[GUI Plugin] FanFicFare

[JimmXinu]

@edeniz -

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any infinite loops possible in FFF.

If you want to share your personal.ini and included files with me, I'll look into it. PM, email or github issue are all fine if you don't want to post them here.

Otherwise all I can do is try that story with my settings--which I did and it worked fine.

[chicleeblair]

Thank you again!

Would something like that also work to block the plugin from replacing data that I put into the Ships column for fanfiction dot net myself? It seems like that would be more tedious than changing their format of [First Name][Last Initial] for every category I read.

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by chicleeblair

Would something like that also work to block the plugin from replacing data that I put into the Ships column for fanfiction dot net myself? It seems like that would be more tedious than changing their format of [First Name][Last Initial] for every category I read.

Maybe? I'm not sure exactly what you mean.

You can prevent ffnet stories from ever populating ships, which is also affect the title page:

[www.fanfiction.net]
include_metadata_post:
 ships==

However, you may instead want to only populate your Ships column the first time a book is downloaded. There's a checkbox next to each custom column for that in the FFF Custom Columns config tab. That effects all sites.

Using custom_columns_settings in personal.ini, you can control how columns are set by site, but it's more complicated. You can start by reading the defaults.ini comments on it:

Spoiler:

## (Plugin Only) - You can also populate calibre custom columns with
## the site specific metadata using custom_columns_settings (but only
## if 'Allow custom_columns_settings from personal.ini' is checked in
## the plugin GUI config.)  There are three parts, the entry name,
## then the label of the calibre custom column, then (optionally) a
## 'mode'.  'r' to Replace any existing values, 'a' to Add to existing
## value (use with tag-like columns), and 'n' for setting on New books
## only.  (Default is 'r'.)

## Literal strings can be set into custom columns using double quotes.
## Each metadata=>column mapping must be on a separate line and each
## needs to have one space at the start of each line.

## 'r_anthaver' and 'n_anthaver' can be used to indicate the same as
## 'r' and 'n' for normal downloads, but to average the metadata for
## the differents story in an anthology before setting in integer and
## float type custom columns.  This can be useful for a averrating
## column, for example.  Default is to sum the values of all stories,
## and numChapters and numWords are always summed.

#custom_columns_settings:
# cliches=>#acolumn
# themes=>#bcolumn,a
# timeline=>#ccolumn,n
# "FanFiction"=>#collection
# averrating=>#averrating,r_anthaver

[jxxtan]

I have been happily using this plugin for years now; thanks for keeping it working for us. There is one thing that's bothering me with the new update, though.

The TOC has moved to the end - you know this. However, I find having the TOC at the front (as it was before this last update) to be more useful when reading fanfic, since very few of them are complete at first posting. It's easier to get to the latest chapter with the TOC up front, like it had been. About the only time I don't want the TOC at the front is when it's a single-chapter story.

I am sure you had a reason for moving it to the end. But could you give us the option of having it at either the front or the back? Please? (Maybe with an option to eliminate the TOC for single-chapter works, but I feel that's less important.)

Thank you.

[JimmXinu]

@jxxtan - I assume you're talking about mobi output format?

I did change that in the last version to move TOC to the end to match where Calibre puts it when converting to mobi. I didn't really have any better reason than that.

However, checking a couple of boughten Kindle books, I see they do have the TOC towards the front.

I can change it back or make it optional(I think--I'll have to test it). Does anyone else have an opinion about it?

I would suggest, however, if you are using Calibre with FFF it's better to download and update EPUBs and then convert those to AZW3. FFF can do that automatically on download/update.

That way you are only downloading new chapters when there's an update vs all of them, and the Calibre conversion output is better than FFF's mobi output. You can still put TOC at the start of AZW3 converted output using a checkbox option in Convert settings.

That's what I do, and I like Kindle enough that I just bought a backup Voyage while I still could.

[jxxtan]

Yes, I'm talking about mobi format. Yes, I use FFF in conjunction with Calibre. Yes, I also use Calibre's reformatter before putting something on my Kindle (Kindle 4, if you were wondering; formatting puts in chapter markers even though I'm not actually changing the format).

Thanks, found the checkbox, tried it (Mobi and AZW3). It works, but now the TOC is before all the metadata instead of after (and there's still a TOC at the end, but that's not a problem). I would prefer it after the metadata, like it had been.

....and after formatting a couple things to check, I found my reformatter doesn't remember my changed checkboxes. So if I keep doing it this way I'll have to find a fix for that. Or have to check them every time I format something. Which would be annoying. Anyway, that part's not your problem.

My opinion: if you give people the option of TOC at front/back(/none?), you would make the widest range of people happy. Me, for one.

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

@jxxtan - I assume you're talking about mobi output format?

I did change that in the last version to move TOC to the end to match where Calibre puts it when converting to mobi. I didn't really have any better reason than that.

However, checking a couple of boughten Kindle books, I see they do have the TOC towards the front.

I can change it back or make it optional(I think--I'll have to test it). Does anyone else have an opinion about it?

