[GUI Plugin] FanFicFare

[ownedbycats]

I'm not even sure entirely what it is.

[whippersnapper]

Hi, I am trying to use Fanficfare to download fanfics. (The internet archive has completely failed me.) I downloaded Calibre just to do it. Downloaded the plugin and Calibre cannot find it. I'm using Calibre for windows. Do not know how to use python but if someone walked me through it slowly, I might be able to pick it up.

Calibre does not find the plugin on search nor does it find it even when I unzipped the folder and directed it straight to the folder (there appears to be no setup exe file included). What should my next step be?

Thank you for any help.

[JimmXinu]

Plugins are most easily installed from inside Calibre. See the Introduction to plugins for full details, but here's the relevant quote:

Originally Posted by kiwidude

How do I install a plugin using Plugin Updater?

As of Calibre 0.8.6, installing plugins from this sub-forum is easier than ever. Calibre now comes with something called "Plugin Updater", which prior to this release was itself a separate plugin.

1. Go to Preferences->Plugins and click on the Get new plugins button. Alternatively, click on the arrow next to the Preferences button on your toolbar and choose Get plugins to enhance calibre.
2. This screen will show you all of the plugins available from this forum. Right-click on a plugin to see more options, such as viewing more detailed information about the plugin in the forum thread in your web browser.
3. You may need to upgrade your version of Calibre to install some plugins as shown in the Calibre version column.
4. Select a plugin you would like to try, click the Install button, follow the prompts for each plugin
5. You may then be asked which toolbars/menus you would like the plugin to appear on if it is designed to have a user interface. Take care to put it on all you require, remember that there are different toolbars and menus for while your device is connected. You can always change your mind later using Preferences->Toolbar to change your selections.
6. Close the dialog when you are done.
7. You must restart calibre after installing plugins. A convenient shortcut for this is Ctrl+R.
8. Your plugin can often be customized by selecting it within the list in the Preferences->Plugins dialog, and clicking the Customize plugin button. You can also customize from the Plugin Updater dialog (after restarting). Some plugins have a menu which offers a Customize plugin shortcut as well.
9. Be sure to read the forum thread for your plugin to follow any additional instructions if required. For instance some plugins may require you to setup a custom column or perform some other steps for first usage.

[JimmXinu]

New Test Version Posted

2024-10-22
- Add error_dialog for email fetch failure about 2FA/outlook etc.

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

@JimmXinu: Could FanFicFare detect an outlook.com/hotmail.com email in the config and then block them with a custom failure message before Calibre errors? It might help wiht the support requests.

I don't really like doing things like this, but I'm also tired of getting the same question.

[whippersnapper]

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

Plugins are most easily installed from inside Calibre. See the Introduction to plugins for full details, but here's the relevant quote:

It worked! Thank you so much. I had been unable to get it to come up in search or on the list but somehow going through Preferences fixed this. It's now installed.

However, what I am trying to do is archive (for myself--especially recently since the internet archive's failure scared me) and the amount of time it would take to get URLs one by one is prohibitive. Do you know how those 7zip files on the internet archive for ao3 were compiled? I was in the middle of dowloading them when the entire archive failed. My apologies if this is the wrong thread for that.

You have been very helpful so far and I also apologise if this question has been asked before many times. I looked for the answer before arriving here.

Edit: I apologise also if this double posts. It doesn't seem to have shown up the first time so I am reposting.

[whippersnapper]

My posts do not seem to be getting through and I don't know why (my internet is pretty bad--it's why I'm trying to download fics for local reading in the first place) but I wanted to let you know that your instructions worked, and thank you for your time. I had a longer post asking more questions but I don't want to retype it a 3rd time, so I'll leave it here and come back when the connexion is better.

[JimmXinu]

whippersnapper - MobileRead requires a new user's first several(10?) posts be approved by a moderator to prevent spammers. Your posts get approved when a mod notices them.

FFF has an option "Get Story URLs from Web Page", and you can also copy/paste or drag/drop selected parts of a page into FFF's "Download from URLs" dialog box.

FFF deliberately does not have any sort of 'download large swathes of site at once' option. That's the sort of thing that caused ffnet to turn up CloudFlare to maximum all the time.

Somewhat related FAQ.

