e-Book Tools - a Word add-in

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

I will check. It is also a very important setting for me and so far I haven't encountered this. At the moment I am baffled why this could happen, since it will run the rules in sequence. The rules themselves are correct with a description entered? Can you sent me the xml file?

Hi, there's little doubt that the rules are 'valid' because:

1. If I uncheck the Automate. . . setting, I am asked if I want to apply each rule, I tap 'Y' on every rule, all rules are applied and all replacements happen
   
2. I check the Automate. . . setting, and run the same rule set against the same document as above, some of the replacements don't happen

I have 2 rule sets - in one of them, the much larger one, all the rules have <Permission> set to false, in the other all the rules have <Permission> set to true

I am not certain that the same rules are skipped for every document. Before sending you anything I'd like to do some tests to see if there is a pattern as to which rules are skipped, and whether it's consistent across all documents. But I won't be able to do that for a few days.

Curious - why do you use the word Permission in the XML rule definitions, rather than the word Confirm.

The latter is used in the 'old' .DOC tables definitions, the documentation, and elsewhere in the add-on, such as in Automate process S/R rules without 'confirm' flag set.

In non-fiction at least, using different descriptors for the same thing, and the same descriptor for different things is best avoided - some users will find it confusing, and others like me, downright irritating. At school and university I recall my essays getting marked down if/when I did it. But that was before post-modernist rules became de rigueur Ψ²

BR

[Toxaris]

Codewise there is no explanation why this behaviour could occur. In fact, the same code is used for both the XML method and the 'old' method. The table is loaded into an array and that array is used. In the current version the array is loaded from the XML, in the old version with a Word table. The rest is the same. So, the only way this could happen if the array is not filled correctly. That is the reason why I asked for the XML file, although I do not expect any errors there. Have you set the XML document in the settings? If so, it should have been validated.
Also, I found out that if you enter a new rule via the editor in the XML, the resulting XML will no longer validate (long live the quirks of VS...). I have already fixed that, but I want to find out what the problem here is before releasing. That is also part of why I asked about the XML file.

There is no real reason why I used Permission instead of Confirm as far as I can remember. Probably it sounded logical at the time.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

Also, I found out that if you enter a new rule via the editor in the XML, the resulting XML will no longer validate (long live the quirks of VS...). I have already fixed that, but I want to find out what the problem here is before releasing. That is also part of why I asked about the XML file.

Toxaris - I do not use the tabular style editor in settings to change (mainly to add new entries) the rules, I prefer to edit the XML with Notepad++ - FYI I can't use a mouse proficiently due to injuries to my hands... ticking boxes etc in forms is a PITA, its too easy to mistype tabs and spaces.

I think this is the problem. That rebuild step isn't happening. My process is close Word, change the XML file in Notepad++, restart Word and select EpubTools S&R.

To force it I have to delete %APPDATA%\Toxaris\ePUBToolsSRRules.xml, then go into S&R Settings reset the location of my XML file, and then wait for the rebuild - incidentally with no indication that its happening, the add-on sits there like a stunned mullet for several minutes.

And that brings us back to why I asked for a button to force the rebuild - to give me control over what is after all my data.

I have examined the file checksums before and after the change, viz

CRC32	9e33c408
MD5	9f40d9296e264f1ad97e38a34b63e18f
SHA-1	ce1a2cfe5cc87a620a161e77c62500ee50abdae7
SHA-256	2c225b69e969b5fedb1ec69a1de1e33dc3f6d710b18bdcbdcf669a2948bd46b1

Add a new entry to c:\_miscellaneous\myreplacerules.xml

CRC32	1c63d654
MD5	1f0387bea66c8994d21ae99c95f5b3d6
SHA-1	1d5ea1cad99fe1b5562ca4a3b50fc7e13e1c3c94
SHA-256	3baa0a2d9f83c8c641b139c06ead5b471e180b5a83c2d27b68c405932dd1810c

For some reason the addon is not detecting the change in checksum, where is the checksum of the previous version kept?

Added : I plan on doing some further tests

BR

[Toxaris]

The checksum is stored in the settings file in the same %appdata%\Toxaris directory. When the add-in is loaded, it checks the checksum and will recreate the temporary file if the checksum is different or if the temporary file does not exist. It will do this in the background. Therefore it was a choice not to give feedback (except in the log, it should be there). The same check is also done when the S/R routine is started. If the background process is not finished yet, a message will be shown and the routine will not be started.

I will double check this process again to make sure it works as designed. So far it seems to do so on my test machines. The button to force the recreation will be created anyway, I see no issue in making that option.

*EDIT* I have added that button, but also the option to force recreation of the temporary S/R XML file at each start of the S/R procedure. Use with care, as this can take a while if the source is not XML.
Just a thought, before starting Word, did you close NotePad++ (or in other words, release all handles on the file)? If not, that might be an issue. As I also made some other changes, expect a new update in a couple of days. If you have more info, please let me know.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

The checksum is stored in the settings file in the same %appdata%\Toxaris directory. When the add-in is loaded, it checks the checksum and will recreate the temporary file if the checksum is different or if the temporary file does not exist. It will do this in the background. Therefore it was a choice not to give feedback (except in the log, it should be there). The same check is also done when the S/R routine is started. If the background process is not finished yet, a message will be shown and the routine will not be started.

