Suggestion - calibre web viewer

[BetterRed]

I use a couple of programs that include a minimalist web viewer, notably the WordWeb program - I really like the fact that the web pages it presents don't interfere with my default browser - and I often wish calibre had the same.

So, I'd like to suggest that calibre include an option to use a built-in web viewer when a web url is clicked - eg a book ID. I envisage it would be a non-modal dialogue box with a tabbed interface. Each item clicked would open in a new tab, tabs would be removable, and have an option to open the page in the default browser. Links in web page would open in the same tab, there would be back & forward buttons, and simple things like select all and copy in a context menu. That's about it.

I use the term web viewer rather than web browser because it would not have features like bookmarking, add-ons, history, search, et-al; that one would expect to see in a web browser.

If not that, then maybe there could there be an option to get calibre to use a specific browser rather than the default browser - I'd probably give it IE 10, which I rarely use.

I guess one could get calibre use another instance of the default browser. For me that would result in stacked firefox task bar icons, which I regard as abnormal; e.g. it means there's an update pending or I've inadvertently opened a second browser window, or I've minimised the history window.

BR

[eschwartz]

Maybe.

On the other hand -- I wonder how many people would use such a feature?

Rather than configurable browsers, it is much simpler to simply pass a URL to xdg-open/whatever windows uses.
This would require the user do non-trivial configuration to setup.


I could hear an integrated viewer much better, but that is a lot more effort too.

[BetterRed]

I thought my suggestion was for an 'integrated viewer'. Surely, 'built-in' means exactly that, and a 'non-modal dialogue' by definition requires a main window in which to exist.

I even used the term web-viewer rather than web-browser and explained why I used that term. I am not asking for a configurable full blown web browser - just a simple viewer - something like this, but with variable rather than fixed tabs



Yes, I did make an alternate suggestion to have a setting where the user could configure a specific web browser be used rather than the default browser.

Sometimes I spend a few hours on stock trading through my default browser. Whilst waiting for confirmations etc I do things on my _Main calibre library via the calibre GUI. At such times (all the time really) I'd rather not have my default browser disturbed by a click on an ID or similar in the calibre GUI.

Another program I sometimes use to while away the waiting time, is Evernote. One of the things I do with Evernote is to access my calibre _Media library via calibre-server. I've 'coerced' Evernote into using Chrome rather than my default browser to do that

BR

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

...I really like the fact that the web pages it presents don't interfere with my default browser - and I often wish calibre had the same...

I am not sure what you mean by "don't interfere with my default browser" but if you mean not interfere with an already open session of the default browser then IE11, at least (and I would assume other browsers must too given the widespread claims of IE's inferiority on all fronts , but I wouldn't know), has the option to open links from other applications in a new window (i.e. another session) -> Internet option>Tabs and choice as to how links from other applications should open is down the bottom.

It is a global change so will apply to all applications though.

Otherwise I am unsure what you mean by interfere?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

I am not sure what you mean by "don't interfere with my default browser" but if you mean not interfere with an already open session of the default browser then IE11, at least (and I would assume other browsers must too given the widespread claims of IE's inferiority on all fronts , but I wouldn't know), has the option to open links from other applications in a new window (i.e. another session) -> Internet option>Tabs and choice as to how links from other applications should open is down the bottom.

It is a global change so will apply to all applications though.

Otherwise I am unsure what you mean by interfere?

I thought I said that too

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I guess one could get calibre use another instance of the default browser. For me that would result in stacked firefox task bar icons, which I regard as abnormal; e.g. it means there's an update pending or I've inadvertently opened a second browser window, or I've minimised the history window.

IE would be the same, I'd have an icon stack. Some people hate ribbons, I hate stacked icons in taskbars, especially task bars that emulate a Folies Bergère chorus line

I have my task bar configured to combine instances of the same program into a single taskbar icon stack. Most of my everyday-use applications have tabbed interfaces (in some cases I've paid for Add-ons to enable that) so when I see such programs icons stacked up I regard it as abnormal and in need of attention.

By interfere I mean this - I am conducting financial transactions in my default browser, during a trading lull I go to the calibre GUI to do some work on my _Main library. I'd prefer that the default browser tab set not be disturbed by a 'random' Amazon page opening when I inadvertently click on Amazon.com rather than Click to Open.

Yes I could conduct my trading in a browser other than my default browser, and yes I could set the default browser to say IE or Safari while I have active stock trade transactions on the go. And then set it back again.

But having bent Evernote to not use the default browser in some cases, I wondered if something similar could not be done for calibre. Or better yet have an option to use a built-in/integrated very lightweight web viewer incorporated into calibre. I have a feeling it couldn't be easily done with a plug-in, but I'd love to be told otherwise.

BR

[eschwartz]

Probably not without going through a right-click menu of some sort.

