Easist way to modify IMP books internal header info?

[shighfield]

Nick: Any work on impedit yet? I'm looking for a way to edit the catagory in an IMP file from the command line.

[nrapallo]

I haven't written it yet...

But I do remember helping AZed add that capability to EBook-Tools on CPAN (Perl code repository).

I'll see if I can use AZed's code to create a functional 'impedit' command line program, but I know a GUI solution that works quite well, ConvertIMP.

What target program would you prefer to use: Windows executable or Unix/MAC Perl script? Any syntax you would like to see used for the option/parameter switches?

[shighfield]

I am using windows now so a windows .exe is the best for me. Syntax doesn't matter at all, I'm learning some python and am determined to find a way to hack this stuff into Calibre. Hence why I need commandline tools for everything.

I know it won't be part of the main calibre tree but I'm hopful I can get it working enough for Windows users to be able to muck with.

[nrapallo]

Originally Posted by shighfield

I am using windows now so a windows .exe is the best for me. Syntax doesn't matter at all, I'm learning some python and am determined to find a way to hack this stuff into Calibre. Hence why I need commandline tools for everything.

I know it won't be part of the main calibre tree but I'm hopful I can get it working enough for Windows users to be able to muck with.

Ooohhhh, calibre hacking...

Here is a quick and dirty attempt at a .imp metadata edit program called impmeta. It is based on ebook.pl from EBook-Tools by Zed Pobre. The readme for it is as follows:

impmeta - Set specific metadata values in an ETI .imp file.

Usage:
impmeta filename.imp [Options]

Options:
--input filename.imp | -i filename.imp 
Specify the input filename. This can also be specified as the first argument, in which case the -i option will be ignored.

--output modified.imp | -o modified.imp 
Specify the output filename. If not specified, the input file will be overwritten.

--identifier 
Specify the identifier metadata.

--category | --cat | --c
Specify the category metadata.

--subcategory | --subcat 
Specify the subcategory metadata.

--title | --t
Specify the title metadata.

--lastname 
Specify the author last name metadata.

--middlename 
Specify the author middle name metadata.

--firstname | --author | --a
Specify the author first name metadata. Note that IMP files commonly place the full name in this component, and leave the middlename and lastname entries blank.

Examples
 impmeta mybook.imp --title 'Fixed Title' --author 'John Q. Brandy'
 impmeta -i mybook.imp -o fixed.imp --title 'Fixed Title' --cat "To Read"

Try it out first on some backups, and then when you sure it works for you, go live...

Anything you can think of that's missing or you want added?

[shighfield]

Nick: That works great! I've only really tested the catagory part, but will beat this up for you as I'm converting a ton of books from LRF to HTML / IMP now.

Additions... What about a way to mass change a directory? ie: impmeta *.imp --cat "Fantasy" would set the whole shebang in the directory?

My end goal is to (under windows for now) click a button and be able to edit fields in IMP's from calibre, convert to IMP within calibre, etc.

[nrapallo]

Originally Posted by shighfield

Nick: That works great! I've only really tested the catagory part, but will beat this up for you as I'm converting a ton of books from LRF to HTML / IMP now.

Additions... What about a way to mass change a directory? ie: impmeta *.imp --cat "Fantasy" would set the whole shebang in the directory?

My end goal is to (under windows for now) click a button and be able to edit fields in IMP's from calibre, convert to IMP within calibre, etc.

That's easy, using windows for command, place this in a batch file and pass it parameters --cat "Fantasy" (or %1 %2) etc:

for %%i in (*.imp)  do impmeta "%%i" --cat "Fantasy"

If you execute this at the dos prompt without batch files, then use single % in place of the double %%.

Oh, and for recursively down into all subdirs, use:

for /r %%i in (*.imp)  do impmeta "%%i" --cat "Fantasy"

[shighfield]

Well then! I always forget about the old command.com tricks. So far I've used it on around 20 books in my real library and all is fine. When I'm out today I'm picking up my first pbook in a long time. Determined to learn python now, it looks easy to work with.

[nrapallo]

Originally Posted by shighfield

Well then! I always forget about the old command.com tricks. So far I've used it on around 20 books in my real library and all is fine. When I'm out today I'm picking up my first pbook in a long time. Determined to learn python now, it looks easy to work with.

I've got a lot of python self-learn type ebooks in .imp format if you want them. I'll have to check if I have a EBW1150 .imp version as most are in REB1200 .imp format.

[shighfield]

Thanks Nick! Apreciated the links and will be giving this a go over! Something new to play with so we'll see if it sticks in my head or makes it hurt like basic does.