Modify Built-In Recipe to Eliminate Images?

[huladaddy]

I am trying to use the Vancouver Sun recipe, but the final downloaded product is way too large to then email to my kindle (50+ MB).

I would like to modify the recipe to ignore images and not download them. Is this something that is easy to do?

[kovidgoyal]

compress_news_images = True

[huladaddy]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

compress_news_images = True

I love your efficient, to-the-point replies! And thanks for replying so quickly.

Does that line eliminate the images, or compress them like it suggests? Is there an easy way to convert the images to black and white as well? Would the savings be worth it?

[kovidgoyal]

compresses and no.

[huladaddy]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

compress_news_images = True

Adding this line to my Vancouver Sun recipe shrunk my mobi from 70 MB to 20 MB.

[eschwartz]

Added to calibre, so you can get rid of the custom recipe next release.

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...1c663772f2719a

[huladaddy]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Added to calibre, so you can get rid of the custom recipe next release.

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...1c663772f2719a

Hey, thanks!

But, unfortunately everyone of my recipes are custom, because I have to manually add:
timefmt = ''

BTW, do you know why that isn't a standard?

Also, do you know if there is an easy way to check to see if any of the built-in recipes have changed between calibre updates? Alternatively, do you know an easy way to update custom recipes with changes to the built-in recipes?

[eschwartz]

Any updated recipes will be mentioned as such on the changelog: http://calibre-ebook.com/whats-new.

This past update 1.48 changed the recipes for Maximum PC and El Correo.

Why do you need to change timefmt?

[huladaddy]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Why do you need to change timefmt?

I download news, and email the files automatically to my Kindle. The Kindle treats them as periodicals. If each days' edition of a particular news source has the same name, then the Kindle files older editions in a special folder called "Periodicals: Back Issues". (Forgive me if you know all of this, but this may be helpful to others.)

It appears that most (maybe all?) built-in recipes include some form of the date in their title, meaning that the Kindle will treat each edition of a particular news source as unique, therefore never triggering any filing into the "Back Issues" folder. i.e New York Times - Aug 15, 2014; New York Times - Aug 14, 2014; etc.

If, however, I add the "timefmt = ''" statement to the recipes, the titles of those recipes will not include the date, and the proper filing on the Kindle will occur. i.e. New York Times.

It would be really cool if there was a way to change this globally, such as to have a checkbox asking "Include the date in the title? <yes,no>?"

[eschwartz]

Thanks for the explanation. That does make sense, and I like the idea of the checkbox. I am sure you aren't the only one who emails them.

[kovidgoyal]

If you have your output profile set to kindle, the date is not included in the titles. https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr.../news.py#L1402

[huladaddy]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If you have your output profile set to kindle, the date is not included in the titles. https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr.../news.py#L1402

Wow. Thanks. I did not know the significance of that setting.

Could I suggest that the "Profile description" explain a bit more the significance of this setting. For instance, it is not obvious that by selecting "Kindle", any news source I download will not contain the date in the title like it will for other profiles (I presume.)

The Profile description for the Kindle describes the screen size as 525 x 640. I know that the screen size is actually 600 x 800. Why the discrepancy? The one thing I notice is that calibre-generated covers (the image with the vertical books) do not fill my screen entirely. There is a white band at the top and bottom of the screen, so it looks like the image may be formatted for the more squat 525 x 640 aspect ratio.

Should the Kindle profile be changed? Should/could I use another profile with a matching aspect ratio and still have the date not included in the title? Are there any other features the Kindle profile provides?

[kovidgoyal]

THe resolution in the profile is the actual useable resolution on the screen.