Personally, I consider anything more than a couple dozen stories--at most--queued up at one time to be too much. And you should turn up slow_down_sleep_time first, too. (Search for slow_down_sleep_time in defaults.ini in plugin or here.)

[ownedbycats]

Just curious: I downloaded two fics with two separate series of the same name. How does FFF decide which series URL ends up in the Calibre series table? Is it always the last one in the list?

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Just curious: I downloaded two fics with two separate series of the same name. How does FFF decide which series URL ends up in the Calibre series table? Is it always the last one in the list?

FFF sets the series URL in the Calibre on story download or update whenever:

• The set_link_map API is available (Calibre v6.15+),
• series and seriesUrl are both present, and;
• The 'Set Calibre Series URL' checkbox is checked.

Following Calibre's example, no consideration is made for two 'separate' series of the same name. Because in Calibre, if the series name is the same they are the same series.

Obvious answer is to adjust one (or both) with replace_metadata.

And yes, which ever story is updated last will be what's in the library DB.

[HowWouldIKnow]

Hello there,
can you please help me with AO3 ?

How can I move authornotes to the end of the chapter/series?
How can I get the F/M, M/M, etc Categories into a Calibre Column? I have clicked through all the options in the user-defined columns but none of them add this category
How do I get Hits/Kudos/Bookmarks into Calibre?
How can I make a table of contents, if the story has more than ~3 chapters ?


Hope somebody can help me, thank you.

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by HowWouldIKnow

Hello there,
can you please help me with AO3 ?

How can I move authornotes to the end of the chapter/series?

AO3 has several types of notes an author can apply. FFF allows you to exclude them with a personal.ini setting, but not move them around. That might be possible with custom CSS.

From defaults.ini:

Spoiler:

## AO3 chapters can include several different types of notes.  We've
## traditionally included them all in the chapter text, but this allows
## you to customize which you include.  Copy this parameter to your
## personal.ini and list the ones you don't want.
#exclude_notes:authorheadnotes,chaptersummary,chapterheadnotes,chapterfootnotes,authorfootnotes,inspiredlinks

## AO3 authorfootnotes and inspiredlinks end up in the 'last' chapter,
## but if updated, then there's a new 'last' chapter, leaving multiple
## copies.  This option applies the 'skip_on_ffdl_update' class to
## those tags which means they will be removed during epub reading for
## update.  This will only effect chapters added after turning the
## setting on.
## Result: Only the last chapter will have end notes.
## Side-effect: An 'Update Always' that doesn't add a new last
## chapter will also remove the end notes.
#remove_authorfootnotes_on_update:false

Originally Posted by HowWouldIKnow

How can I get the F/M, M/M, etc Categories into a Calibre Column? I have clicked through all the options in the user-defined columns but none of them add this category
How do I get Hits/Kudos/Bookmarks into Calibre?

That can be done using custom_columns_settings in personal.ini for ao3categories, hits, kudos & bookmarks.

Originally Posted by HowWouldIKnow

How can I make a table of contents, if the story has more than ~3 chapters ?

An epub (the recommended output format) has a metadata TOC incorporated into it.

You can add setting include_tocpage: true to personal.ini under [epub] to get an in-line TOC also when there is more than one chapter.

There's no option to specify including an inline TOC at 3 chapters.

[iakrus]

hi
i dont know if theres a problem with fanficfare or i've messed up somewhere (a batch of my metadata isnt working right now and im trying to sort it so my settings are changing pretty regularly depending on if im actually downloading things or trying to test if things work) and im hoping you can help me figure it out.
the "if story exists: add new book" option has not been working for me. i have included pictures below, i tried with it updating current metadata and not and got the same result.
i have included the current basic settings i am using in case its something there ive messed up, like i said i've been flicking things on and off so i would absolutely not be surprised if i messed up somewhere! if so please help me find it!!
if not, i wanted to alert you it might not be working!

[JimmXinu]

So basically, you're trying to download from a URL, using 'Add New Book' mode, and it's still trying to update instead?

I can't replicate this, nor can I think of any setting that could cause it. I would suggest user error (thinking you changed the mode for that download, but didn't) except that the default mode is 'Update Metadata from Web'.

I would try (re)downloading & installing the current posted test version of the plugin.

