Bookshelf

[Huskey]

Hi there.
My Calibre has Bookshelf View as a layout option. I didn't have any problems when it was launched a couple of weeks ago. The programme opened the bookshelf quickly with only two minor display errors (see below). However, since updating to the latest release, it takes Calibre a long time to open the programme and display the bookshelf, and the two display errors are still present. The first display error is that one book doesn't display the spine, but approximately two-thirds of the front cover. The second display error is that one book, which is a compilation of three books, displays a side-on picture.
I'm wondering if the very long loading time is primarily due to error 1 (it tries to do the right thing, but can't quite manage it after a few attempts). Incidentally, when I hide the bookshelf view, the loading time is perfect.
Can somebody give me a hint on how to solve this problem? Many thanks.

[theducks]

What OS?
Did you load Calibre 9.2.1 (a hot fix of 9.2, does not notify if 9.2 was installed)

[Huskey]

Yes I've upgraded and tested before sending post. No change to long loading time and the two display errors. Thanks.

[kovidgoyal]

Try restoring the default settings for the bookshelf view. And try running in debug mode and see if any errors are printed out in the debug log.

[Huskey]

Can you please have a look at the report for possible error? By the way, all other layout are good. Thanks.

ApplicationPaletteChange event ignored
Using calibre Qt style: True
ApplicationPaletteChange event received
calibre Debug log
calibre 9.2.1 embedded-python: True
Windows-11-10.0.26200-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '11', '10.0.26200')
Python 3.14.2
Windows: ('11', '10.0.26200', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
EXE path: C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-debug.exe
calibre 9.2.1 embedded-python: True
Windows-11-10.0.26200-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '11', '10.0.26200')
Python 3.14.2
Windows: ('11', '10.0.26200', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
EXE path: C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-debug.exe
QPA platform: windows
devicePixelRatio: 1.75
logicalDpi: 96.0 x 96.0
physicalDpi: 107.71072463768114 x 107.97953488372092
[0.00] Starting up...
[0.00] Initializing db...
[0.05] db initialized
[0.05] Constructing main UI...
[1.09] GUI main window shown
[1.17] main UI initialized...
[1.17] Started up in 1.17 seconds with 42 books
[36.50] Shutdown starting...
[36.55] Shutdown message shown...
[36.55] Grid view shutdown
[36.55] Bookshelf view shutdown
[36.55] Actions shutdown
[36.76] Various services shutdown
[36.76] Metadata backup shutdown
[36.76] Current database closed
[36.78] Windows hidden
[36.82] Waiting for overseers and live to shutdown
[36.82] Shutdown complete in 0.32, quitting...

[kovidgoyal]

No errors there at all.

[un_pogaz]

Originally Posted by Huskey

The first display error is that one book doesn't display the spine, but approximately two-thirds of the front cover.

Look the option "Show cover" in the Bookshelf settings, you probably set it on the 'Edge' value and such is the excepted behavior. Try the others values.

Originally Posted by Huskey

The second display error is that one book, which is a compilation of three books, displays a side-on picture.

This one will require a more visual example for me, can you send a screeshot with the specified book? thanks.

[Huskey]

Screenshot attached. The spine of the book "Save the cat - write now" and the Nietzsche set is wrongly displayed. Thanks.

[Huskey]

Where can I find the bookshelf settings? I could only find the 'Layout' option (bottom right corner of screen), where you can choose your preferred layout. Thanks.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Huskey

Where can I find the bookshelf settings? I could only find the 'Layout' option (bottom right corner of screen), where you can choose your preferred layout. Thanks.

Preferences: Look and Feel

[Huskey]

The setting was set to 'Cropped'. 'Full' doesn't work either. The only acceptable option is 'Edge'. Waiting still the same.

On another note, thank you all for creating this superb piece of software.

[GrayGoliath]

Thank you for this new layout, this is something I was looking for.
I use Calibre for my own scanned books and always wanted to have it looks like my current shelves.

I have a request for this new layout:

Could an image be provided as the side cover to override cover squish. I have scanned my book spines (or sides), and it would be great to use those. The page image for the side is always the same height as the image book cover, so width could be used for ratio of display. This should avoid distortion for resize to display on shelf. Override could only be a checkbox and check if a file spine.jpg is in the book folder, in that case only use the image resize, otherwise use the current automatic generation with title and font.

[un_pogaz]

@Huskey Yeah no, all work as excepted. I see how some cover spine don't render great, but you just need to found a setting that you found satisfactory.

[un_pogaz]

Originally Posted by GrayGoliath

Could an image be provided as the side cover to override cover squish. I have scanned my book spines (or sides), and it would be great to use those. The page image for the side is always the same height as the image book cover, so width could be used for ratio of display. This should avoid distortion for resize to display on shelf. Override could only be a checkbox and check if a file spine.jpg is in the book folder, in that case only use the image resize, otherwise use the current automatic generation with title and font.

Most definitely No (Kovid, the main developer of Calibre, will have the final words on this).

The main problem is that the bookshelf use a variable spine width, generaly based on the pages count of the book, except that your spine.jpg may not match this width, which would require at least distort them to fit.
And that's just the first problem that comes to mind my mind, because using a second file means setting up a whole system for caching spine.jpg files, as well as a way to detect which books have a them and which don't.

So, you mention to overide the width by the one of the spine.jpg, but it would be not very good because of the bad performance this will lead (note: same height don't matter because we can calculated the proper ratio to not distort them).

No. Better to keep it simple and use the cover. And you better option is to use the value 'Desactivate' for the "Show cover" option in the Bookshelf settings (Preferences > Look and Feel), Calibre will show you a uniform colored spine estimated on the on dominant one of the cover.