New calibre help file

[BeccaPrice]

new help file uploaded.

Added; tweak books procedure (which, because of the way the UI is designed really doesn't need one) a couple of other new procedures under Other Fun Stuff. Documented Save to Disk, based on some of the conversations here. Last, under Customizing the User Interface, a new topic on Display All Metadata On One Page.

Also, one reviewer commented to me that their browser was choking on the space in the title between Calibre and Help. I've got a second file in the same general location labeled CalibreHelp, no space. If this is an issue, please change the link in the Calibre for Beginners topic, and I'll just update the CalibreHelp file next time I do an update.

I'd really appreciate it if people could review these new topics for technical accuracy (and any other comments) since I don't have my built-in reviewers for my class anymore.

[unboggling]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

new help file uploaded.I'd really appreciate it if people could review these new topics for technical accuracy (and any other comments) since I don't have my built-in reviewers for my class anymore.

Looks good to me. I noticed a couple minor things:

• Create and Customize Reading List — typo in note, "filed" for "field":

  Click "Customize plugin" from the Reading List menu. Note User created columns (in the column to update filed) start with a # hash mark.

• Might add for clarity one more step to Tweak Book: 8. Assess book, if worse or ruined in Edit Metadata remove the bad format, then drag and drop the original format (saved out as insurance) from operating system to replace it.

Generally I don't use Tweak Book because I often forget to save out an "insurance" copy first. So I got in the habit of saving out the book, editing those saved out files, then re-adding the fixed book, assessing, and deleting either the original or the botched fix.

[BeccaPrice]

Arguh about the typo - fixed, will be in the next update.

One reviewer suggested combining the creating a reading list column and creating a read yes/no column, because the procedures are so much the same. I'm worried that it might confuse a novice user if they were combined, though. Comments?

I'll add step 8 to Tweak Books - good suggestion.

[unboggling]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

One reviewer suggested combining the creating a reading list column and creating a read yes/no column, because the procedures are so much the same. I'm worried that it might confuse a novice user if they were combined, though. Comments?

I'd keep those separate in the help file, to avoid the potential confusion you suggested.

Personally, so far I've just used a tag for "To Read" and haven't used the Reading List plugin. I also combine "my content rating" and "I have read this book" into one tag in a custom column #status, so I don't use a yes/no column. If I have entered a content rating, that means I've read the book. If I read the book so long ago that a content rating isn't there and I don't recall how good the book was, then it's probably time to reread it.

[BeccaPrice]

dafkanik, create a new thread in the calibre forum - I can't answer questions that technical, but if Kovid Goyal sees the thread in the general forum, he can respond.

[BeccaPrice]

ok, new version uploaded with minor bug fixes and addenda (and one typo fixed!)

[Agama]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I'll add step 8 to Tweak Books - good suggestion.

I'm not whether you really need this. Tweak Book already has a Preview Book button so that you can assess your changes. You can then simply use Cancel to keep the un-tweaked book.

Perhaps there are other circumstances that you have in mind.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

Arguh about the typo - fixed, will be in the next update.

One reviewer suggested combining the creating a reading list column and creating a read yes/no column, because the procedures are so much the same. I'm worried that it might confuse a novice user if they were combined, though. Comments?

I'll add step 8 to Tweak Books - good suggestion.

I read your step 8:
My philosophy is: "Least amount of change"; Work at the Format level whenever possible.

Deleting the Book (the record) , deletes ALL Metadata, cover..

Deleting a single format (the one you tweaked ) leaves your metadata intact (the metadata in the book may not be the metadata in Calibre), Do this Even if you only have a single format to keep the data

[BeccaPrice]

If you preview the book, like your changes, and want to make further changes, is your only option to rebuild the book and re-explode it again? or can you go back into the exploded book from the Preview screen to make further changes?

I see your point, theducks, and need to think about how I'm going to handle this. If a person has a Sony, and only works in ePub, should they make a mobi backup of the file while they work in the epub version, to avoid losing metadata if they need to delete a corrupt book? If they use the Preview Book option, and never rebuild a corrupt book, do they need this kind of warning?

[Agama]

After preview you can carry on tweaking, with further changes and further previews until you finally choose to rebuild or cancel. (The exploded folder stays open.)

[BeccaPrice]

ok, how's this:

1. If necessary, convert the file to ePub.

2. Right-click the name of the book to be edited, and select Tweak Book from the menu.

The Tweak Book dialog box for the book displays.

3. In the Choose the format to tweak area, click the radio dial next to EPUB to select that format.

4. Click Explode Book.

If MOBI*is selected, and the book is not in KF8 mobi format, you will get an error message. Click OK to dismiss the error message and return to the Tweak Book dialog box.

A file browser window will open, showing the exploded files for the book.

5. Right click on any individual HTML file, and select "Open with..." to edit in your preferred text editor.

6. Return to the Tweak Book dialog box and click Preview Book to review your changes. If you don't like your changes, or the book has become corrupted, click Cancel and go back to Step 4.

After preview you can continue editing, with additional changes and additional previews until you choose to rebuild or cancel. The exploded folder stays open until you close it.

7. When you have finished editing, close the file browser window.

8. Click Rebuild Book on the Tweak Book screen.

[Agama]

Nearly perfect, but I think for a manual that you need to be pedantic. When Cancel is clicked the Tweak Book dialogue closes, so you can't go directly back to step 4.

Maybe you could use something like:

6. Return to the Tweak Book dialog box and click Preview Book to review your changes. If you don't like your changes, or the book has become corrupted, click Cancel; otherwise click Rebuild Book to accept the changes.

(Step 8 is then not required.)

[BeccaPrice]

go it - thanks Agama. It'll take some time (I have a hideously slow connection) but I'll upload a corrected version shortly.

[unboggling]

Originally Posted by Agama

After preview you can carry on tweaking, with further changes and further previews until you finally choose to rebuild or cancel. (The exploded folder stays open.)

Huh. Thanks, Agama. Learn something new every day. Sorry I led you astray, Becca. I hadn't thought through the use of Preview or Cancel before.

[BeccaPrice]

One of the reasons I love this project of mine, and why I love these forums - I learn so much! (and if I don't write it down, I forget it.)

ETA: the new version is uploading as I type. Give it another half an hour or so, and it should be available to be checked out.