Different layouts for each library

[chaley]

Originally Posted by arpeggioaccele

I only mentioned it because I think I am unnecessarily loading covers when I do not need to. I assume that if I do not load the covers, it will eliminate the quite fast loading time. If I turn off covers before switching libraries, there would be no loading time, the button pushing in this order (using action chains) might actually be faster.

The problem is that calibre finishes changing libraries (open library, placing the panels on the screen) before Action Chains gets informed. The result is what you see; the new library is laid out like the previous one then the layout is switched. This can't be "fixed" without building library-based layout management into base calibre, which I'm not interested in doing.

However, you can improve things by using the "Library about to change" Action Chains event to turn off the cover grid before calibre opens the new library. Then once the new library is opened (event Library Changed), set things up the way you want.

I also found that it runs faster with marginally less flashing if I avoid using "Hide all", instead showing and hiding the panels explicitly. Reason: calibre does nothing if the panel is already in the desired state. Hiding everything can hide a panel already visible that you will just show again.

[chaley]

@arpeggioaccele: the latest version of Action Chains has a chains option not to show the action progress bar in calibre status line. Not showing the progress bar avoids some screen flashing while the panels are being updated. It is also very marginally faster, like a tenth of a second.

[arpeggioaccele]

Thanks for the advice! I removed the hide all step as you suggested and used the library about to change feature to turn off cover grid before switching, avoiding all unnecessary actions.

On reflection it is mostly aesthetic flashing, while the database itself was loading. I don't know why I thought it felt slow.