Multiple versions of PDF

[sheene]

Hi,

Is it possible to have two pdf files in one calibre entry?

I read scientific pdfs on my kobo and have started trimming off white space with briss. I would like to have the cropped pdf version together with the original in my calibre library but that seems not to be possible.

Suggestions?

[itimpi]

No. Calibre only supports one file for any given file extension to be attached to a book entry.

You could rename one of them to have a different file extension and then add it that way, but Calibre would not recognize the renamed instance as being a pdf file.

[Ersatzreifen]

Originally Posted by sheene

Hi,

Is it possible to have two pdf files in one calibre entry?

I read scientific pdfs on my kobo and have started trimming off white space with briss. I would like to have the cropped pdf version together with the original in my calibre library but that seems not to be possible.

Suggestions?

Put the original into a zipped file [original.zip] and upload both it and the cleaned up .pdf, that way they're both kept together and are available from the same listing.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by itimpi

No. Calibre only supports one file for any given file extension to be attached to a book entry.

You could rename one of them to have a different file extension and then add it that way, but Calibre would not recognize the renamed instance as being a pdf file.

The OP could add an OS level file association for let's say '.pdf_orig' files to use their installed PDF reader. Or he/she could add an entry into calibre's Open With for PDF_ORIG to do the same. Either would allow them to read the original PDF.

BR

[CmplxAdSys]

It's too bad that Windows Store apps like Xodo or Microsoft's Reader can't be associated with .pdf_orig in this manner to my knowledge.

I prefer the native pen support for note-taking on PDFs and the clean interface of these apps when working with PDFs on my tablet. However, they can't be made to recognize .pdf_orig as far as I know - only "Desktop" applications can. And I don't know of any Desktop PDF readers that are as clean as the Windows Store apps for basic reading and annotation.

But perhaps I'm missing something? Do you know of any way to get Windows Store readers associated with the .pdf_orig file type?

[BetterRed]

@CmplxAdSys - I avoid Windows store apps for the very sort of reasons you raise here. Hence I know very little about them.

Why do you want to keep two PDF's for the same book, the creator of this thread wanted to keep the original and a hacked version he/she could read on a Kobo.

Can your favoured Windows Store app be the default handler for regular PDF files.

BR

[dwig]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@CmplxAdSys...
Why do you want to keep two PDF's for the same book, the creator of this thread wanted to keep the original and a hacked version he/she could read on a Kobo.
...

Many people want to keep their "pre-hacked" originals while reading the hacked version for convenience. Calibre supports this automatically for some formats but not PDF.

I don't see why the OP would want to read the pre-hacked version, but keeping it for possible future re-hacking can be a good thing.

Personally, since calibre can loose unsupported files (e.g. *.pdf_orig, ...) residing in its folder tree, I would recommend creating a duplicate book entry giving two separate entries. Simply rename one to include "untrimmed" at the end of the title. Now use Briss, or whatever, on the original book. You will now have a stable calibre library and have both the original and that has been through the ceremony with the mohel.

[CmplxAdSys]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Why do you want to keep two PDF's for the same book, the creator of this thread wanted to keep the original and a hacked version he/she could read on a Kobo.

Yep, that's my situation, too. I've cropped one PDF using Briss to read on my Kobo and have kept that with the .pdf extension, since I doubt the Kobo would recognized a modified file extension.

But I then renamed the uncropped version and changed its extension to .pdf_orig. I prefer reading uncropped pdfs on my tablet since the screen's larger and so can handle it, plus I can take handwritten notes in the margins.

I'm currently trying to figure out how to open and read those uncropped PDFs with the .pdf_orig extension on my tablet using a decent PDF reader with a clean interface and native support for regular and pen annotations.

Can your favoured Windows Store app be the default handler for regular PDF files.

That's possible, I suppose - I can use my tablet reader to just read the cropped version and leave .pdf_orig untouch and unread. I do prefer margins when reading on my tablet, though, for the reasons mentioned above. But I could try it and see if it's less uncomfortable than I suspect it would be.

[CmplxAdSys]

Originally Posted by dwig

Many people want to keep their "pre-hacked" originals while reading the hacked version for convenience. Calibre supports this automatically for some formats but not PDF.

I don't see why the OP would want to read the pre-hacked version, but keeping it for possible future re-hacking can be a good thing.

Primarily because I sometimes read some math-y books, and the ability to take handwritten note in the margins (so I can write out equations more easily) is useful. Plus my tablet has a bigger screen size than my Kobo, so it's manageable to have the margins there.

