new exthupdt.py to update title in EXTH header to the filename

dilo_sec · 07-24-2011, 07:52 AM

I've had need for such a tool for a while now - rather than using a few existing tools to achieve the same thing, but sometimes with unexpected side effects. I wrote this in the last few days...

exthupdt.py is unashamedly based on the code in mobiunpack.py 0.26 - thanks guys, you know who you are!

exthupdt.py simply and quickly updates the title in the EXTH header to the filename (less the extension) so it displays correctly (as I want it to appear) in the Kindle. The title at the end of the EXTH header (referenced in the MOBI header) is also updated. It can also optionally remove the ASIN record in the EXTH record so collection generators, to organise books in Author folders, now work as expected.

Usage: exthupdt.py [options] mobifile

Options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-d, --debug to print debug information
-r, --raw to create additional raw data files
-a, --asin to remove the ASIN record from the EXTH section
-t, --title to update the title to the filename (default=True)

the output is a .mobi file, so change the input file extension (e.g. to .m)
example: exthupdt.py --asin inputfile.m

Please report any problems here.

Have fun!
Dilo.

DiapDealer · 07-24-2011, 04:39 PM

Don't get me wrong... I snag up any free code that helps me gain insight into the manipulation of MOBI files, but why would you want to change the title in the EXTH header to the file name? I'm not quite following.

dilo_sec · 07-24-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Don't get me wrong... I snag up any free code that helps me gain insight into the manipulation of MOBI files, but why would you want to change the title in the EXTH header to the file name? I'm not quite following.

I've found it useful to list books ordered by filename, in the order they are read - E.g. In the Isaac Asimov series of Foundation books (listed below by title), which do I read 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc?

documents\
+ Asimov, Isaac\
. + Forward the Foundation.mobi
. + Foundation & Chaos.mobi
. + Foundation and Earth.mobi
. + Foundation and Empire.mobi
. + Foundation's Edge.mobi
. + Foundation's Fear.mobi
. + Foundation's Friends.mobi
. + Foundation's Triumph.mobi
. + Foundation.mobi
. + Prelude to Foundation.mobi
. + Second Foundation.mobi

So, I rename the books to contain a number prefix to denote the reading order - change the titles in the EXTH header, and my problem is solved.

documents\
+ Asimov, Isaac - Foundation\
. + 01 - Foundation.mobi
. + 02 - Foundation and Empire.mobi
. + 03 - Second Foundation.mobi
. + 04 - Foundation's Edge.mobi
. + 05 - Foundation and Earth.mobi
. + 06 - Prelude to Foundation.mobi
. + 07 - Foundation's Fear.mobi
. + 08 - Forward the Foundation.mobi
. + 09 - Foundation & Chaos.mobi
. + 10 - Foundation's Triumph.mobi
. + 11 - Foundation's Friends.mobi

It's a matter of personal preference - I organise mobi files into folders this way...

Dilo.

DiapDealer · 07-24-2011, 06:14 PM

Thanks for explaining. I think I understand... you want the order they're listed on the Kindle's home page to match the order the files are listed in when browsing the folder (at the OS level)? Otherwise, you could just put whatever you want in the EXTH header and ignore the filename.

Either way, thanks for sharing the code.

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07-24-2011, 04:39 PM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Don't get me wrong... I snag up any free code that helps me gain insight into the manipulation of MOBI files, but why would you want to change the title in the EXTH header to the file name? I'm not quite following.

07-24-2011, 06:14 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Thanks for explaining. I think I understand... you want the order they're listed on the Kindle's home page to match the order the files are listed in when browsing the folder (at the OS level)? Otherwise, you could just put whatever you want in the EXTH header and ignore the filename. Either way, thanks for sharing the code.