audio books in calibre

Philosopher · 01-04-2011, 05:15 AM

Here is a thought/idea. Although not as simple as at first it seems.

I would love it if I could use calibre to also catalog my audio books. They are part of my book library after all - not just my music library. And many ebooks I also have in audio form as well.

Now here is the catch. First - I would not want calibre to store the audio book in the directory it creates - but a link/shortcut to it would be great.

It seems that it would be best to keep audio books associated with other audio files in another directory - given the needs of the player.

Although that brings up a second issue - althought to me a secondary one - having calibre integrated with an audio program so that you could tell it to play the book from calibre. But that I think would be a bit more complicated.

On a side note there is also the issue of ebooks, particularly pdfs, that are associated with audio or video files. I have a lot of music books with the music files to go with the sheet music or lesson. Most of the time I have these embedded in the pdf - but not always (and what if its not a pdf).

It would be good to have a way to have a link to a directory where related files are stored. Maybe that is also the solution for the above - just allowing the database to store the file/directory location in a field - and so you could click on that and get to the files.

In fact I have been torn in some cases - such as with course guuides for video courses or audio courses - of putting the guide in calibre - because of losing it in the directory where the relevant files are. Sure I could know to search calibre for it - but would have to create some kind of file to tell me there was one. Or I could put a link to the file in the calibre library - but that is always changing (at least for some time). Or I could keep two copies - but taht seems wasteful.

Couldn't there be a way to browse and input a directory into a field.

Also a side side note -

anyone know how to show the isbn in a column?

Manichean · 01-04-2011, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosopher

Couldn't there be a way to browse and input a directory into a field.

Use a custom text column and paste the path into it.

Quote:

Also a side side note -

anyone know how to show the isbn in a column?

Create a new custom column "from other columns" and set {ISBN} as template.

DoctorOhh · 01-04-2011, 06:56 AM

The below won't solve your problem, but you might be able to put the info to good use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosopher

In fact I have been torn in some cases - such as with course guuides for video courses or audio courses - of putting the guide in calibre - because of losing it in the directory where the relevant files are. Sure I could know to search calibre for it - but would have to create some kind of file to tell me there was one. Or I could put a link to the file in the calibre library - but that is always changing (at least for some time). Or I could keep two copies - but taht seems wasteful.

Couldn't there be a way to browse and input a directory into a field.

If you look at the book details window you will see Path: Click to open Hovering over it will tell you the path to the directory in a tooltip. Clicking this link will open the directory where that book is stored (see attached).

There is no reason you can't place the associated files for a ebook in that directory. Also using the "Open with" GUI plugin you can set up a right click that will allow you to open that book in an external program (see attached for how my plugin is setup).

I know this seems backwards for Video courses but some books come with small linked multimedia files and the linking works easier with the associated file(s) in the same directory.

Just some thoughts. Since I haven't had the need to try this it might be rubbish.

chaley · 01-04-2011, 07:26 AM

If there is a plugin writer out there who wants to take this on ...

The newly-added per-book custom data facility could be used by a plugin to associate a path or paths with a book. The plugin could ask for the path if one is not defined, and open an explorer on that path if it is defined. I could even see it supporting specific file types and opening those files using the system-defined program.

Another thought would be to associate specific objects instead of a path. I am imagining opening the plugin, then dragging objects onto it. The plugin would record the pathnames. Other plugin operations could open the containing folder or (as above) open the file with the system-defined program.

theducks · 01-04-2011, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

The below won't solve your problem, but you might be able to put the info to good use.

If you look at the book details window you will see Path: Click to open Hovering over it will tell you the path to the directory in a tooltip. Clicking this link will open the directory where that book is stored (see attached).

There is no reason you can't place the associated files for a ebook in that directory. Also using the "Open with" GUI plugin you can set up a right click that will allow you to open that book in an external program (see attached for how my plugin is setup).

I know this seems backwards for Video courses but some books come with small linked multimedia files and the linking works easier with the associated file(s) in the same directory.

Just some thoughts. Since I haven't had the need to try this it might be rubbish.

the Library Check functions will flag unexpected 'Problem' files

DoctorOhh · 01-04-2011, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

the Library Check functions will flag unexpected 'Problem' files

The Library Check function will flag unexpected files. This is not the same as problem files. Library check doesn't know one way or another if the unexpected file is a problem or not.

