Using Calibre to catalog AudioBooks

[read113]

I have about 200 audiobooks I would love to put into Calibre but is very manual intensive.

I first create and .m3U for the audiobook then add that to Calibre.

I have installed the "Read mp3 Audiobook metadata" Plugin but I'm not using it right or creating my m3u files so the plugin can read it. I still have to basically manual update the metadata.

Is there a way to import a list of my books in some format that will update better?

All help will be greatly appreciated.

[transmitthis]

http://hangvogel.hypermart.net/txt2fil/
Would that help
Then just import the empty txtfiles and update metadata in bulk, maybe add a custom column with a checkbox to denote they are audio files.

edit - changed link to better one, there are many programs that will do same

[read113]

transmitthis; Thank you for your help but I don't see how this works. I followed your link and understand how to created empty files, but how would you import them and get them to run a m3u file.

[theducks]

Maybe you can get Kiwidude to allow Openwith PI to launch your favorite media player for type m3u

for unknown (book) types , could Openwith just call the OS default handler as a "use OS default" for the program

[holmgren]

Originally Posted by transmitthis

http://hangvogel.hypermart.net/txt2fil/
Would that help
Then just import the empty txtfiles and update metadata in bulk, maybe add a custom column with a checkbox to denote they are audio files.

edit - changed link to better one, there are many programs that will do same

I have my list of audiobooks in a text file and need to create a file for each one to add it to Calibre. That program does exactly what I need but is $38 and I only need to use it once. (The shareware version only allows 4 or 5 files to be created). I spent a long time looking for a free program and can't find one. I did find references to making your own .vbs file using fso 'create file', but it's just a little over my head (or maybe a lot) and I can't make it work. Any other/cheaper solutions?

Thanks a lot.
Mary H.

[transmitthis]

Hi Mary,
Below is the relevant post from this thread https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=168064

Just as an update, here is an easy way to do this, instead of messing about with other programs or cmd.

Create a new folder called test in C:\
open your list in excel - see image
Alt+F11 to open up the VBA editor.
Select insert Module - In the box add this code

Sub Test()
For N = 1 To Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row
    Open "C:\temp\" & Cells(N, 1) & ".txt" For Output As #1
    Close #1
Next N
End Sub

switch back to sheet, Alt+F11 (or close editor)
Click on view then macros, and run it

Go to that test folder you created, and you will see its full of txt files (all named from each cell ready for you to add to calibre



Don't ask me about the code, as I just edited some I found, (as you do) and don't fully understand it.

one tip, just use alphanumeric . and - are ok, but dont have a ":" in the text




Oh - while I'm here:
This is probably relevent to anyone coming here from a search
Create File list from folder structure ie Text list of Folders

1. run cmd
2. cd to the folder you want the list of (Type CD then space then the folder, for example "CD C:\Storage\BFG\Allthefiles\
3. paste this no quotes "dir /b /s > c:\filelist.txt" then enter
4. list is in c:\filelist.txt

remove the /s if you don't want subdirectories

(PS - send me the txt list if you want and I'll do it for you, then you will only have to do new purchases as you get them)

[JCSullivan]

@transmitthis

Thanks for the info but I'm missing something - how would you add this to Calibre?

Thanks

[transmitthis]

@JCSullivan Just drag the txt files to main calibre window

The above will get you txt files to add empty book records, you can then get the metadata for them, automatically as normal

Then you create another entry, by making a m3u file of items you want in your VLC player or whatever you use.

Put the m3u playlist file on desktop and just drag it to calibre's main window, check it works, by clicking on the coverview image.

Now you just have to merge the two entries - ie keep the metadata from one and the shortcut from the other - simple (click on the metadata rich entry then ctrclick on the on the m3u entry, press ALT+Shift+M)

For audiobooks, I just have a checkmark column instead - but I use this method for Video playback of series I have kept as it's really useful.
Just click on the image and the series opens up in the player. You can also use it for URL's, to open sites etc.



Probably not explained it very well.

