Is this a bug? Conversion options randomly changing

[jecilop]

SOLVED as of post #7.


I'l try to be brief. I'm hoping those in the know candirect me.

I set conversion preferences a long while back in my search and replace for certain words or additions to books to be changed or removed. After awhile, I decided to approach this differently. So, I cleared the undesired word changes from my default preferences many months ago with all working fine. This correct plan is still what appears in my default preferences.

Just recently (I'm in version 2.47), I noticed that a book converted according to the OLD setup. I then realized it happened to a lot of books but wasn't consistent in all books converted in the same day but not at the same time. I discovered that the word changed were suddenly showing up in the conversion options window that allows additional changes or changes to the default setup. I couldn't believe it. I removed that stuff MONTHS ago with no problems since then. I have not idea how they showed up much less outside the default setup.

I've had a tough time finding which books were affected as Quality Check/Search epubs is proving to be glitchy/inconsistent in returns. Some things I can fix. Others I cannot ( I don't keep the original) and have to go through a long process again to replace them.

I have repeated steps to convert and find the since then and find the same problem occuring. I use to be able to just hit C and Enter not having to look at anything to convert. Now, I have to check the Search/Replace options every time because it randomly brings back the Search/Replace info that still does not appear in the defaults.

I've tried an watched and finally have to post looking for help.

Old Std Pref's in Search/Replace: Group A and Group B changes were std.
New (for months now) Std Pref's..: Group B only std. A deleted.

Here is an example of what just happened when converting some epubs:

1. - Opened Calibre
2. - Check Std Preferences - all good (ie, Group B)
3. - Ran Conversion - Checked Search/Replace window - Saw Group A only showing..had to delete line by line.
4. - Ran another conversion - Checked...Saw Group B only and nothing else.
5. - Ran another conversion - Checked....Back to seeing ONLY Group A...had to delete line by line

How can this be happening?


Another possible other aspect of this inconsistency:
I recently inquired why a default setting in Look and Feel that removes Font settings wasn't showing up as checked when I ran a conversion. I was told by I believe a moderator and someone involved in maintenance of Calibre that this is correct behavior. That option may be set as default, but it doesn't actually do that (I never made sense of this and didn't pursue it further as I use it sporadically). I have noticed that the checkbox sometimes shows as checked when I start a conversion and sometimes doesn't. In the tests run listed above, it was NOT there in 3 (ok). When I ran 4, it was there and needed to be unchecked. In 5, it was there and needed to be unchecked. I started but did not run and additional conversion and saw that it was NOT checked.

I'd really appreciate some input. As I keep up with updates, I believe this began in the middle of December to the end which puts it's beginning around option 2.46. I haven't updated to 2.48 just because the options did not appear relevant to my needs, but I read through bug fixes and such and do not see anything that would appear relevant to this.

Currently, I have to check the window each time I run a conversion. As I do A LOT, you can imagine the time consumer and annoyance this new behavior is now.

Issues eliminated:I haven't cloud synced anything to affect stored settings so I can tell you this isn't NOT affecting this.

The only other change is that I did update to Windows 10 from 7 almost mid December which was close to possible initial problems with the Search/Replace.. I caught it inadvertantly just at the beginning of the year and have determined affected books were from beginning to mid-December.


I am about to revert back to 7 because UUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH.... Windows tanked themselves. I use Windows because I know something about computers!! I hate productivity dumbed down to the point of confusion.

Caliber 2.47
Windows 10

[itimpi]

Do you realise that when you convert a book the settings used are saved and will be used by default for future conversions of that book? If you want the current system defaults to be used then you have to explicitly tell Calibre not to used the saved settings. It seems this might be what you are experiencing?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by itimpi

If you want the current system defaults to be used then you have to explicitly tell Calibre not to used the saved settings. It seems this might be what you are experiencing?

