user stupidity protection suggestion

cybmole · 01-27-2011, 04:36 AM

I would like Calibre to help me guard against overwiting a "good" conversaion with a bad one due to poor search replace or structure detect parameters.

Here is how I think it could work - simply ???

before the convert book output routine overwrites an existing epub, mobi... it renames any existing file to a nonsense extension, say ebak, mbak.

that backup is not part of the library database - it is accessible only via open path / view folder - for manual retrieval & renaming.

the check library integrity routines could either be set to ignore those file types , or could report them for occasional manual deletes.

thus no need to code much at all really just do what word / excel etc do when saving a file with "keep backups" set.

I appreaciate i can do this manually -go to view path, copy file , paste ( thus creating a copy of.... file ), then do the conversion, but it would be nice to have it automated.

I am wanting it for conversions to those 2 types but it could be generalised, and arguably it could also be used within add/ merge books process

ldolse · 01-28-2011, 11:38 PM

This is actually more complicated than you think. If Calibre's database isn't aware of the backup then it will be deleted as soon as you tweak the book title or author. Agree that it would be nice though. If the book is already in decent shape I always do this manually for same source to same source conversions - just hit the 'O' button, which will open the window in a file manager, and duplicate the source file, and then run the conversion. I also keep a backup of all my files online, so if something went awry I could always restore from there.

cybmole · 01-29-2011, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldolse

This is actually more complicated than you think. If Calibre's database isn't aware of the backup then it will be deleted as soon as you tweak the book title or author. Agree that it would be nice though. If the book is already in decent shape I always do this manually for same source to same source conversions - just hit the 'O' button, which will open the window in a file manager, and duplicate the source file, and then run the conversion. I also keep a backup of all my files online, so if something went awry I could always restore from there.

ok - i did not test that, the backups survive "normal" book operations but not author rename. but solution could be to declare a backup folder & have all the .ebak, .mbak etc. dumped in there, unsorted, it is only a safety net after all.

As a new test I opened a containing folder - did copy + paste back on one title to create a copy of.... file. dragged that from it's subfolder into the calibre library main folder. then did author rename & also library check.

the copy of... file survived both processes & library check reported no errors. now it looks untidy there, but we do keep telling folks never to open calibre library so maybe that's a non-issue.

Manichean · 01-29-2011, 05:13 AM

There was recently a thread on this that lead to a ticket requesting an enhancement like this to be opened. As to if, when and how this is going to be implemented, I cannot say.

cybmole · 01-29-2011, 05:52 AM

yes I recall that, but that thread got into the complexities of having the backup versions in the books database which I think is not necessary.

I took the methodology of MS office & proposed something similar - with new "backup" extensions for each format. that happens automatically in the background when I work with word & excel files & I don't have to think about it.

Manichean · 01-29-2011, 05:59 AM

Let me recap: There's a ticket for that. The developers are aware that someone wants that feature. If one of them has the time for it, is plain bored or just wants to implement it, he will. Opening another thread requesting this or adding another ticket won't make it arrive any faster.
Also, the backup method you proposed in here was included in the ticket, if I remember correctly. If it wasn't, add a comment to the ticket suggesting the method.

01-27-2011, 04:36 AM	#1
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	user stupidity protection suggestion I would like Calibre to help me guard against overwiting a "good" conversaion with a bad one due to poor search replace or structure detect parameters. Here is how I think it could work - simply ??? before the convert book output routine overwrites an existing epub, mobi... it renames any existing file to a nonsense extension, say ebak, mbak. that backup is not part of the library database - it is accessible only via open path / view folder - for manual retrieval & renaming. the check library integrity routines could either be set to ignore those file types , or could report them for occasional manual deletes. thus no need to code much at all really just do what word / excel etc do when saving a file with "keep backups" set. I appreaciate i can do this manually -go to view path, copy file , paste ( thus creating a copy of.... file ), then do the conversion, but it would be nice to have it automated. I am wanting it for conversions to those 2 types but it could be generalised, and arguably it could also be used within add/ merge books process

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01-28-2011, 11:38 PM	#2
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	This is actually more complicated than you think. If Calibre's database isn't aware of the backup then it will be deleted as soon as you tweak the book title or author. Agree that it would be nice though. If the book is already in decent shape I always do this manually for same source to same source conversions - just hit the 'O' button, which will open the window in a file manager, and duplicate the source file, and then run the conversion. I also keep a backup of all my files online, so if something went awry I could always restore from there.

01-29-2011, 05:13 AM	#4
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	There was recently a thread on this that lead to a ticket requesting an enhancement like this to be opened. As to if, when and how this is going to be implemented, I cannot say.

01-29-2011, 05:52 AM	#5
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	yes I recall that, but that thread got into the complexities of having the backup versions in the books database which I think is not necessary. I took the methodology of MS office & proposed something similar - with new "backup" extensions for each format. that happens automatically in the background when I work with word & excel files & I don't have to think about it.

01-29-2011, 05:59 AM	#6
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Let me recap: There's a ticket for that. The developers are aware that someone wants that feature. If one of them has the time for it, is plain bored or just wants to implement it, he will. Opening another thread requesting this or adding another ticket won't make it arrive any faster. Also, the backup method you proposed in here was included in the ticket, if I remember correctly. If it wasn't, add a comment to the ticket suggesting the method.

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