I will double check this process again to make sure it works as designed. So far it seems to do so on my test machines. The button to force the recreation will be created anyway, I see no issue in making that option.

*EDIT* I have added that button, but also the option to force recreation of the temporary S/R XML file at each start of the S/R procedure. Use with care, as this can take a while if the source is not XML.
Just a thought, before starting Word, did you close NotePad++ (or in other words, release all handles on the file)? If not, that might be an issue. As I also made some other changes, expect a new update in a couple of days. If you have more info, please let me know.

I suspect I just saved and closed the file in NP++ (Ctrl+S, Ctrl+W) - I normally leave NP++ running once I've started it - nothing else ever had a problem, besides I'm pretty sure NP++ does NOT hold locks on files. Indeed, it detects if a file it has open changes 'behind its back' and asks the user whet they want to do about it.

But I'll do a test where I close NP++ before starting Word.

Would you like me to test the new version before its released?

BR

[Toxaris]

I released 1.16.0 about an hour ago. It should, together with other changes, include your button.

[BetterRed]

Good-oh, I'll try to test it later today - I found where the checksum is stored, so I'll keep my eye on that too.

BR

[BetterRed]

@Toxaris - I did some spot checks, looks good to me

The button works fine, and it suits me perfectly, I much prefer to do things explicitly.

Whilst I won't use the Recreate... each use option, I did some tests and it also seemed to work fine. But why pop up 'an after the event' dialogue box where the only option is OK - suggest label the button 'Thank You'. A transient notify would be better - but that could be a challenge in a Word Addon

Take care - BR

[Toxaris]

I opted for a pop-up to inform that at least something was done. I do not recommend the setting anyway.

[immaginativa]

I got E-book Tools running just fine a couple of days ago with Office 2016 in Windows 10. Last night Windows installed a major new update and now the add-in is listed as inactive, and I can't make it active no matter what I do. Has anyone else had this problem? Everything is there that should be there i.e. VS 2010 Tools, etc. Nothing different except that it won't activate.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by immaginativa

I got E-book Tools running just fine a couple of days ago with Office 2016 in Windows 10. Last night Windows installed a major new update and now the add-in is listed as inactive, and I can't make it active no matter what I do. Has anyone else had this problem? Everything is there that should be there i.e. VS 2010 Tools, etc. Nothing different except that it won't activate.

You could try reinstalling I guess. I cannot test this myself, since I don't have Office 2016. Anything in the event logs?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by immaginativa

I got E-book Tools running just fine a couple of days ago with Office 2016 in Windows 10. Last night Windows installed a major new update and now the add-in is listed as inactive, and I can't make it active no matter what I do. Has anyone else had this problem? Everything is there that should be there i.e. VS 2010 Tools, etc. Nothing different except that it won't activate.

I had something similar today after an update that included Office Word changes last evening (I use Word 2010 with EPUBTools 1.16 on Windows 10)

The ePUBTools item disappeared from the ribbon bar

I went into Options->Addins, selected COM addins->Go. The ebook Tools item was unchecked So, I checked it, and the ePUBTools ribbon item reappeared. Restarted Word and its still there

Aside for Toxaris - the XML stuff is working great. I can edit my rules.xml as and when I like, and then update %APPDATA%\Toxaris\ePUBToolsSRRules.xml as and when I like

BR

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I had something similar today after an update that included Office Word changes last evening (I use Word 2010 with EPUBTools 1.16 on Windows 10)

The ePUBTools item disappeared from the ribbon bar

I went into Options->Addins, selected COM addins->Go. The ebook Tools item was unchecked So, I checked it, and the ePUBTools ribbon item reappeared. Restarted Word and its still there

Ah great, so that trick still works fine. It is actually one of the solutions on the support page.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Aside for Toxaris - the XML stuff is working great. I can edit my rules.xml as and when I like, and then update %APPDATA%\Toxaris\ePUBToolsSRRules.xml as and when I like

BR

Glad to help!

[immaginativa]

I went into Options->Addins, selected COM addins->Go. The ebook Tools item was unchecked So, I checked it, and the ePUBTools ribbon item reappeared. Restarted Word and its still there

This didn't work for me, unfortunately. It was the first thing I tried. I uninstalled the update and rebooted, but still nothing. I will try re-installing both Office and add-in; can't think of anything else.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by immaginativa

This didn't work for me, unfortunately. It was the first thing I tried. I uninstalled the update and rebooted, but still nothing. I will try re-installing both Office and add-in; can't think of anything else.

Have you checked the event viewer and the Word log? It should contain a hint if you cannot enable it. I would start with just reinstalling the add-in before reinstalling Office.