Format-specific device location AND save template

[timepieces141]

Hi there,

I have a bunch of cbz and cbr formatted comics and I would like them sent to a specific folder on my device. I would also like to create series-specific sub-folders and place the comics inside there (The viewer I use makes it very hard to find things unless they are organized on the file system, but it's really good at displaying comics). Example:

/Comics/

Civil War/

Civil War - 01 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1999-2013) #529
Civil War - 02 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1999-2013) #530

Buffy-Angel/

Buffy-Angel - 01 - Angel: The Curse

I see that I can create a format specific destination folder in the "configure this device" menu. So I put "Comics" there.

And I have created a plugboard (unfortunately there is no cbr or cbz format in the plugboard, so I am forced to use "any format") which renames the file appropriately.

{series}{series_index:0>2s| – | – }{title}

... for both title and title_sort

Where can I define the {series} sub-folder? And if I define it in the plugboard, what happens to my mobi files (since I am forced to use "any") when there is not a series?

I'd like to send mobi files to "Books" and have the Kindle app pick those up. So I assume I would configure the device to send those formats to there. I don't care too much about the folder structure under books, because the Kindle app doesn't show that organization.

[eschwartz]

Plugboards affect the internal metadata of the sent book.
Save-to-Disk and Send-to-Device templates affect the filename of the sent book.

Plugboards can affect specific formats, filename templates cannot.

Which do you want???

[timepieces141]

I don't think I use save-to-disk, I use send-to-device. If that is what you wanted me to distinguish between.

The funny thing is, I haven't changed the defaults for send-to-device and things are not being organized on my device according to this:

{author_sort}/{title} - {authors}

At the moment, with just the metadata plugboard I wrote about before, all of my books land in /Books. No author sort sub-folder.

Maybe I am using the wrong part of the software to get what I want done.

I was using the Metadata Plugboard the change the title and sort title. That seemed to just translate to the filename as it landed on my device. I'm not sure it was this exact post, but one very similar that pushed me in this direction: http://www.howtogeek.com/114063/how-...-ebook-series/

And although that totally works - my files do have the filename of the title, it sounds like I cannot have format-specific folder structures. Am I understanding that correctly?

This page seemed to imply I could create folder structures: https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/template_lang.html - but, I think this syntax is used to organize the library on the filesystem. Is that correct? Or can it be applied somewhere to organize how things land on a device? For instance, the previously mentioned send-to-device dialog? Although since that is not apparently doing anything, maybe I need another setting (or to specifically back out of the plugboard one I have created).

Thanks for the help, hope I provided enough information and not too much as to make it confusing what I am trying to accomplish.

[eschwartz]

You can use the in_list() function fro the manual to see if a specific format is available for that book, and modify the filename save template based on that.

The filename save template has a default value set in preferences, but if you have configured your device (see screenshot) you will need to set it there additionally/instead.
That manual page applies to any templates in calibre -- templates are used in Bulk Metadata Edit, sending to device (both filename save templates and plugboards), custom columns built from other columns... however, NOT for organizing the library on the filesystem. You have no control over how calibre stores its own internal copies of your books.

...

Plugboards have absolutely nothing to do with filenames. They cannot affect filenames in any way.
However, different ereader apps/devices use different methods to show your books. Some use the metadata (modified by plugboards) and some use the filename (modified by filename save templates).

[timepieces141]

I think quite a long time ago I configured my device (using the option from your picture) and had forgotten. Clearly it is there that is changing the filename and trumping the default defined in the save-to-device preference. Maybe there is also where I can change the folder structure. I'm going to fool around there and see if I can get an 80% solution on this one. I'm curious what will happen if I set the device-specific save template to:

{series}\{series_index:0>2s| – | – }{title}

and the book transferred is not part of a series. I guess we'll see. I'll post back with some of my foolings around, in case anyone in the future has a similar question.

Thanks for sending me in the right direction.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by timepieces141

I think quite a long time ago I configured my device (using the option from your picture) and had forgotten. Clearly it is there that is changing the filename and trumping the default defined in the save-to-device preference. Maybe there is also where I can change the folder structure. I'm going to fool around there and see if I can get an 80% solution on this one. I'm curious what will happen if I set the device-specific save template to:

{series}\{series_index:0>2s| – | – }{title}

and the book transferred is not part of a series. I guess we'll see. I'll post back with some of my foolings around, in case anyone in the future has a similar question.

