Remove navbar in newsfeeds for Kindle/mobi [calibre]

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 03:09 AM

Is there any way (read: an easy way) in calibre to not include the top and bottom navbar when making a mobi file from a newsfeed? The reason I ask is that the Kindle already does that for news items. It seems redundant.

May be we can get a Python class called BasicNewsRecipeSansNavbar that does everything BasicNewsRecipe does except append the navbars at the top and bottom?

I am not a programmer (although I can read code), which is why I am asking.

GRiker · 07-28-2010, 10:00 AM

It sounds like you don't have your preferences optimized for Kindle.

Preferences|General|Preferred output format should be MOBI.

Preferences|Conversion|Output profile should be Kindle or Kindle DX.

When preferences are properly set, the recipes will use native Kindle navigation without the navbars.

G

Starson17 · 07-28-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRiker

When preferences are properly set, the recipes will use native Kindle navigation without the navbars.

I don't have a device that Calibre considers to be an e-reader, so my preferences are all defaults. When my recipes run, they only generate EPUBs. With preferences set, say for a Kindle, when you run a recipe do you get:

the same EPUB I get plus a mobi format (without the navbar), or
only the mobi, or
only the EPUB, with the mobi being created during Send to Device?

GRiker · 07-28-2010, 12:29 PM

An EPUB will always have the navbars.

You will only get the specific output format file specified in Preferences|Output format. Any subsequent conversions are done from the generated file.

During recipe execution, if output profile is Kindle|Kindle DX and output format is MOBI, the navbars are removed and the mobi is formatted as a Kindle periodical. It doesn't matter whether a Kindle is connected at the time, but those two setting do control whether or not the resulting file is optimized for Kindle navigation.

And to clarify, the only time that navbar generation is conditional upon Preference settings is during recipe conversion, not during a subsequent format conversion, say from EPUB to MOBI.

G

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 01:17 PM

@GRiker

You have the awesomez! Thanks! It works perfectly.

Calibre is very powerful, and the UI is there, but could use some help. I made this mockup. It's not complete. I worked on it for may be 20 minutes.

It should not be very difficult to expose all the functionality of calibre in a revamped UI. IIRC, it's written in Qt and Python. With QML and some of the newer Qt dev tools, it shouldn't be hard to improve on the current UI. I'm here if suggestions are required.

Starson17 · 07-28-2010, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWiTCommander

Calibre is very powerful, and the UI is there, but could use some help. I made this mockup. It's not complete. I worked on it for may be 20 minutes.

You've removed the comments display on the selected book (Book 3 in your mockup) and replaced it with field info that's already in the main GUI. Comments is most important field for me when scrolling through my books. It tells me what the book is about.

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 01:44 PM

@Starson17

Like I said, I did not put even half-an-hour into this. The mockup isn't even complete. Besides the comments field, another thing that is completely missing is any sort of UI to indicate connected devices and manage transfers [gasp], and even a UI for downloading newsfeeds [GASP]. It's all coming. I'll be updating it over the next few days/weeks. I'm doing the UI mockup just as a pipe-dream, but I am willing to contribute if my work is found to be useful.

Starson17 · 07-28-2010, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWiTCommander

Like I said, I did not put even half-an-hour into this.

I encourage you to work on it, I just thought I'd point to the most important feature for me of the book specific display on the bottom. I don't need duplication of the things I can see on the selected row - I mainly need the comments and the cover, perhaps with a better tag listing.

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 01:59 PM

@Starson17

I set preferred device to Kindle and preferred format to ePub (I know that makes little sense in the scheme of making the two work together). All I got was the regular-looking ePub with the navbars. Mobi file is not generated at the time of ePub creation.

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 02:14 PM

I agree that it looks like duplication, but the reason I put things twice is that the bottom part is for editing metadata. I will probably put two tabs where it says Book 3 above the book cover. The first tab wil have what is currently shown in the right bar in calibre, i.e., cover art, comments and available formats. The second tab will be an edit tab where you can edit metadata. I am trying to eliminate any and all secondary windows. I'll try getting a mockup done fast.

Starson17 · 07-28-2010, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWiTCommander

the reason I put things twice is that the bottom part is for editing metadata.

You do know that you can edit metadata in the main row for each book - right? Just double-click the field to be changed and type.

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 02:37 PM

@Starson17

I know. It's a bit like a spreadsheet. For some reason, I really don't like the current behavior. That's just my opinion. Update below!

By the way, clicking on the links to the specific formats in the Formats line will open that format; clicking on the ellipsis (...) at the end of the line will open the convert window. Any comment on the latter?

http://twitpic.com/29huif/full

Starson17 · 07-28-2010, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWiTCommander

clicking on the ellipsis (...) at the end of the line will open the convert window. Any comment on the latter?

Seems clever, but obscure

I'm a keyboard shortcut user, so I'd still hit "C" for (C)onvert.

TWiTCommander · 07-28-2010, 03:09 PM

I think the keyboard shortcuts will stay (I use them a lot in calibre). I do agree that it may be obscure, but it won't be the only way to convert from one format to another.

