Save original when open a Book from Calibre Library

[Divingduck]

Hello Kovid,
Sometimes I like to edit a book starting from the library and check first the result with an in- or external viewer before I decide to take over a new book version.

What I am looking for is an additional similar tweak for saving an original file format if I open it from the library as you did it for polishing and modify EPUB or AZW3.

It will be nice to have sometime an option there if it isn't too complicate to implement this.

[kovidgoyal]

The editor automatically creates a checkpoint when you start editing. If you are unhappy with the state of your book, simply revert to that starting checkpoint.

[Divingduck]

Yes, I know.

My point is slightly different. At the moment I save a book for reviewing the changes outside e.g. ADE, I need first to save the file and overwrite then the original EPUB in the library. This is something what I like to prevent as long as possible, especially when I cannot finish a project within one session, what is quite normal for me. I am using calibre often as "nerve centre" with an own database for a project when I create or modify a book and its different documents and more often the process takes several days/weeks (what ever). So said, not quite the normal case using calibre, but sometimes very handy for me.

For sure, I can do this workflow outside the library or rather with manual backup copies (what I do), but I thought it will have maybe a benefit to do the whole process within calibre.

That is the story behind this request.

[kovidgoyal]

The way the editor works this is not quite possible to do. The editor unlike conversion or polish works on the same file that is input to it. So for conversiona nd polish when both epub and original_epub are present, original_epub is used. This cannot be done in the editor.

Note that the editor has a save a copy action which you can use to easily update a temp file without touching the original. And you can then review the temp file in whatever third aprty software you like.

[Divingduck]

Ok, I see what you mean. My idea was simpler:

If I start editing a book from the library (not inside the editor), first make a copy of the original and name it as original_epub and then open the epub file with the editor.
(If there is in "save_original_format tweak" an additional entry like "save_original_format_when_editing= true").

But this is nothing what kill my workflow, as I make today an additional copy of the book in the library