[GUI Plugin] Action Chains

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I'd like to make a chain that does arithmetic on a floating-point column and then adds the results from all selected books together. How would I go about this?

program: format_number($$#purchasecost - format_number($$#purchasecost/1.15, '.2f'), '.2f')

For context, was just curious how much of the value of my library is in sales tax.

You can use this sample chain as an example.

The attached chain is another example that uses a different technique.

[correoparaappzz]

is there a way to add the entire series of the selected book? I'm using 'Reading Goal' and it doesn't have that option

[capink]

Originally Posted by correoparaappzz

is there a way to add the entire series of the selected book? I'm using 'Reading Goal' and it doesn't have that option

If the 'Reading Goal' has a menu option to add the series, you can choose that from Calibre Actions.

If the 'Reading Goal' has no such option, you will have to make the Action Chains select all the books in the series. You can do this by adding the following template to "Search Using Templates" action:

program:
	initial_ids = from_selection('id');
	set_globals(initial_ids=initial_ids);
	all_series_ids = '';
	for book_id in initial_ids:
		series = book_field(book_id, 'series');
		series_ids = from_search('id', 'series:"=' & series & '"');
		all_series_ids = list_union(all_series_ids, series_ids, ',')
	rof;
	all_series_ids

Note: In the "Search Using Templates" action, make sure to tick the option: "Template output is a list of book ids"

If you want to revert to the original selections after adding all the books in the series, you can use another "Search Using Templates" action with the following template:

program:
    globals(initial_ids)

Note: In the "Search Using Templates" action, make sure to tick the option: "Template output is a list of book ids"

[correoparaappzz]

Originally Posted by capink

If the 'Reading Goal' has a menu option to add the series, you can choose that from Calibre Actions.

If the 'Reading Goal' has no such option, you will have to make the Action Chains select all the books in the series. You can do this by adding the following template to "Search Using Templates" action:

program:
	initial_ids = from_selection('id');
	set_globals(initial_ids=initial_ids);
	all_series_ids = '';
	for book_id in initial_ids:
		series = book_field(book_id, 'series');
		series_ids = from_search('id', 'series:"=' & series & '"');
		all_series_ids = list_union(all_series_ids, series_ids, ',')
	rof;
	all_series_ids

Note: In the "Search Using Templates" action, make sure to tick the option: "Template output is a list of book ids"

If you want to revert to the original selections after adding all the books in the series, you can use another "Search Using Templates" action with the following template:

program:
    globals(initial_ids)

Note: In the "Search Using Templates" action, make sure to tick the option: "Template output is a list of book ids"

[Wiggo]

Why not using the Calibre built-in function similar series?

[capink]

Originally Posted by Wiggo

Why not using the Calibre built-in function similar series?

That works only for one book. If you have multiple books selected and you use the calibre builtin function, it will only show the books in the series for the active selected book.

[Comfy.n]

Not a big issue but I found that some icons in the Chains dialogue can't be themed:

• arrow-up
• arrow-down
• edit-copy
• minus
• plus

I was able to override them using the resources/images folder. However, from looking at 'def get_icon_6_2_plus' in common_utils.py, it looks to me that the icon theme should be prioritized, though it isn't currently being acknowledged, for some reason.

I wanted mainly to theme the 'plus' and 'edit-copy' icons because they look to me a bit faint in dark mode.

The other icons, notably the ones called by Qpushbutton, will change in accordance to the theme images.

I'm running 7.20.101 with the latest plugin version 1.20.7.

[capink]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

Not a big issue but I found that some icons in the Chains dialogue can't be themed:

Try the version attached below and see whether it works. This happened after calibre was updated to version 6 with some changes to icon management. I did not fully port the whole code at the time. The changes affect the following parts of the plugin:

• Chains dialog.
• Actions dialog.
• Events dialogs.
• Calibre Actions.
• Chain Variables
• Single Field Edit.

So please, if you have the time, test these areas to make sure everything is working properly before releasing any new version. I am not much interested in theming, and I guess it will be the same for most users.

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

it looks to me that the icon theme should be prioritized, though it isn't currently being acknowledged, for some reason.

