GUI Plugin "TOC View Generator" (was: Define Content)

Mick2nd · 08-26-2019, 11:03 AM

Hello together,
shortly I created a Calibre plugin for myself. You can see its name in the title. Its purpose is to extract content information from ebooks (actually PDF and EPUB), to be more precise from the bookmarks, and to write it to a user defined "#content" field. This field is then displayed in the details view of Calibre just before Comments (configurable).
If you are interrested, you can visit my web page to get more information.
Also I append this plugin in this post.
It would be nice, if someone found it useful.

Mick2nd · 09-04-2019, 10:11 AM

In the mean time I detected an error: an intermediate file was not overwritten - so the #content field was not updated after the first invocation of the command for an epub ebook.
So I provide this update.
Additional content is better logging, exception handling an a dialog to check the requirements.
I apologize for any problems.

Mick2nd · 10-03-2019, 04:44 AM

Hi, I want to post some news about the progress in the work on the plugin.
The following points seem remarkable to me:

the dependency on Ruby was completely removed
the work is done completely in the background
the work is integrated with Calibre's job system
the only remaining problem is that Pdftk does not provide any progress hints, so the progress display is somewhat rudimentary

The changes are actually not reflected on my web page, but I plan to do this soon.

JSWolf · 10-03-2019, 08:42 AM

from the description of the plugin on your website, this sounds like you want to extract the eBook from the eBook file and place it in a custom field in Calibre. Do I have this correct?

kovidgoyal · 10-03-2019, 09:43 AM

FYI I ust added a function to extract the outline from PDF files to calibre itself, so no need to use pdftk.

Code:

from calibre.utils.podofo import get_outline

Mick2nd · 10-04-2019, 06:06 AM

Many thanks for Your hint. I just gave it a try. It works and I could see the generated list / dict structure.
One problem: during extraction the UI is blocked, although my code run in a ThreadedJob. With the pdftk this is not the case. Any additional hints?
Thanks!

Mick2nd · 10-04-2019, 06:09 AM

I do not extract the ebook from the ebook but the ebook's outline or bookmarks as it is called by Adobe reader.
The rest is correct.

Mick2nd · 10-04-2019, 06:14 AM

Just after my yesterday's post I detected some bugs:

epub toc at different location than expected
NL whitespace in titles caused crash
exception handling not correct
bug using obsolete module file

That's why this new bug fix post.

Moderator Notice
Moved latest version to post #1 (a convention for releases)

davidfor · 10-04-2019, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick2nd

I do not extract the ebook from the ebook but the ebook's outline or bookmarks as it is called by Adobe reader.
The rest is correct.

Firstly, I'd never noticed that Adobe Acrobat Reader used "bookmarks" for the table of contents. That is unfortunate, as everywhere else that I can think of, bookmarks are something the user adds as they read. Including Adobe Digital Editions which is used for ePubs.

But, I have to say your description of the plugin is terrible. When you first posted it, my reaction was similar to @JSWolf's. And I was only sure of what it did by reading the code. When I first saw it, I couldn't decide if "content information" was the metadata in the book, or text from the book. And the use of "bookmarks" added to the confusion as then I assumed you were extracting the user added bookmarks.

davidfor · 10-04-2019, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick2nd

epub toc at different location than expected

Looking at the code, you are assuming the NCX file is called "toc.ncx" and will either be in the OEPBS or root directory of the book. I have plenty of books where this would fail. You should be finding the file using the OPF.

Alternatively, calibre has methods to do this. Look at:

Code:

from calibre.ebooks.oeb.polish.container import EpubContainer
from calibre.ebooks.oeb.polish.toc import get_toc

Open the book using the first, and get the ToC using the latter. Or look at them to see how to find the appropriate file.

Mick2nd · 10-05-2019, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by davidfor
But, I have to say your description of the plugin is terrible.

Okay, You are right. I would like to change the name into a more meaningful one. Can we negotiate a new name for the plugin?
What's about:

TOC Generator
TOC View Generator
Table of Content Generator
Table of Content View Generator

I'll appreciate any hints.

Mick2nd · 10-07-2019, 06:04 AM

Hello,

in the mean time I decided to rename the plugin to "TOC View Generator". Hopefully people can better imagine what the plugin does seeing this name.
Also I added a few new features:

All dependencies from outside code are now removed
You can now choose the kind of heading markup, e.g. h3, h4, h5
You can now configure the name of the user defined field
You can also decide whether to store the view in the 'comments' field alternatively
And finally You can decide whether to replace, append, prepend the view content to the existing content

I also fixed bugs where I could detect them:

One could not select a new log file name because of an illegal reference
Further bugs I detected in the flow of code changes

A question arose regarding posting new releases:
How can I add attachments to previous posts? I could not find any button or link for it!

thiago.eec · 10-07-2019, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick2nd

Hello,

in the mean time I decided to rename the plugin to "TOC View Generator".

Some moderator could now change the title of the thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick2nd

A question arose regarding posting new releases:
How can I add attachments to previous posts? I could not find any button or link for it!

You can click on 'edit' on the bottom right corner of the first post. Then, click on 'Go advanced' and 'Manage Attachments'.

theducks · 10-07-2019, 11:57 AM

Moderator Notice
Name changed.

I will let the OP manage the attachment. It (releases) must be in the first post IF Calibre notifications are to work. Betas should NOT be in post 1

Use Advanced Edit mode in MR forums. Lots more options become visible.

Mick2nd · 10-07-2019, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thiago.eec

You can click on 'edit' on the bottom right corner of the first post. Then, click on 'Go advanced' and 'Manage Attachments'.

Thank's for Your info. Unfortunately I cannot see any Edit button in my post or below it.

10-03-2019, 09:43 AM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,530 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	FYI I ust added a function to extract the outline from PDF files to calibre itself, so no need to use pdftk. Code: from calibre.utils.podofo import get_outline

10-04-2019, 06:06 AM	#6
Mick2nd Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Germany, Jena Device: Kindle & Android Tablet	Hint for outline Many thanks for Your hint. I just gave it a try. It works and I could see the generated list / dict structure. One problem: during extraction the UI is blocked, although my code run in a ThreadedJob. With the pdftk this is not the case. Any additional hints? Thanks!

10-04-2019, 06:09 AM	#7
Mick2nd Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Germany, Jena Device: Kindle & Android Tablet	Reply to JSWolf I do not extract the ebook from the ebook but the ebook's outline or bookmarks as it is called by Adobe reader. The rest is correct.

10-04-2019, 06:14 AM	#8
Mick2nd Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Germany, Jena Device: Kindle & Android Tablet	New version with bug fixes Just after my yesterday's post I detected some bugs: epub toc at different location than expected NL whitespace in titles caused crash exception handling not correct bug using obsolete module file That's why this new bug fix post. Moderator Notice Moved latest version to post #1 (a convention for releases) Last edited by theducks; 10-04-2019 at 06:20 AM.

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10-03-2019, 08:42 AM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,370 Karma: 136466962 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	from the description of the plugin on your website, this sounds like you want to extract the eBook from the eBook file and place it in a custom field in Calibre. Do I have this correct?

10-07-2019, 11:57 AM	#14
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,442 Karma: 58055868 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Moderator Notice Name changed. I will let the OP manage the attachment. It (releases) must be in the first post IF Calibre notifications are to work. Betas should NOT be in post 1 Use Advanced Edit mode in MR forums. Lots more options become visible.

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