full-screen cover browse - Page 2

saxondawg · 03-21-2010, 03:37 PM

Plus, I like my book covers. Just as they were once an important experience of having a vinyl record album, book covers are usually attractive and interesting. When I download a public domain classic from manybooks or mobilereads, I create a cover for it from a google search (using some past cover for that work) when creating the e-book. If Calibre downloads a small image for the cover of a book, I substitute a larger one. I don't care much about spines (browsing the normal Calibre DB is the equivalent of that) but I would like to see 24-30 books in nice rows. And again, I could do it by opening my free Mobipocket Reader software if it didn't fail to pick up 2/3 of the cover images.

kovidgoyal · 03-21-2010, 09:28 PM

calibre is scheduled for a database refactor and UI upgrade. At least two new views will be added, one a grid view with cover thumbnails and the other a simple list of covers with a little metadata on the side.

I don't much like the idea of spines, as I've always found spines rather hard to browse.

saxondawg · 03-21-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

calibre is scheduled for a database refactor and UI upgrade. At least two new views will be added, one a grid view with cover thumbnails and the other a simple list of covers with a little metadata on the side.

I don't much like the idea of spines, as I've always found spines rather hard to browse.

This is great news. Agree on spines. Calibre just gets better and better. I hope it is creating some well-deserved cash flow.

Starson17 · 03-22-2010, 07:51 AM

I agree that spines are no better than the normal GUI browsing. It was just the name "bookshelf" that bugged me. To me, it implies spines.

monkbythesea · 08-18-2010, 10:31 PM

I actually use Calibre's CoverBrowser window as part of my media center setup in my living. Search for a software called MediaBrowser to get an idea. YOu have less commands in the CoverBRwoser window which is easier to use with a remote control. Basically, left, right, enter. There are some othere though that i configured. I control and access all of my media with a remote control on my media center PC connected to a 60" TV. I love it. Once i found Calibre I added the functionality to read books and view magazines. Even comic books from comfort of my couch and with a remote control. I'm not going to argue the usefullness of viewing books on TV, it's a mute point to me, argued many times on many forums. I like it, it works for me, and i think it just one of those new things people would actually love if they tried it. Anyways, in doing so, the CoverBrowser window is much more effective to use with a remote than the main Calibre window. Also, recently on another post I requested from the developer to add a keyboard shortcut to launch it and have it remeber it's fullscreen size when you go back into it. He did implement very courteously in latest release. Thus, i have mapped these keyboard shortcuts to a remote control and and it works great! I sitback on my sofa chair, launch CAlibre with my remote and control it with a remote. Its nice to view your magazines and read books with music in your favorite smoking chair with music going in your living room. I've just started this project, but in a few weeks, when i get everything more streamlined, I;m gonna post a tutorial if i'm even qualified to do such a thing.

Anyways, i have a suggestion which might help you as well. If your goal is yo see more books at a time so you can navigate to them, then how about a different approach. Something along the lines of having keyboard shocurt liek "ctrl+arrow button" to jumped like 10 books at a time. Kind of like the fast skipping chapters. I know this isnt exactly what your problem is, but I was wondering if that was maybe all you were really trying to do. That being to quickly jump thru your collection with the CoverBrowser. Seeing more of it would be one way, maybe this would be another. Regardless, it is a feature that would have to be asked of developer.

phenomshel · 08-19-2010, 01:55 AM

Did the grid view not get built? I enabled "show cover browser in separate window" but there seems to be no option except the original view that shows one cover out and the rest arrayed to the sides. Just curious if there's something I'm missing, as grid view would be great

itimpi · 08-19-2010, 04:04 PM

Grid view is still not a Calibre feature although I think it is still on the roadmap.

phenomshel · 08-19-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

Grid view is still not a Calibre feature although I think it is still on the roadmap.

