[GUI Plugin] CalibreSpy

[BetterRed]

Cover images should retain their aspect ratio when they are displayed either directly via View Cover, or within the Library Browser. Distorted covers are irritating when you're flicking through books in the Library Browser. BTW I do like the sticky buttons

BR

[DaltonST]

Version 1.0.63- 04 Dec 2018 Image Scaling improved.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by DaltonST

Version 1.0.63- 04 Dec 2018 Image Scaling improved.

- much better

BR

[DaltonST]

Version 1.0.64- 06 Dec 2018 Library Browser Metadata Internet Search Links. Search engine URL is specified in Library-Specific Customization. Refer to the ToolTips for valid formats.



DaltonST

[BetterRed]

One of my libraries is always read only. See attachments

I Start CS with 3 libraries, Books, Media and Test. For the Books and Test libraries the configuration button is active, but the Media library is always RO. Calibre GUI is not running.

Any ideas?

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Any ideas?

BR

I tried restarting Windows, now all three libraries are read only

Background Context: When I select View Author link in from main CalibreSpy list, the URI in Author's Link field in Manage Author's is opened. However, when I click the (blue) Author Name in the Library Browser it does a Google Search - I wanted to get into Library Configuration to see if I could set it to use the Author Link field.

I looked for Calibre Spy in JS->Purge Preferences - not there.

BR

[DaltonST]

See the image in the OP re: emergency use only. Make a copy of the .py and .bat and change them per the comments in each. \config\plugins\calibrespy_cli\... Rename them so they never get overwritten.

DaltonST

[DaltonST]

CS must always be shut down gracefully or it goes into safe mode at next start. Safe = read-only settings. ToolTips and images explain.

JS cannot touch CS; it is not a normal plugin.

DaltonST

[DaltonST]

Running many instances of CS from one single bat file is like putting all your eggs in one basket. All will go into safe mode if the single command window is closed instead of first exiting properly from each instance via the Exit button.

The Library Browser shortcut for author links is control+L. ToolTips.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by DaltonST

See the image in the OP re: emergency use only. Make a copy of the .py and .bat and change them per the comments in each. \config\plugins\calibrespy_cli\... Rename them so they never get overwritten.

DaltonST

That fixed it

Originally Posted by DaltonST

CS must always be shut down gracefully or it goes into safe mode at next start. Safe = read-only settings. ToolTips and images explain.

JS cannot touch CS; it is not a normal plugin.

DaltonST

But next time they were locked again. Here's why: after running my 'multilib_calibrespy.bat' (three starts as per post 37) I minimise the associated windows, viz:



I use WinKey+T and arrow keys to select a calibrespy window, and Alt+space, N to minimise it again. When its time to close down I use Win+T, Menukey, Close all windows, viz:



To me that's a perfectly valid way to close tasks gracefully. I've been doing it for decades. On XP I used an addon to give me keyboard navigation of the taskbar. I do it all the time for Office and other multi-instance programs.

If I open each calibrespy window and click its Exit button individually, and I close the cmd windows individually I don't get the locks.

I've patched my version of calibrespysettings_remove_multiuser_status.bat into the top of my multilib_calibrespy.bat. Feel free to suggest a better way, but I'm happy with that.

I can't remember the last time calibre crashed, assuming it ever has, and I'd bet next weeks lunch money calibrespy has never crashed. So I'm happy to take the risk of running multiple instances of CS for hours on end. Being able to flick in and out of different libraries is a boon.

Thanks for the Ctrl+L tip, I should have guessed that

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

... and I'd bet next weeks lunch money calibrespy has never crashed.

Sigh - it was inevitable, this just happened when clicking the Red Cross button on the Library Browser

calibre, version 3.34.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>RuntimeError</b>:wrapped C/C++ object of type QPushButton has been deleted

calibre 3.34 [64bit]  embedded-python: True is64bit: True
Windows-10-10.0.17134-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.17134')
Python 2.7.12+
Windows: ('10', '10.0.17134', 'SP0', u'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
Successfully initialized third party plugins: User Category (1, 5, 3) && Generate Cover (1, 5, 21) && Modify ePub (1, 3, 13) && Resize Cover (1, 0, 3) && Reading List (1, 6, 6) && Find Duplicates (1, 6, 3) && View Manager (1, 3, 2) && CalibreSpy (1, 0, 64) && Job Spy (1, 0, 137) && Favourites Menu (1, 0, 4) && Goodreads (1, 3, 0) && Extract ISBN (1, 4, 4) && Quality Check (1, 9, 11) && EpubSplit (2, 5, 0) && Count Pages (1, 8, 2) && Drop Search Results (1, 0, 8) && Beam Ebooks (1, 0, 0) && Barnes & Noble (1, 2, 15) && GetFileName (0, 0, 12)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre_plugins.calibrespy.library_browser_dialog", line 413, in exit
RuntimeError: wrapped C/C++ object of type QPushButton has been deleted

Didn't bring CS down, but I had to close the LB window via the Task Bar icon context menu. And I can't repeat it

BR

[DaltonST]

But next time they were locked again.

