Reading HTML books in a browser

Frey · 08-15-2012, 01:17 PM

Hi everyone,

I've been using Calibre for a while now, and I'm quite happy with the majority of its features. However, there's something I can't find a way to do, even if it's quite simple: open an HTML book in my browser, from Calibre.

So, here's the story: I have some technical books that are published in both HTML and PDF formats, but I'd rather stick with the HTML one, because I'd rather read them in the browser (let's say its just more convenient for me). However, Calibre converts HTML files to ZIP when importing them, so my browser won't open them.

I saw some related threads in which it was said "use Calibre reader", but it's really not what I want to do, or "it's not the work of Calibre", but I don't agree with that: I need my software to gather all my books and let me open them in the format I want, as long as the format is available. What's the point of storing my books in Calibre if I can't read them from there?

So, what would you suggest?

copyrite · 08-15-2012, 02:19 PM

Have you tried clicking on the Path link in the Book Details pane, opening the compressed file, and clicking on the subsequent HTML file which should open in the browser?

(How many points do I get for a run-on sentence?)

Frey · 08-15-2012, 03:23 PM

Yeah, it's a way of doing it... But not very practical/satisfying.
One should not need to go into the library folders to open its book. Moreover, it's data in Calibre's library that Calibre doesn't know about.

But that is what I am currently doing.

jgaiser · 08-15-2012, 07:48 PM

Calibre *does* know about the data and displays it in the viewer. *You* don't want to use the viewer. I'd suggest you request an enhancement. Other than that, the program seems to work as designed.

theducks · 08-15-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frey

Hi everyone,

I've been using Calibre for a while now, and I'm quite happy with the majority of its features. However, there's something I can't find a way to do, even if it's quite simple: open an HTML book in my browser, from Calibre.

So, here's the story: I have some technical books that are published in both HTML and PDF formats, but I'd rather stick with the HTML one, because I'd rather read them in the browser (let's say its just more convenient for me). However, Calibre converts HTML files to ZIP when importing them, so my browser won't open them.

I saw some related threads in which it was said "use Calibre reader", but it's really not what I want to do, or "it's not the work of Calibre", but I don't agree with that: I need my software to gather all my books and let me open them in the format I want, as long as the format is available. What's the point of storing my books in Calibre if I can't read them from there?

So, what would you suggest?

There is a preference for when to (not) use the internal viewer

You could also use the Open With plugin to configure alternate viewers for specific formats (Adobe is a default in the config)

Frey · 08-19-2012, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

You could also use the Open With plugin to configure alternate viewers for specific formats (Adobe is a default in the config)

Interesting plugin, but this is not exactly what I want (

), because what I need is an alternate format, not an alternate viewer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Calibre *does* know about the data and displays it in the viewer. *You* don't want to use the viewer. I'd suggest you request an enhancement. Other than that, the program seems to work as designed.

I was talking about the unzipped folder when speaking about "data which Calibre doesn't know about". Anyway, I gonna think on it and maybe follow your advice and suggest this as an enhancement.

Thank you for your suggestions and answers.

kovidgoyal · 08-19-2012, 07:43 AM

Go to preferences->plugins and disable the html to zip plugin, then calibre wont convert your html files to zip.

Frey · 08-19-2012, 08:36 AM

We're getting closer! Now, this trick works great when the book is in one single HTML file, however if it's a bunch of files it simply saves the file you gave it to import.

But, looking at the html to zip plugin, its behaviour is very close to what I would want. The only difference is the zip file creation after the gathering of all the ebook's html files.

So, what I would suggest is adding an option to this plugin to choose if we want to actually zip the files or put them in a single directory. The html format would then point to the index file (which path would be like %calibre_lib%/author/book/book - author - html/index.html).

Do you think that would be possible? Do you want me to create an enhancement request about this?

kovidgoyal · 08-19-2012, 09:42 AM

No, its not possible. calibre manages files not book directories.

08-15-2012, 01:17 PM	#1
Frey Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kobo by Fnac	Reading HTML books in a browser Hi everyone, I've been using Calibre for a while now, and I'm quite happy with the majority of its features. However, there's something I can't find a way to do, even if it's quite simple: open an HTML book in my browser, from Calibre. So, here's the story: I have some technical books that are published in both HTML and PDF formats, but I'd rather stick with the HTML one, because I'd rather read them in the browser (let's say its just more convenient for me). However, Calibre converts HTML files to ZIP when importing them, so my browser won't open them. I saw some related threads in which it was said "use Calibre reader", but it's really not what I want to do, or "it's not the work of Calibre", but I don't agree with that: I need my software to gather all my books and let me open them in the format I want, as long as the format is available. What's the point of storing my books in Calibre if I can't read them from there? So, what would you suggest?

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08-15-2012, 02:19 PM	#2
copyrite Wizard Posts: 1,814 Karma: 4985051 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Maryland Device: ...lots! ;) mostly reading on a Kindle Voyage	Have you tried clicking on the Path link in the Book Details pane, opening the compressed file, and clicking on the subsequent HTML file which should open in the browser? (How many points do I get for a run-on sentence?)

08-15-2012, 03:23 PM	#3
Frey Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kobo by Fnac	Yeah, it's a way of doing it... But not very practical/satisfying. One should not need to go into the library folders to open its book. Moreover, it's data in Calibre's library that Calibre doesn't know about. But that is what I am currently doing.

08-15-2012, 07:48 PM	#4
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Calibre does know about the data and displays it in the viewer. You don't want to use the viewer. I'd suggest you request an enhancement. Other than that, the program seems to work as designed.

08-19-2012, 07:43 AM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,835 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Go to preferences->plugins and disable the html to zip plugin, then calibre wont convert your html files to zip.

08-19-2012, 08:36 AM	#8
Frey Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kobo by Fnac	We're getting closer! Now, this trick works great when the book is in one single HTML file, however if it's a bunch of files it simply saves the file you gave it to import. But, looking at the html to zip plugin, its behaviour is very close to what I would want. The only difference is the zip file creation after the gathering of all the ebook's html files. So, what I would suggest is adding an option to this plugin to choose if we want to actually zip the files or put them in a single directory. The html format would then point to the index file (which path would be like %calibre_lib%/author/book/book - author - html/index.html). Do you think that would be possible? Do you want me to create an enhancement request about this?

08-19-2012, 09:42 AM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,835 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	No, its not possible. calibre manages files not book directories.

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