One of my main aims with this concept is to simplify the right-click menu in calibre. It's too cluttered. There must be a better way to do this.

07-28-2010, 03:09 AM	#1
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	Remove navbar in newsfeeds for Kindle/mobi [calibre] Is there any way (read: an easy way) in calibre to not include the top and bottom navbar when making a mobi file from a newsfeed? The reason I ask is that the Kindle already does that for news items. It seems redundant. May be we can get a Python class called BasicNewsRecipeSansNavbar that does everything BasicNewsRecipe does except append the navbars at the top and bottom? I am not a programmer (although I can read code), which is why I am asking.

07-28-2010, 12:29 PM	#4
GRiker Comparer of the Ephemeris Posts: 1,496 Karma: 424697 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad	An EPUB will always have the navbars. You will only get the specific output format file specified in Preferences\|Output format. Any subsequent conversions are done from the generated file. During recipe execution, if output profile is Kindle\|Kindle DX and output format is MOBI, the navbars are removed and the mobi is formatted as a Kindle periodical. It doesn't matter whether a Kindle is connected at the time, but those two setting do control whether or not the resulting file is optimized for Kindle navigation. And to clarify, the only time that navbar generation is conditional upon Preference settings is during recipe conversion, not during a subsequent format conversion, say from EPUB to MOBI. G Last edited by GRiker; 07-28-2010 at 12:55 PM.

07-28-2010, 01:17 PM	#5
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	@GRiker You have the awesomez! Thanks! It works perfectly. Calibre is very powerful, and the UI is there, but could use some help. I made this mockup. It's not complete. I worked on it for may be 20 minutes. It should not be very difficult to expose all the functionality of calibre in a revamped UI. IIRC, it's written in Qt and Python. With QML and some of the newer Qt dev tools, it shouldn't be hard to improve on the current UI. I'm here if suggestions are required. Last edited by TWiTCommander; 07-28-2010 at 01:46 PM. Reason: removed image at bottom of post due to incorrect link. image available at http://twitpic.com/29h8zw/full.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
calibre(kindle 3) pdf to mobi problem.	lutwey	Calibre	17	09-23-2010 12:15 PM
Problems with PDF to Mobi conversion in Calibre (for my Kindle 3)	star	Calibre	1	09-13-2010 01:01 PM
Adding Newsfeeds to Calibre	p3aul	Calibre	11	08-20-2010 11:48 AM
035k and Calibre newsfeeds	jerrywojo	Ectaco jetBook	2	07-25-2010 03:18 AM
Problems with downloading newsfeeds in Calibre	Tom Swift	Calibre	9	06-05-2008 12:03 AM

07-28-2010, 10:00 AM	#2
GRiker Comparer of the Ephemeris Posts: 1,496 Karma: 424697 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad	It sounds like you don't have your preferences optimized for Kindle. Preferences\|General\|Preferred output format should be MOBI. Preferences\|Conversion\|Output profile should be Kindle or Kindle DX. When preferences are properly set, the recipes will use native Kindle navigation without the navbars. G

07-28-2010, 01:44 PM	#7
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	@Starson17 Like I said, I did not put even half-an-hour into this. The mockup isn't even complete. Besides the comments field, another thing that is completely missing is any sort of UI to indicate connected devices and manage transfers [gasp], and even a UI for downloading newsfeeds [GASP]. It's all coming. I'll be updating it over the next few days/weeks. I'm doing the UI mockup just as a pipe-dream, but I am willing to contribute if my work is found to be useful.

07-28-2010, 01:59 PM	#9
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	@Starson17 I set preferred device to Kindle and preferred format to ePub (I know that makes little sense in the scheme of making the two work together). All I got was the regular-looking ePub with the navbars. Mobi file is not generated at the time of ePub creation.

07-28-2010, 02:14 PM	#10
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	I agree that it looks like duplication, but the reason I put things twice is that the bottom part is for editing metadata. I will probably put two tabs where it says Book 3 above the book cover. The first tab wil have what is currently shown in the right bar in calibre, i.e., cover art, comments and available formats. The second tab will be an edit tab where you can edit metadata. I am trying to eliminate any and all secondary windows. I'll try getting a mockup done fast.

07-28-2010, 02:37 PM	#12
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	@Starson17 I know. It's a bit like a spreadsheet. For some reason, I really don't like the current behavior. That's just my opinion. Update below! By the way, clicking on the links to the specific formats in the Formats line will open that format; clicking on the ellipsis (...) at the end of the line will open the convert window. Any comment on the latter? http://twitpic.com/29huif/full

07-28-2010, 03:09 PM	#14
TWiTCommander Member Posts: 20 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: kindle	I think the keyboard shortcuts will stay (I use them a lot in calibre). I do agree that it may be obscure, but it won't be the only way to convert from one format to another. One of my main aims with this concept is to simplify the right-click menu in calibre. It's too cluttered. There must be a better way to do this.