Redundant L&F setting.

[BetterRed]

The Only the F2 (Edit) key edits column templates in the book list setting in Preferences->Look & feel->Edit metadata now seems redundant. F2 on a composite column does not open the Template editor irrespective of whether it's checked or not checked.

My composite columns have trivial templates, e.g. {id}, so it doesn't bother me.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

F2 on a composite column still opens the template editor, at least for me.

[BetterRed]

I was pressing F2 on columns with Simple templates… e.g. {id} and {identifiers:select(isbn)}

When I press F2 on a column with a GPM template… e.g. program: select(formats_modtimes('yyyy-MM-dd'), 'EPUB') the Template editor does open. But I don't normally show that and similar columns in the book list.

So, perhaps Simple templates have never been editable from the Book list.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

No idea, chaley might know.

[chaley]

@BetterRed: F2 works for me no matter what is in the composite. I tried it with plain text, a simple template {title}, and a GPM template. I tried changing the option you mentioned and it did what I expect. With the option off and the tweak "Control behavior of the book list (ID: doubleclick_on_library_view)" at its defaults, a single click opened the template editor. With the option on, a single click showed "editing templates disabled". In both cases F2 opened the template editor.

NB: I had to restart calibre for that option change to take effect but the "must restart" message wasn't shown. That should be fixed, but I can't do it for a while.

I don't know why you see something different.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

. . .

I don't know why you see something different.

@chaley, I was making an observation, I assumed the 'absent Template editor' applied to all composite columns, but it's only the composites with the two Simple templates - Book # and ISBN.

Perhaps it's because I use the View Manager plugin. But, whenever I suggest VM as a possible cause of errant behaviour it turns out to be a red herring. Or maybe it interacts with this tweak, which I have customised:

# Control behavior of the book list

doubleclick_on_library_view = 'do_nothing'
enter_key_behavior = 'show_locked_book_details'
horizontal_scrolling_per_column = False
vertical_scrolling_per_row = False

I prefer that the Template editor dialogue only be popped if explicitly invoked. Same as having to press Shift+F2 to pop the Manage items: xxxx dialogue for multi-value cells (like Tags). Shift+F2 on a GPM composite cell does pops the Template editor but not for the two Simple templates mentioned.

BTW: Shift+F2 on a single value cell opens the cell for editing, i.e. same as unmodified F2. Maybe it shouldn't, given what it does on multi-value and GPM composite cells.

---

OT: Unfortunately the "No author search URL" option you added (at my request) to L&F Book details hasn't worked for me. Firstly I assumed everything on that dialogue was 'per library', but that setting is global. Secondly selecting "No author search URL" also removes the context menu for the Author name, which is something I use more than most users I suspect.

BR

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

OT: Unfortunately the "No author search URL" option you added (at my request) to L&F Book details hasn't worked for me. Firstly I assumed everything on that dialogue was 'per library', but that setting is global. Secondly selecting "No author search URL" also removes the context menu for the Author name, which is something I use more than most users I suspect.

BR

I submitted a change where a the text is clickable (looks like a link) but does nothing when clicked. This makes the context menu available while preserving the "do nothing when clicked" behavior. As a side effect, double-clicking now opens a book details window in both cases -- when links are enabled or set to "no author link".

[BetterRed]

I'll give it a spin at next release.

I may have asked this before, why does tabbing to a BD field and pressing the Menu key or Shift F10 pop a different context menu than right clicking the same field, viz:

Menu Key

This is the same context menu that pops if I right click on empty space in BD.

Right Click

It is not only the context menu that differs, it's the flyout menus too… e.g. the two Copy flyouts shown above are not the same.

And why does the longer menu pop, if I Backtab into the name (Anat Admati) from Link icon, and then press the Menu key. I discovered this variation fairly recently.

It is not just the Author field that exhibits this behaviour, it is every field.

BR

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I may have asked this before, why does tabbing to a BD field and pressing the Menu key or Shift F10 pop a different context menu than right clicking the same field, viz:

Menu Key Attachment 214796

This is the same context menu that pops if I right click on empty space in BD.

Right Click Attachment 214797

It is not only the context menu that differs, it's the flyout menus too… e.g. the two Copy flyouts shown above are not the same.

And why does the longer menu pop, if I Backtab into the name (Anat Admati) from Link icon, and then press the Menu key. I discovered this variation fairly recently.

It is not just the Author field that exhibits this behaviour, it is every field.

