Reverted to old version upon polishing?

Guv · 08-12-2015, 12:10 PM

Possibly I'm doing something wrong, but this still seems odd. I've been working on an epub in the calibre editor for some time now and today I just wanted to update the cover.

These were the steps I took - right clicked and selected "edit metadata individually," browsed for the new cover and added it, then clicked the polish books button, but with only the "update the cover in the book files" checkbox selected. No error messages or anything, but when I double clicked and opened the book in the reader, the cover was fine, but it's definitely reverted to a version from about two weeks ago with major changes missing.

Every time I made edits, I saved them and when I'd reopen the editor later, they'd be there. I updated calibre yesterday and today I did the polishing bit and those are the only things I did differently. So are my updates lost? Did I do something incorrectly?

theducks · 08-12-2015, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guv

Possibly I'm doing something wrong, but this still seems odd. I've been working on an epub in the calibre editor for some time now and today I just wanted to update the cover.

These were the steps I took - right clicked and selected "edit metadata individually," browsed for the new cover and added it, then clicked the polish books button, but with only the "update the cover in the book files" checkbox selected. No error messages or anything, but when I double clicked and opened the book in the reader, the cover was fine, but it's definitely reverted to a version from about two weeks ago with major changes missing.

Every time I made edits, I saved them and when I'd reopen the editor later, they'd be there. I updated calibre yesterday and today I did the polishing bit and those are the only things I did differently. So are my updates lost? Did I do something incorrectly?

If you have an original_epub, that is the master version

eschwartz · 08-12-2015, 02:10 PM

If you have ever converted the book from EPUB --> EPUB, then calibre will create an ORIGINAL_EPUB format with the pre-conversion state. This allows you to revert if you don't like the conversion.

All conversions, polishing, etc. use the ORIGINAL_EPUB, and overwrite the EPUB. This is to avoid converting a conversion -- since conversions are lossy, it is better to reconvert the original. That way you can change your settings if the first conversion wasn't quite what you expected.

You probably converted the EPUB and left the ORIGINAL_EPUB there. Don't do that -- if the conversion is acceptable, delete the ORIGINAL_EPUB.

Now your editing work is most likely gone.

Guv · 08-12-2015, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

If you have an original_epub, that is the master version

Yeah, I checked, and that's the old version too.

So am basically trying to play detective at this point and thinking about why it would revert back to this specific version. The only thing I can think of is that I had my phone plugged in and it had the old version on it from back when I wanted to see how it would look on aldiko. I guess it must have synced when it recognized my phone then?

theducks · 08-12-2015, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guv

Yeah, I checked, and that's the old version too.

So am basically trying to play detective at this point and thinking about why it would revert back to this specific version. The only thing I can think of is that I had my phone plugged in and it had the old version on it from back when I wanted to see how it would look on aldiko. I guess it must have synced when it recognized my phone then?

There is a Preferences: Tweaks

Code:

ID: save_original_format

When calibre does a conversion from the same format to the same format, for
example, from EPUB to EPUB, the original file is saved, so that in case the
conversion is poor, you can tweak the settings and run it again. By setting
this to False you can prevent calibre from saving the original file.
Similarly, by setting save_original_format_when_polishing to False you can
prevent calibre from saving the original file when polishing.

I thought that the editor was included. I was wrong

Guv · 08-12-2015, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If you have ever converted the book from EPUB --> EPUB, then calibre will create an ORIGINAL_EPUB format with the pre-conversion state. This allows you to revert if you don't like the conversion.

All conversions, polishing, etc. use the ORIGINAL_EPUB, and overwrite the EPUB. This is to avoid converting a conversion -- since conversions are lossy, it is better to reconvert the original. That way you can change your settings if the first conversion wasn't quite what you expected.

You probably converted the EPUB and left the ORIGINAL_EPUB there. Don't do that -- if the conversion is acceptable, delete the ORIGINAL_EPUB.

Now your editing work is most likely gone.

Ok, that makes more sense. So all my changes were in the epub, but when I polished, it pulled from the original_epub and undid all the changes? I don't remember ever directly converting from epub to epub, but the original_epub was there, so it must have happened at some point (editing process?)

Shouldn't the original_epub just be a backup? Like something calibre doesn't touch unless it's specifically asked for? Or is there a way I can make it so that once I make my edits and am satisfied and save them, it updates the original_epub?

Bah, more editing, I guess. Thanks though.

cybmole · 08-12-2015, 02:37 PM

I use modify epub plug in, not polish. The PI uses epub not original_epub when both exist. I would have expected polish to be configurable to do the same?

cybmole · 08-12-2015, 02:42 PM

.. because for me, polishing comes AFTER editing e.g. it is like an auto final tidy up. But no one else backs the suggestion that original format should have a configuration to keep it from being used. The majority view is delete it, or don't create it in the 1st place, thus no need for a disable option.

eschwartz · 08-12-2015, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guv

Shouldn't the original_epub just be a backup? Like something calibre doesn't touch unless it's specifically asked for? Or is there a way I can make it so that once I make my edits and am satisfied and save them, it updates the original_epub?

