[GUI Plugin] Generate Cover

[JimmXinu]

Generate Cover only updates the cover in Calibre's database. It doesn't change any ebook format.

By default, Calibre's Convert and Send to Device both update the metadata inside the ebook file, including cover, when run. As far as I know, anyway. It's possible that the defaults have changed, or you have changed the settings without realizing it.

Calibre's Polish can be used to update the cover in ebook files in place, vs when they are converted for sent.

FYI, azw3 is a newer and 'better' format than mobi for Kindle. I would recommend using it instead of mobi. I've been using it for years.

[ownedbycats]

If you're lazy like me and want to save a few clicks, you can make an Action Chain to run generate cover + polish book and then apply it to a keyboard shortcut.

[crnirg]

Can I somehow choose, say, a second page instead of the first when choosing a cover?

[JimmXinu]

I think you may be asking your question in the wrong place.

The Generate Cover plugin doesn't actually do any with the contents of ebooks. It only works on the Cover image in Calibre's library.

Therefore, it has no idea about pages.

[crnirg]

#JimmXinu
Thanks for answer .

[rabidread]

Originally Posted by Tetchystar

I really like this plugin, but was wondering. Is there a way to have a random image chosen when you generate a cover? For example, if I choose generate cover for multiple books at once, can it randomly select an image?

I was wondering if this has been reconsidered. I've added 200 images to the list of possible covers, but it seems I need to choose them one by one. I would love if they could just be chosen at random as material needs covers. This is especially true for using it in combination with FanFicFare.

[JimmXinu]

If someone wants to add such a feature, it sounds like some users would like it.

I'm not very interested in adding it myself, mostly because of the GUI issues. How would it be presented to user?

[rabidread]

I think the most straightforward would be in the Select Image section to have a third options such as

{Current Cover}
{Default}
{Random Image}
Picture A.jpg
Picture B.jpg
Picture C.jpg
...

[theducks]

Originally Posted by rabidread

I think the most straightforward would be in the Select Image section to have a third options such as

{Current Cover}
{Default}
{Random Image}
Picture A.jpg
Picture B.jpg
Picture C.jpg
...

Load an array with the available file names; draw a random Integer (range check against # available) ; get the array[index]

Now you just need to know Python

[rabidread]

Originally Posted by theducks

Now you just need to know Python

Yeh, that's the caveat. I could do it in R in a couple minutes, but I haven't learned/tried enough in Python to do much other than very slight alterations of others' scripts.

[JimmXinu]

Yes, randomly selecting an image from a list is easy.

The issue is defining the image list. 5 minutes after implementing a simple 'random from the existing image list' feature, some one is going to want to have different image lists for different Saved Settings.

[nan1923]

Hi, since my upgrade to Calibre 6 I'm getting an error message when trying to export a cover or import one. Is that a compatibility error with the new calibre version or is somenthing else wrong?


Export Error:

calibre, version 6.0.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>AttributeError</b>:type object 'QFileDialog' has no attribute 'AnyFile'

calibre 6.0 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.19044 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.19044')
Python 3.10.1
Windows: ('10', '10.0.19044', '', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: en_GB
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (7, 2, 1) && Count Pages (1, 11, 2) && EpubMerge (2, 13, 0) && EpubSplit (3, 3, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 14, 0) && Favourites Menu (1, 1, 0) && Generate Cover (2, 1, 0) && Job Spy (1, 0, 191) && Quality Check (1, 12, 0) && Reading List (1, 11, 0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.dialogs", line 672, in export_setting
File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.dialogs", line 726, in pick_archive_name_to_export
AttributeError: type object 'QFileDialog' has no attribute 'AnyFile'

Import Error:

calibre, version 6.0.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>TypeError</b>:join() argument must be str, bytes, or os.PathLike object, not 'NoneType'

calibre 6.0 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.19044 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.19044')
Python 3.10.1
Windows: ('10', '10.0.19044', '', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: en_GB
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (7, 2, 1) && Count Pages (1, 11, 2) && EpubMerge (2, 13, 0) && EpubSplit (3, 3, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 14, 0) && Favourites Menu (1, 1, 0) && Generate Cover (2, 1, 0) && Job Spy (1, 0, 191) && Quality Check (1, 12, 0) && Reading List (1, 11, 0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.dialogs", line 640, in import_setting
File "calibre_plugins.generate_cover.dialogs", line 851, in confirm_add_image
File "ntpath.py", line 117, in join
File "genericpath.py", line 152, in _check_arg_types
TypeError: join() argument must be str, bytes, or os.PathLike object, not 'NoneType'

[JimmXinu]

New Test Version

2022-07-12
- mode=AnyFile in qt5 & qt6

I could duplicate the export error and fixed it, but not the import error.

nan1923, can you post the zip file for the GC setting you were importing?

[nan1923]

Hi, thanks for the fast response!
The export is also fixed in my calibre, thanks! The import error for some reason doesn't appear anymore, maybe your update fixed it by accident or the reboot of my pc fixed it. No idea what it was, but it works now!
Thanks!

Different plugin, but also one written by you: In the FanFicfare plugin, when I try to search the personal.ini or the default.ini I also get an error (calibre 6 seems to cause quite a few problems for plugins):

calibre, version 6.0.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>AttributeError</b>:'QTextCursor' object has no attribute 'Right'

calibre 6.0 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.19044 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.19044')
Python 3.10.1
Windows: ('10', '10.0.19044', '', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: en_GB
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (7, 2, 1) && Count Pages (1, 11, 2) && EpubMerge (2, 13, 0) && EpubSplit (3, 3, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 14, 0) && Favourites Menu (1, 1, 0) && Generate Cover (2, 1, 1) && Job Spy (1, 0, 191) && Quality Check (1, 12, 0) && Reading List (1, 12, 0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre_plugins.fanficfare_plugin.dialogs", line 1453, in find
File "calibre_plugins.fanficfare_plugin.dialogs", line 1469, in moveCursor
AttributeError: 'QTextCursor' object has no attribute 'Right'

[JimmXinu]

Ideally, you should post to the FanFicFare thread, not tack onto an unrelated post in an unrelated thread. I link my plugin threads in my signature.

I've posted a new FFF test version.