# Use the CLI


# Make a library

A library is a folder. earmark writes everything into it: the settings, the text, the MP3s and the feed. A podcast app must be able to download the folder's files from a public URL, so the folder must be served on the web. [Host a library](hosting.md) lists the services that can do this.

``` bash
earmark init ~/pCloud\ Drive/public/earmark \
  --base-url https://filedn.com/XXXX/earmark
```

`--base-url` is the public URL of the folder. `init` also makes this library your default, so the commands below work from any directory.


# Publish something

``` bash
earmark publish https://example.com/some-long-article
earmark publish paper.pdf
```

`publish` extracts the text, cleans it for listening, dictates it, and adds the episode to `feed.xml`. A source can be a URL or a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, EPUB, HTML or Markdown file.

To get your feed URL and a list of episodes:

``` bash
earmark feed
```

Add that URL to your podcast app, as described in [Subscribe](../github/subscribe.md).


# Fix the text before it is dictated

Extraction is not perfect. To correct the text first, stop after the text step:

``` bash
earmark text paper.pdf               # prints the path it wrote, e.g. text/some-paper.md
# edit text/some-paper.md
earmark publish text/some-paper.md   # dictates your edited file
```

earmark never re-cleans a file that it wrote, so your edits stay. Dictation is cached, so a second publish dictates again only the parts you changed.

`earmark audio SOURCE` dictates without adding to the feed.


# Choose a voice

``` bash
earmark voices                       # list the voices, with quality grades
earmark voices --try bf_emma         # hear one
earmark publish paper.pdf --voice bf_emma --speed 1.1
```

To change the defaults, run `earmark config`, which opens `earmark.toml` in your editor. [Settings](../settings/index.md) lists every setting you can change, and where.


# Use a reading list

A local library can use `sources.yml` in the same way as the [GitHub setup](../github/setup.md). `init` creates the file. List your sources in it, then run `earmark publish` with no source:

``` bash
earmark publish                      # add new entries, remove deleted ones
earmark publish --dry-run            # show the changes only
```


# Remove episodes

``` bash
earmark feed --remove                # choose episodes from a numbered list
earmark feed --prune --keep 20       # keep only the newest 20
```

Every command and flag is in the [Reference](../reference/index.md).