Completely disable Add to Library dialog pop-up

[early]

Is there a way to stop Calibre from showing any kind of dialog pop-up when I open already-added books by double-clicking on their epub files in my file manager (aka "File Explorer" aka "Windows Explorer")? This is the only way I ever open books and it's super annoying to have the pop-up every time. Not only that but the highlighted choice is "Yes, add a duplicate" so if you're not paying close attention and press "Enter" you get a duplicate, which makes no sense because it's extremely rare that anyone would want duplicates.

If stopping the pop-up would also mean disabling the ability to add new books by double-clicking on them in the file manager, that's fine with me because it wouldn't bother me if I had to go into the Calibre library and click on "Add books". You would only do that once the first time you add a book, which isn't a big deal, whereas the pop-up happens every time you open a book.

v 3.48.0 desktop

Win 7 Pro 64 bit

[theducks]

This is an OS setting for what to use for file
Right click the file: Properties: Click the button (see image, for W10 but it is close)
Set it to ebook-Viewer (Stupid Windows removed the ability to clear all apps: it will always ask when none is set. REGEDIT is a bit harsh way)

[BetterRed]

@early - with calibre NOT running use the calibre-debug --default-programs=unregister command, more here ==>> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...97&postcount=7

Then set CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS to True, more here ==>> Environment variables

BR

[early]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

with calibre NOT running use the calibre-debug --default-programs=unregister command, more here ==>> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...97&postcount=7 Then set CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS to True, more here ==>> Environment variables

BR

Thanks. I read all the links and got to the Environment Variables section in Windows but it's not clear, do I:

(A) Create a brand new system variable, and what would it be? (I guess maybe "Variable" would be CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS and "Value" would be True -?)
(B) Add CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS to the value of the variable called Path, in which case, what exactly do I type?
or (C) something else

[BetterRed]

Path is a system environment variable, no need to touch.

Follow these steps:

1. Winkey+R
2. type sysdm.cpl
3. click OK
4. System properties panel will pop
5. Click the Advanced Tab
6. Click the Environment Variables button
7. Click New button under the User variiable for xxxxxxxx
8. Enter CALIBRE_NO_DEFAULT_PROGRAMS in Variable name
9. Enter true in Variable value
10. Click OK
11. Click OK at bottom of panel
12. Click OK in System properties dialogue

Done

Did you run the calibre-debug --default-programs=unregister command, wont hurt to run it again.

Now trying double clicking an ePub in your file manager, should be okay, if not try a windows restart and try again, if not okay come back to us.

Wash your hands

BR

[early]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Follow these steps:
[

OK, much appreciated. Added the variable, ran calibre-debug --default-programs=unregister before and after, restarted twice, checked to make sure the variable is there. Still getting the Add Duplicate dialog. Screenshot attached in case of un-clarity.

Am I supposed to run calibre-debug --default-programs=register ?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by early

OK, much appreciated. Added the variable, ran calibre-debug --default-programs=unregister before and after, restarted twice, checked to make sure the variable is there. Still getting the Add Duplicate dialog. Screenshot attached in case of un-clarity.

Am I supposed to run calibre-debug --default-programs=register ?

No.

What happens if you close calibre and double click an epub in the file manager - does calibre start and try to add the book or does something else happen, if so what?

Could you post a screen shot of what you get when you right click an epub in File Manager and select Open with. Here's mine as an example:



Couple of questions:

Can you confirm the versions of Windows and Calibre are you using?

Why are you accessing the library book folders with your file manager?

BR

[early]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

What happens if you close calibre and double click an epub in the file manager - does calibre start and try to add the book or does something else happen, if so what? BR

If Calibre is closed when I right-click on an epub in the file manager it starts and tries to add the book i.e. same behavior as when it's already open.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Could you post a screen shot of what you get when you right click an epub in File Manager and select Open with. BR

Done.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Can you confirm the versions of Windows and Calibre are you using?

Why are you accessing the library book folders with your file manager?
BR

v 3.48.0 desktop
Win 7 Pro 64 bit

The reason for using the file manager is simple but takes a lot of words to explain. It boils down to all sorts of convenience, access and speed things that Calibre doesn't have...

I have e-books sorted into two dozen folders for different topics and the folders also contain many other publications in non-e-book formats such as pdf. To me they're all just publications so they need to be all in the same folder regardless of file type, and I open them from there. I don't mind if some open with Calibre and others in the pdf reader or Word. Having the different file types in separate folders would be out of the question. Then I sometimes do tweaks like when a book fits in two different topics, I put the file in one folder and a shortcut to it in another. Or I have a book where the filename is the book's title but I also make a shortcut that gets renamed so the author is first.

