Using only the coverting features of Calibre

[jr!]

Hi folks,
my apologies if this has been answered already, I couldn't find it.

I dislike using programs to "manage" my media, be it iTunes for my music, or Picassa for my photos, I'm capable of doing it myself.
On that note, I like the converting features of Calibre, but do not wish to use the library management functionality.
Is there a way to do this?

[Manichean]

Import to library, convert, export (save to disk), delete from library. Or use the command line tools (ebook-convert is the one you want).

[Sweetpea]

I only used Calibre to convert, until very recently (about when some, for me, very important updates were done). My big friend was "ebook-convert". I actually hadn't looked beyond that for a long time. And for converting, I still never use the GUI, but only the command-line tool.

[ldolse]

Though some user's choose to do it, the problem with ebook-convert from the command line is there are literally dozens of arguments that could/should be passed to it to do a proper conversion. The GUI does this automatically for the most part, whereas for the CLI you need to explore a lot of docs to find all the settings you'll need.

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by ldolse

Though some user's choose to do it, the problem with ebook-convert from the command line is there are literally dozens of arguments that could/should be passed to it to do a proper conversion. The GUI does this automatically for the most part, whereas for the CLI you need to explore a lot of docs to find all the settings you'll need.

Yes, but still, it's the only way to really use only the convert feature.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by ldolse

Though some user's choose to do it, the problem with ebook-convert from the command line is there are literally dozens of arguments that could/should be passed to it to do a proper conversion. The GUI does this automatically for the most part, whereas for the CLI you need to explore a lot of docs to find all the settings you'll need.

However good Calibre may be, it's never perfect. I will never trust an automated process to create a perfectly generated document, especially if that comes from a source that may or may not be perfectly generated. So, a manual check I find mandatory anyway.

Besides, I only use it to convert my LIT and MOBI files to HTML, so I can reformat that for my MOBI, EPUB and PDF files...

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

However good Calibre may be, it's never perfect. I will never trust an automated process to create a perfectly generated document, especially if that comes from a source that may or may not be perfectly generated. So, a manual check I find mandatory anyway.

The CLI is neither more nor less automated than the GUI, it's only that the GUI has some commonly used options pre-set.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

However good Calibre may be, it's never perfect. I will never trust an automated process to create a perfectly generated document, especially if that comes from a source that may or may not be perfectly generated. So, a manual check I find mandatory anyway.

Besides, I only use it to convert my LIT and MOBI files to HTML, so I can reformat that for my MOBI, EPUB and PDF files...

You have recognised that One Size Rarely Fits All.

Time and again, I see users here, want to slam thousands of books through a Bulk convert and then complain loudly that they look like a Midden Heap .

Each book (or series) deserves TLC in fine tuning the convert.
Of course, nothing beats starting with a clean source