I hope so. I was going by Kovid's remark on 3/21. I hope it hasn't been dropped.

saxondawg · 08-20-2010, 10:48 AM

Anyone who wants to experience this feature, download Mobipocket Reader (http://www.mobipocket.com) and once your library is set up, go to "bookshelf view" (I don't get hung up on whether it's a bookshelf or showcase or whatever--just show the covers). Be sure to click, under tools, "Get all ebooks information," and it seems to find more of the covers. There are a few little bugs in that program, but I use it just for this feature.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
[REQ] Cover browser window to launch independently in full screen	monkbythesea	Calibre	10	08-18-2010 11:55 PM
Classic Editing B&N epub but still able to browse cover possible?	tanzer21	Barnes & Noble NOOK	6	07-31-2010 01:47 PM
Feature Request - cover browse in the "Fetch Metadata from server" function	nathander13	Calibre	1	01-30-2010 02:11 PM
Full-Screen images on the K2?	Thorkin	Amazon Kindle	1	03-12-2009 07:48 PM

03-21-2010, 03:37 PM	#16
saxondawg Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 50952 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: kindle paperwhite	Plus, I like my book covers. Just as they were once an important experience of having a vinyl record album, book covers are usually attractive and interesting. When I download a public domain classic from manybooks or mobilereads, I create a cover for it from a google search (using some past cover for that work) when creating the e-book. If Calibre downloads a small image for the cover of a book, I substitute a larger one. I don't care much about spines (browsing the normal Calibre DB is the equivalent of that) but I would like to see 24-30 books in nice rows. And again, I could do it by opening my free Mobipocket Reader software if it didn't fail to pick up 2/3 of the cover images.

03-21-2010, 09:28 PM	#17
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,403 Karma: 27756918 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre is scheduled for a database refactor and UI upgrade. At least two new views will be added, one a grid view with cover thumbnails and the other a simple list of covers with a little metadata on the side. I don't much like the idea of spines, as I've always found spines rather hard to browse.

03-22-2010, 07:51 AM	#19
Starson17 Wizard Posts: 4,004 Karma: 177841 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: WinMo: IPAQ; Android: HTC HD2, Archos 7o; Java:Gravity T	I agree that spines are no better than the normal GUI browsing. It was just the name "bookshelf" that bugged me. To me, it implies spines.

08-18-2010, 10:31 PM	#20
monkbythesea Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Windows Mobile	I actually use Calibre's CoverBrowser window as part of my media center setup in my living. Search for a software called MediaBrowser to get an idea. YOu have less commands in the CoverBRwoser window which is easier to use with a remote control. Basically, left, right, enter. There are some othere though that i configured. I control and access all of my media with a remote control on my media center PC connected to a 60" TV. I love it. Once i found Calibre I added the functionality to read books and view magazines. Even comic books from comfort of my couch and with a remote control. I'm not going to argue the usefullness of viewing books on TV, it's a mute point to me, argued many times on many forums. I like it, it works for me, and i think it just one of those new things people would actually love if they tried it. Anyways, in doing so, the CoverBrowser window is much more effective to use with a remote than the main Calibre window. Also, recently on another post I requested from the developer to add a keyboard shortcut to launch it and have it remeber it's fullscreen size when you go back into it. He did implement very courteously in latest release. Thus, i have mapped these keyboard shortcuts to a remote control and and it works great! I sitback on my sofa chair, launch CAlibre with my remote and control it with a remote. Its nice to view your magazines and read books with music in your favorite smoking chair with music going in your living room. I've just started this project, but in a few weeks, when i get everything more streamlined, I;m gonna post a tutorial if i'm even qualified to do such a thing. Anyways, i have a suggestion which might help you as well. If your goal is yo see more books at a time so you can navigate to them, then how about a different approach. Something along the lines of having keyboard shocurt liek "ctrl+arrow button" to jumped like 10 books at a time. Kind of like the fast skipping chapters. I know this isnt exactly what your problem is, but I was wondering if that was maybe all you were really trying to do. That being to quickly jump thru your collection with the CoverBrowser. Seeing more of it would be one way, maybe this would be another. Regardless, it is a feature that would have to be asked of developer.

08-19-2010, 01:55 AM	#21
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Did the grid view not get built? I enabled "show cover browser in separate window" but there seems to be no option except the original view that shows one cover out and the rest arrayed to the sides. Just curious if there's something I'm missing, as grid view would be great

08-19-2010, 04:04 PM	#22
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Grid view is still not a Calibre feature although I think it is still on the roadmap.

08-20-2010, 10:48 AM	#24
saxondawg Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 50952 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: kindle paperwhite	Anyone who wants to experience this feature, download Mobipocket Reader (http://www.mobipocket.com) and once your library is set up, go to "bookshelf view" (I don't get hung up on whether it's a bookshelf or showcase or whatever--just show the covers). Be sure to click, under tools, "Get all ebooks information," and it seems to find more of the covers. There are a few little bugs in that program, but I use it just for this feature.

Advert

Advert