What I don't know is what will happen if you run a Database Integrity check with extra files hanging around.

kovidgoyal · 01-04-2011, 11:34 PM

db integrity check does not delete files, it only removes format entries from the database if the file in the corresponding format was not found in the library. Similarly it updates the has_cover column in the database if the cover was not found in the library.

The main function of db integrity check is to check the integrity of the actual metadata.db file and recover from simple errors. It does this by dumping the file to SQL and re-creating it.

Philosopher · 01-05-2011, 02:27 PM

I'll take a look at that as a workaround. My question though is if I put the files in that directory - if I rename the book - what happens to those files when calibre moves the book files to a new directory?

Philosopher · 01-05-2011, 02:28 PM

I'll take a look at that as a workaround. My question though is if I put the files in that directory - if I rename the book - what happens to those files when calibre moves the book files to a new directory?

chaley · 01-05-2011, 03:02 PM

Everything in the directory will be moved.

desk99 · 01-05-2011, 06:23 PM

I tried this with a couple of movies. I wanted to be able to download them to my nookcolor. The file was searchable but when i clicked on it the server went crazy and i had to restard calibre

Jesse Chisholm · 07-20-2011, 12:32 AM

@Philosopher, are you still looking for an AudioBook plugin?
The idea sounded interesting to me, and so I threw together a Metadata Reader for AudioBooks in the .MP3 format. Very limited for .M4B format.

@Kovid, It is up at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1667632

It is still version 0.5.0, so has a ways to go.
1: multiple files are still separate "books", but are put in the same series together.
2: still having issues getting the cover image out of the .MP3 file (if present at all).
3: still having issues setting the mi.pubdate and mi.title_sort.
4: no way (yet) to send a books playlist of all chapters to an audio player. ;-)
If you "open" a single book and it will probably play in your OS's normal way.
5: does not write modified metadata back to the MP3 file. it is a Reader plugin.

PS: The default book cover, if I can't find anything else, is a small PNG. I tried to use an SVG, but it didn't display properly. It looks like total or partial transparency is failing on both SVG and PNG. (in calibre 0.8.10 on Windows-7). Both files are in the zip.

-Jesse

kovidgoyal · 07-20-2011, 12:37 AM

You might want to post this in the plugins sub forum, that way it will become available to calibre users to install via the get new plugins button.

Jesse Chisholm · 07-20-2011, 05:03 PM

@kovid, Done! the new thread under plugins is:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1667632

And I sent a message to kiwidude about adding it in the sticky list.

Thanks.

-Jesse

Jesse Chisholm · 07-22-2011, 10:14 AM

I am in conversation with kiwidude about steps I need to take to make it easier to add this new plugin.

I've conformed my "plugin announcement post" more toward the standard style.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1667632

-Jesse

01-04-2011, 05:15 AM	#1
Philosopher Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle	audio books in calibre Here is a thought/idea. Although not as simple as at first it seems. I would love it if I could use calibre to also catalog my audio books. They are part of my book library after all - not just my music library. And many ebooks I also have in audio form as well. Now here is the catch. First - I would not want calibre to store the audio book in the directory it creates - but a link/shortcut to it would be great. It seems that it would be best to keep audio books associated with other audio files in another directory - given the needs of the player. Although that brings up a second issue - althought to me a secondary one - having calibre integrated with an audio program so that you could tell it to play the book from calibre. But that I think would be a bit more complicated. On a side note there is also the issue of ebooks, particularly pdfs, that are associated with audio or video files. I have a lot of music books with the music files to go with the sheet music or lesson. Most of the time I have these embedded in the pdf - but not always (and what if its not a pdf). It would be good to have a way to have a link to a directory where related files are stored. Maybe that is also the solution for the above - just allowing the database to store the file/directory location in a field - and so you could click on that and get to the files. In fact I have been torn in some cases - such as with course guuides for video courses or audio courses - of putting the guide in calibre - because of losing it in the directory where the relevant files are. Sure I could know to search calibre for it - but would have to create some kind of file to tell me there was one. Or I could put a link to the file in the calibre library - but that is always changing (at least for some time). Or I could keep two copies - but taht seems wasteful. Couldn't there be a way to browse and input a directory into a field. Also a side side note - anyone know how to show the isbn in a column?

