Default-action for the connect button

[Grace Hapenny]

I have a dim-witted relative who cannot seem to remember which of Calibre Companion's connect options conjures which function. As they have final grasped how to send e-books from Calibre to an e-reader over a cable, I'm hoping you could make it possible to add a default-action option for the connect button. So that when pressed the connect button will automatically attempt to connect to Calibre via a predefined choice of either Wireless Device, Content Server or Cloud. With no drop-down menu or other confusing options.

My choice would be to connect exclusively as a Wireless Device. This way the connect button will provide a similar experience to that with the e-reader. And hopefully they'll no longer need to ask me what to do every 5 mins.

Thanks very much for your time and for considering this request.

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by Grace Hapenny

My choice would be to connect exclusively as a Wireless Device. This way the connect button will provide a similar experience to that with the e-reader. And hopefully they'll no longer need to ask me what to do every 5 mins.

This would be a problem for people who use more than one type of connection.

How about instead of that, an option to hide connect options (in the same way you hide sorts) that a user doesn't care about. That way people who use more than one type would still benefit, and Grace could still hide all of them except for wireless so that her family wouldn't bother her.

[chaley]

@Grace Hapenny: I can see the reasoning behind the request. We make many decisions based on the same criteria: what support load does this change add or remove? What this means is that from our point of view any change must not affect existing users, must not overly complicate settings, must make sense, and finally must be implementable in reasonable time.

There are many users like kaufman who use more than one connection method. In fact I would guess that many use all three and that the majority use at least two. Because of this, changing the connect button from a menu to an action isn't something I want to do.

However, I am very willing to consider something similar to what kaufman suggests: hiding or disabling connection types. This is implementable because the underlying behavior of the connect button stays the same. It is supportable for the same reason. It makes sense given that CC already has similar features. Finally, I think it mostly solves your problem because your relative would tap connect and then have only one choice of what to tap next.

Comments?

[Terisa de morgan]

chaley, I agree with not a default method (I think I use three of the four possibilities), but hiding them could be a good compromise.

[Grace Hapenny]

I think you're right. Removing the choices rather than reconfiguring the button would make the most sense.

As a side note: isn't discussion and collaboration a wonderful thing? So much better than the top-down like it or lump it approach of most software development. And much of the non-clickable world too.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Grace Hapenny

As a side note: isn't discussion and collaboration a wonderful thing? So much better than the top-down like it or lump it approach of most software development. And much of the non-clickable world too.

CC is immeasurably better because of the involvement of users. I am sometimes too deep in my own box to see how things could be done better simply by re-thinking a bit. And even knowing this I find myself sometimes resisting good ideas simply because they are surprising.

Now to the real reason for this post: I am looking at how this can be done. One of the fundamental questions is "Where are the settings located?" I see two places: all three in the "Menus" section or one each in the Wireless Device, Content Server, and Cloud connection sections. I can make arguments either way. Having all of them in the Menus section reduces discoverability but makes changing the settings somewhat easier. Having them in the individual setting groups makes the settings far more visible/discoverable but means that one must visit each group to change the setting. I am leaning toward the individual groups.

One reason for my leaning is that the fourth connect option is already controlled in its own section "Other / Sync newer book files". I have considered moving this option to the Wireless Device group, but up to now haven't had a good reason to make the change. Putting an option for the standard connect in that settings group gives me that reason.

Anyone care one way or the other? Or have a different idea?

[kaufman]

Is it too late to have a two level section?

Make a top level called connections, put all the connections sections inside and the "which ones to show" at the top.

I like this because it makes it work like the Sorting section.

Its a change from how it works now, but

a) Anyone who has seen it probably already set up those sections
b) If they don't see the sections, but they see a "Connections" setting, its pretty obvious to look there.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by kaufman

Is it too late to have a two level section?

Make a top level called connections, put all the connections sections inside and the "which ones to show" at the top.

I like this because it makes it work like the Sorting section.

Its a change from how it works now, but

a) Anyone who has seen it probably already set up those sections
b) If they don't see the sections, but they see a "Connections" setting, its pretty obvious to look there.

It isn't too late, but I wonder whether the change is worth it. As things are the three connection types are next to each other (second, third and fourth in the list). An upside to combining them is that grouping them together would reduce the size/length of the outer list. A downside is that I would need to find all the references in the FAQs, of which there are many.

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by chaley

A downside is that I would need to find all the references in the FAQs, of which there are many.

Sorry.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by chaley

A downside is that I would need to find all the references in the FAQs, of which there are many.

Originally Posted by kaufman

Sorry.

I just looked at a couple of the FAQs. They aren't right, showing the old images and text. They should be fixed, so that downside is gone.

So back to kaufman's original question: what do people think of the idea to combine the three connection setting groups into a single top-level setting containing the existing three groups?

And what about the original question: should controlling whether or not a connection appears on the connection menu be in the separate connection groups or consolidated into a single group, probably the Menu one?

[chaley]

I decided to give this a try. The beta released today (Saturday) moves all the connection settings into a common connection group. The enable/disable check boxes are in that group.

I am still a bit nervous about this change. Feedback either way will help.

[cybmole]

I only ever use content server, so connecting to that with fewer taps would suit me

[theducks]

I use the original choices (no cloud).

Content server for when I am away from desk and can not Push a file from Calibre or when I just want a review without loading a book on that device.

The Sync mode of the Wireless device connection.


Why has CC now started asking me which connection (port) when I have chosen Content server?
(I run the standalone Content server with a designated library and port, and I sometime have the WDC running on the current library) I can understand when there are 2 or more content servers (which works ) running.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by theducks

Why has CC now started asking me which connection (port) when I have chosen Content server?
(I run the standalone Content server with a designated library and port, and I sometime have the WDC running on the current library) I can understand when there are 2 or more content servers (which works ) running.

I am confused. Are you saying that CC is asking you to choose which content server to use when there is only one content server?

It is normal for CC to ask if it finds more than one content server. It is not normal for CC to ask if it finds only one.

[Terisa de morgan]

As I use cloud or wireless connection, I've disabled the content server. It works OK for me.