A debug log (restart in debug under Calibre Preferences dropdown) of it happening may help.

Do you see this happen if you start in a new (empty) library with default FFF settings?

[iakrus]

hi! yeah it's definitely something i messed up, because in a blank library it worked fine.

im not surprised, ive been fiddling with my metadata settings and code for weeks because despite the fact ive been using calibre for 5 years and i have 17k fics i'd been handling pretty much everything manually until a couple of months ago.

so ive been trying to work out how i want my metadata (it was all just in one almost 10k tags column... eek) and trying to learn the code and fiddling with columns and adding a couple of plugins that link in and so forth, so i've definitely botched a few things up along the way!

my personal.ini is a bit of a mess right now specifically because somethink broke last week and i went through like 8 back ups comparing code to figure out what broke it (i didnt, it just started working again). i butchered it pretty far down but im sure theres still like 20 mistakes in there! i've attatched the debug file and also my personal.ini, and if you want pictures of all the different tabs in the settings window, just let me know and i'll send those over too!!

thanks so much for the help, it must get pretty exhausting helping people fumbling around at something you're brilliant at!

## This is an example of what your personal configuration might look
## like.  Uncomment options by removing the '#' in front of them.

[defaults]
## titlepage_entries: category,genre, status
## [www.whofic.com]
## # overrides defaults.
## titlepage_entries: category,genre, status,dateUpdated,rating
## [epub]
## # overrides defaults & site section
## titlepage_entries: category,genre, status,datePublished,dateUpdated,dateCreated
## [www.whofic.com:epub]
## # overrides defaults, site section & format section
## titlepage_entries: category,genre, status,datePublished
## [overrides]
## # overrides all other sections
## titlepage_entries: category

## Some sites also require the user to confirm they are adult for
## adult content.  Uncomment by removing '#' in front of is_adult.
is_adult:true


## Literal strings can be set into custom columns using double quotes.
## Each metadata=>column mapping must be on a separate line and each
## needs to have one space at the start of each line.  There is also a
## special case for Integer and Float type custom columns: The static
## value "None" will clear the column.

## 'r_anthaver' and 'n_anthaver' can be used to indicate the same as
## 'r' and 'n' for normal downloads, but to average the metadata for
## the differents story in an anthology before setting in integer and
## float type custom columns.  This can be useful for a averrating
## column, for example.
## 'r_anthmax' and 'n_anthmax' indicate 'r' and 'n' for normal
## downloads, but to use the highest value for the metadata from the
## differents story in an anthology in integer and float type custom
## columns.
## Default is to sum the values of all stories, and numChapters and
## numWords are always summed.

#custom_columns_settings:
# cliches=>#acolumn
# themes=>#bcolumn,a
# timeline=>#ccolumn,n
# "FanFiction"=>#collection
# averrating=>#averrating,r_anthaver




browser_cache_path:C:\Users\isaac\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\dbq9ckcm.default-release\cache2
browser_cache_age_limit:-1


## Don't like the numbers at the start of chapter titles on some
## sites?  You can use strip_chapter_numbers to strip them off.  Just
## want to make them all look the same?  Strip them off, then add them
## back on with add_chapter_numbers.  Don't like the way it strips
## numbers or adds them back?  See chapter_title_strip_pattern and
## chapter_title_add_pattern.
#strip_chapter_numbers:true
#add_chapter_numbers:true

## Add this to genre if there's more than one category.
add_genre_when_multi_category:crossover




[epub]
## include images from img tags in the body and summary of stories.
## Images will be converted to jpg for size if possible.  Images work
## in epub format only.  To get mobi or other format with images,
## download as epub and use Calibre to convert.
#include_images:true

## If not set, the summary will have all html stripped for safety.
## Both this and include_images must be true to get images in the
## summary.
#keep_summary_html:true

## If set, the first image found will be made the cover image.  If
## keep_summary_html is true, any images in summary will be before any
## in chapters.
#make_firstimage_cover:true

## Resize images down to width, height, preserving aspect ratio.
## Nook size, with margin.
#image_max_size: 580, 725

## Change image to grayscale, if graphics library allows, to save
## space.
#grayscale_images: false


## Most common, I expect will be using this to save username/passwords
## for different sites.  Here are a few examples.  See defaults.ini
## for the full list.

