Bundling and Updating Files

[MarjaE]

I'm trying to figure out how to make Calibre work for my needs.

One problem is when I have several html files I want to keep together. I used to convert to epub files. I still need to convert to epub files for compatibility with my e-reader, but it is a pain and a half. Is it possible to bundle files together, to convertt the bundle to one epub, etc.?

One more problem is if another installment arrives, or if I need to replace a corrupt or unreadable file with a better copy. Is it possible to do this?

[BetterRed]

@MarjaE - IMO the easiest way would probably be to add/replace the HTML files in the EPUB using the Book Editor - mainly via it's File and Book Browser right click menus.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....specific-order

And if you want to update a file in a book record simply drag and drop it onto the book details panel or right click the add books button and choose addfiles to selected book records.

[MarjaE]

I just imported a book of html files. It dropped the chapter numbering. It used chapter notes to mis-guess the Authors, would have been better to leave that unknown. It assumes all the files are zip rather than html. *headdesk*

I haven't gotten to the point of futzing with epub here.

I can't drag and drop onto book details. Nothing happens. Perhaps because Calibre has decided html is zip. I can't add anything either.

[MarjaE]

And after trying to convert one html file to epub, and open the resulting epub, calibre spawned endless error messages. I couldn't force quit because I kept getting new error messages. I had to reboot and *then* force quit. This is a bug.

[kovidgoyal]

Right, your tone just killed any desire I might once have possessed to help you. Good bye and good luck.

[MarjaE]

Well, sorry. I suppose you don't want to help people who encounter bugs and need help?

P.S. I see you created Calibre. Can anyone suggest an alternative, because I've twice had to restart my computer because of bugs in Calibre, and I'm not going to get any help...?

[davidfor]

MarjaE: The issue is the tone of your posts. Nothing in them encourages me to want to help. Plus they lack any useful information. For example, you stated you got so many errors from calibre that the only way to get out of it was to reboot the computer. But, you didn't tell us what the errors were.

For the drop into the details area of a new version of the book, are you sure nothing happened? I do this all the time and there is no visual reaction. It simply replaces the book that is currently stored with the new one.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

I just imported a book of html files. It dropped the chapter numbering. It used chapter notes to mis-guess the Authors, would have been better to leave that unknown. It assumes all the files are zip rather than html. *headdesk*

I haven't gotten to the point of futzing with epub here.

I can't drag and drop onto book details. Nothing happens. Perhaps because Calibre has decided html is zip. I can't add anything either.

I can't drag and drop to details WHEN THE DRIVE IS A NETWORK SHARE.
It works fine with local files.

Something is amiss with your system if these are Local files.
Broken systems are not a Calibre Bug.

[BetterRed]

@MarjaE - reading your original post I assume you're dealing with something published in instalments in the form of HTML files - or something similar.

I suggest you create a book using the Add Books->Add Empty Book option like this



That will create an empty EPUB to which you can add/replace/delete instalments in the form of HTML files using the EPUB Book Editor. If the Book Editor is not in your toolbar you may want to add it via Preferences->Toolbars - it's the Blue book with a spanner.

You can add HTML files to the EPUB you created via the File->Import option, and you can remove and delete HTML files via options in the right click menu in the Book Editor's Files Browser panel.

The Manual for the Book Editor is here ==>> Editing E-books

And there's a video tutorial for the Book Editor on this page ==>> calibre - Watch it in action

BR

[theducks]

BR
for Installments start as you did and make individual EPUB books for each

THEN

use the EPUBMerge PI to gather them into a single book
True, this will not generate minimalist code, but it works

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

BR
for Installments start as you did and make individual EPUB books for each

THEN

use the EPUBMerge PI to gather them into a single book
True, this will not generate minimalist code, but it works

@theducks - as always, there's always more than one way to kill a calibre cat

I've never had reason to use EPUBMerge, your way is probably easier, but my variation might be...

Drop the first instalment HTML into book list, convert the resultant ZIP to EPUB and adjust Book Title Authors and other metadata. Remove the ZIP. This is 'The Book'.

For second instalment, drop HTML into book list, convert the resultant ZIP to EPUB, use EPUBMerge to append the second instalment EPUB onto 'The Book', remove second instalment entirely. Repeat for subsequent instalments.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@theducks - as always, there's always more than one way to kill a calibre cat

I've never had reason to use EPUBMerge, your way is probably easier, but my variation might be...

Drop the first instalment HTML into book list, convert the resultant ZIP to EPUB and adjust Book Title Authors and other metadata. Remove the ZIP. This is 'The Book'.

For second instalment, drop HTML into book list, convert the resultant ZIP to EPUB, use EPUBMerge to append the second instalment EPUB onto 'The Book', remove second instalment entirely. Repeat for subsequent instalments.

BR

Right!
One way EPUB merge is simpler, is maintains the separate stylesheet (which may or may not be needed) with each content added. That burden is upon the user when they go the Editor route.

[MarjaE]

Okay, I just repeated the process.

Calibre itself didn't crash. Calibre converted the "zip" html files to epub files. I tried reading the files. At first, apart from the title page, they seemed to be blank, then they went haywire.

The first time this happened, a few months ago, Firefox started creating endless tabs, and I had to reboot.

Afterwards I changed some settings.

The last time, and this time repeating it, Mac OS X itself started producing endless error messages starting "there is no application set to open the url about:blank."

I don't know why an epub would try opening endless copies of "about:blank."

I was trying to deal with merging chapters which were publised as separate html files, at the same time or in sequence, and with replacing badly-formatted and/or inconsistently-formatted files with better versions.

And when I try to drag-and-drop onto the book details, the dragged file returns to its original location, as if the drag-and-drop is not allowed.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

Okay, I just repeated the process.

Calibre itself didn't crash. Calibre converted the "zip" html files to epub files. I tried reading the files. At first, apart from the title page, they seemed to be blank, then they went haywire.

The first time this happened, a few months ago, Firefox started creating endless tabs, and I had to reboot.

Afterwards I changed some settings.

The last time, and this time repeating it, Mac OS X itself started producing endless error messages starting "there is no application set to open the url about:blank."

I don't know why an epub would try opening endless copies of "about:blank."

I was trying to deal with merging chapters which were publised as separate html files, at the same time or in sequence, and with replacing badly-formatted and/or inconsistently-formatted files with better versions.

And when I try to drag-and-drop onto the book details, the dragged file returns to its original location, as if the drag-and-drop is not allowed.

somehow you have firefox associated with what you think you are doing with your files. They are HTML, and Firefox is a normal way to open those.... But! they should have been INSIDE a book (format extension)

about:blank ALSO matches not seeing anything when you open a page

I have no clue what you are doing wrong

You can only drop ONE of any format onto details (AKA Comments ) pane. You can NOT merge pieces this way