[GUI Plugin] Action Chains

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by Bozana

Thank you so very much Comfy! xoxoxo I did it! I will do a video on it for just search and replace with Action Chains! I'm so happy!

I'm glad you managed to get the hang of it

[Comfy.n]

I'm testing a chain with Books Added event that does this:

1. Searches for date:today, then selects all books on current book list view;
2. Runs a Quality Check action twice to swap author name FN, LN (this achieves the result I want in author sort column, as I have the tweak 'Author sort name algorithm' set to author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'.)

It runs fine, but I want to modify the search to select the items added in the last hour, or last 10 minutes, something like that.

The event manager has a specific option to 'Select newly added books" automatically but it will only select the most recently added one.

Any ideas welcome

[capink]

The event naturally fires every time book(s) are added and selects those books exclusively. Does not make sense for it to select books that were added an hour ago, at which time the event fired for these books.

Seems like you want to do is more suited for a timer event that executes a chain periodically at a configurable time intervals.

Whichever way you choose to go, here is a python template that should work with the "Search using template" action, it will select books added in the last hour, you can edit the code (the part highlighted in red), to your liking.

python:
def evaluate(book, context):
    from calibre.utils.date import now
    book_ids = ''
    db = context.db
    current = now()
    for book_id in db.data.search_getting_ids('date:today', ''):
        dt = db.new_api.field_for('timestamp',book_id)
        delta = current - dt
        if delta.total_seconds() < 60 * 60:
            book_ids += f'{book_id},'
    return book_ids.strip(',')

Now, in the settings of the action make sure to do the following:

• Tick the option "search result is book ids"
• Tick the checkbox "Select books"

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by capink

The event naturally fires every time book(s) are added and selects those books exclusively.

For some reason, in my case, it would select only one book. So, say I add 4 books at once. It would select the latest one, only. (Windows 10 22H2, Calibre 7.24)

Originally Posted by capink

Whichever way you choose to go, here is a python template that should work with the "Search using template" action, it will select books added in the last hour, you can edit the code (the part highlighted in red), to your liking.

Really cool, this works exactly the way I wanted. Books added, before chain run:



After chain run:

[Comfy.n]

Well, today the auto-select newly added books worked on a test I did without the search template action... so perhaps I had some program interfering the other day.

[dewd]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

It runs fine, but I want to modify the search to select the items added in the last hour, or last 10 minutes, something like that.

The event manager has a specific option to 'Select newly added books" automatically but it will only select the most recently added one.

I have Calibre add a specific tag to all newly-added books, then my "deal with the new stuff" action chain selects those books, does its thing, then removes the tag from them. Doesn't matter if they were added in the last ten minutes or a week ago, they all get processed.

[Comfy.n]

Yeah, the not auto selecting issue is resolved now for me now, thankfully. This was just about a picky tendency I have related to the author sort field but I may find other uses for this awesome feature

[correoparaappzz]

Originally Posted by capink

The event naturally fires every time book(s) are added and selects those books exclusively. Does not make sense for it to select books that were added an hour ago, at which time the event fired for these books.

Seems like you want to do is more suited for a timer event that executes a chain periodically at a configurable time intervals.

Whichever way you choose to go, here is a python template that should work with the "Search using template" action, it will select books added in the last hour, you can edit the code (the part highlighted in red), to your liking.

python:
def evaluate(book, context):
    from calibre.utils.date import now
    book_ids = ''
    db = context.db
    current = now()
    for book_id in db.data.search_getting_ids('date:today', ''):
        dt = db.new_api.field_for('timestamp',book_id)
        delta = current - dt
        if delta.total_seconds() < 60 * 60:
            book_ids += f'{book_id},'
    return book_ids.strip(',')

Now, in the settings of the action make sure to do the following:

• Tick the option "search result is book ids"
• Tick the checkbox "Select books"

and if i just want it to only show the recently added

[capink]

Originally Posted by correoparaappzz

and if i just want it to only show the recently added

Just stick to the event defaults, and don't add this action to your chain.

[ownedbycats]

How do I change a virtual library within a chain?

[capink]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

How do I change a virtual library within a chain?

What is it that you want to achieve by virtual library that cannot be done by clearing the existing virtual library and using a regular search in the Selection Modifier/Scope.

When writing the Selection Modifier, I was thinking about adding the ability to create virtual libraries but could see a scenario where a regular search won't suffice. Do you have any?

[ownedbycats]

Ah i didn't think of selection modifier.

[Nicolas.Laurent]

Hello everyone.
And sorry in advance for any linguistic errors, English is not my mother tongue.

I'm looking to retrieve the value of a variable obtained using an input box. From the following code, in the 'Run Python Code' module, I manage to enter a value, but I don't know how to assign it to a variable for use in subsequent instructions.

from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QInputDialog

def run(gui, settings, chain):
gui = chain.gui
text, ok = QInputDialog.getText(gui, “Input”, “Enter your text:”)
if ok and texte:
my_input=text
return True
pass

I've tried using the 'Chain Variable' module, but the code doesn't work. I'd be grateful for any help I can get in solving this problem for a new user of the Action Chains plugin (incredible, by the way).

[capink]

To set a chain variable using python

chain.set_chain_vars({'variable_name': 'variable_value'})

To retrieve the variable using python:

chain.chain_vars.get('variable_name', '')

To retrieve the variable using calibre template language:

program:
    my_retrieved_variable = globals(variable_name)

If you want to set a chain variable without using python, you can use the Chain Variables action.

[Nicolas.Laurent]

Many many thanks, it works perfectly!

I've probably missed something, is there any documentation on the syntax to use for Action Chains?