Using {comments} in Cover Generation

[Jabbergeist]

Hi all,
I did some digging and didn't see any topics about this, but I'm not so good with Calibre's template language or html so this might be a dumb question. I'm trying to get Calibre cover generator to display the text from the book's comments field in the cover's subtitle area. I tried simply using "{comments}" and that seems to work... except the cover displays <div> and <p> html tags also.

Here's an imgur link to an example picture: https://imgur.com/a/vzY8BBZ

Anyone know if this is solvable?

[kovidgoyal]

No, I'm afraid not, the cover generator cant render HTML only plain text.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

No, I'm afraid not, the cover generator can't render HTML only plain text.

Is there any way to easily strip the HTML? I suppose you could use BeautifulSoup get_text but not what the OP wanted.

[kovidgoyal]

It might be possible by defining a column built from other columns that strips the html using a template function and then using that column in the cover generator. I dont recall if the cover generator has direct support for template functions, if so you can skip the creation of the extra column.

[Jabbergeist]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

It might be possible by defining a column built from other columns that strips the html using a template function and then using that column in the cover generator. I dont recall if the cover generator has direct support for template functions, if so you can skip the creation of the extra column.

I wondered if that kind of thing was possible. I was looking through the function documentation and initially thought shorten() would help, but it looks like that removes text from the middle, not the ends. Can you point me toward a resource that would help me figure out how to implement this kind of function?

[Jabbergeist]

Never mind- I figured out how to do it by setting up a custom column using the function {comments:substr(9,-10)} and setting that column as the source for the subtitle text in the cover generator.

Thanks for the help!

[Carmelocotonto]

Originally Posted by Jabbergeist

Never mind- I figured out how to do it by setting up a custom column using the function {comments:substr(9,-10)} and setting that column as the source for the subtitle text in the cover generator.

Thanks for the help!

Sorry for my question but where is the source for the subtitle text in the cover generator?. I would like to add my custom column: wordcount. Thanks.

Edit. Oh, you are talking about a plugin, no original Calibre, aren't you?

[Jabbergeist]

Originally Posted by Carmelocotonto

Sorry for my question but where is the source for the subtitle text in the cover generator?. I would like to add my custom column: wordcount. Thanks.

Edit. Oh, you are talking about a plugin, no original Calibre, aren't you?

Nope, I am speaking of the built-in cover generator. To get to it, right click on your book and choose "edit metadata individually." There should be a button near the middle of the window labeled "generate cover." If you left click on it, Calibre will create a simple cover for you using some basic metadata and some random graphical presets.

To customize the cover generation, right-click on the "generate cover" button and click on the "customize" option that will pop up. There will be four tabs to choose from in this window, and the last tab, "text," will allow you to set templates for the title, subtitle, and footer.

[Carmelocotonto]

Originally Posted by Jabbergeist

Nope, I am speaking of the built-in cover generator. To get to it, right click on your book and choose "edit metadata individually." There should be a button near the middle of the window labeled "generate cover." If you left click on it, Calibre will create a simple cover for you using some basic metadata and some random graphical presets.

To customize the cover generation, right-click on the "generate cover" button and click on the "customize" option that will pop up. There will be four tabs to choose from in this window, and the last tab, "text," will allow you to set templates for the title, subtitle, and footer.

Oh yes, right-click. No idea. Thanks. I will try.

[BetterRed]

BR

[Actaeus]

Registered just to post this solution.

Jabbergeist's solution works, but it has changed a little bit due to the way calibre has also.

A working solution for Calibre 7.xx that works in the FOOTER TEMPLATE is:

program:

#Load Comments
comments = field('comments');

#Eliminate first 8 and last 10 to kill DIV and P text then kill all remaining HTML Tags
comments = substr(comments, 21, -22);
comments = re(comments, '<[^>]*>', '');

# Show at most two authors, on separate lines.
authors = field('authors');
num = count(authors, ' &amp; ');
authors = sublist(authors, 0, 2, ' &amp; ');
authors = list_re(authors, ' &amp; ', '(.+)', '<b>\1');
authors = re(authors, ' &amp; ', '<br>');
authors = re(authors, '&amp;&amp;', '&amp;');

# Combine Comments and Authors
comments & '<br><br>' & authors