[www.twilighted.net]
#username:XXXXXXXX
#password:XXXXXXXX
## default is false
#collect_series: true

[archiveofourown.org]
username:XXXXXXXX
password:XXXXXXXX
titlepage_entries: seriesHTML,category,genre,language,characters,ships,status,datePublished,dateUpdated,dateCreated,rating,warnings,chapterslashtotal,numWords,publisher,description
chapterslashtotal_label: Chapters
add_to_replace_metadata:
 chapterslashtotal=>^(\d+)/\1$=>\1
 chapterslashtotal=>/\?$=>
add_to_custom_columns_settings:
 bookmarks=>#bookmarks
 kudos=>#kudos
 freeformtags=>#freeformtags
keep_in_order_freeformtags:true


generate_cover_settings:
 ${#ao3collections} => House of the Dragon \(tv\)=> asoiaf targ
 ${category} => Dragon Age: Inquisition => da inquis
 ${category} => HotD => asoiaf targ
 ${category} => (A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms|Game of Thrones (TV)|A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin) => asoiaf stark
 ${category} =>Star Wars: Darth Vader \(Comics\)=>star wars 2 
 ${category} => Star Wars => star wars basic
 ${characters} => Zuko \(Avatar\) => atla zuko
 ${characters} => Aang \(Avatar\) => atla aang

[ficwad.com]
#username:XXXXXXXX
#password:XXXXXXXX

[www.adastrafanfic.com]
## Some sites do not require a login, but do require the user to
## confirm they are adult for adult content.
#is_adult:true

[www.twcslibrary.net]
#username:XXXXXXXX
#password:XXXXXXXX
#is_adult:true
## default is false
#collect_series: true

[www.fimfiction.net]
#is_adult:true
#fail_on_password:XXXXXXXX

[www.tthfanfic.org]
#is_adult:true
## tth is a little unusual--it doesn't require user/pass, but the site
## keeps track of which chapters you've read and won't send another
## update until it thinks you're up to date.  This way, on download,
## it thinks you're up to date.
#username:XXXXXXXX
#password:XXXXXXXX

[www.fanfiction.net]

## browser cache will only be used if use_browser_cache:true and ONLY
## for fanfiction.net right now.  Requires a browser_cache_path set in
## [defaults].
always_reload_first_chapter:true
use_browser_cache:true
use_browser_cache_only:true
open_pages_in_browser:false
add_to_custom_columns_settings:
 favs=>#kudos

[www.alternatehistory.com]
username:XXXXXXXX
password:XXXXXXXX


## This section will override anything in the system defaults or other
## sections here.
[overrides]
## default varies by site.  Set true here to force all sites to
## collect series.
#collect_series: true#
#extra_valid_entries: collections 



add_to_extra_valid_entries:,category_modified
include_in_category_modified:category

replace_metadata:
 category_modified=>Assassin's Creed - All Media Types|Assassin's Creed Odyssey|Assassin's Creed RPF|Assassin's Creed: Unity - Fandom|Assassin's Creed Syndicate - Fandom|Assassin's Creed Valhalla|ac valhalla - Fandom|Assassin's Creed=>Assassin's Creed
 category_modified=>A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms|A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin|Game of Thrones \(TV\)|Game of Thrones RPF|Game of Thrones Book|ASOIAF=>ASOIAF | GoT

 category_modified=>Shingeki no Kyojin \| Attack on Titan=>Attack on Titan

 category_modified=>Avatar: The Last Airbender \(Cartoon 2005\)|Avatar: The Last Airbender|Avatar \(TV\)=>ATLA

 category_modified=>Avatar: Legend of Korra=>LOK

 category_modified=>Criminal Minds \(US TV\)=>Criminal Minds

 category_modified=>Dragon Age: Inquisition|Dragon Age \(Video Games\)|Dragon Age - All Media Types|Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening|Dragon Age: Origins|Dragon Age II|Dragon Age - Awakening|Dragon Age - Various Authors|Dragon Age: The Veilguard|Dragon Age Origins|Dragon Age: Dreadwolf \(Video Game\)|Dragon Age: The Masked Empire|Dragon Age \(Comics\)|Dragon Age \(Tabletop RPG\)|Dragon Age: Jaws of Hakon|Dragon Age: The Descent - Fandom|Dragon Age: The Silent Grove|Dragon Age: Trespasser|Dragon Age: Last Flight|Dragon Age: Blood Mage no Seisen \| Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker|Dragon Age Crossover|Dragon Age: Those Who Speak|Dragon Age: Until We Sleep|Dragon Age=>Dragon Age

