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DaltonST · 07-28-2014, 11:07 AM

My choice of .pdf was not at all arbitrary.

The reason there is a .pdf file attached to this thread is that the Forum Rules disallow any zip attachments except for the PI itself in order to not confuse the scraper that automatically updates the PI Index.

A .pdf file is a single file, and does not need to be zipped. Neither do .rtf or .docx documents, for that matter.

When I converted the original MS Word document in which I wrote the instructions into HTML, multiple files were produced due to the images contained in the instructions. I cannot zip them per the Forum Rules. So, I converted my MS Word document to .pdf instead. Hence the attached .pdf file.

I did try converting the Word docx into a single-file .mht format that could simply be attached to this thread, but the result was a 1.1 megabyte .mht file instead of a 292KB .pdf file.

Within the PI itself, I could certainly use HTML instead of .pdf, since I can extract the HTML files just as I do the .pdf file when the user clicks on the "read instructions" sub-menu icon. It just seems like punishment to have to have 2 different formats because I cannot add an "HTML_Instructions.zip" file to this thread.

I am working on a new plugin that has an 18 page Word document filled with screen snippets and Powerpoint graphics. That PI has the same issue as this one. Also, I hope the Forum Rules concerning max-size of attachments is not bumped against for that PI, since even as a .pdf (and not .mht) it still will be over 1mb in size.

Regarding your suggestion to embed the viewer in the gui, I launch the instructions file (in both plugins) in a sub-process of the operating system that is independent of Calibre so that the instructions can be read even if Calibre is exited. That is why it is not embedded in the gui per you suggestion. Again, my decision was not arbitrary.

07-28-2014, 11:07 AM	#8
DaltonST Deviser Posts: 2,265 Karma: 2090983 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Texas Device: none	Forum Rules Disallow Zip Attachments Except For The Plugin Itself My choice of .pdf was not at all arbitrary. The reason there is a .pdf file attached to this thread is that the Forum Rules disallow any zip attachments except for the PI itself in order to not confuse the scraper that automatically updates the PI Index. A .pdf file is a single file, and does not need to be zipped. Neither do .rtf or .docx documents, for that matter. When I converted the original MS Word document in which I wrote the instructions into HTML, multiple files were produced due to the images contained in the instructions. I cannot zip them per the Forum Rules. So, I converted my MS Word document to .pdf instead. Hence the attached .pdf file. I did try converting the Word docx into a single-file .mht format that could simply be attached to this thread, but the result was a 1.1 megabyte .mht file instead of a 292KB .pdf file. Within the PI itself, I could certainly use HTML instead of .pdf, since I can extract the HTML files just as I do the .pdf file when the user clicks on the "read instructions" sub-menu icon. It just seems like punishment to have to have 2 different formats because I cannot add an "HTML_Instructions.zip" file to this thread. I am working on a new plugin that has an 18 page Word document filled with screen snippets and Powerpoint graphics. That PI has the same issue as this one. Also, I hope the Forum Rules concerning max-size of attachments is not bumped against for that PI, since even as a .pdf (and not .mht) it still will be over 1mb in size. Regarding your suggestion to embed the viewer in the gui, I launch the instructions file (in both plugins) in a sub-process of the operating system that is independent of Calibre so that the instructions can be read even if Calibre is exited. That is why it is not embedded in the gui per you suggestion. Again, my decision was not arbitrary.