Where is the ebook-viewer app located?

[truth1ness]

On my mac the Calibre Ebook Viewer shows up as an independent app when a book is opened, "ebook-viewer". However, I can't seem to find the corresponding ebook-viewer.app file that usually accompanies any Mac app. Where is this file?

I'm wondering because I'd like to make it my default epub/ebook viewer across my whole Mac so any ebook file I double click opens up right in the viewer.

[theducks]

same place calibre.exe is

calibre2 folder

[eschwartz]

Mac is special. You will have to go spelunking in the calibre.app bundle.

Time was, you could install the cli tools to /usr/bin then make launcher scripts, I believe someone may have posted an AppleScript...
But that requires escalating to root, and the API used to request root permission to make the symlinks was deprecated or something IIRC.

[kovidgoyal]

It's inside the calibre.app bundle.

[odamizu]

[Old shell script instructions deleted. Use Mac alias instead. See post #9 below.]

[eschwartz]

Someone a while back made an applescript to launch ebook-edit and accept drag-and-drop as well, but I forget when/where.

Something similar might work here.
Of course, this would be far easier if OSX worked more like linux, where OS Open With is defined via .desktop files specifying a command to run.
Or Windows which uses actual executables for linking and associating stuff.
Or maybe just anything other than OSX, with its odd habit of using those weird app bundles with their inscrutable contents. I assume because it is "easier" for the technologically unsophisticated.
Apple does not make things easy...

[truth1ness]

I ended up just making a copy of it and putting it in /Applications to use to open one off files. It won't auto update but I figure I can just recopy it once in a while if there is a significant update.

The other option would be to make either a Symbolic or Hard Link (I'm not sure which is the better choice) and place that outside of the package and I think that should function as if it were the actual file in two places.

[eschwartz]

Copy of what?

Also, symbolic links should work admirably.

[odamizu]

Interesting. Forget my shell script, a Mac alias (similar to symbolic link) does indeed work. (I did the shell script several years ago, which would have meant Calibre 0.x and Mac OS 10.5 or 10.6. At the time an alias did not work for me, and I don't use ebook-viewer much anyway so the shell script got very little use.)

However, drag-and-drop does not seem to work with the ebook-viewer alias, and it still won't take an "Open with" file association to automatically launch when double-clicking an ebook.

[BetterRed]

An alias should also continue to work if the target is moved (within the same file system) and maybe if the target is renamed (not sure ??)

But they can't be drop targets like Windows shortcuts can. And IIRC they're not easily created - ie no right button drag of a file and create alias here at drop point.

BR

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

An alias should also continue to work if the target is moved (within the same file system) and maybe if the target is renamed (not sure ??)

Yes and yes.

But they can't be drop targets like Windows shortcuts can.

Actually, they can and do. Dragging-and-dropping a book onto an alias of Calibre opens Calibre and imports the book into Calibre. Same with any full stand-alone app. I suspect it doesn't work with ebook-viewer because the Mac version has ebook-viewer embedded inside the Calibre app.

Though I did discover that if you put ebook-viewer in the Sidebar (command-drag), you can drop an ebook onto it and ebook-viewer will launch. But it will not open the book.

And IIRC they're not easily created - ie no right button drag of a file and create alias here at drop point.

Creating an alias in Mac is simple: right-click to create, then drag to location of your choice. Or command-option drag to location of your choice.

[eschwartz]

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234094

Pretend this thread is talking about ebook-viewer instead of ebook-edit, it should be the same otherwise.

[BetterRed]

@odamizu - thanks for the update. Its a few years -- like maybe 10 -- since I played with aliases on Mac. My memory is that I had to create the alias file through a dialogue, not unlike Windows not often used New->Shortcut dialogue.

But we couldn't drop files on the alias - which was the objective, maybe the program was in a bundle or something, can't recall. I gave up on it, the owner was getting anxious, even after several years with his Mac he barely knew how to drive Finder I found a Macxpert to help him.

I think we're in furious agreement that aliases on Mac, like shortcuts on Windows, are to be preferred over symlinks for accessing programs, and for the same reasons - they usually continue to work if the target is moved or renamed.

BR

[odamizu]

@BetterRed - Yes, Mac aliases have improved a lot The reason I did the shell script several years ago was because aliases didn't do what I wanted. Now much better!

@eschwartz - Thanks! Interesting link. I don't use ebook-viewer much, just trying to help the OP. But I like learning new stuff, and the link you suggested is full of good stuff

[eschwartz]

Yes, and hopefully the OP will also appreciate my update to post #6.