Where are my books?

[eschwartz]

I figured something out.

Save this code as a file, "calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py".

But first, see the bit in red? Change that to 'C:\\Users\Josieb1\\Calibre Library\\' or wherever your library is located, and make sure there are two backslashes.

Then run the following command in the command prompt:

calibre-debug.exe C:\path\to\wherever\you\put\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

Here is the code.

def init_cache(library_path):
        from calibre.db.backend import DB
        from calibre.db.cache import Cache
        backend = DB(library_path)
        cache = Cache(backend)
        cache.init()
        return cache

import tempfile
temporary_txt_file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='txt', delete=False)

cache = init_cache(library_path = 'C:\\Users\\<username>\\Calibre Library\\')


for id in cache.all_book_ids():
        cache.add_format(id, 'TXT', temporary_txt_file)

P.S. chaley, thanks for the similar python script you created in the templates, plugboards, custom columns thread a while back, you helped me figure out how to interface with calibre.
Does this look good?


I decided it wasn't worth trying to deal with json on other peoples' machines especially Windows, so it's all native calibre code.

Tested on a test library of mine, on a Win7 machine.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

P.S. chaley, thanks for the similar python script you created in the templates, plugboards, custom columns thread a while back, you helped me figure out how to interface with calibre.
Does this look good?

Looks mostly good.

Some comments:
- Why did you create the temp file for the txt format instead of simply using its path? EDIT: ahhh, I see. You created an empty txt file to avoid the necessity of passing one in as an argument or having one sitting around.
- You should first get the IDs that don't have a TXT format and add it only to them. Use something like cache.search('not formats:=TXT'). This is where the user could also add some criteria, such as doing it only if a book has a certain tag.
- You might want to put try/except around the add_format
- Is it worth checking add_format's returned value and printing an error?

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I figured something out.

Save this code as a file, "calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py".

But first, see the bit in red? Change that to 'C:\\Users\Josieb1\\Calibre Library\\' or wherever your library is located, and make sure there are two backslashes.

Then run the following command in the command prompt:

calibre-debug.exe C:\path\to\wherever\you\put\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

Here is the code.

def init_cache(library_path):
        from calibre.db.backend import DB
        from calibre.db.cache import Cache
        backend = DB(library_path)
        cache = Cache(backend)
        cache.init()
        return cache

import tempfile
temporary_txt_file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='txt', delete=False)

cache = init_cache(library_path = 'C:\\Users\\<username>\\Calibre Library\\')


for id in cache.all_book_ids():
        cache.add_format(id, 'TXT', temporary_txt_file)

P.S. chaley, thanks for the similar python script you created in the templates, plugboards, custom columns thread a while back, you helped me figure out how to interface with calibre.
Does this look good?


I decided it wasn't worth trying to deal with json on other peoples' machines especially Windows, so it's all native calibre code.

Tested on a test library of mine, on a Win7 machine.

Thank you so much

I had a few problems getting the path right but eventually I got the message Welcome to the Interactive Calibre Shell. Does that mean its working?

I have nearly 6000 books so I don't know how long to leave it before I check in Calibre.

[Josieb1]

I just opened Calibre and I don't have any format for TXT so i guess i did something wrong. In the command prompt I input

calibre-debug.exe C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\Calibre Library\

And the code in the py is (it is inside a box is that an issue)?

def init_cache(library_path):
from calibre.db.backend import DB
from calibre.db.cache import Cache
backend = DB(library_path)
cache = Cache(backend)
cache.init()
return cache

import tempfile
temporary_txt_file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='txt', delete=False)

cache = init_cache(library_path = 'C:\\Users\\Jenny\\Documents\\Calibre Library\\')


for id in cache.all_book_ids():
cache.add_format(id, 'TXT', temporary_txt_file)

[chaley]

@Josieb1: two things.

1) You put the python code into a file. The file can be anywhere. It must end with ".py". Lets assume you put it in documents, at the same level as your library in the file add_txt.py.

2) Given the above assumption, the command line you use would be

calibre-debug C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\add_txt.py

[chaley]

@Josieb1: And please please make a backup of your library before you run the script.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by chaley

@Josieb1: And please please make a backup of your library before you run the script.

Thank you, I am actually trying again now with this command line

calibre-debug.exe C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\Calibre Library\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

I keep a full Calibre back up in Dropbox

The file is in the Calibre Library and I changed the doc extension to be py once I was sure the code was correct (i hope)

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Thank you, I am actually trying again now with this command line

calibre-debug.exe C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\Calibre Library\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

I keep a full Calibre back up in Dropbox

The file is in the Calibre Library and I changed the doc extension to be py once I was sure the code was correct (i hope)

Because of the space in "Calibre Library" you must use the command line

calibre-debug.exe "C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\Calibre Library\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py"

I am not sure you can simply change the extension. The file cannot be internally a .doc, but must be a .txt. I suggest you open the .py file with notepad and see what you get. If it is gibberish then copy the text from eschwartz' original post, paste it into notepad, then redo the change for your library.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Thanks for trying to help, all I know is I did use the content server with Calibre and Calibre companion and it sent the books to the device file manager not into CC, so i've no idea why it did that. This time connecting via both the content server and as a wireless device it did work.

