Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Single click conversion form any format to EPUB using Calibre v2.0 - now with batch multiple files conversion, and rename instead than overwrite

One year ago I developed a simple script to convert any document (PDF, RTF, TXT,...) to EPUB format, using Calibre.
The script was very simple to use, just put the script in the Calibre folder, and then drag and drop the file you want to convert on the script.

Today a reader asked for 2 new features:
  • being able to convert multiple files at once
  • don't overwrite the epub file that may already exist
So I implemented these features in an updated version of the script.

Click here to Download the new version of the script.

You need to place this script in the same folder where you have the Calibre executable.

Then you can drag and drop the file you want to convert on the script:

After the conversion, you'll find the new converted EPUB file in the same folder as the original file.

Check the original article for more information about this script, and how to use it.

About the new features
Now, for example, you can select 10 PDF files and drop them on the script, and they'll get converted to EPUB (and Author and Title will be set, check the original article for more information)

If the epub file already exist, now the script will add current date/time to the filename.
Example: you try to convert a file named "Asimov - Nightfall.pdf", the script try to create a file named "Asimov - Nightfall.epub", but if this file already exist the script will then create a file named "Asimov - Nightfall 01_01_2014 21.13.52,34.epub" by adding current date/time to the filename.

This updated script, in theory, can convert up to 400 files at once.

The real limitation came from Windows max command line length, that is limited to 8191characters.
So, in real life, you probably won't be able to drag and drop 400 files on the script, because their full pathname will be longer than 8191 characters.
By "Full pathname" i mean the full path + filename of the files, so a full pathname of a file my look something like "E:\eBook\asimov books\series\Asimov - Empire 1.pdf" whick is long 52 chars.
So if you have files like that, you can convert a maximum of about 8192 / 52 = 157 files at once.
Depending on you filename and folder structure your mileage may vary.

Inside the script...
Here is a color-coded version of the EPUB conversion script, the same script you can download here.
(color coded version of the script created by the courtesy of http://hilite.me/ using the 'native' profile, and then tweaking color by hand)

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@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

rem  find script path
set scriptPath=%~dp0
set scriptPath=%scriptPath:~0,-1%
rem "%scriptPath%\pyprogram.exe" /myparam=123_abcd


IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")







SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

SHIFT
IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")

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IF EXIST "%~1" (CALL :epubConvert "%~1")



rem this goto if here to skip the code of the confesion function
goto :endOfBatchfile


rem start of a sub function
:epubConvert
        set filename=%~n1

        REM split authors from title using the first "-" as separator
        REM using ! and EnableDelayedExpansion instead of % so that filename containing parenthesis wont cause issue
        FOR /F "usebackq tokens=1* delims=-" %%a in ('!filename!') do (
          set autore=  %%a  
          set titolo=  %%b  
        ) 

        rem trim authors name extra space from left/right
        for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ("!autore!") do set autore=%%a
        set autore=%autore%##
        set autore=%autore:                ##=##%
        set autore=%autore:        ##=##%
        set autore=%autore:    ##=##%
        set autore=%autore:  ##=##%
        set autore=%autore: ##=##%
        set autore=%autore:##=%
        echo. Authors: "%autore%"


        rem trim titles extra space from left/right
        for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ("!titolo!") do set titolo=%%a
        set titolo=%titolo%##
        set titolo=%titolo:                ##=##%
        set titolo=%titolo:        ##=##%
        set titolo=%titolo:    ##=##%
        set titolo=%titolo:  ##=##%
        set titolo=%titolo: ##=##%
        set titolo=%titolo:##=%
        echo. Title: "%titolo%"


        echo.
        echo.

        REM if the filename doesent contains any "-" then %titolo% will be empty
        IF "%titolo%"=="" (
          set titolo=!autore!
          set autore=unknown 
        )


        set InputfileParameters=--remove-paragraph-spacing
        set PDFInputfileParameters=
        set EpubInternalHTMLsplitSize=--flow-size 50

        IF "%~x1"=="PDF" set PDFInputfileParameters=--unwrap-factor 0.25

        set outputFileName=%~dp1%autore% - %titolo%.epub

        REM If filename alrteady exist, use a different name (I'll append current date/time to create a uinique filename)
        IF EXIST "%outputFileName%" (
              rem Get current date
              SET DT=%date%
              rem remove character invalid for filename
              SET DT=!DT:\=_!
              SET DT=!DT:/=_!
              SET DT=!DT:-=_!
              SET DT=!DT:.=_!
              SET DT=!DT::=_!

              rem Get current time
              SET TM=%time%
              rem remove character invalid for filename
              SET TM=!TM:\=.!
              SET TM=!TM:/=.!
              SET TM=!TM:-=.!
              SET TM=!TM::=.!

              set outputFileName=%~dp1%autore% - %titolo% !DT! !TM!.epub
        )



        "%scriptPath%\ebook-convert.exe" "%~1" "%outputFileName%" %InputfileParameters% %PDFInputfileParameters% %EpubInternalHTMLsplitSize% --authors "%autore%" --title "%titolo%"

        IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 pause

rem end of sub function
goto :eof

rem end of the batch file
:endOfBatchfile

This batch file is very similar to the old one.
All the main code to do the conversion is included in a Sub function called epubConvert.
At the beginning of the file I've added about 400 lines of command like Switch / Call epubConvert %1- Switch / Call epubConvert %1 - Switch / Call epubConvert %1 - ...


By implementing these feature I even discovered a new batch command (shift) that I've never used before, it's very useful if you need to manage more than 9 command line parameters :-)