Yes, and the message at startup tells you why, and that it is only "briefly". That "briefly" message is a good thing. Exit properly, restart, and all is normal.

The Customization has a spinbox to select the number of hours to wait for "orphaned locks". CS assumes a multi-user environment, including a single user running CS for the same library multiple times, and when it goes into safe mode, it has "orphaned locks". Set the spinbox to the lowest value, 2 hours. Also keep the .bat file to remove them immediately handy.

"Crash" means "command box closed before properly exiting CS via the Exit button". Or, exiting from Windows before properly exiting CS first.


DaltonST

[DaltonST]

Version 1.0.65- 07 Dec 2018 Miscellany.

See the attached image.


DaltonST

[BetterRed]

I got an error on one of my libraries when I tried to use the Library Browser - see below.

The only standard column I had checked in Optional Metadata was Publisher. However I had 8 custom columns selected

As a consequence in Metadata Matrix Column Order: settings I had to sequence named columns (Series, Added etc) that to all intents and purposes don't exist, whilst the columns that do exist are identified by arbitrary numbers rather than their column names, consequently the setting of the Column Order is awkward to say the very least. I looked at it carefully to see if I have any 'data gaps'; if I did, it was not obvious to me.

A fairly recent version of the Library Browser worked OK on this library; I know this for a fact because it was in this library that I first noticed the Library Browser was not maintaining the cover image aspect ratio - which you fixed.

Whilst writing this post I have resolved the issue by resetting everything back to defaults, redoing the deselection of the standard columns I don't use, and resequencing the column order as 1-22 left-to-right. I can live with that

Suggestions:

• if a standard column is unchecked in the Optional Metadata settings remove it from Metadata Matrix Column Order:, OR allow a columns sequence number to be set to 0 (zero) indicating it is not to be shown.
• include Path as selectable column in Optional Metadata - I appreciate it can be hidden via the book list context menu, but I assume that's also true of Series, Ratings etc.
• use custom column names (truncated if needs be) in the Columns Order specifications

BR

calibre, version 3.35.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>IndexError</b>:list index out of range

calibre 3.35 [64bit]  embedded-python: True is64bit: True
Windows-10-10.0.17134-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.17134')
Python 2.7.12+
Windows: ('10', '10.0.17134', 'SP0', u'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
Successfully initialized third party plugins: View Manager (1, 3, 2) && Reading List (1, 6, 6) && Goodreads (1, 3, 0) && CalibreSpy (1, 0, 65) && Beam Ebooks (1, 0, 0) && Quality Check (1, 9, 11) && Barnes & Noble (1, 2, 15) && Count Pages (1, 8, 2) && Extract ISBN (1, 4, 4) && Drop Search Results (1, 0, 8) && Modify ePub (1, 3, 13) && Job Spy (1, 0, 137) && Generate Cover (1, 5, 21) && Favourites Menu (1, 0, 4) && User Category (1, 5, 3) && EpubSplit (2, 5, 0) && GetFileName (0, 0, 13) && Find Duplicates (1, 6, 3) && Resize Cover (1, 0, 3)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre_plugins.calibrespy.calibrespy_dialog", line 2231, in library_browser_context
  File "calibre_plugins.calibrespy.calibrespy_dialog", line 2267, in library_browser
  File "calibre_plugins.calibrespy.library_browser_dialog", line 107, in __init__
  File "calibre_plugins.calibrespy.library_browser_dialog", line 440, in update_details_metadata
IndexError: list index out of range

[DaltonST]

You had a complex data gap that you fixed. Library Browser issue was a symptom.

No need to ever do a straight 1-22. Just have to avoid creating a gap. If things get totally confused, however, that is a good way to reset to a valid sequence before saving, restarting, then changing to the desired sequence. No need to live with a straight 1-22.

Path is a required column, since it is used internally in several places (e.g. read a book, save a copy, get the book ID, etc). Cannot be optional.

Good idea about the specific CC label in the slot.



My current project is a new plugin, Entities Manager. An entity may have many links and many notes. Associated entities point to their unifying entity that has their links and notes to avoid duplication. Example: Pseudonyms point to the real author that has the links and notes. Or not. Flexible. Associations are optional.

Entity = (type + value) where type is the metadata column name (standard or custom) and value is a metadata value. Any Entity can be associated with any other Entity with no regard to type.

Numeric and composite custom columns are not valid Entity Types.

Author, Series and Publisher are the standard column valid types.

As many links and notes per entity as desired.

Book ID not involved at all. Library-level.

January 2019 beta release.


DaltonST