Calibre does not do a clean uninstall / cannot modify config on reinstall

[eschwartz]

Not judging or anything, I just can't think of anyone else who took that step. Maybe they should.

I will leave that to Microsoft, if it is all right with you. It might take a while, because this time MS is actually ahead of linux insert-xdg-utils-rant-here. At least it is possible to do something.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by leitz

If you uninstall Calibre, even if you decide to change the registry yourself, you do not know which registry entry to change, and risk damaging your system registry...

That claim only applies if one is not prepared to spend 1 minute to do a search on the internet. The simple edit to Win 8.x's register is described on multiple sites including Microsoft's own.

[BetterRed]

I never let software installs set up file associations, providing I'm asked. And if an install does it without asking then its likely to get removed toot sweet.

I maintain most file associations with Nir Sofer's File Types Manager. Works on Win98->Win8.1 - and it looks just as ticky-tacky on all of them

BR

[leitz]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Yeah, complain to Microsoft. There is no way to register for file associations without also becoming the default program for file types that dont have a current default program during installation using the microsoft installer tech. Therefore, it has to be done after installation.

So the unusual choice is actually me trying to be nice and not make calibre the default program for any filetypes without explicit user action. But hey, if you know of a way to register for default programs without becoming the actual default program during installation, patches are most welcome. I will be delighted to move that functionality into the installer, where it properly belongs.

@kovidgoyal, just some thoughts, nothing to do with default program and if the deficiency of the default program is on Microsoft side, we have to wait for Microsoft to provide a fix.

Possible improvements on Calibre, best discussed by looking at how VideoLan handles File Associations and how Norton Security handles Setup Config.

1. File Associations - VideoLan http://www.videolan.org/
The video player, VideoLan, opens a variety of file types, including mp4, wmv, mpeg, avi, flv. During VideoLan setup, you can check which file type you want to associate. If you check only"flv", only flv will be associated with VideoLan, other video files will not be associated with VideoLan, not unless you check them. Calibre lacks of this feature (could be in the Advanced button but the user do not get the Advanced button during the second or subsequent setup), instead Calibre associates all file types it uses to Calibre. Naturally, Calibre being a ebook software will associate epub, and other ebook file types but one would expect the word document be still associated with MS Word or the pdf document with Adobe Acrobat. In VideoLan, if you don't associate, say mp4 to it, VideoLan won't play it. The same can be applied, if you don't associate html to Calibre, Calibre then will not read it. That is freedom of choice.

The second thing about file association is, if you uninstall VideoLan, all VideoLan file associations will be removed. In the flv example earlier, doing a "Open With" after uninstalling VideoLan will not show anything about VideoLan at all. In Calibre's case, after uninstalling Calibre, doing a "Open With" will list the three Calibre programs on the "Open With" list even though Calibre has been uninstalled.

2. Setup Config - Norton Security
When you setup Norton Security the first time, you perform a setup configuration (check some boxes, select some options), this config settings is saved. If you uninstall Norton Security, Norton Security will ask if you want to remove the config settings completely or leave the config settings for a future reinstall. If you remove the config settings completely, the next time you install Norton Security, you can specify/change the config settings. Calibre does not provide the option to remove the config settings completely or save the config settings. Instead, on second or subsequent setups, Calibre will install the software using the previous settings. It will be impossible to click the Advanced button to customize the settings.

Ok, not criticizing the software, just giving feedback. Who knows I could be wrong. I know it is free software, there is no need to do this. I have spoken and will leave now.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I think we are being a bit drama queen, aren't we? I can uninstall calibre, remove library and config directory and, if I have associated some extension to calibre, make a bit of registry cleaning. Not rocket science, I believe.

Furthermore, if you want to define again the settings after installing it again, you have an option inside calibre to do it.

I agree: its hard to see what damage could occur from leaving an orphaned config folder in app data ( & it's easy to manually zap it)

it is also very easy to run a freeware installer like revo which has options to find and remove all traces that a program ever existed!

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by leitz

If you uninstall Calibre, even if you decide to change the registry yourself, you do not know which registry entry to change, and risk damaging your system registry.

I don't do it by myself. I use tools to clean entries associated to programs that no longer exist, and I do it periodically (and there's always some entry).

(I've done it by myself if it is needed, but I prefer not to).

[cybmole]

videolan - vlc player is a terrible example - or a good example of how NOT to do things.

it may have improved recently but what it used to do was uninstall any older version before installing the new, and re-default any special user settings you had. (which it keeps in two separate obscure files: vlcrc and vlc-qt-interface.ini)
So your choice of controls you want to see on screen, and what file types you wanted associated, would get lost.
I had to resort to copying all of app data. doing the upgrade, replacing app data, in order to work around that. and the authors' via their forum showed no interest in fixing what to them was not a bug, or even in explaining how to better work around losing config info.

I use vlc only for videos, I don't want it to take control of audio files as foobar2000 is better for that, and vlc also stupidly associates itself with .bin files if you let it.

the remove association was also buggy IIRC. e.g. install zoomplayer as default video player , then install vlc, then remove vlc would not give the associations back to zoom player, they would go to some windows default. to be fair that one is probably windows fault not vlc.

PS although I still use vlc, I don't trust their updates until they have been out for some time, & I am banned from their forum for complaining about how new releases almost always introduced new bugs ( kobo style ! ) & that the french approach to software development appeared to be code-release-test, not code-test-release