Adding a limited Automate Feature To Sigil - Page 6

DiapDealer · 09-19-2021, 09:17 AM

My god. It's not even released yet and it's not good enough. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with only three new things you've never had before.

And the fact is: with a little file renaming, you can have as many automate lists as your heart desires. The limitation only applies to being able to have 3 (with their associated keyboard shortcuts and menu icons) at your immediate fingertips. Hell, someone could even write a plugin that would make it quick and easy to pick which of a curated multitude of automate lists are the ones assigned to the 3 available slots at any given time.

un_pogaz · 09-19-2021, 10:14 AM

Oh, sorry.
I judged with too little information.
Yes, of course, it's normal that only a limited number of them are in shortcut.
But how to activate/edit the others? A menu, with customizable dynamic sub-menu option, like some Calibre plugin?
(also all this was rather said in a humorous tone, thanks for creating this feature)

Doitsu · 09-19-2021, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by un_pogaz

But how to activate/edit the others? A menu, with customizable dynamic sub-menu option, like some Calibre plugin?

There'll be a new toolbar with 3 icons. If you long-click one of them, you can select the Automate List Editor and add several automation tasks or regular plugins.

You can also run any number of saved searches or search groups.

DiapDealer · 09-19-2021, 10:48 AM

In addition to the creation/editing of lists within Sigil, the lists will be stored as files in the Sigil preferences directory. You could manually create as many lists as you like, but only automate01.txt, automate02.txt, and automate03.txt will be loaded into the 3 available menu slots. With some manual renaming you could maintain more than three lists. My idea of a plugin was that it could handle the renaming to determine which lists currently occupy the 3 available slots.

Doitsu · 09-19-2021, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

With some manual renaming, you could maintain more than three lists.

IMHO, 3 lists should be more than enough for most users. You could use one for epub2-specific tasks, one for epub3-specific tasks, and a third one for "special tasks."

DiapDealer · 09-19-2021, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doitsu

IMHO, 3 lists should be more than enough for most users. You could use one for epub2-specific tasks, one for epub3-specific tasks, and a third one for "special tasks."

Oh, that's my opinion, as well. I was just throwing out a potential workaround for the handful of inevitable future squeaky wheels.

un_pogaz · 09-19-2021, 11:24 AM

Quote:

IMHO, 3 lists should be more than enough for most users.

Is very probable for me to have more.

I think it's a pity that to use several automation you have to rename the linked files. That's too... nerdy. We have a GUI for gods sake.

Well, I'm aware that it's too late for this update, but maybe an improvement for the next one.

So my idea is inspired by some Calibre plugins that have a dynamic menu system (see pictures).
In the settings window of the plugin, there is a table where each line represents a menu entry associated to a list of operations.
Some advanced versions even include the possibility to make sub-menus.

How all this is stored, no idea, but it would be better than directly manipulating the file names.
A quick suggestion:
automate.txt Contains the association list "Menu entry" <-> "automate file"
automateXX.txt Contains an automate

KevinH · 09-19-2021, 11:43 AM

Huh? There are no menus. As DiapDealer said, you can use a Plugin (with a gui if a gui is important to you) to control what gets copied into any of the 3 automate lists if you truly need more than 3.

In the future we *may* expand to 5 but we are starting with 3 and we will see what the consensus turns out to be.

Remember that plugins are capable of doing almost anything so if your need to automate is huge then creating custom plugins is probably your best bet anyway.

KevinH · 09-19-2021, 11:54 AM

FWIW, its arrival is not imminent. We had to change the gui so I wanted to give translators more time to do translations. We have not planned a 1.8 release or date yet and things are still subject to change.

odamizu · 09-20-2021, 02:22 AM

Hello KevinH,

Attached is the Automate List chapter for the Sigil User Guide. Hope I got everything right. Let me know if it needs adjustment.

~oda

KevinH · 09-20-2021, 07:47 AM

Thank you!
I will incorporate it into the Sigil User Guide.

Update:
Pushed your changes, plus a bunch of minor version number updates to the sigil-user-guide repo.
Thank You!

Quote:

Originally Posted by odamizu

Hello KevinH,

Attached is the Automate List chapter for the Sigil User Guide. Hope I got everything right. Let me know if it needs adjustment.

~oda

KevinH · 09-20-2021, 01:53 PM

FYI, I have updated Sigil's IconThemes repo with BeckyEbook's wonderful automate icons. For legacy, I just used the same icons we use for main because there was no "legacy" equivalent since this is a new feature.

un_pogaz · 09-21-2021, 03:19 AM

Apparently my proposal for a dynamic and extensive solution of the Automate was not understood.
Oh, well, have a nice day.

KevinH · 09-21-2021, 08:17 AM

Yes, I did not understand how what you posted could help at all.

The Automate feature is designed to create a limited tool/plugin sequential execution list much like a simple .bat file would allow for. Anything more complex can and should be done in custom plugins themselves.

And we already build multi level dynamic menus when plugins are added or removed. Plugins are where any heavy lifting should be done. So there is no need to build a dynamic menu system just to select one of the 3 available automate lists.

