Creat new Output plugin (LaTeX and/or txt2tags)

[Lebewesen]

Hi,

I'm thinking about creating a Output Plugin. Either LaTeX(z) or txt2tags(z).

The background:

If I have a badly converted pdf I convert it to htmlz and convert the html to txt2tags and then back to html which is the input for calibre to convert it to epub. Another benefit would be to use txt2tags to generate other output such as LaTeX.

Sometimes I want to print an epub… The conversation to pdf is dissatisfying for that purpose IMO. That's why I'm thinking about making an LaTeX output.

My questions:

1. Are the plugins interesting for the public - if not I'll use htmlz and my Perl Parser.

2. If the plugins are interesing, what do I need to know to develop this plugins? Do I need to know Python or can I use other Languages and work with an API?

Thanks
Bastian

[itimpi]

Plugins are definitely of interest as once they are developed they can extend Calibre basic functionality and are then usable even by inexperienced users.

If you are developing for Calibre you really want to use Python. Setting up a calibre development envionment is extremely easy. In crude terms it simply invloves getting the Calibre source and then setting the CALIBRE_DEVELO_FROM environment variable to point to the source. Once that nis doen starting calibre runs from the downloaded source. This is covered in the Calibre documentation.

Python as a language is very easy to pick up if you have any programming experience. It would also have the advantage that the existing source for the plugins for other formats would provide useful starting points and code that can be referenced.

[Manichean]

I don't know if I qualify as "public", but I'd be interested in a LaTeX plugin. It would have to be done correctly, though, so \include, \input and graphics should be collected into, say, a ZIP file like for HTML or something similar. It would be very nice if math were to be rendered as to be legible in, say, ePub output- that would save me a ton of paper for proofreading printouts and such.

[Lebewesen]

Originally Posted by Manichean

It would be very nice if math were to be rendered as to be legible in, say, ePub output- that would save me a ton of paper for proofreading printouts and such.

I think you speak of an input plugin, what i wana do is an OUTput plugin.

But you don't need an input plugin for LaTeX, this is IMHO an absurd to do… There is nothing better then TeX4ht. You should use html as output or odt.

But you have a point. Maybe I do a tutorial which cover this.

Originally Posted by itimpi

Plugins are definitely of interest as once they are developed they can extend Calibre basic functionality and are then usable even by inexperienced users.

I'm considering if my idea isn't to unique, especially for inexperienced users?

I think I overwork my Perlscript's and post them here. If there are enough interest, I'll do a Plugin (I don't know anything 'bout Python)