Calibre and filetype associations

Rellwood · 02-20-2022, 04:01 PM

I really want to use my own icons for the individual ebook file types on my computer, mobi, .epub, .fb2, .lit, .aww3, etc. However nothing I can do will cause Windows 10 to associate the icon I ascribe it. I go into the registry and change the default associations, but it seems that Calibre has already claimed the file type associations. I keep getting the Calibre viewer icon for every format. Since I don't have the exensions showing on my files, I can't tell easily what files I am looking at in my folders.

I have used Nirsoft programs for filetype associations and that works for a little bit, but it always comes back to the Calibre viewer icon.

I was hoping there was some way that I can fix this. Is this a Windows 10 problem that can't be fixed? Is this something that Calibre needs to operate (keeping those filetypes associated with it)? Is this because I selected those filetypes in behaviors when saying to use the Calibre internal viewer to see those files? If I click them off then Calibre won't open them.

Any suggestions?

Sirtel · 02-20-2022, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rellwood

Is this because I selected those filetypes in behaviors when saying to use the Calibre internal viewer to see those files? If I click them off then Calibre won't open them.

This is the reason. If you set Calibre viewer as the default program for those filetypes, then the viewer icon is what you'll get.

Is there a reason you don't have the file extensions displayed? That would be the easy way to tell which file is which.

Rellwood · 02-20-2022, 04:07 PM

I use Directory Opus for a file manager and I don't like seeing the extensions. I use the icons to tell me what I am looking at. It just makes it easier on me.

Rellwood · 02-20-2022, 04:13 PM

It's always been a bit of a battle to keep those icons I like in place, but the default settings for the viewer of those file types are unable to be removed now. If I kept it so that there was no default then the icons stayed, but now I can't even remove Calibre as the default, no matter what I do in the registry.

Sirtel · 02-20-2022, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rellwood

I use Directory Opus for a file manager and I don't like seeing the extensions. I use the icons to tell me what I am looking at. It just makes it easier on me.

I don't know about Opus, but Windows shows the icon of the program you've set as default. I believe there are free utilities allowing to change this behavior, but I've not tried them. When you google, you should find some.

Rellwood · 02-20-2022, 04:18 PM

Yeah, that's what I have been doing. I just have to keep going back. They never stay no matter how much I don't change the default.

BetterRed · 02-20-2022, 05:12 PM

See if this helps ==>> How to change File and Folder Icons in Windows 11/10

BR

Rellwood · 02-20-2022, 06:26 PM

I had the filetypes manager program like that. I was finally able to get it to work enough to keep the icons the way I like. I know it's a small thing to some people, not enough to get worked up over, but ---for me, the way I process things visually, I need the different icons because they are all different colors. It's because also my file manager program has flat view where I can flatten the directories and folders to just see the files without them. I can set the sort however I like, and going down the directories I need to be able to easily see the different file types when my .epubs are green, the .mobi's are orange, the .azw3's are the same as in Calibre, the .azw from Amazon Kindle are their type. The .json's and .opf's are from Notepad++, the metadata.db files have the little sqlite icon.

It's just better than having the brown book with the magnifying glass icon take up every document that has a Calibre association (the book and opf files). Lol!

theducks · 02-20-2022, 07:10 PM

You realize, every Calibre update has the possibility of updating the Icons?

BetterRed · 02-20-2022, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

You realize, every Calibre update has the possibility of updating the Icons?

Where ?

Rellwood is referring to the icons he sees in his file manager when he "flattens" a library, something like this from xplorer²->Browse Flat:

Click image for larger version

Name: Screenshot 2022-02-21 132950.jpg
Views: 106
Size: 397.3 KB
ID: 192407

BR

theducks · 02-21-2022, 08:39 PM

I suspect the OS (registered icons) gets updated along the way, since Calibre does a full update.

I know I have changed OS icons for a file type before, so something he is doing (another update) takes them back.

ownedbycats · 02-21-2022, 09:30 PM

Use CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS in the environment variables to prevent the filetype icons resetting whenever you update.

BetterRed · 02-21-2022, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Use CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS in the environment variables to prevent the filetype icons resetting whenever you update.

