[kacir]

The 9.X version of Calibre adds a new column to the database named #pages and fills it with the estimated page number for each book. This is used by the new "Bookshelf" layout.

There are many users that will appreciate the new layout. People are already expressing that they like the new feature. I personally do not plan to use that and I do not like the idea of having a new column in the database and also the idea that Calibre will process all the books in the library to fill the new column. In the process it will update metadata.opf file for all the books.

I have a large number of books in the library and an SSD and I do not like the idea of Calibre updating a large number of files to support a bookshelf layout I do not plan to use. Also, it would take Calibre a long time to process all the existing books.

Could we, please, pretty please, get a new tweak that would suppress the creation of the #pages column and the recount of pages for all the existing and new books?

Bookshelf layout is not the only new feature Calibre got with 9.X major version and I would like to use some of new and also future features. I will use 8.16.1 for now, but I would like to update eventually. I really like the way Calibre keeps adding new and improving existing features, sometimes dramatically.