BR

Qt handles widget/link focus and the menu key. I don't know what context it supplies when one is invoked.

[BetterRed]

Now at least, I have a workaround — tab, backtab, menu (for me, that's much easier than pointing & clicking with something).

Here's another glitch. If I use the Edit Note xxxxx action to add a note to an item, or the Manage xxxxx to add a link to an item, when I exit the Edit Note or Manage Tags dialogue, the Note and Link icons are not displayed. Ditto, if I change the value of an item — to fix spelling or casing errors — its new value is not displayed.

So, the only way to see the new Note and/or Link icons, and/or item values, is to close and reopen the BD window… if it was the locked BD that means I have to go find it.

Suggestion: add a Refresh button to the detached Book details panels.

BR

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Here's another glitch. If I use the Edit Note xxxxx action to add a note to an item, or the Manage xxxxx to add a link to an item, when I exit the Edit Note or Manage Tags dialogue, the Note and Link icons are not displayed. Ditto, if I change the value of an item — to fix spelling or casing errors — its new value is not displayed.

So, the only way to see the new Note and/or Link icons, and/or item values, is to close and reopen the BD window… if it was the locked BD that means I have to go find it.

Suggestion: add a Refresh button to the detached Book details panels.

BR

Fixed in next release or preview. The updates are automatic -- no refresh button is needed.

[chaley]

@BetterRed: do the changes to the author link and the locked book details window solve the problems?

[BetterRed]

8.2.1

The note icon, link icon, and changed values for category items all show on exit from relevant dialogues. ✓

The No author search URL option works as you said it would, clicking it does nothing (tooltip noted), but the context menu is available. ✓

And something I need to investigate further. I've just discovered that the issue I raised in Post #8 regarding context menus in detached BD and the ≡ (or shift/F10) key is NOT happening on all books in all libraries. I think it depends on which columns are selected, the order in which they are displayed, whether not they have values, and maybe the column types. I'll get back to you… probably with a demo metadata.db.

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

And something I need to investigate further. I've just discovered that the issue I raised in Post #8 regarding context menus in detached BD and the ≡ (or shift/F10) key is NOT happening on all books in all libraries. I think it depends on which columns are selected, the order in which they are displayed, whether not they have values, and maybe the column types. I'll get back to you… probably with a demo metadata.db.

I can't make head or tail of it - its inconsistent between different books in the same library, and between the same book in different libraries

But I think I have a straightforward demonstration - the attached zip contains a 2 book (PD) library and a settings folder from 8.2.1 portable. There are no plugins installed, and minimal customisation.

I am assuming you have a keyboard with the menu (≡) key, if not use Shift+F10. With the first book selected press ≡, select Book details->Show book details on a separate locked window Tab to the Author value (John Morley), when you press ≡ and arrow keys you should see this:



Now Tab to the Tags value (Historical), when you press ≡ you should see this… which is not what one would expect:



Now Tab to the Format (PDF), then Backtab (Shift/Tab) to the Tags value (Historical), when you press ≡ you should see this… which is what one would expect:



I coped the two books to the default Calibre Library, without copying the custom columns, and got the same result.

Added 1: there's no good reason for having two books. One is enough.

Added 2: But three is better. I've add Tolstoy's Anna Karenina to the Demo Library.

The ≡ key gives correct response for Author and Tags, but not for Publisher. Whereas on the Morley books the ≡ key gives correct response for Author and Publisher, but not for Tags. Other books in other libraries give incorrect responses for Author and Tags but give the correct response for Publisher.

BR

[chaley]

Unfortunately I can't repeat what you describe. I'm running Win11 with calibre portable 8.2.1, not from source.

Some initial differences:

• There is a VL selected that hides the Tolstoy book. I left it there.
• The order of the books is different. "Edmond Burke" is the second book. I sorted by title to fix this, then restarted.

I initially see this:


I selected the first book, "Edmond Burke", then did what you specify to open a locked book details window. I see this, which is what you said I should see.


I tabbed 3 times to select the author, then pressed the ≡ key. I see what you said I should see.


I pressed ESC to close the context menu, pressed tab once more, then pressed the ≡ key. This is where things change. I see what I am supposed to see, not what you saw.


FWIW: I also see the correct context menu if I tab then backtab.

Did I do something different from what you did?

The only explanation I can think of is that you are running some keyboard assist or accessibility programs that I don't have.