ORIGINAL_EPUB is indeed a backup -- it is a backup for conversions that went horribly wrong.
It is only created by automated processes, e.g. Polish, convert, where any conversion changes can be repeated by re-converting or re-Polishing. Thus, it makes sense to rebase all those changes off of the original.

Updating the ORIGINAL_EPUB is impossible -- conversions do something called "flattening" the CSS, which totally changes around the internal markup.

calibre does not do back-in-time versioning of your ebooks. The ORIGINAL_EPUB exists for only one reason -- to let you back out of a conversion that you are dissatisfied with. Once you are happy with it, delete the original.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

I use modify epub plug in, not polish. The PI uses epub not original_epub when both exist. I would have expected polish to be configurable to do the same?

You would have expected wrongly.

Modify EPUB is, as you astutely pointed out, a plugin. It is neither created nor endorsed by Kovid Goyal, and the opinions of the PI creator are not to be taken as the opinions of Kovid.

If kiwidude thought Modify should act on the non-ORIGINAL, that is his call and third-party code can do whatever it wants. You can hardly expect parallel, similar features by other people to use kiwidude's opinions as an official specification for calibre's behavior.

For the record, I would consider Modify's behavior to be a bug.

eschwartz · 08-12-2015, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

.. because for me, polishing comes AFTER editing e.g. it is like an auto final tidy up. But no one else backs the suggestion that original format should have a configuration to keep it from being used. The majority view is delete it, or don't create it in the 1st place, thus no need for a disable option.

If polishing comes after editing, then there is no problem. There won't be an original.

...

If you want to perform revision control on your ebooks, there is plenty of pre-existing software you can use, take your pick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compar...ntrol_software

Just because calibre can be abused as a 2-revision VCS, doesn't mean it should be.

BetterRed · 08-12-2015, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

For the record, I would consider Modfy's behavior to be a bug.

Then you should post something in the Modify PI thread to that effect.

BR

theducks · 08-12-2015, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Then you should post something in the Modify PI thread to that effect.

BR

Noooooooooooooooo!
Modify EPUB works the way I want it to. On whatever View works with
WYSIWYG

BetterRed · 08-13-2015, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Noooooooooooooooo!
Modify EPUB works the way I want it to. On whatever View works with
WYSIWYG

@theducks - Was 'just saying', anyway I doubt the author would agree its a bug, given it was originally developed to his design based on his needs

If it were done then I would argue it be done similar to how Kiwidude did the 'No Notify when done' change - with a user selectable option that if not set retains current behaviour.

I tweaked ORIGINAL_XXXX off long ago, confused me no end. I prefer to take responsibility for not shooting myself in the foot, I don't need a Nanny at my age - maybe a geriatric nurse

BR

cybmole · 08-13-2015, 02:39 AM

so, to summarise - without expressing an opinion

IF both epub & original_epub exist...
THEN
editor uses epub
polish uses original
modify uses epub
convert uses original

none of the above is configurable

it IS configurable as to whether convert, modify will create original_epub if one is not already present.
i think , but not 100% ,neither will overwrite original if it already exists.
dunno what polish does here.

08-12-2015, 12:10 PM	#1
Guv Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2015 Device: none	Reverted to old version upon polishing? Possibly I'm doing something wrong, but this still seems odd. I've been working on an epub in the calibre editor for some time now and today I just wanted to update the cover. These were the steps I took - right clicked and selected "edit metadata individually," browsed for the new cover and added it, then clicked the polish books button, but with only the "update the cover in the book files" checkbox selected. No error messages or anything, but when I double clicked and opened the book in the reader, the cover was fine, but it's definitely reverted to a version from about two weeks ago with major changes missing. Every time I made edits, I saved them and when I'd reopen the editor later, they'd be there. I updated calibre yesterday and today I did the polishing bit and those are the only things I did differently. So are my updates lost? Did I do something incorrectly?

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08-12-2015, 02:10 PM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	If you have ever converted the book from EPUB --> EPUB, then calibre will create an ORIGINAL_EPUB format with the pre-conversion state. This allows you to revert if you don't like the conversion. All conversions, polishing, etc. use the ORIGINAL_EPUB, and overwrite the EPUB. This is to avoid converting a conversion -- since conversions are lossy, it is better to reconvert the original. That way you can change your settings if the first conversion wasn't quite what you expected. You probably converted the EPUB and left the ORIGINAL_EPUB there. Don't do that -- if the conversion is acceptable, delete the ORIGINAL_EPUB. Now your editing work is most likely gone.

08-12-2015, 02:37 PM	#7
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	I use modify epub plug in, not polish. The PI uses epub not original_epub when both exist. I would have expected polish to be configurable to do the same?

08-12-2015, 02:42 PM	#8
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	.. because for me, polishing comes AFTER editing e.g. it is like an auto final tidy up. But no one else backs the suggestion that original format should have a configuration to keep it from being used. The majority view is delete it, or don't create it in the 1st place, thus no need for a disable option.

08-13-2015, 02:39 AM	#14
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	so, to summarise - without expressing an opinion IF both epub & original_epub exist... THEN editor uses epub polish uses original modify uses epub convert uses original none of the above is configurable it IS configurable as to whether convert, modify will create original_epub if one is not already present. i think , but not 100% ,neither will overwrite original if it already exists. dunno what polish does here.

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