Scott Card - Enders Game, for example. Any list directory can be used, but ZZEE has the function of not adding file names, which is useful as I don't want all the actual mp3 files listed.

I import the full listing in Excel and use Find and Replace to take out the bits I don't want, i.e H:\O\Orson Scott Card\ etc. and any erroneous things like publishing dates or series names that may be in the file name. End result looks like this: Orson Scott Card - Enders Game.

I then copy and paste the list into Calibre using the Import List plug in and create an empty book for the books in the list.

A quick check to see that everything looks right, make any minor adjustments needed and then use the Bulk download metadata function. Then just check the results and amend as necessary.

I am now up to the M folder and have found the above is the best method for me by trial and error. I have also found that it has forced me to tidy up my audiobook files before running the directory listing - makes for less editing, and I've got rid of a lot of duplicates in the process. I've also re-discovered a lot of books I'd forgotten I had and haven't listened to yet, which is one of the reasons for getting them catalogued, as well as stopping me from buying books I already have.

The only thing I haven't been able to figure out is how to put Audiobook in the format column automatically as it is, of course, an empty entry with no formats. I've been trying to figure out a way to use the template function, but not succeeded yet

Hope this helps.

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by deddajay

The only thing I haven't been able to figure out is how to put Audiobook in the format column automatically as it is, of course, an empty entry with no formats. I've been trying to figure out a way to use the template function, but not succeeded yet

I just add a tag of [AUDIO] to such entries.

You will tend to upset Calibre if you try and put something into the format column and there is no corresponding underlying file in the Calibre Library file system.

[deddajay]

Originally Posted by itimpi

I just add a tag of [AUDIO] to such entries.

You will tend to upset Calibre if you try and put something into the format column and there is no corresponding underlying file in the Calibre Library file system.

Thanks for the suggestion. I was originally looking at the template "if empty" in the format column as follows:

def evaluate(self, formatter, kwargs, mi, locals, val, value_if_empty):
if val:
return val
else:
return value_if_empty

I was trying to figure out a way for it to automatically show Audiobooks in the format column if the format itself was empty. I'm a bit clueless about expressions and getting in a right muddle with them.

I could use tags, but I wanted it to show up in the format column as I intend eventually to merge my audiobook library with my epub library. Using the format column would enable me to see which formats I have that particular book in when browsing through my books.

Thanks for your help.

UPDATE!

Have now discovered the new show icon in column feature and this has solved my problem. There is now a nice little speaker showing if the format is nil, so problem sorted.