 category_modified=>House of the Dragon \(TV\) RPF|House of the Dragon \(TV\)|fire and blood - Fandom|Daemon Targaryen\/Rhaenyra Targaryen - Fandom|Fire and Blood - George R.R. Martin|Fire and Blood : Vollume 1=>HotD,ASOIAF | GoT

 category_modified=>Outer Wilds \(Video Game\)=>Outer Wilds

 category_modified=>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling=>Harry Potter

 category_modified=>Avengers \(Marvel\) - All Media Types|Captain America \(2011\)|Captain America \(Movies\)|Incredible Hulk \(2008\)|Iron Man - All Media Types|Iron Man \(Movies\)|Marvel Avengers Movies Universe|Marvel Cinematic Universe|Marvel \(Movies\)|The Avengers \(2012\)|The Avengers \(Marvel Movies\)|The Avengers \(Marvel\) - All Media Types|The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types|Thor \(2011\)=>Marvel

 category_modified=>Mass Effect - All Media Types|Mass Effect Trilogy|Mass Effect: Andromeda=>Mass Effect

 category_modified=>Star Wars - All Media Types|Star Wars Original Trilogy|Star Wars Prequel Trilogy|Star Wars: The Clone Wars \(2008\) - All Media Types|Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens \(2015\)|Star Wars Legends - All Media Types|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace|Star Wars: Rebels|Star Wars Sequel Trilogy|Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith|Star Wars: Clone Wars \(2003\) - All Media Types|Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton|Rogue One: A Star Wars Story \(2016\)|The Mandalorian \(TV\)|Solo: A Star Wars Story \(2018\)|Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones|Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types|Star Wars: The Bad Batch \(Cartoon\)|Star Wars \(Marvel Comics\)|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars Legends: Jango Fett Open Seasons \(Comics\)|Rise of Empire Era - All Media Types|Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett \(TV\)|Star Wars - Rebels|Star Wars Legends: New Jedi Order Series - Various Authors|Star Wars: Darth Vader \(Comics\)|Star Wars: Dooku: Jedi Lost - Cavan Scott|Star Wars: Expanded Universe \(Comics\)|Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order \(Video Game\)|Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order Series \(Video Games\)|Star Wars: Queen's Shadow Series - E. K. Johnston|Star Wars: The High Republic|Star Wars: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic \(Video Game\)|Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi \(TV\)|Star Wars=>Star Wars

 category_modified=>The Umbrella Academy \(Comics\)|The Umbrella Academy \(TV\)=>The Umbrella Academy

 category_modified=>Twilight \(Movies\)|Twilight Series - All Media Types|Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer=>Twilight


add_to_custom_columns_settings:
 category_modified=>#mycollections
 collections=>#ao3collections

[JimmXinu]

I didn't expect personal.ini to affect it, but I did test it and it didn't. Anything affecting download mode is going to be in the plugin GUI settings.

(Unrelated - Are you deliberately ignoring the "always_reload_first_chapter doesn't work in [www.fanfiction.net]" warning?)

Settings

Seeing all your options would help. But there's a more precise way than screenshots.

If you don't mind removing your user/pass settings from personal.ini first, there's a way to give me exactly what you have set for everything:

In FFF config, under that rightmost 'Other' tab, there's a button for 'View library preferences'. If you click that, and then choose 'settings' in the left column, you'll see a JSON of all the plugin settings. Put that in a text file and post it or send it to me.

Invocation

It would also help to know exactly how you are invoking FFF when this happens.

Prior screenshot shows you have 'Update metadata from Web' as default mode. How are you changing the mode 'Add New'?

• Manually from dropdown while on the Download from URLs dialog?
• Using the menu option (FFF > Actions by Update Modes > Download from URLs > Add New Book)?
• A keyboard shortcut? Favourites plugin? To what?