Thanks for sending me in the right direction.

Preferences are DEFAULTS for INITIAL USAGE just about everywhere within Calibre.

Once a preference has been 'applied', it stays until the layer where it is inherited, is reset.
Per Device Model (driver)
Per Title
Per Library (?? creation ??)

[timepieces141]

Ok, well nothing good. So, the CBZ file was not sent to /Comics/Buffy-Angel/Buffy-Angel - 01 - Angel_ The Curse.cbz as I had hoped (typo in my last post, should have been {series}\{series}{series_index:0>2s| – | – }{title}). Oddly, it did not throw an error, it just put the file in /Comics/Buffy-Angel_Buffy-Angel - 01 - Angel_ The Curse.cbz. Which looks like it just ignored the directory slash.

Upon closer reading here: https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/tem...send-templates, I see they point out exactly that. Which is truly unfortunate. I understand it is easier to just allow Calibre to organize my library on the computer's file system for me because it is the GUI that displays the information. The GUI that displays the information on a device is not under Calibre's control, which is why I was hoping I would have a little more control over it.

Just to close the loop, with these setting when trying to transfer a book with no series information, I did get an error. But I expected that.

Looks like I will have to manually move things around on the device, which stinks a little. I wish I could just convert all these CBZ/Rs to mobi and read everything in the kindle app, but they look horrible after conversion.

Hope this post saves someone else time.

[timepieces141]

Hold on a minute.

Looks like I didn't read far enough on my own link!

[timepieces141]

Yup ... I got it to work. Well, good enough. And what I couldn't get to work I am not sure was a shortcoming of Calibre or my ability to configure it. I think it was my ability to create a folder on my device. From windows explorer I could create a folder, but not rename it. Seemed like a permissions thing. And I'm pretty sure Calibre was choking on being able to create a folder for the same reason.

So I ditched trying to separate my comics from my books. Turns out, my two readers deal with mutually exclusive formats. So I won't see mobis in my comic reader or cbr/zs in the kindle app.

I took almost exactly the format out of the example in this link: https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/tem...send-templates

Attached is my adaptation. I just added the zero-padding that I liked from the previous format.

I had been trying to use the lower portion to send CBR and CBZ to a /Comics folder, and MOBI and PDF to a /Books folder. I actually believe that would probably work, and in which case would be exactly what I was looking for. Except my tablet was misbehaving and I'm calling "done is good."

Thanks everyone for the help!

[eschwartz]

Well, for a tablet it looks like you can also define specific folders per-format (and then the template begins within that folder, rather than the default "Books").

[42picky]

Once I configured a custom template for a device it seems not to be any option to reset it to defaults (global settings) in Calibre.

I am using Kobo Touch Extended plugin and making the template field empty, does not make it use the defaults, instead calibre starts to give a number as fallback for the filename.

[theducks]

Once used, Device specific templates are stored in the configuration folder.

You may see more or less that start with Device_drivers:

Spoiler:

07/03/16 15:01 1,670 device_drivers_FOLDER_DEVICE_FOR_CONFIG.py
10/09/19 11:18 837 device_drivers_FOLDER_DEVICE_FOR_CONFIG.py.json
04/10/19 23:56 944 device_drivers_KINDLE2.py
07/23/23 14:22 351 device_drivers_KINDLE2.py.json
03/11/20 13:02 352 device_drivers_KOBO.py.json
07/08/23 07:35 1,375 device_drivers_KOBOTOUCH.py.json
02/18/23 01:51 1,790 device_drivers_KOBOTOUCHEXTENDED.py.json
07/21/23 14:30 856 device_drivers_SMART_DEVICE_APP.py.json
8 File(s) 8,175 bytes
0 Dir(s) 36,793,540,608 bytes free

Those will be recreated the next time you connect and configure a device). They will initially use PREFERENCES for the starting values.

Preferences contains the defaults (settings) for NEW devices (and conversions)
many, but not all: Plugin settings are stored in the plugins folder. Some use multiple locations depending on what/how they work

USE CARE... Not all recover from missteps