Weird Column behavior with new update

Gladtobemom · 09-17-2014, 01:58 AM

I am running the newest update on windows.

I normally use the viewer in paged mode with 3 columns, full screen or in a large window.

Problem: The columns are not lining up with the window. The left column is running off the side of the window, then there are two full columns and a partial one. I've tried changing window size, going from paged mode to regular mode, changing columns and margins, restarting. Nothing works.

It's quite frustrating.

This happened when I restarted after an update.

Gladtobemom · 09-17-2014, 02:03 AM

Arrrghh, it's beyond annoying, I normally hit the space bar to go to the next screen while reading, but with this column problem, I can't. The first column I can't read and the last column I can't read.

How do I fix this ppppllllleeeeeeaaaaase!

kovidgoyal · 09-17-2014, 02:09 AM

Works for me with three columns in the viewer. You are likely having issues with some individual book that has bad markup.

Gladtobemom · 09-17-2014, 02:44 AM

The book is a simple mobi format version that I was in the middle of reading before the 2.3 update.

I just tried it on two other books, both Baen books I've read before with no trouble. and it's doing the same thing, not syncing the columns to the edge of the window.

I also uninstalled and reinstalled callibre. I just run it vanilla, the only thing I change is set columns to 3, font size, and the background color.

I'm running windows 8 in desktop mode.

kovidgoyal · 09-17-2014, 06:14 AM

The 2.3 update has absolutely no effect on the viewer. But feel free to downgrade to the previous version if you like, old versions are linked to on the calibre download page.

Gladtobemom · 09-17-2014, 09:47 AM

Well, I switched to 4 columns and got it to line up.

It's just so frustrating when something that was so perfect isn't.

BetterRed · 09-17-2014, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladtobemom

Well, I switched to 4 columns and got it to line up.

It's just so frustrating when something that was so perfect isn't.

@Gladtobemom - long shot, after you changed it to 4 columns, did you try switching back to 3 columns?

BR

Gladtobemom · 09-19-2014, 01:48 AM

I switched back to three columns, aaarrgh. Why has it worked fine, exactly wonderful and now it's screwed up. If I futz with the window and make it smaller, it's still messed up.

What I want is full screen, 3 columns on my 1600 x 900 laptop screen. I've always run just plain Callibre, no plugins or anything. I just set the columns, and background color. I've also tried messing with the margins now and no joy on that either.

I've even totally uninstalled and used Revo to make sure that everything is gone.

here are screen shots both full screen and windowed mode:

What's most annoying is I can't even go to the next page and read because I hit the space bar and I can't read the first or last column. So I've been stuck with the four columns, which is really jaggedy and not as comfortable to read. What's going on?

kovidgoyal · 09-19-2014, 01:51 AM

You can run the viewer in debug mode like this:

calibre-debug -w somebook.epub

And see if anything useful is printed out, although I doubt it.

Gladtobemom · 09-19-2014, 01:53 AM

someone pm-ed me and said restore defaults, so I did.

which meant in paged mode there's just one big column, that went ok.

Then I switched it to 3 columns (changing NOTHING else) and the same thing happened, the left column is running off the side and so is the right column. :sigh:

Gladtobemom · 09-19-2014, 02:06 AM

Well, finally got it to work from command line. Nothing new.

I did convert the file to epub format, though and that seems to work as long as I don't put it in fullscreen mode.

Sadly, all my books are in mobi format. I used Mobipocket before Calibre . . . but I've been using Calibre for years now.

If it's happening in mobi format only, and resizing the window seems to goose it around but not cure it . .. strange, just plain strange.

Also tried converting from the EPUB format (working) to Mobi (erased the original Mobi file). Still messes up. Dang.

BetterRed · 09-19-2014, 04:23 AM

Gladtobemom - what version of calibre were you running before you upgraded to 2.3, and what version of Windows are you using ?

It might be useful to install the portable edition of calibre for the version you were using before you installed calibre 2.3 ==>> Previous calibre releases

It will create a near empty library default in the install directory. Drop the mobi into the book list and see if you're back to a readable 3 column setup.

BR

Gladtobemom · 09-19-2014, 01:54 PM

I'm using windows 8.1, but I am always in desktop mode.
I always update Calibre when it needs to be, so I was running whatever was just before the 2.3. I guess it was 2.2.

Sigh: I'll try installing an older version. It's the one thing I haven't tried.
There's got to be SOMEPLACE where there's something that looks at the size of the window and puts the columns in place.

I did also notice that if I'm in 3 column mode and I open the table of contents (comes up on the left side), then close it, that messes up the columns. It used to be that I could just click the paged mode thingy at the top right to go out of paged mode, then click it again to go back in paged mode and it would fix it, but it doesn't anymore since the latest update.

I'll futz with it more tonight. Don't really have time now.

I've spent more time trying to fix this than I have reading in the past couple of days. I did try everything I could think of doing and tried it on other books. I even completely uninstalled twice.

BetterRed · 09-19-2014, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladtobemom

I'm using windows 8.1, but I am always in desktop mode.

@Gladtobemom - one other thing to try, go into the configuration folder and rename these files

Code:

viewer.json -> viewer.json.save
viewer.py -> viewer.py.save
viewer_themes.json -> viewer_themes.json

Start the Viewer, you will lose your customisations, however if you can re configure get a usable 3 column display we may have have discovered the source of the 'problem'.

