calibre 5: Beta testers needed

[thiago.eec]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

1) I dont think erasing highlights is a common enough operation to merit a special icon in the bar, I want to keep the bar small and simple

I have deleted many highlights in the past on Kindle/iPad. Both devices have a Delete option when a highlight is selected. This button could be exchanged with the X. I mean, "clear selection" would be replaced by "delete highlight" if you select a highlight. That would keep the number of options constant.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

2) Why? What do you want to do after selecting multiple highlights? Erase them is about the only thing I can think of

3-4) Again why the need for deleting highlights. If you highlight something, it is presumably something you find important, hence deleting them should be relatively rare.

Like I said before, for me, it is not that rare deleting a highlight. Also, I don't think this would cause any trouble. Just an easy option.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

5) What would be the point of exporting highlights for multiple books together?

Not necessarily for multiple books. The "Browse highlights" on main calibre could work like a Highlights Central. You could export your notes of a book, then another, etc. This way you wouldn't have to open every book.

P.S.: As for multiple books, maybe a single file with notes for multiple books could be used to improve sharing. Maybe calibre itself or a plugin could import this on another user library (like Annotations Plugin can do using MyClippings.txt produced by Kindle devices).

[thiago.eec]

Kovid,

Another suggestion: would it be possible, to use search on main calibre to filter books with highlights/notes? Something like "highlights:true".

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by thiago.eec

I have deleted many highlights in the past on Kindle/iPad. Both devices have a Delete option when a highlight is selected. This button could be exchanged with the X. I mean, "clear selection" would be replaced by "delete highlight" if you select a highlight. That would keep the number of options constant.



Like I said before, for me, it is not that rare deleting a highlight. Also, I don't think this would cause any trouble. Just an easy option.

Well, lets see if other people share your need for frequent delete of highlights, if so I will reconsider.

Not necessarily for multiple books. The "Browse highlights" on main calibre could work like a Highlights Central. You could export your notes of a book, then another, etc. This way you wouldn't have to open every book.

P.S.: As for multiple books, maybe a single file with notes for multiple books could be used to improve sharing. Maybe calibre itself or a plugin could import this on another user library (like Annotations Plugin can do using MyClippings.txt produced by Kindle devices).

I need some kind of a use case for this. I added the export feature because someone said they want to put the highlights of a book into evernote. Per book export works great for that. What is your use case? You will export notes for multiple books and do what with them?

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by thiago.eec

Kovid,

Another suggestion: would it be possible, to use search on main calibre to filter books with highlights/notes? Something like "highlights:true".

This would be pretty non-discoverable, how would anyone know to use that prefix? And again what's the use case?

[The_Ad]

Thanks Kovid,
For this highlighting feature.

The pop-bar is great.But would it be possible to turn on/off the pop-bar after selecting texts through preferences ?

The reasons I want this is

1) I sometimes just drag along the sentences while reading. And I don't want pop-bar to get draged along cursor.
2)I personally like use keyboard shortcuts, say H, to highlight the texts.

[kovidgoyal]

@The_Ad: There is already a shortcut for highlighting ctrl+h. As for disabling the popup bar, am not really keen, its designed to stay off the current line so should not interfere with reading. And adding a preference for it would require creating a whole new section in preferences, which is something I'd rather avoid for just one preference.

EDIT: And I should add that if it becomes necessary to add more preferences in the future I will be happy to add one to turn off the bar.

[democrite]

Nice. Thank you.

All other apps with such a bar have a delete highlight. There is already an x in the popup bar which I think could only appear with a highlight, as an x in other cases I think isn't needed; one can merely click elsewhere as other bars are designed as such.

Other apps also tend to append a highlight, such as if one selects text that overlaps another, it is modified.

I think not mentioned, in the viewer of recent books, if one selects a book that is no longer exists, such as moved, could it be removed from the list?

[thiago.eec]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Well, lets see if other people share your need for frequent delete of highlights, if so I will reconsider.

Ok. Let'se see if it is just me. Thanks.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I need some kind of a use case for this. I added the export feature because someone said they want to put the highlights of a book into evernote. Per book export works great for that. What is your use case? You will export notes for multiple books and do what with them?

Like I said, it is a per book export. The option to export directly from "Browse highlights" would avoid opening each book.

As for the "extra" suggestion, to export highlights for multiple books, the use case is this: I can make highlights and share with others, without sharing the file itself. If the person has the same files, then he/she could import many notes on a single move. But, that is not the main request for me. Managing (deleting and exporting) highlights from main calibre would be the most important for me. Would save a lot of time not having to open each file.

[fitnesspm]

When I try to load the program after installing to the latest version of Windows 10, I get this error message.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhJ3rOS10ML0go82...OvCXQ?e=VdepvT

[fitnesspm]

Originally Posted by fitnesspm

When I try to load the program after installing to the latest version of Windows 10, I get this error message.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhJ3rOS10ML0go82...OvCXQ?e=VdepvT

I rebooted my PC and it's now working.

The highlight feature is outstanding bro, you done very well

[fitnesspm]

Is there a way to use the new highlight feature on an Android phone?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by fitnesspm

Is there a way to use the new highlight feature on an Android phone?

About your only hope is if the calibre server allows highlighting though a web browser.

Otherwise, calibre does not run on Android so the answer would be no.

[democrite]

The number of steps and required mouse movement to create a highlight I think could be reduced. Attached screen shots of Kindle and Kobo for iOS. I assume B&N and apps for Android work similarly.

The pen icon to create a highlight could be a colored circle with the current highlight color. That specific point, I am undecided as most or all apps I know of quickly create a one-tap highlight from the previously used color. Selecting the icon should be enough to create a highlight with no confirmation; the mouse cursor is already in that location and is quickest. Most of time, I think with print too, people make highlights without notes. As such, adding a note is a separate icon that brings up the dialog when needed. If I want to just make a bunch of highlights, it is quickest.

I might also prefer only 5–6 or so colors, the ones typical of highlighers. Apple Books uses yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, and maybe a nice addition, red underlined. Brighter than current colors I think is better.

One other thing. Any plans for EPUB 3 page numbers? Showing them in the side margin I think you once mention you'd revisit the question after version 4. Many EPUBs now come as such, and it'd be nice.

[nqk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

About your only hope is if the calibre server allows highlighting though a web browser.

Otherwise, calibre does not run on Android so the answer would be no.

It works with Content Server, but not as easy as in PC.

(1) Long tap selects only one word -> (2) Select "Hightlight button --> (3) Select 'Adjust Selection' -- > (4) Do the selecting.

I hope I can cut off step 2 and 3 in this selection process. And the Popup Action Bar doesn't have the "Copy" button (as in the main Viewer).
The annotations are not synced with the main Viewer. They are synced among browser-viewer sessions, though. Don't know if I can export the annotations from browser-viewer.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by fitnesspm

Is there a way to use the new highlight feature on an Android phone?

Yes, using the in browser viewer of the calibre content server, it works there as well and there is even a setting in the main calibre viewer preferences to sync highlights between the server and the viewer.