Plugin ideas... add yours here

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by capink

It does not make sense for plugins to create custom column(s), since you need to restart to be able to use the new custom column(s).

You can easily trigger the restart, and, from memory, the Annotations plugin does. But, I think for me it has been a little bit of laziness as the custom columns only need to be made once, and it would add extra code to write and maintain. I'll probably do it some day when I get a bit bored, as I'm actually a bit tired of how many people don't actually read the instructions/help and don't understand the need to create the columns, can't find it or mess it up. Though maybe the starting point is to add something to calibre for the plugin to call. Passing in suggested names and the data type would help to get them created properly.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Though maybe the starting point is to add something to calibre for the plugin to call. Passing in suggested names and the data type would help to get them created properly.

db.new_api.backend.create_custom_column()

The method is in db.backend.py, line 998 in current source. Reading the code, it throws an SQL exception if the lookup key is not unique. It throws VALUE_ERROR for some error conditions such as an invalid type or key. It modifies the custom column description table so that the column will appear next time calibre restarts.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by chaley

db.new_api.backend.create_custom_column()

The method is in db.backend.py, line 998 in current source. Reading the code, it throws an SQL exception if the lookup key is not unique. It throws VALUE_ERROR for some error conditions such as an invalid type or key. It modifies the custom column description table so that the column will appear next time calibre restarts.

I think I have used that at some time. But, I was more thinking of a dialog to prompt for the names to use. But, I might look at the current dialog, with suggestions passed in and disable the type related fields so that that is done correctly. While I like the idea of a simplified prompt that only asks for the name, I also like presenting the full details for people to see, but, making sure the column is created correctly.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I think I have used that at some time. But, I was more thinking of a dialog to prompt for the names to use. But, I might look at the current dialog, with suggestions passed in and disable the type related fields so that that is done correctly. While I like the idea of a simplified prompt that only asks for the name, I also like presenting the full details for people to see, but, making sure the column is created correctly.

If you decide to do this I am up for making necessary changes to the base create column dialog such as adding the ability to disable some of the field boxes, especially type. It seems that the dialog can already use a "prototype" definition simply by adding the prototype to the existing list of columns (parent.custcols) then passing that key. The dialog could do with some refactoring so changes that help your effort aren't a problem.

[Rellwood]

If there was a way of syncing with Amazon content and devices, maybe the Amazon Kindle Collections, it would be great. I know there is the Kindle Collections plugin, but it doesn't work if you don't have a jailbroken kindle. Since Amazon changed the way they display content and devices there isn't an easy way to see what is in the collections, or even what is in a library since they only show 25 books at a time, and the list isn't easy to copy to word/excel to format into an importable list.

The goal of the plugin would be to at the minimum sync books/docs in Amazon with Calibre one-way. Just a confirmation that said book or doc is in Amazon. Syncing can be done by id or by title/author. Also, purchase or add date should be listed - if it is listed as read that would be good. Amazon also lists the collections the book is in as well. Basically, whatever information that is shown in Content & Devices should be able to be synced with Calibre.

If there was a way of doing it with Kindle Collections, you guys would have figured it out already, but I would absolutly love to be able to sync what is in Kindle Collections with my library to see which books are in which collection.

[Orr101]

Hello,
I tend to keep multiple format of the same book. I added the "size" column, but
it does not show me what is the size of each format, and I have to keep opening the location of each book.
It would be useful to be able to ask to see size of a specific format only.

(it may be this is already doable w/o a plugin - I started to look at the
template language, and specifically conditional templates - has anyone done this or can offer any advice?)

Thanks

(I have searched, and did not find a previous discussion of this.)

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Orr101

Hello,
I tend to keep multiple format of the same book. I added the "size" column, but
it does not show me what is the size of each format, and I have to keep opening the location of each book.
It would be useful to be able to ask to see size of a specific format only.

(it may be this is already doable w/o a plugin - I started to look at the
template language, and specifically conditional templates - has anyone done this or can offer any advice?)

Thanks

(I have searched, and did not find a previous discussion of this.)

It is there, but it is not on the surface (spreadsheet)
In the Metadata Edit window: The size is shown next to the format (name)
Hover the mouse over each format to see some other specific details

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Orr101

Hello,
I tend to keep multiple format of the same book. I added the "size" column, but
it does not show me what is the size of each format, and I have to keep opening the location of each book.
It would be useful to be able to ask to see size of a specific format only.