Personally, since calibre can loose unsupported files (e.g. *.pdf_orig, ...) residing in its folder tree, I would recommend creating a duplicate book entry giving two separate entries. Simply rename one to include "untrimmed" at the end of the title. Now use Briss, or whatever, on the original book. You will now have a stable calibre library and have both the original and that has been through the ceremony with the mohel.

Good to know that Calibre may lose unsupported files - that's definitely a strike against this method.

This solution may be what I turn to if I can't associate a good PDF reader with .pdf_orig. The only issue, then is easy file management when syncing my Kobo with Calibre. I want to make sure that I just send the cropped PDFs to the Kobo and clearly know what's the original and what's the cropped version. I suppose that could be handled with a "cropped" tag, though.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by dwig

Personally, since calibre can loose unsupported files (e.g. *.pdf_orig, ...) residing in its folder tree, I would recommend creating a duplicate book entry giving two separate entries. Simply rename one to include "untrimmed" at the end of the title. Now use Briss, or whatever, on the original book. You will now have a stable calibre library and have both the original and that has been through the ceremony with the mohel.

Utter nonsense - if the file is added to the book via one of the several calibre features to add books and files to an existing book it will be registered in the database and it won't let lost - period. I have a several libraries (biggest is 100+K books) that prove it!

I do the following almost every day for up to 20 RTF documents:

1. add an RTF to my Intake library (via Windows->Send To),
2. if its a transcript of an audio or video file I will add that file to the book via drag/drop into the book details panel of just created book entry
3. add a .ONE 'template' via drag/drop, I use this for workflow tracking, note taking etc
4. open up RTF in Word via View Specific Format.
5. edit the document, e.g. apply my Word Template, and apply styles etc
6. save as DOCX into the same folder as the RTF - i.e. ..\Intake\Some Author\Some Book (123456).
   
7. in calibre open the book folder (press 'O')
8. drag and drop the DOCX to the Book details panel
   
9. edit the metadata
10. copy (with delete) the book from my Intake Library to my Main library
11. The RTF, associated media files, .ONE file and the DOCX will be in my Main library and gone from my Intake library

The highlighted steps are critical, without them the DOCX files would not be moved to to my Main library.

You will only lose files if you have files in a book folder that haven't been added to the library via calibre. AFAIK any file type can be added to a calibre library - not just ebook formats. I have tens of thousands of audio and video files, plus lots of XLSX, PPTX, TIFF and ONE files, even some android and ios apps, and Windows LNK files in calibre library book folders.

BR

[BetterRed]

@CmplxAdSys - dwig's assertion that calibre will "loose unsupported files" is false. Calibre will only lose files if you misuse/abuse calibre. And leaving 'unregistered' files in book folders is a misuse of calibre.

If the number of books is relatively small, you could use Save to Disk on the .PDF_ORIG file, rename it to .PDF and move that to your tablet. Or perhaps you could send the PDF_ORIG to your tablet and rename it there so that your PDF reader/annotator will recognise it

BR

[CmplxAdSys]

Thanks!

The number of books are small. The only issue with copying things to PDF is the number of files for each book, their location, and whether I've cropped them may get a little confusing as that number grows.

I'm thinking the best solution is to just read the cropped .pdf files on all systems (Kobo and tablet) and keep .pdf_orig in the Calibre folder and less readable.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by CmplxAdSys

I want to make sure that I just send the cropped PDFs to the Kobo and clearly know what's the original and what's the cropped version. I suppose that could be handled with a "cropped" tag, though.

An alternative to a tag, would be to use the Look and Feel Column Colouring or Column Icon feature to set a colour or an icon in the book list if a PDF_ORIG exists for a book. That would avoid the need to add/remove a tag.

FX - I decorate a book line with a 'camera icon' if a book has a TIFF file. I use multi-page TIFFs if I have some ad hoc images that I want to keep with a book for some reason.

BR

[CmplxAdSys]

Cool! I didn't know the column icon feature existed. I've used column coloring to color unread, reading, or finished books, but never scrolled all the way right to see the column icon feature.

I set up rules to to show a checkmark if it has a cropped PDF and an X if it doesn't, and nothing if it has no PDFs at all. Seems to work well, and I don't have to manually put the icons there.

Thanks!

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by CmplxAdSys

Cool! I didn't know the column icon feature existed. I've used column coloring to color unread, reading, or finished books, but never scrolled all the way right to see the column icon feature.

I set up rules to to show a checkmark if it has a cropped PDF and an X if it doesn't, and nothing if it has no PDFs at all. Seems to work well, and I don't have to manually put the icons there.

That's good

- are you aware of KOReader, it has a forum two down from here.

I know nothing about it except its name, and what I have read here ==>> KOreader Wiki

Might be worthy of investigation.

BR