- see ==>> How options are set/saved for Conversion

You can remove book specific conversion settings, thus reverting to defaults you have in preferences, in bulk metadata edit, viz:



Select all your books via Ctrl+A with no active VL or search, tick the box, click Apply - should only take moments because the settings are in the database.

BR

[jecilop]

Originally Posted by itimpi

Do you realise that when you convert a book the settings used are saved and will be used by default for future conversions of that book? If you want the current system defaults to be used then you have to explicitly tell Calibre not to used the saved settings. It seems this might be what you are experiencing?

Hmmmm...interesting..In all I've read and settings that I've run through I have never known or seen this (or I misunderstood something).

This would make sense considering many of the books I was working with were being updated from original conversions. However, I have some that don't fall into that. Still, some things don't seem to fall into that.
However, I can conceded that this is seems the likely issue and looking through old and new files starting a conversions shows this an accurate pattern.

I AM NOT ABLE to find how to stop this. I have gone through defaults, tweaks, and when a conversion window is opened to turn this off.

Can you help with this?
and THANK YOU for your input. I would never have thought this, but I can see it as a good option to users.

[theducks]

What they said reduced to 2 lines

1) Preferences are used to set defaults for first time conversions and don't apply to re-conversions unless forced (tick or button at conversion task start)

2) Changes made on WHEN converting, only apply to that book,.

[jecilop]

Originally Posted by theducks

What they said reduced to 2 lines

1) Preferences are used to set defaults for first time conversions and don't apply to re-conversions unless forced (tick or button at conversion task start)

2) Changes made on WHEN converting, only apply to that book,.

@theducks,

These are not RE-conversions.
Essentially, original file (and thus library entry) was converted with a search/replace.
I've reconsidered and want to return to certain aspects of the original files which I am collecting and dropping into the library entry to replace the converted book. So I have an a book entry with a new epub. Then I would run the conversion with the new defaults for personal preferences. So the actual epub is new, but the library entry is the original line rather than a new import.

I've runs some tests and see that the saved conversion settings are based on the library entry and not the actual book it contains. So I've learned a VERY important lesson. I only fear all the books I thought I was fixing but returned to the same problem instead.

So, if I understand correctly, I must either hit the Reset Defaults button when "fixing" these entries, or (as I found) I can duplicate my old entries then do my fixes over time. I found this drops those old saved conversion settings.

[jecilop]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

- see ==>> How options are set/saved for Conversion

You can remove book specific conversion settings, thus reverting to defaults you have in preferences, in bulk metadata edit, viz:

Attachment 145416

Select all your books via Ctrl+A with no active VL or search, tick the box, click Apply - should only take moments because the settings are in the database.

BR

@BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by jecilop

@theducks,

These are not RE-conversions.
<snip>

So, if I understand correctly, I must either hit the Reset Defaults button when "fixing" these entries, or (as I found) I can duplicate my old entries then do my fixes over time. I found this drops those old saved conversion settings.

Technically they are.
It is the Record that stores the settings used for the conversion.

You simply dropped a fresh (book) starting point.

Clearing the saved settings is the way to go when trying again

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by jecilop

So, if I understand correctly, I must either hit the Reset Defaults button when "fixing" these entries, or (as I found) I can duplicate my old entries then do my fixes over time. I found this drops those old saved conversion settings.

Correct - if you set book specific conversion settings they are stored in the database (conversion_options), those settings will be used for future conversions of that book, until you change (overwrite) them, or discard them via reset to defaults for the individual book or in bulk for all selected books.

Pity there's not an option in the Quality Check PI to list books that have book specific conversion settings.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Correct - if you set book specific conversion settings they are stored in the database (conversion_options), those settings will be used for future conversions of that book, until you change (overwrite) them, or discard them via reset to defaults for the individual book or in bulk for all selected books.

Pity there's not an option in the Quality Check PI to list books that have book specific conversion settings.

BR

If you have a SQLlite browser: The conversion_options table has those entries as Book_Number