BR

Gladtobemom · 09-20-2014, 12:50 PM

I changed the first two files
viewer.json -> viewer.json.save
viewer.py -> viewer.py.save

since you don't show changing the third one, I didn't change it.
Opened Calibre, opened a mobi book in the viewer and it looked okay with a white background, switched to paged view, still looked okay with a single page, changed to 3 columns and got this

fullscreen

Next I'll change all three files and try again.

09-17-2014, 01:58 AM	#1
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	Weird Column behavior with new update I am running the newest update on windows. I normally use the viewer in paged mode with 3 columns, full screen or in a large window. Problem: The columns are not lining up with the window. The left column is running off the side of the window, then there are two full columns and a partial one. I've tried changing window size, going from paged mode to regular mode, changing columns and margins, restarting. Nothing works. It's quite frustrating. This happened when I restarted after an update.

09-17-2014, 02:09 AM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,170 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Works for me with three columns in the viewer. You are likely having issues with some individual book that has bad markup. Last edited by kovidgoyal; 09-17-2014 at 02:15 AM.

09-19-2014, 01:54 PM	#13
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	I'm using windows 8.1, but I am always in desktop mode. I always update Calibre when it needs to be, so I was running whatever was just before the 2.3. I guess it was 2.2. Sigh: I'll try installing an older version. It's the one thing I haven't tried. There's got to be SOMEPLACE where there's something that looks at the size of the window and puts the columns in place. I did also notice that if I'm in 3 column mode and I open the table of contents (comes up on the left side), then close it, that messes up the columns. It used to be that I could just click the paged mode thingy at the top right to go out of paged mode, then click it again to go back in paged mode and it would fix it, but it doesn't anymore since the latest update. I'll futz with it more tonight. Don't really have time now. I've spent more time trying to fix this than I have reading in the past couple of days. I did try everything I could think of doing and tried it on other books. I even completely uninstalled twice. Last edited by Gladtobemom; 09-19-2014 at 01:56 PM.

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09-17-2014, 02:03 AM	#2
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	Arrrghh, it's beyond annoying, I normally hit the space bar to go to the next screen while reading, but with this column problem, I can't. The first column I can't read and the last column I can't read. How do I fix this ppppllllleeeeeeaaaaase!

09-17-2014, 02:44 AM	#4
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	The book is a simple mobi format version that I was in the middle of reading before the 2.3 update. I just tried it on two other books, both Baen books I've read before with no trouble. and it's doing the same thing, not syncing the columns to the edge of the window. I also uninstalled and reinstalled callibre. I just run it vanilla, the only thing I change is set columns to 3, font size, and the background color. I'm running windows 8 in desktop mode.

09-17-2014, 06:14 AM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,170 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The 2.3 update has absolutely no effect on the viewer. But feel free to downgrade to the previous version if you like, old versions are linked to on the calibre download page.

09-17-2014, 09:47 AM	#6
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	Well, I switched to 4 columns and got it to line up. It's just so frustrating when something that was so perfect isn't.

09-19-2014, 01:48 AM	#8
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	I switched back to three columns, aaarrgh. Why has it worked fine, exactly wonderful and now it's screwed up. If I futz with the window and make it smaller, it's still messed up. What I want is full screen, 3 columns on my 1600 x 900 laptop screen. I've always run just plain Callibre, no plugins or anything. I just set the columns, and background color. I've also tried messing with the margins now and no joy on that either. I've even totally uninstalled and used Revo to make sure that everything is gone. here are screen shots both full screen and windowed mode: What's most annoying is I can't even go to the next page and read because I hit the space bar and I can't read the first or last column. So I've been stuck with the four columns, which is really jaggedy and not as comfortable to read. What's going on?

09-19-2014, 01:51 AM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,170 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You can run the viewer in debug mode like this: calibre-debug -w somebook.epub And see if anything useful is printed out, although I doubt it.

09-19-2014, 01:53 AM	#10
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	someone pm-ed me and said restore defaults, so I did. which meant in paged mode there's just one big column, that went ok. Then I switched it to 3 columns (changing NOTHING else) and the same thing happened, the left column is running off the side and so is the right column. :sigh:

09-19-2014, 02:06 AM	#11
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	Well, finally got it to work from command line. Nothing new. I did convert the file to epub format, though and that seems to work as long as I don't put it in fullscreen mode. Sadly, all my books are in mobi format. I used Mobipocket before Calibre . . . but I've been using Calibre for years now. If it's happening in mobi format only, and resizing the window seems to goose it around but not cure it . .. strange, just plain strange. Also tried converting from the EPUB format (working) to Mobi (erased the original Mobi file). Still messes up. Dang.

09-19-2014, 04:23 AM	#12
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,612 Karma: 29710338 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Gladtobemom - what version of calibre were you running before you upgraded to 2.3, and what version of Windows are you using ? It might be useful to install the portable edition of calibre for the version you were using before you installed calibre 2.3 ==>> Previous calibre releases It will create a near empty library default in the install directory. Drop the mobi into the book list and see if you're back to a readable 3 column setup. BR

09-20-2014, 12:50 PM	#15
Gladtobemom Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Cybook, Palm Z72	I changed the first two files viewer.json -> viewer.json.save viewer.py -> viewer.py.save since you don't show changing the third one, I didn't change it. Opened Calibre, opened a mobi book in the viewer and it looked okay with a white background, switched to paged view, still looked okay with a single page, changed to 3 columns and got this fullscreen Next I'll change all three files and try again.

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