07-20-2011, 12:32 AM	#12
Jesse Chisholm Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 56200 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: California Device: none	@Philosopher, are you still looking for an AudioBook plugin? The idea sounded interesting to me, and so I threw together a Metadata Reader for AudioBooks in the .MP3 format. Very limited for .M4B format. @Kovid, It is up at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1667632 It is still version 0.5.0, so has a ways to go. 1: multiple files are still separate "books", but are put in the same series together. 2: still having issues getting the cover image out of the .MP3 file (if present at all). 3: still having issues setting the mi.pubdate and mi.title_sort. 4: no way (yet) to send a books playlist of all chapters to an audio player. ;-) If you "open" a single book and it will probably play in your OS's normal way. 5: does not write modified metadata back to the MP3 file. it is a Reader plugin. PS: The default book cover, if I can't find anything else, is a small PNG. I tried to use an SVG, but it didn't display properly. It looks like total or partial transparency is failing on both SVG and PNG. (in calibre 0.8.10 on Windows-7). Both files are in the zip. -Jesse Last edited by Jesse Chisholm; 07-22-2011 at 10:18 AM. Reason: Changed to internal URL.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Cataloging Audio Books And Video Books	mhv260	Audiobook Hardware & Software	24	09-04-2014 07:28 AM
Audio books	Marlinark	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	27	09-15-2009 12:46 PM
I was told ya can use itunes to get audio books, so how do ya add the books to the K?	Dragoro	Amazon Kindle	27	04-16-2009 12:17 AM
Blackstone Audio to release audio books as DRM-free MP3s	Donnageddon	News	4	07-07-2008 12:16 PM
audio books	juice	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	3	09-21-2004 12:25 AM

01-04-2011, 07:26 AM	#4
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,734 Karma: 6690881 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	If there is a plugin writer out there who wants to take this on ... The newly-added per-book custom data facility could be used by a plugin to associate a path or paths with a book. The plugin could ask for the path if one is not defined, and open an explorer on that path if it is defined. I could even see it supporting specific file types and opening those files using the system-defined program. Another thought would be to associate specific objects instead of a path. I am imagining opening the plugin, then dragging objects onto it. The plugin would record the pathnames. Other plugin operations could open the containing folder or (as above) open the file with the system-defined program.

01-04-2011, 11:34 PM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,843 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	db integrity check does not delete files, it only removes format entries from the database if the file in the corresponding format was not found in the library. Similarly it updates the has_cover column in the database if the cover was not found in the library. The main function of db integrity check is to check the integrity of the actual metadata.db file and recover from simple errors. It does this by dumping the file to SQL and re-creating it.

01-05-2011, 02:27 PM	#8
Philosopher Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle	I'll take a look at that as a workaround. My question though is if I put the files in that directory - if I rename the book - what happens to those files when calibre moves the book files to a new directory?

01-05-2011, 02:28 PM	#9
Philosopher Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle	I'll take a look at that as a workaround. My question though is if I put the files in that directory - if I rename the book - what happens to those files when calibre moves the book files to a new directory?

01-05-2011, 03:02 PM	#10
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,734 Karma: 6690881 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Everything in the directory will be moved.

01-05-2011, 06:23 PM	#11
desk99 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: nookcolor, nook, htc evo, ipod touch	I tried this with a couple of movies. I wanted to be able to download them to my nookcolor. The file was searchable but when i clicked on it the server went crazy and i had to restard calibre

07-20-2011, 12:37 AM	#13
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,843 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You might want to post this in the plugins sub forum, that way it will become available to calibre users to install via the get new plugins button.

07-20-2011, 05:03 PM	#14
Jesse Chisholm Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 56200 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: California Device: none	@kovid, Done! the new thread under plugins is: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1667632 And I sent a message to kiwidude about adding it in the sticky list. Thanks. -Jesse

07-22-2011, 10:14 AM	#15
Jesse Chisholm Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 56200 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: California Device: none	I am in conversation with kiwidude about steps I need to take to make it easier to add this new plugin. I've conformed my "plugin announcement post" more toward the standard style. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1667632 -Jesse