[GUI Plugin] Action Chains

[capink]

Originally Posted by chillybang

After Calibre library is changed on any way (event "Library changed")

Originally Posted by chillybang

1.1 What I'm doing wrong with the event "Library changed"? Why the action doesn't start after it?

Library changed event does not mean library changed in any way as you put it. This event is activated when you switch (change) from one library to another, using the switch library button.

Originally Posted by chillybang

2.1 How can I setup an export folder in the action setup, so the action "knows" it always and doesn't force me to select the folder?

The plugin calls the actions as defined by calibre. So if an action is interactive (pops a dialog asking the user for input), it has no capability of changing it.

The solution for this would be for someone to write a custom non-interactive save-to-disk action.

[chillybang]

Originally Posted by capink

Library changed event does not mean library changed in any way as you put it. This event is activated when you switch (change) from one library to another, using the switch library button.

Funny real case of "lost in translation"

Originally Posted by capink

to write a custom non-interactive save-to-disk action.

Would you give me some entry points for this? I'm not a big Python guru, but would like to try.

[ownedbycats]

Also, a lot of things change the Calibre library. So I suspect it might trigger at unexpected times.

[chillybang]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Also, a lot of things change the Calibre library. So I suspect it might trigger at unexpected times.

But not that changes I was meaning - really pity I thought about just actions on books: adding deleting, editing.

[McStubb]

Is there a way to say select next X number of books?

[capink]

Originally Posted by McStubb

Is there a way to say select next X number of books?

No. You will have to write a custom action for that.

[capink]

Originally Posted by chillybang

Funny real case of "lost in translation"



Would you give me some entry points for this? I'm not a big Python guru, but would like to try.

Action posted here.

[dunhill]

Thanks for the Action Chain Scripts thread.
Do not comment there so as not to interfere with the loading of examples, great work

[capink]

Originally Posted by dunhill

Thanks for the Action Chain Scripts thread.
Do not comment there so as not to interfere with the loading of examples, great work

You are welcome.

[yanekyan]

Hello,
How can I build a non-interactive save-to-disk action (predefined format, folder, etc), but with different save template. For example:
1. {author_sort:.1}/{author_sort:shorten(30,(..),0)}/{series:||/}{series_index:0>4.1f|| - }{title}
2. {series}{series_index:0>4.1f|| - }{title}
3. {tags}/{author_sort}-{title}
etc.

[capink]

Originally Posted by yanekyan

Hello,
How can I build a non-interactive save-to-disk action (predefined format, folder, etc), but with different save template. For example:
1. {author_sort:.1}/{author_sort:shorten(30,(..),0)}/{series:||/}{series_index:0>4.1f|| - }{title}
2. {series}{series_index:0>4.1f|| - }{title}
3. {tags}/{author_sort}-{title}
etc.

The previous version of the action followed the template defined in calibre > preferences > save-to-disk > template. It now has been updated to support defining the template in the action settings, in case the user wants to have multiple save-to actions with different templates.

[yanekyan]

You are great. Thanks.

[ownedbycats]

Question: I have several cleanup chains that modify multiple columns in a row. Unfortunately Last Modified seems to trigger for all of them which causes a slight pause between each action; running the chain with my column turned off sped things up considerably.

Is there a way to alleviate this, such as making it trigger only on the last change?

[capink]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Question: I have several cleanup chains that modify multiple columns in a row. Unfortunately Last Modified seems to trigger for all of them which causes a slight pause between each action; running the chain with my column turned off sped things up considerably.

Is there a way to alleviate this, such as making it trigger only on the last change?

No, that will not be possible. But maybe I can add an option to Chain Dialog to de-activate the Last Modified plugin altogether whenever the chain is running. But you will have to update the date columns yourself by adding single field edit actions to the end of the chain.

Edit: As an alternative, I can make a custom action that toggles the Last Modified Plugin on and off. But this will also need a small modification to the Last Modified Plugin.

[chaley]

@capink: a thought: you could solve this problem and probably increase performance by adding an action that scans the book variables and assigns values to metadata. It would look for variables that match metadata field names. If such a variable exists then set the field in the book to the value.

The advantage: you could set all the fields for a book in one operation (one set_field()), so in one database transaction. I don't know how this would affect triggering the last_modified events. My hope would be that they are triggered at most once per book.