[holmgren]

transmitthis
thank you for your reply. But, my audiobook folders are named rather sloppily, like
agatha christie - murder on orient express
agatha christie - partners in crime
and then some have years and series names. No way to import it neatly into excel columns. But I did finally come up with a solution. Elegant it isn't!

Use Karen's directory printer freeware (or something) to generate a text file of folder names only.

agatha christie - murder on orient express
agatha christie - partners in crime

Using Notepad++
hold Alt key down and click/drag mouse in a straight line down in front of the first character in each line. That will leave you with a long skinny cursor blinking.

Type these letters: type nul>"
They will magically appear in front of each line.

type nul>"agatha christie - murder on orient express
type nul>"agatha christie - partners in crime

Then, click edit/select all
then search/replace
on the replace tab enter (.)$ in the find what window and
\1.txt" in the replace with window

In the middle of that tab, put a check mark by In Selection and
at the bottom check the button in front of regular expression.
Click Replace all.

type nul>"agatha christie - murder on orient express.txt"
type nul>"agatha christie - partners in crime.txt"

Now insert as a first line:
@echo off

and I put a last line with the word pause so the cmd window won't close and I can read error messages if any. Save the file with a .bat extension (make sure to select "all" in the drop down box by "save as type". )

@echo off

type nul>"agatha christie - murder on orient express.txt"
type nul>"agatha christie - partners in crime.txt"

pause

Put this file in a folder by itself, double click to run and all the text files should appear in that same folder.

Then you can add them all to Calibre.

This probably looks atrocious to anybody with a lick of programming skills. But I was very proud of myself for figuring it out.

Mary H.

[JCSullivan]

Originally Posted by transmitthis

just drag it to calibre's main window.

Thanks for the trouble of getting a screen shot and the help - it is appreciated.

Telling me I can drag and drop has made it a lot easier.

If you're confident with a expressions can you help with this - I'm trying to get the expression to ignore anything before the author's name.

Thanks

[transmitthis]

Not sure what you did there Mary, but glad it worked out for you, you could probably have done it easily via dos tree Directory command, and then use the extensive sorting you can do in excel

But that don't really matter as long as you got it done, and bonus learn't a lot doing it too - congrats

@JC - sorry I'm just not confident with expressions, I have a few python books to read but their at the end of my reading list. Ask in a new thread, and you will get noticed and sorted I'm sure.

[JCSullivan]

Thanks transmitthis, I've done that.

[steven168]

any easier way?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by steven168

any easier way?

Have a look at the following, if you've not already done so:

MP3/Audio Book file-management feature?

Media File Importer

Read MP3 AudioBook metadata

BR

[jecilop]

Just a suggestion depending on your files...

I tried various ways to manage these and settled on one that has worked VERY well.
I keep all of my actual audiobook files in folders or as a single file. All of these are kept in a main directory. They are easy to find or 'search' when needed. Because of the variation of file types and number of files, this has been better than trying to keep the actual audiobooks within Calibre's structure. But for library record management....

Before moving my audiofiles/folder to a main in directory, I simply right click on them and create shortcuts (lnk files).
I then drag these to my Calibre library in order to add a bunch at once.

Now, how they import and any further management depends on the file or folder names to which you created a shortcut and how your stuff is set to import into Calibre.


I clean mine up through various operations in Calibre as needed.
I also can then do a metadata and cover download using Calibre.

In my case, I use a tag "AUDIOBOOK" in a custom tags column for library management (not genre/content tags).

I no longer keep the actual "lnk" file in the library. That is easy to delete individually or in bulk.

If I want more tags for audiobook management, I just add them to the same custom tags field (examples, in some cases I like to label the type of audio files ..Aud-mp4... or where I purchased it ..AudiblePURCH.. ). These tags are great if you have actual files on you computer or just want to record where they are located (CD's, cassettes, Audible, etc..)

Now, if I have a new book, I can add as described above OR just as a tag to an entry I already have for the actual book.

Tags for library management like this are far less cumbersome that many columns. Also, they can trigger custom colors or icons which makes library management even easier with visual cues.