(it may be this is already doable w/o a plugin - I started to look at the
template language, and specifically conditional templates - has anyone done this or can offer any advice?)

Thanks

(I have searched, and did not find a previous discussion of this.)

You can get a list of the sizes via the formats_sizes template function, see ==>> Reference for all built-in template language functions

e.g a column like so:

{:'select(formats_sizes(),'EPUB')'}

BR

[Tenome]

Originally Posted by yonkyunior

+1

NovelUpdates actually became the most updated database for Asian Novel (Japan LightNovel, Korean WebNovel, Chinese WebNovel) in the web. It just like goodreads for me. Why should i take metadata from this site? because it had the most updated metadata, and yes i can praise the tags in there.

Author,Title,Alternative Title,Status of Updates, Last Chapter, Total Chapter, Total Volume, and Review.

last time i checked the forum, the site doesnt have API.

Theres also another site like this lndb.info

Novelupdates doesn't have an API and has no intention of ever making one, so it'd have to be some sort of manual HTML scraper. I'd also like one though. Here's an example page.

https://www.novelupdates.com/series/...ective-series/

[Orr101]

Tenome - Thanks a lot. I had a feeling the templates were something to try, but I had managed to get a "template error" each and every time ...
Thanks for the help

[Orr101]

Originally Posted by theducks

It is there, but it is not on the surface (spreadsheet)
In the Metadata Edit window: The size is shown next to the format (name)

I was looking for a way to see it in the main window. It turns out that using Template programming language you can add a column per format, and also make size per format show up below the Cover picture

[lktr45]

Hello,

A plugin allowing to add tag using the search function in the Calibre library.

For example I would like to add the tag 'Shakespeare' to books in my library containing the word 'Shakespeare' in the metadata (author, title, comments, ...), This tag will allow me to have theater but also biographies and fictions for this author.

I'm thinking of a plugin that works something like this:
Customize plugin :
- choose the Tags column or a Custom column of type Tags as source of tags.
- choose columns and comment as search metadata
Functioning :
- Search from one of the tags of a selected book or from a tag in the list of tags.
- Display of the list of books following the search
- Selection of books for which the tag will be added
- Addition of the tag

Sorry for my english, I use Google Translate

[chaley]

Originally Posted by lktr45

Hello,

A plugin allowing to add tag using the search function in the Calibre library.

For example I would like to add the tag 'Shakespeare' to books in my library containing the word 'Shakespeare' in the metadata (author, title, comments, ...), This tag will allow me to have theater but also biographies and fictions for this author.

I'm thinking of a plugin that works something like this:
Customize plugin :
- choose the Tags column or a Custom column of type Tags as source of tags.
- choose columns and comment as search metadata
Functioning :
- Search from one of the tags of a selected book or from a tag in the list of tags.
- Display of the list of books following the search
- Selection of books for which the tag will be added
- Addition of the tag

Sorry for my english, I use Google Translate

If I understand you correctly then you can do this easily with bulk metadata edit. The steps:

1. Search for whatever you want. This will produce a list of books.
2. Select all the books.
3. Open calibre's "Edit metadata in bulk" dialog. There are lots of ways to do that.
4. Pick the column you wish and add the tag.

[lktr45]

Thanks Chaley,
In my mind, the plugin is just a suggestion to simplify the different actions to perform, without having to enter a tag.
But I'm probably a bit lazy...

[rumplestiltskin]

As I didn't see anything like this listed in the 1st post of this thread, I'll suggest it here:

Calibre can eMail a selected book using SMTP credentials I provide in the preferences. It works great. But I'd like to have a column that automatically enters the date the book was emailed; optionally (as long as I'm asking) include the eMail address of the recipient. Right now I'm just eMailing books to myself (so I may receive them on an iPad) but I expect to add a friend's eMail address, as well, so I may send him some books as necessary. Having a column with the date the eBook was eMailed along with the recipients' email(s) would be helpful. I suppose one might call this a "gifting library" function. Perhaps I should be looking for something more akin to "library software"?

Hope this is helpful. Thanks!