And this from Kovid ==>> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...97&postcount=7

Quote:

you can get calibre to unregister and re-register itself with windows as being capable of handling its supported file types by running:

calibre-debug --default-programs=unregister
calibre-debug --default-programs=register

BR

02-20-2022, 04:01 PM	#1
Rellwood Library Breeder (She/Her) Posts: 1,265 Karma: 1937891 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Fullerton, California Device: Paperwhite 2015 (2), PW 2024 (12 GEN), PW 2023 (11 GEN), Scribe (1st)	Calibre and filetype associations I really want to use my own icons for the individual ebook file types on my computer, mobi, .epub, .fb2, .lit, .aww3, etc. However nothing I can do will cause Windows 10 to associate the icon I ascribe it. I go into the registry and change the default associations, but it seems that Calibre has already claimed the file type associations. I keep getting the Calibre viewer icon for every format. Since I don't have the exensions showing on my files, I can't tell easily what files I am looking at in my folders. I have used Nirsoft programs for filetype associations and that works for a little bit, but it always comes back to the Calibre viewer icon. I was hoping there was some way that I can fix this. Is this a Windows 10 problem that can't be fixed? Is this something that Calibre needs to operate (keeping those filetypes associated with it)? Is this because I selected those filetypes in behaviors when saying to use the Calibre internal viewer to see those files? If I click them off then Calibre won't open them. Any suggestions?

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02-20-2022, 04:07 PM	#3
Rellwood Library Breeder (She/Her) Posts: 1,265 Karma: 1937891 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Fullerton, California Device: Paperwhite 2015 (2), PW 2024 (12 GEN), PW 2023 (11 GEN), Scribe (1st)	I use Directory Opus for a file manager and I don't like seeing the extensions. I use the icons to tell me what I am looking at. It just makes it easier on me.

02-20-2022, 04:13 PM	#4
Rellwood Library Breeder (She/Her) Posts: 1,265 Karma: 1937891 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Fullerton, California Device: Paperwhite 2015 (2), PW 2024 (12 GEN), PW 2023 (11 GEN), Scribe (1st)	It's always been a bit of a battle to keep those icons I like in place, but the default settings for the viewer of those file types are unable to be removed now. If I kept it so that there was no default then the icons stayed, but now I can't even remove Calibre as the default, no matter what I do in the registry.

02-20-2022, 04:18 PM	#6
Rellwood Library Breeder (She/Her) Posts: 1,265 Karma: 1937891 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Fullerton, California Device: Paperwhite 2015 (2), PW 2024 (12 GEN), PW 2023 (11 GEN), Scribe (1st)	Yeah, that's what I have been doing. I just have to keep going back. They never stay no matter how much I don't change the default.

02-20-2022, 05:12 PM	#7
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,722 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	See if this helps ==>> How to change File and Folder Icons in Windows 11/10 BR

02-20-2022, 06:26 PM	#8
Rellwood Library Breeder (She/Her) Posts: 1,265 Karma: 1937891 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Fullerton, California Device: Paperwhite 2015 (2), PW 2024 (12 GEN), PW 2023 (11 GEN), Scribe (1st)	I had the filetypes manager program like that. I was finally able to get it to work enough to keep the icons the way I like. I know it's a small thing to some people, not enough to get worked up over, but ---for me, the way I process things visually, I need the different icons because they are all different colors. It's because also my file manager program has flat view where I can flatten the directories and folders to just see the files without them. I can set the sort however I like, and going down the directories I need to be able to easily see the different file types when my .epubs are green, the .mobi's are orange, the .azw3's are the same as in Calibre, the .azw from Amazon Kindle are their type. The .json's and .opf's are from Notepad++, the metadata.db files have the little sqlite icon. It's just better than having the brown book with the magnifying glass icon take up every document that has a Calibre association (the book and opf files). Lol!

02-20-2022, 07:10 PM	#9
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,048 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	You realize, every Calibre update has the possibility of updating the Icons?

02-21-2022, 08:39 PM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,048 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I suspect the OS (registered icons) gets updated along the way, since Calibre does a full update. I know I have changed OS icons for a file type before, so something he is doing (another update) takes them back.

02-21-2022, 09:30 PM	#12
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 10,973 Karma: 75337983 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Use CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS in the environment variables to prevent the filetype icons resetting whenever you update.

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