Add empty book: When adding empty book records to the library, add an option to also create empty EPUB files. Useful if you intend to subsequently edit these files with the calibre editor. You can access the add empty books feature by right clicking the Add Book button.

src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 from calibre import as_unicode
 from calibre.gui2 import (error_dialog, choose_files, choose_dir,
-        warning_dialog, info_dialog)
+        warning_dialog, info_dialog, gprefs)
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.add_empty_book import AddEmptyBookDialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.progress import ProgressDialog
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 from calibre.gui2 import question_dialog
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import MetaInformation
+from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
 
 def get_filters():
     return [
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ def add_empty(self, *args):
         dlg = AddEmptyBookDialog(self.gui, self.gui.library_view.model().db,
                                  author, series)
         if dlg.exec_() == dlg.Accepted:
+            temp_files = []
             num = dlg.qty_to_add
             series = dlg.selected_series
             db = self.gui.library_view.model().db
@@ -203,7 +205,15 @@ def add_empty(self, *args):
                 if series:
                     mi.series = series
                     mi.series_index = db.get_next_series_num_for(series)
-                ids.append(db.import_book(mi, []))
+                fmts = []
+                if gprefs.get('create_empty_epub_file', False):
+                    from calibre.ebooks.oeb.polish.create import create_book
+                    pt = PersistentTemporaryFile(suffix='.epub')
+                    pt.close()
+                    temp_files.append(pt.name)
+                    create_book(mi, pt.name)
+                    fmts = [pt.name]
+                ids.append(db.import_book(mi, fmts))
             self.gui.library_view.model().books_added(num)
             if hasattr(self.gui, 'db_images'):
                 self.gui.db_images.reset()
@@ -211,6 +221,8 @@ def add_empty(self, *args):
             if ids:
                 ids.reverse()
                 self.gui.library_view.select_rows(ids)
+            for path in temp_files:
+                os.remove(path)
 
     def add_isbns(self, books, add_tags=[]):
         self.isbn_books = list(books)

src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py

@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@
 
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import QDialog, QGridLayout, QLabel, QDialogButtonBox,  \
-            QApplication, QSpinBox, QToolButton, QIcon
+            QApplication, QSpinBox, QToolButton, QIcon, QCheckBox
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import string_to_authors
 from calibre.gui2.complete2 import EditWithComplete
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
+from calibre.gui2 import gprefs
 
 class AddEmptyBookDialog(QDialog):
 
@@ -61,12 +62,23 @@ def __init__(self, parent, db, author, series=None):
         self.sclear_button.clicked.connect(self.reset_series)
         self._layout.addWidget(self.sclear_button, 5, 1, 1, 1)
 
-        button_box = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok | QDialogButtonBox.Cancel)
+        self.create_epub = c = QCheckBox(_('Create an empty EPUB file as well'))
+        c.setChecked(gprefs.get('create_empty_epub_file', False))
+        c.setToolTip(_('Also create an empty EPUB file that you can subsequently edit'))
+        self._layout.addWidget(c, 6, 0, 1, -1)
+
+        button_box = self.bb = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok | QDialogButtonBox.Cancel)
         button_box.accepted.connect(self.accept)
         button_box.rejected.connect(self.reject)
-        self._layout.addWidget(button_box)
+        self._layout.addWidget(button_box, 7, 0, 1, -1)
         self.resize(self.sizeHint())
 
+    def accept(self):
+        oval = gprefs.get('create_empty_epub_file', False)
+        if self.create_epub.isChecked() != oval:
+            gprefs['create_empty_epub_file'] = self.create_epub.isChecked()
+        return QDialog.accept(self)
+
     def reset_author(self, *args):
         self.authors_combo.setEditText(_('Unknown'))