Merging files?

[tobymax]

Hi I love fan fiction and I understand how to download a text file and convert
it to epub. My question is often fan fiction stories is divided into parts. How
do I merge all parts into one file? Can I do it via calibre? Thank you.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by tobymax

Hi I love fan fiction and I understand how to download a text file and convert
it to epub. My question is often fan fiction stories is divided into parts. How
do I merge all parts into one file? Can I do it via calibre? Thank you.

Try putting them all in a zip file along with any images and open it is Calibre.

Dale

[Elfwreck]

Depending on where the fanfiction comes from, you might be able to use the Fanfiction Downloader to get all the parts into one file.

Other than that, there's no quick way to combine multiple files other than "open a txt file or Word doc; copy & paste each section in."

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Depending on where the fanfiction comes from, you might be able to use the Fanfiction Downloader to get all the parts into one file.

Other than that, there's no quick way to combine multiple files other than "open a txt file or Word doc; copy & paste each section in."

They actually combine pretty easily when creating an ePUB since it supported multiple html files. I think Calibre can do this.

Dale

[Elfwreck]

I don't think Calibre will combine multiple text files into an epub. For that matter, I don't think it'll combine multiple HTML files; you need another program to do the combining & create the TOC file.

If I'm wrong, please tell me! I'd love to be able to create ebooks by throwing multiple loose HTML files into a folder, zipping them, and pointing Calibre at them.

[ghostyjack]

You could try Sigil 0.2.0 as you can import HTML files using it book browser section.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by tobymax

My question is often fan fiction stories is divided into parts. How do I merge all parts into one file?

Well, if you are using Windows and can work at the command line it is extremely easy to merge a large number of text files into one file using the COPY command. You just put all the text files into one folder. If the file names are in alphanumeric order you just type COPY *.TXT OUTPUT.TXT . If the file names are not in alphanumeric order you would need to order them yourself with a command like
COPY FILE1.TXT+FILE2.TXT+FILE3.TXT OUTPUT.TXT

Of course the file names that you actually type would be up to you, instead of my generic examples.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Well, if you are using Windows and can work at the command line it is extremely easy to merge a large number of text files into one file using the COPY command. You just put all the text files into one folder. If the file names are in alphanumeric order you just type COPY *.TXT OUTPUT.TXT . If the file names are not in alphanumeric order you would need to order them yourself with a command like
COPY FILE1.TXT+FILE2.TXT+FILE3.TXT OUTPUT.TXT

Of course the file names that you actually type would be up to you, instead of my generic examples.

Yes that works great for text files but not so good for html that the original question was about. You can do it but then you have all the duplicate head sections, body sections, etc. which is a mess to try and clean up.

Dale

[frabjous]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I don't think Calibre will combine multiple text files into an epub. For that matter, I don't think it'll combine multiple HTML files; you need another program to do the combining & create the TOC file.

If I'm wrong, please tell me! I'd love to be able to create ebooks by throwing multiple loose HTML files into a folder, zipping them, and pointing Calibre at them.

To merge multiple HTMLs when converting through calibre, all you need to do is create one HTML file that links to all the others. Kovid gives instructions on doing this in this post in the Workshop forum.

It wouldn't be hard to write a program that automatically generated an HTML file that linked to all the others in the directory. (Indeed, even my miniscule programming skills could handle this, I think -- let me know if you want me to try!) Creating your own, however, will give you more control over the order they appear in.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Yes that works great for text files but not so good for html that the original question was about. You can do it but then you have all the duplicate head sections, body sections, etc. which is a mess to try and clean up.

The original post did ask about merging TEXT files.

Originally Posted by tobymax
Hi I love fan fiction and I understand how to download a text file and convert
it to epub. My question is often fan fiction stories is divided into parts. How
do I merge all parts into one file?

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

The original post did ask about merging TEXT files.

you are correct but I don't know where these fanfic files are coming from. All the fanfic files I have ever seen were html. They are posted to be read with a browser.

Dale

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

you are correct but I don't know where these fanfic files are coming from. All the fanfic files I have ever seen were html. They are posted to be read with a browser.

Dale

In that case you may be correct, since I have no knowledge at all concerning FanFiction files.
I was just responding to the text of the original question as it was posed.