For linux, you could override xdg-open, Kovid has a nice python script for that somewhere (says it is much easier to manage)... and you could probably set different programs to open in all kinds of interesting ways by finding the parent pid. That would work for more than just calibre, too.

[BetterRed]

I like right-click menus - I like right thumb 'application' key menus best tho'.

linux = 2% of users suffering 20% of problems - I'll pass on that thanks

BR

[eschwartz]

You're using it already.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I thought my suggestion was for an 'integrated viewer'. Surely, 'built-in' means exactly that, and a 'non-modal dialogue' by definition requires a main window in which to exist.

I even used the term web-viewer rather than web-browser and explained why I used that term. I am not asking for a configurable full blown web browser - just a simple viewer - something like this, but with variable rather than fixed tabs

Attachment 135370

Yes, I did make an alternate suggestion to have a setting where the user could configure a specific web browser be used rather than the default browser.

Sometimes I spend a few hours on stock trading through my default browser. Whilst waiting for confirmations etc I do things on my _Main calibre library via the calibre GUI. At such times (all the time really) I'd rather not have my default browser disturbed by a click on an ID or similar in the calibre GUI.

Another program I sometimes use to while away the waiting time, is Evernote. One of the things I do with Evernote is to access my calibre _Media library via calibre-server. I've 'coerced' Evernote into using Chrome rather than my default browser to do that

BR

The Open With PI can be set up for just about any book file type

[eschwartz]

Including links?

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

...IE would be the same, I'd have an icon stack. Some people hate ribbons, I hate stacked icons in taskbars, especially task bars that emulate a Folies Bergère chorus line ...

Perhaps I should have been more expansive regarding the Windows taskbar properties as to what I was getting at.

Which was that Windows 8.x (at least, I cannot recall for older versions but I thought 7 was the same) allows one to chose between stacking (combine) the taskbar icons or not, or only stack if the taskbar is full; the choice is in Taskbar properties.

Which results in if one configures IE as I described and chose in Windows task bar properties not to stack (never combine in Windows parlance) task bar icons then when one opens a link in another application and IE is already open, the page linked to from the other application will appear as another icon on the taskbar. Each icon will be labelled (to the extend room on the taskbar allows) with the web page for identification.

The property for the Taskbar will be global though i.e. taskbar icons will never combine for all applications, and as I said the IE property will also be global, acting as described for links from all other applications. That behavior may or may not be sufficient. For myself I am indifferent as to whether a web viewer is incorporated or not.

Apologies if I have missed some important requirement mentioned but I am in the middle of a month long cruise in unpopulated areas with only occasional and poor cellular coverage, hence I rarely read everything in a thread and thump all our internet comm's out in a hurry when I get the chance .

[shalym]

I don't understand the issue with stacking in the taskbar. I have 15 tabs open tabs in Firefox, 5 in Chrome and 12 in IE, and I only have 1 icon for each program in my task bar. I don't remember ever having a configuration in Windows where opening multiple tabs in a browser results in multiple icons in the task bar.

Unless you're opening a new browser window each time, rather than a new tab?

Shari

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by shalym

...I don't remember ever having a configuration in Windows where opening multiple tabs in a browser results in multiple icons in the task bar...

I didn't think anyone is claiming that is so (but there may be applications that do, who has tested them all?).

Originally Posted by shalym

...Unless you're opening a new browser window each time, rather than a new tab?...

Assuming that is a question (your ?) then as I said; Windows 8.x (if I recall correctly Win 7 is similar but I don't have access to a Win 7 machine to check at the moment) then Taskbar Properties>Task Bar Tab>Taskbar buttons checkbox gives the options; Always Combine, Combine when taskbar is full, Never combine.

Never combine results in multiple icons (one for each window), Combine when taskbar is full results in multiple icons providing there is room else they are combined (i.e. stacked), Always combine results in there never being multiple icons (i.e. they are always stacked).

For the cases the icons are not combined then the icons have labels.

[theducks]

If you configure Firefox to always (or use the right click option) open links in a New Window, you get individual taskbar icons. I believe IE works this way.

The Taskbar options has a option to combine 'like' items

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by theducks

If you configure Firefox to always (or use the right click option) open links in a New Window, you get individual taskbar icons. I believe IE works this way...

Yes, IE works the same way if so configured for opening links in external applications. However, as far as I am aware (I stand to be corrected on this as there may be a configuration item I am unaware of), IE always opens a link from a web page that it has open in a new tab, except if a right click option as you describe is used.

Relying on IE11 for that as I cannot check older versions at the moment, but I think recent versions were the same behavior.

In case of any confusion I took, for my response, Shalym's comment " I don't remember ever having a configuration in Windows where opening multiple tabs in a browser results in multiple icons in the task bar." as referring to a configuration in Windows, not in IE.