And, as DiapDealer said there are workarounds if you really do turn out to need more than 3 automate lists - which is 2 more than the original "big green publish button idea" this feature evolved from.

And of course, if you wanted more of a voice then volunteering to test things and providing early input when it was asked for would generally have been good ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by un_pogaz

Apparently my proposal for a dynamic and extensive solution of the Automate was not understood.
Oh, well, have a nice day.

RbnJrg · 09-21-2021, 10:45 AM

Just yesterday I had proof about how powerfull is this new feature. I had to put my hands on an epub with 206 style sheets! And on those 206 sheets, I had to run the "Reformat CSS" command. It was to go crazy.

Then I remembered that Kevin, when added the command "Reformat CSS" to the list of the automated tasks, said me that that command had to apply to ALL stylesheets

Never better welcome that command. I only had to edit the Automated List 3, to have just the command "ReformatCSSMultiplesLines" and problem solved!

By the way, by pure chance anyone knows about a tool to consolite stylesheets? Because I noted that there are many styles, that are equals, but they are in different sheets with different names.

09-19-2021, 09:17 AM	#76
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,553 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	My god. It's not even released yet and it's not good enough. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with only three new things you've never had before. And the fact is: with a little file renaming, you can have as many automate lists as your heart desires. The limitation only applies to being able to have 3 (with their associated keyboard shortcuts and menu icons) at your immediate fingertips. Hell, someone could even write a plugin that would make it quick and easy to pick which of a curated multitude of automate lists are the ones assigned to the 3 available slots at any given time. Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-19-2021 at 09:31 AM.

09-19-2021, 10:14 AM	#77
un_pogaz Chalut o/ Posts: 410 Karma: 145324 Join Date: Dec 2017 Device: Kobo	Oh, sorry. I judged with too little information. Yes, of course, it's normal that only a limited number of them are in shortcut. But how to activate/edit the others? A menu, with customizable dynamic sub-menu option, like some Calibre plugin? (also all this was rather said in a humorous tone, thanks for creating this feature) Last edited by un_pogaz; 09-19-2021 at 10:21 AM.

09-19-2021, 11:43 AM	#83
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,660 Karma: 5433388 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	Huh? There are no menus. As DiapDealer said, you can use a Plugin (with a gui if a gui is important to you) to control what gets copied into any of the 3 automate lists if you truly need more than 3. In the future we may expand to 5 but we are starting with 3 and we will see what the consensus turns out to be. Remember that plugins are capable of doing almost anything so if your need to automate is huge then creating custom plugins is probably your best bet anyway. Last edited by KevinH; 09-19-2021 at 12:36 PM.

09-20-2021, 02:22 AM	#85
odamizu just an egg Posts: 1,587 Karma: 4300000 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kindle, iOS	Hello KevinH, Attached is the Automate List chapter for the Sigil User Guide. Hope I got everything right. Let me know if it needs adjustment. ~oda Last edited by odamizu; 09-20-2021 at 02:19 PM. Reason: removed attachment now that it is been incorporated into the User Guide

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09-19-2021, 10:48 AM	#79
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,553 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	In addition to the creation/editing of lists within Sigil, the lists will be stored as files in the Sigil preferences directory. You could manually create as many lists as you like, but only automate01.txt, automate02.txt, and automate03.txt will be loaded into the 3 available menu slots. With some manual renaming you could maintain more than three lists. My idea of a plugin was that it could handle the renaming to determine which lists currently occupy the 3 available slots.

09-19-2021, 11:54 AM	#84
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,660 Karma: 5433388 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	FWIW, its arrival is not imminent. We had to change the gui so I wanted to give translators more time to do translations. We have not planned a 1.8 release or date yet and things are still subject to change.

09-20-2021, 01:53 PM	#87
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,660 Karma: 5433388 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	FYI, I have updated Sigil's IconThemes repo with BeckyEbook's wonderful automate icons. For legacy, I just used the same icons we use for main because there was no "legacy" equivalent since this is a new feature.

09-21-2021, 03:19 AM	#88
un_pogaz Chalut o/ Posts: 410 Karma: 145324 Join Date: Dec 2017 Device: Kobo	Apparently my proposal for a dynamic and extensive solution of the Automate was not understood. Oh, well, have a nice day.

09-21-2021, 10:45 AM	#90
RbnJrg Wizard Posts: 1,552 Karma: 6613969 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Rosario - Santa Fe - Argentina Device: Kindle 4 NT	Just yesterday I had proof about how powerfull is this new feature. I had to put my hands on an epub with 206 style sheets! And on those 206 sheets, I had to run the "Reformat CSS" command. It was to go crazy. Then I remembered that Kevin, when added the command "Reformat CSS" to the list of the automated tasks, said me that that command had to apply to ALL stylesheets Never better welcome that command. I only had to edit the Automated List 3, to have just the command "ReformatCSSMultiplesLines" and problem solved! By the way, by pure chance anyone knows about a tool to consolite stylesheets? Because I noted that there are many styles, that are equals, but they are in different sheets with different names.