If anyone can figure it out I'd be grateful

I didn't read the whole thread. For others looking in I just want to point out the obvious. The basic way to use CC is to connect to calibre via the Wireless Device feature. Do not use the USB cable or the Content server connection. Once connected use Send to device to send your books to your Fire. Or connect via the Content server (not the USB) and download selected books from the content server. CC doesn't connect via USB.

Here is the FAQ on how to direct which directory CC will place the books. And here is a link to CC main FAQ.

Now back to your regular thread conversation.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by chaley

Because of the space in "Calibre Library" you must use the command line

calibre-debug.exe "C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\Calibre Library\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py"

I am not sure you can simply change the extension. The file cannot be internally a .doc, but must be a .txt. I suggest you open the .py file with notepad and see what you get. If it is gibberish then copy the text from eschwartz' original post, paste it into notepad, then redo the change for your library.

Thank you, it's still not worked so you maybe correct, I'll try your suggestions tonight. Anything to do with coding or file extensions is alien to me so it takes me a lot of trial and error to get things go work.

Edited to say yes my file is gibberish

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

I didn't read the whole thread. For others looking in I just want to point out the obvious. The basic way to use CC is to connect to calibre via the Wireless Device feature. Do not use the USB cable or the Content server connection. Once connected use Send to device to send your books to your Fire. Or connect via the Content server (not the USB) and download selected books from the content server. CC doesn't connect via USB.

Here is the FAQ on how to direct which directory CC will place the books. And here is a link to CC main FAQ.

Now back to your regular thread conversation.

Thank you. I could only get the books into CC using the Wireless option. I'll make sure I do that going forward, and thanks for the links.

[Josieb1]

I'm not sure exactly what i'm supposed to see.

I opened a new Notepad page (using Notepad + +) and copied the code into that. Then saved it with the correct name.
Then I ran the command prompt screen and got the usual Welcome to the Interactive Calibre Shell.
Nothing has happened in Calibre. I guess I was execting to see a new format of 'txt'
And no books have a txt file showing.
And when I went back into my Calibre Library (which is where the file was) and its gone.

I'm out of options now. Can anyone guide me on what I'm doing wrong please

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I'm not sure exactly what i'm supposed to see.

I opened a new Notepad page (using Notepad + +) and copied the code into that. then saved it with the correct name.
Then I ran the command prompt screen and got the usual Welcome to the Interactive Calibre Shell.
Nothing has happened in Calibre. I guess I was execting to see a new format of 'txt'
And no books have a txt file showing.
And when I went back into my Calibre Library (which is where the file is) its gone.

I'm out of options now. Can anyone guide me on what I'm doing wrong please

First, you should not get the "usual Welcome". That means that the file name you passed is not correct.

Here is an example of what starting the script should look like. The file names are not what you would use, but the form is correct. The first command (dir) checks that the file name of the test script is correct by printing some information about it. The second command, calibre-debug, actually runs the script. I added the -e option so that calibre-debug knows to expect a script. I suggest you do the same thing.

If all goes well when you start the script, it won't say anything but will take a fair amount of time to run. Do not start calibre while it is running! If you get bored after a time, use CTRL-C to kill the script, at which point you can start calibre to see if any txt formats have appeared.

Be sure that calibre is not running when you start the script.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

d:\CBH_Data\calibre.git>dir "D:\CBH_Data\calibre.git\tests\all_tags.py"
 Volume in drive D is CBH_DATA
 Volume Serial Number is C63D-6515

 Directory of D:\CBH_Data\calibre.git\tests

03/03/2014  14:15               378 all_tags.py
               1 File(s)            378 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  688,465,313,792 bytes free

d:\CBH_Data\calibre.git>calibre-debug -e "D:\CBH_Data\calibre.git\tests\all_tags.py"

[Josieb1]

Thank you. This is the name of the actual notepad file. I did select py as the save extension. I never amended the txt file extension

calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

The file is now in the main Documents folder so the path is this

C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

so as far as I can tell my command prompt should be this

calibre-debug.exe C:\Users\Jenny\Documents\calibre-add-format-blank-txt.py

the Code within the Notepad file is as below:-

def init_cache(library_path):
        from calibre.db.backend import DB
        from calibre.db.cache import Cache
        backend = DB(library_path)
        cache = Cache(backend)
        cache.init()
        return cache

import tempfile
temporary_txt_file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='txt', delete=False)

cache = init_cache(library_path = 'C:\\Users\\Jenny\\Documents\\')


for id in cache.all_book_ids():
        cache.add_format(id, 'TXT', temporary_txt_file)

Does that look alright? I am sorry I just don't understand all this

[Josieb1]

I've had another go now my file is in Documents and this time the prompt just returned

C:\Users\Jenny>