File formats that Calibre qua Library Management System can manage?

Fiat_Lux · 07-30-2018, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inukami

Continuing on from my What Custom Columns do you use in your Calibre Library?, I’m interested to know what custom columns you are using if you use Calibre as a media library for tv shows, movies, audio and anime etc...?

I knew that Calibre could be used to manage more than eBooks, but the only list of supported file formats supported by Calibre I've seen, can be found at
https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...ersion-to-from.
Which is:

Code:

Input Formats: AZW, AZW3, AZW4, CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, DJVU, DOCX, EPUB, FB2, FBZ, HTML, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ

Output Formats: AZW3, EPUB, DOCX, FB2, HTMLZ, OEB, LIT, LRF, MOBI, PDB, PMLZ, RB, PDF, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ, ZIP

The closest Media File Importer, described at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=277104 gets to stating which file formats are supported is:

Code:

MFI adds a 'real' format (e.g. JPG or MP3 or MKV or 7Z or RAR or EXE or PCS or HUS or PDF or EPUB or ZIP or anything else) for each imported media or Other Binary file, enabling copying of the MFI-created 'books' among Calibre libraries

Is there a comprehensive list of file formats that Calibre, either alone, or by installing extensions, can organize, as a library management system?

Are their examples, either text or video, of Calibre being used to manage:

Photographs;
Home movies;
Audio content;
3D Printing Files;
Other non-book file formats;

and if, so where can they be found?

Amber

BetterRed · 07-30-2018, 06:50 PM

A calibre library can contain one of any type of file within its library/principal author/book folder structure.

I keep non-books in separate physical libraries (Journals/Magazines (mainly PDFs), Media (mainly MP3/4), and Photo Albums (CBZ). They are in separate libraries because I have different custom columns for each. The tricky bit is the way I use 'title/Title' and 'authors/Authors', e.g. for Journals the 'Title' column contains the 'name' of the Journal/Magazine, and the 'Authors' column contains the 'edition' which may be a date, a volume number etc.

I don't use calibre for entertainment audio/video, i.e. music, films, television shows. I use it for documentary and interviews from broadcasters etc. As well as the relevant audio/video file, I try to obtain/create a transcript.

DivingDuck uses calibre to manage embroidery patterns, which I imagine are in the same vein as 3D Printing files - i.e. numerical control.

BR

Divingduck · 08-01-2018, 03:36 AM

Yes

with all kind of formats and I use it also for CAD and 3D model files.
Formats are not the problem in calibre. The problem is more like what someone wants to show in a database and how to get all the metadata for a record into the library within a reasonable time frame.

fidvo · 08-01-2018, 11:54 AM

Asking what files Calibre can manage has multiple answers, depending upon what you mean.

If you're talking about what kinds of files Calibre can store in its database, that's theoretically infinite. Technically any file will work, but in practice, it really only works with formats where everything is stored in a single file. So it can handle images, for instance, but it can't handle an application with external libraries and settings files and entries in the Windows registry. HTML is a special case because when you import an HTML file Calibre zips up all the auxiliary files to create a single file.

The file formats that Calibre can natively read are in the Behavior section of the Preferences.

You already know the file formats that Calibre can import and export.

That should cover most of the common uses of "manage."

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07-30-2018, 06:50 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,612 Karma: 29710338 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	A calibre library can contain one of any type of file within its library/principal author/book folder structure. I keep non-books in separate physical libraries (Journals/Magazines (mainly PDFs), Media (mainly MP3/4), and Photo Albums (CBZ). They are in separate libraries because I have different custom columns for each. The tricky bit is the way I use 'title/Title' and 'authors/Authors', e.g. for Journals the 'Title' column contains the 'name' of the Journal/Magazine, and the 'Authors' column contains the 'edition' which may be a date, a volume number etc. I don't use calibre for entertainment audio/video, i.e. music, films, television shows. I use it for documentary and interviews from broadcasters etc. As well as the relevant audio/video file, I try to obtain/create a transcript. DivingDuck uses calibre to manage embroidery patterns, which I imagine are in the same vein as 3D Printing files - i.e. numerical control. BR

08-01-2018, 03:36 AM	#3
Divingduck Wizard Posts: 1,166 Karma: 1410083 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Germany Device: Sony PRS-650	Yes with all kind of formats and I use it also for CAD and 3D model files. Formats are not the problem in calibre. The problem is more like what someone wants to show in a database and how to get all the metadata for a record into the library within a reasonable time frame.

08-01-2018, 11:54 AM	#4
fidvo Addict Posts: 309 Karma: 1645952 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: none	Asking what files Calibre can manage has multiple answers, depending upon what you mean. If you're talking about what kinds of files Calibre can store in its database, that's theoretically infinite. Technically any file will work, but in practice, it really only works with formats where everything is stored in a single file. So it can handle images, for instance, but it can't handle an application with external libraries and settings files and entries in the Windows registry. HTML is a special case because when you import an HTML file Calibre zips up all the auxiliary files to create a single file. The file formats that Calibre can natively read are in the Behavior section of the Preferences. You already know the file formats that Calibre can import and export. That should cover most of the common uses of "manage."

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