That is a matter of opinion. I personally think the priority should be to custom icons.

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by capink

Try the version attached below and see whether it works. This happened after calibre was updated to version 6 with some changes to icon management. I did not fully port the whole code at the time. The changes affect the following parts of the plugin:

• Chains dialog.
• Actions dialog.
• Events dialogs.
• Calibre Actions.
• Chain Variables
• Single Field Edit.

So please, if you have the time, test these areas to make sure everything is working properly before releasing any new version. I am not much interested in theming, and I guess it will be the same for most users.

Wheee, it works! I did a few tests in each area and all seems fine:

That is a matter of opinion. I personally think the priority should be to custom icons.

Actually what I wanted to mean was that, according to the comments in the code, the icon theme images were expected to be used in preference to the resources folder.

I too think that the resources folder must have higher priority than the themes. And upon a quick test using distinct icons for the main plugin icon in the theme and in resources folder, all is working fine as well: the image that shows in Calibre main toolbar is the one in resources.

edit to add - now that I looked again at the comments in the code, it's clear that I got things mixed up:

[Hotrod_Linc]

Hello!

I am trying to find a way to apply a cover that is automatically updated with the days date to a epub created by the News Feed function. In my quest I have come across many posts looking to do something similar, however nothing I have found works. I came across the Generate Cover plugin, which can create the cover in the way I like, however I would like to automate the application of that cover.

I would like to know if its possible to use Action Chains to do the following:

1. Calibre pulls requested news sources and produces epub.
2. Action Chains identifies the new epub and triggers Generate Covers Plugin
3. Generate Covers Plugin applies the predetermined cover preset
4. Epub is now covered with custom cover and date on the cover.

My apologies I am largely useless with python, any help would be appreciated.

-Linc

[capink]

I don't really have much experience with fetch news or Generate Cover plugin. Maybe others who use these things can comment on whether this can be done or not. You can try yourself to see whether this can be automated using an "Calibre Actions" in the Actions Chains plugin.

[ownedbycats]

I want to create a chain with three variants:

program:
    add_chain_variant('Update Reading Goal Genres','genres','', 'statistics.png');
    add_chain_variant('Update Reading Goal Challenges','challenges','','statistics.png');
    add_chain_variant('Update Genres + Challenges','','','statistics.png');

Would the best way to do the conditionals would be to, for example, set 'update challenges' action conditional to exclude genres (text >= genres)?

[Bozana]

Can I say that I'm confused as anything on how to use and implement Action Chains. I have loads of search and replace actions that I would like to happen in order. And by pressing one button to do this. Is there a simplified version on how to do this or a video?

I'm level 2 autistic. And I'm usually ok with this sort of thing but when it's ambiguous to me, I get lost. And I'm in my 50's. However, once I understand it, I tend to "dumb it down" or simplify it for others that are struggling with more clarified steps.

Kindest regards

Božana

[Comfy.n]

this a quick draft:

- Action Chains plugin menu -> Add/Modify chains (this brings up the main Chains dialog)

- click the plus icon to add a menu item row (each row is a "chain", but it may contain just one action).

- double-click the title cell, enter your chain title. submenu isn't mandatory, but once you create a lot of chains, you will need it)

- click the gear icon in that same row to add some actions

- in this new dialog that just opened, click the plus icon

- double-click action cell, then select Search and replace. Then click the gear icon in that same row, to open your s & r presets and select it.

- keep clicking ok to dismiss all dialogs, voilà!

[Bozana]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

this a quick draft:

- Action Chains plugin menu -> Add/Modify chains (this brings up the main Chains dialog)

- click the plus icon to add a menu item row (each row is a "chain", but it may contain just one action).

- double-click the title cell, enter your chain title. submenu isn't mandatory, but once you create a lot of chains, you will need it)

- click the gear icon in that same row to add some actions

- in this new dialog that just opened, click the plus icon

- double-click action cell, then select Search and replace. Then click the gear icon in that same row, to open your s & r presets and select it.

- keep clicking ok to dismiss all dialogs, voilà!

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!