I would suggest, however, if you are using Calibre with FFF it's better to download and update EPUBs and then convert those to AZW3. FFF can do that automatically on download/update.

That way you are only downloading new chapters when there's an update vs all of them, and the Calibre conversion output is better than FFF's mobi output. You can still put TOC at the start of AZW3 converted output using a checkbox option in Convert settings.

That's what I do, and I like Kindle enough that I just bought a backup Voyage while I still could.

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by jxxtan

Yes, I'm talking about mobi format. Yes, I use FFF in conjunction with Calibre. Yes, I also use Calibre's reformatter before putting something on my Kindle (Kindle 4, if you were wondering; formatting puts in chapter markers even though I'm not actually changing the format).
...

... You download to mobi format and then convert to AZW3?

Why would you do that? That's the worst of all worlds...

[jxxtan]

No. I download to mobi, and reconvert to mobi. For chapter indications. I just tried the AZW3 on one this evening because you suggested it. It seems to have worked, but I see no reason to make a habit of it. I'll stick to mobi.

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

... You download to mobi format and then convert to AZW3?

Why would you do that? That's the worst of all worlds...

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by jxxtan

No. I download to mobi, and reconvert to mobi. For chapter indications. I just tried the AZW3 on one this evening because you suggested it. It seems to have worked, but I see no reason to make a habit of it. I'll stick to mobi.

Are you rejecting the suggestion of downloading and updating in EPUB so firmly that you are ignoring it entirely?

Because speaking as a long time Kindle user--and the guy who wrote the plugin--if you are updating existing stories (which is why you said you want the TOC back at the front) updating EPUB format and converting will save you time and bandwidth, and save the source sites time, bandwidth and money in almost all cases. Especially if you are already converting mobi to mobi to correct for FFF's admittedly sub-par mobi output.

I will still look at adding an option to move the mobi TOC back to the front--I don't expect it to be difficult. But please consider the EPUB alternative.

[jxxtan]

Mobi is what I normally use. Having said that, I just tried downloading two stories in epub. Both FFF and reformatting give me no TOC whatsoever, and navigation is actually worse ('Home' and 'End' keys run for a single chapter, not the whole document, and don't jump to the next one at all.) I'll be sticking with mobi.

[JDesat]

I tried searching the forum for an answer to this and didn't find anything, but that doesn't mean you haven't already answered this question... if so, I apologize.

I was wondering if there was a way to download stories (I'm mainly thinking stories from forums like SB and SV here) while keeping coloured text that is in those stories? I read a few threads that have coloured text at points for various reasons (Taylor Varga for instance) and I'd like to be able to have the stories in the form FFF creates but with the colour included.

There is a tool called 'omnibuser' that I used previously since it keeps the colours, but I didn't like that it didn't download everything (omakes, etc.) and it has also stopped working since the last change made to the forums. Further I really just prefer how FFF formats epubs outside of the colour issue.

Thanks!

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by JDesat

...
I was wondering if there was a way to download stories (I'm mainly thinking stories from forums like SB and SV here) while keeping coloured text that is in those stories? I read a few threads that have coloured text at points for various reasons (Taylor Varga for instance) and I'd like to be able to have the stories in the form FFF creates but with the colour included.
...

Yes, there is.

FFF strips many html tag attributes in order to standardize formatting, including style, which XenForo sites (SB/SV) use for color text. You can include them using this:

[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/taylor-varga-worm-luna-varga.32119/]
add_to_keep_html_attrs:,style

You can apply it to all SB/SV stories by putting add_to_keep_html_attrs:,style under [base_xenforoforum] instead. Or individual sites.

However, because keep_html_attrs is applied when a chapter is downloaded and processed (which includes update, BTW), you'll need to re-download past chapters using one of the Overwrite options to get the style attrs previously removed.

There are some sites that instead use class attrs for color text. For those you need to add the appropriate color classes to output_css. I don't have any examples off hand. FFF keeps class attrs by default.

[JDesat]

Thank you!! That's just what I wanted. I'm glad FFF has the option.

Thanks again!

[JimmXinu]

New Test Version Posted

2018-09-16
- Move mobi TOC back to after title page. Requested by jxxtan.

If anyone likes mobi TOC at the end better, speak up and I'll make it an optional setting.

Originally Posted by jxxtan

Mobi is what I normally use. Having said that, I just tried downloading two stories in epub. Both FFF and reformatting give me no TOC whatsoever, and navigation is actually worse ('Home' and 'End' keys run for a single chapter, not the whole document, and don't jump to the next one at all.) I'll be sticking with mobi.

One last comment, then I'm done trying to convince you:
EPUB TOC is integral in the metadata. I assume you meant no visible, in-line TOC, which can be enabled in EPUB with:

[epub]
include_tocpage:true

[Gerani]

So I had to do a reinstall of windows 10, I saved my data and reinstalled Calibre and Fanficfare. I have a problem that now it won't download or update anything.
When I try I just get the comment: %d format: a number is required, not unicode

I removed everything and did a clean install of calibre and fanficfare. Made a new library and tried again.

It still won't download, and just shows error code: %d format: a number is required, not unicode

Any idea on what's wrong?