Calibre 2.0 takes window focus when converting .mobi

Hendrixxxxxxxx · 08-24-2014, 08:00 AM

I am using Calibre 2.0.0, and OSX Mavericks 10.9.4.

I noticed today, using Calibre, and other programs, that something was taking window focus away. I believe I narrowed it down to Calibre, and only when converting to mobi....so I ran the following test.

I set 5 books to convert from epub to mobi, and then started typing this post. Five times during the process (and it seems to be for the last 10-20 seconds of the conversion of each book, I guess depending on the size of the file) Safari (and I also tried Mail and a few others apps) lost its "front window" focus - i.e., another window or app stole the focus, and became the frontmost window athough I could never see or work out which one it was. After said 10 or 20 seconds the focus would come back to whichever app (Safari or Mail) I was previously working in.

I tried the same test converting to epub, and had no issues - I retained the window focus of whatever I was working in, throughout.

I tried turning off all and/or some notifications to see if these were what was stealing the focus, but without result.

Is anyone else noticing the same? Its not a major - just slightly annoying, given I have to wait for conversions to finish before going off and doing something else. Previously, I could set a few conversions going, go off and write an email, and then come back when they were complete. This is no longer possible.

kovidgoyal · 08-24-2014, 08:07 AM

Conversion to MOBI requires rasterization of SVG images. Rasterization of SVG images requires an instance of a browser (Qt WebKit) to be spun up. Presumably something in Qt 5 has changed causing the hidden browser to take focus, despite being hidden and launched from inside an app that has LSUIElement 1 set (which means it tells OS X it does not want any UI drawn for it).

You will notice it with conversion to both MOBI and PDF (both require Qt WebKit).

kovidgoyal · 08-24-2014, 08:16 AM

Try editing /Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Info.plist

to change the value of LSUIElement to 3

It might make a difference, though I doubt it.

kovidgoyal · 08-24-2014, 08:33 AM

Actually, do this instead, it seems to work on my OS X system

Edit
/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Info.plist

And change LSUIElement to LSBackgroundOnly

Hendrixxxxxxxx · 08-24-2014, 08:55 AM

That's fixed it.

Thanks Kovid!!

Top-notch customer service as always.

08-24-2014, 08:00 AM	#1
Hendrixxxxxxxx Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 136594 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Hong Kong Device: Kindle DX, Paperwhite, Paperwhite II, and Voyage	Calibre 2.0 takes window focus when converting .mobi I am using Calibre 2.0.0, and OSX Mavericks 10.9.4. I noticed today, using Calibre, and other programs, that something was taking window focus away. I believe I narrowed it down to Calibre, and only when converting to mobi....so I ran the following test. I set 5 books to convert from epub to mobi, and then started typing this post. Five times during the process (and it seems to be for the last 10-20 seconds of the conversion of each book, I guess depending on the size of the file) Safari (and I also tried Mail and a few others apps) lost its "front window" focus - i.e., another window or app stole the focus, and became the frontmost window athough I could never see or work out which one it was. After said 10 or 20 seconds the focus would come back to whichever app (Safari or Mail) I was previously working in. I tried the same test converting to epub, and had no issues - I retained the window focus of whatever I was working in, throughout. I tried turning off all and/or some notifications to see if these were what was stealing the focus, but without result. Is anyone else noticing the same? Its not a major - just slightly annoying, given I have to wait for conversions to finish before going off and doing something else. Previously, I could set a few conversions going, go off and write an email, and then come back when they were complete. This is no longer possible.

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08-24-2014, 08:07 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Conversion to MOBI requires rasterization of SVG images. Rasterization of SVG images requires an instance of a browser (Qt WebKit) to be spun up. Presumably something in Qt 5 has changed causing the hidden browser to take focus, despite being hidden and launched from inside an app that has LSUIElement 1 set (which means it tells OS X it does not want any UI drawn for it). You will notice it with conversion to both MOBI and PDF (both require Qt WebKit).

08-24-2014, 08:16 AM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Try editing /Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Info.plist to change the value of LSUIElement to 3 It might make a difference, though I doubt it.

08-24-2014, 08:33 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Actually, do this instead, it seems to work on my OS X system Edit /Applications/calibre.app/Contents/console.app/Contents/Info.plist And change LSUIElement to LSBackgroundOnly

08-24-2014, 08:55 AM	#5
Hendrixxxxxxxx Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 136594 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Hong Kong Device: Kindle DX, Paperwhite, Paperwhite II, and Voyage	That's fixed it. Thanks Kovid!! Top-notch customer service as always.

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