Also, in the file manager I can do things at lightning speed such as: browse the folders, sort by date, size, etc, rename the files, move them from one folder to another, rename the folders, etc. I do these things a lot, say several times a week.

Not only that but with my file manager I can set up keyboard shortcuts so no matter which folder I'm in (in the entire computer), I can type ctrl-2 for example, and that will open up the History Books folder, ctrl-3 to jump to the Science Books folder etc. Finally, the file manager is virtually entirely controlled by the keyboard rather than the mouse, which I love because it's tons faster than a mouse or trackpad.

[BetterRed]

The calibre-debug blah-blah 'should' have gotten rid of calibre.exe in the open with list, but anything that revolves around Windows Open with is a PITA.

Is that second screen shot from Windows or something else (has nikos added something to xplorer²). I was using a third party Open With gadget on XP, but I got rid of it when I moved to Win 7 as it caused me all sorts of grief.

I would uninstall calibre, and then expunge all references to it in the registry, initially with a lightweight registry cleaner and then a check for 'calibre' in the registry editor. That won't touch calibre libraries and settings. Then check to make sure calibre.exe has disappeared from Open With. I'm pretty sure that Kovid has removed the install feature that added calibre.exe to Windows Open With list, but I can't recall when he did it.

However, given you're on Win 7 and locked into using calibre 3.48 you might want to consider using Calibre Portable - it won't do anything to Windows 'anything' - i.e. it's self contained. The only downside is that it's the 32 bit version, and the only meaningful restriction that imposes is on conversion of large/complex books. And because you're locked into 3.48, that can be easily overcome - later.

Once you've installed calibre, in the Windows Open With select another program option, browse to the directory where calibre is installed, select ebook-viewer.exe and make it the default program for epubs.

BR

[early]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Is that second screen shot from Windows or something else (has nikos added something to xplorer²). I was using a third party Open With gadget on XP

BR

Thanks. Will try the solutions tomorrow but in the meantime - yes, the second screen shot is standard Win 7 AFAIK. It's what I get when I right click > Open With > Choose Default Program, both from Xplorer2 and Windows Explorer. Although I have tweaked everything under the sun in Win 7 to get rid of annoyances I don't think I've touched Open With since figuring out how to make Win and various programs stop shoving their own preferences for file associations down my throat I have Classic Shell and I suppose it could maybe change Open With but I am just throwing that out there because I don't believe it does. I thought it only affects Start Menu and Windows Explorer (and IE, which I don't use).

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by early

Thanks. Will try the solutions tomorrow but in the meantime - yes, the second screen shot is standard Win 7 AFAIK. It's what I get when I right click > Open With > Choose Default Program, both from Xplorer2 and Windows Explorer. Although I have tweaked everything under the sun in Win 7 to get rid of annoyances I don't think I've touched Open With since figuring out how to make Win and various programs stop shoving their own preferences for file associations down my throat I have Classic Shell and I suppose it could maybe change Open With but I am just throwing that out there because I don't believe it does. I thought it only affects Start Menu and Windows Explorer (and IE, which I don't use).

I'm with you 200% on that one

Good luck

BR

[early]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I would uninstall calibre, and then expunge all references to it in the registry, initially with a lightweight registry cleaner and then a check for 'calibre' in the registry editor. That won't touch calibre libraries and settings. Then check to make sure calibre.exe has disappeared from Open With.

Once you've installed calibre, in the Windows Open With select another program option, browse to the directory where calibre is installed, select ebook-viewer.exe and make it the default program for epubs.BR

This seems to have worked. I uninstalled Calibre, did all those things with the registry and installed Portable and now when I click on any of my books, which I keep in my own folders organized by topics and sub-topics (for reasons of convenience mentioned above) it opens and the library does not open. If I want the library I have to go to the Portable folder and click on calibre-portable.exe and if I want it to have books I have to add them manually. Which is fine since I seldom use the library; I put a shortcut to calibre-portable.exe in the start menu.

Guess I should give it a few days to make sure no glitches crop up but as of now this is exactly what I wanted - thank you.

[early]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

uninstall calibre.... use Calibre Portable.... in the Windows Open With select another program option, browse to the directory where calibre is installed, select ebook-viewer.exe and make it the default program for epubs.BR

Ok this solution seems functional and stable now. Thanks.