A possible new feature for Sigil 1.9.11?

[DiapDealer]

I guess my questions are: 1) if only the custom_preview_style.css is present, will the button then act as a binary toggle (between custom preview and nothing)? Or will their essentially be two "no custom css" states?

2) same for the opposite: if only the custom_preview_style_invert.css is present (I know there shouldn't be), will the button act as a binary toggle (between custom inverted preview and nothing)?

3) will the button do nothing when no custom css files are present, or will the button be disabled?

There are no wrong answers that will be deal-breakers for me, I'd just like to know. Optimally, I would think there shouldn't be two states that were essentially identical (when only one custom preview css file is present). I'd also prefer that a user wouldn't potentially be flogging away at a button that does nothing (if none of the custom files are present).

[RbnJrg]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'd also prefer that a user wouldn't potentially be flogging away at a button that does nothing (if none of the custom files are present).

Maybe would it be possible for Becky to gray-out (or disable) the button if none of the .css files are present so the feature only would be available in the proper cases.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by RbnJrg

Maybe would it be possible for Becky to gray-out (or disable) the button if none of the .css files are present so the feature only would be available in the proper cases.

Sure. And it wouldn't be difficult at all. But that's why I'm asking the other questions, too. Because I could see it being useful to some people even without the inverted css file (or dark mode) in play. It could be handy for some just to be able to toggle between the epub default and the custom_preview_style.css file.

It wouldn't technically need to be disabled when one or the other custom css files weren't present. Especially if it wouldn't take a ton of work to have it toggle between one, or both, custom css files (and the epub's default). The button would only need to be disabled if neither custom css file were present.

[KevinH]

Sigil master now has my first shot at adapting BeckEbook's approach to allow cycling through custom css stylesheets for Preview.

A few notes, the actual implementation had to be changed slightly:

1. Because file access and especially QFileInfo is painfully slow and because Preview needs to reload automatically many many times (so loading speed is very important), the building of the alternative custom urls is done in MainWindow once when Sigil is first opened.

So if you manually create a

"custom_preview_style.css"

or

"custom_preview_style_alt.css";

file after Sigil is open (ie behind Sigil's back so to speak) you will have to open a new MainWindow in order to activate the new css file in Preview.

2. Right now if there are no custom css style files, the icon is greyed out (that action is not enabled) but visually I can not see that in my testing so we probably need to handle that in a different way so when it is disabled it is more visually detectable.

3. The second css file name is based on _alt_ and not _invert_ as technically it can be used for other purposes.

So please everyone thank BeckyEbook for her ingenious approach for implementing this requested feature and her wonderful svg icons!

Feedback and ideas for improvements especially on when the button is disabled welcome. We may need to either remove the button completely or change its icon is a more visible way when no custom css stylesheets are available.

[BeckyEbook]

Grayed icons are OK. Look here.

[KevinH]

Nice Catch! Merged your PR to master.

Thank You!

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

Grayed icons are OK. Look here.

[RbnJrg]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Sigil master now has my first shot at adapting BeckEbook's approach to allow cycling through custom css stylesheets for Preview.

A few notes, the actual implementation had to be changed slightly:

1. Because file access and especially QFileInfo is painfully slow and because Preview needs to reload automatically many many times (so loading speed is very important), the building of the alternative custom urls is done in MainWindow once when Sigil is first opened.

So if you manually create a

"custom_preview_style.css"

or

"custom_preview_style_alt.css";

file after Sigil is open (ie behind Sigil's back so to speak) you will have to open a new MainWindow in order to activate the new css file in Preview.

2. Right now if there are no custom css style files, the icon is greyed out (that action is not enabled) but visually I can not see that in my testing so we probably need to handle that in a different way so when it is disabled it is more visually detectable.

3. The second css file name is based on _alt_ and not _invert_ as technically it can be used for other purposes.

Many thanks Kevin. If you can post a link for a beta version, I could start updating the Sigil User Guide with these new pieces.

So please everyone thank BeckyEbook for her ingenious approach for implementing this requested feature and her wonderful svg icons!

Indeed! Thank you very much Becky for your hard work in order this feature is available.

Feedback and ideas for improvements especially on when the button is disabled welcome.

I don't know if this is asking too much. Would it be possible that when the new icon is pressed (like one must press the icon for "Run Automate List"), a contextual menu appears so the associated .css stylesheet is open to edit it? If it take too much work, forget this, since as Becky said me, if I have open the .css before starting Sigil, the changes I make will be reflected in Preview Panel.

[KevinH]

I will wait in case others have feedback and create a CI build. Do you want Windows or macOS?

As for sub menus and editors for each custom preview css stylesheet, that is way way too much work for a feature many people will probably never use.

Since the file names and locations are known and fixed, editing them can be done with any editor at the os level by almost any script.

[RbnJrg]

Originally Posted by KevinH

I will wait in case others have feedback and create a CI build. Do you want Windows or macOS?

I will build Sigil for my ArchLinux.

As for sub menus and editors for each custom preview css stylesheet, that is way way too much work for a feature many people will probably never use.

Ok., no problem

[KevinH]

That will work. But please use a light theme for clarity when making replacement screenshots. The light theme seems to help the readability of screenshots when placed in the epub.

And please start with the version of the user guide from master here:

https://github.com/Sigil-Ebook/sigil-user-guide

Thanks,

KevinH

Originally Posted by RbnJrg

I will build Sigil for my ArchLinux.



Ok., no problem

[RbnJrg]

Originally Posted by KevinH

That will work. But please use a light theme for clarity when making replacement screenshots. The light theme seems to help the readability of screenshots when placed in the epub.

Ok.

And please start with the version of the user guide from master here:

https://github.com/Sigil-Ebook/sigil-user-guide

Ok too.

Thanks

No problem

[KevinH]

@RbnJrg

Since Sigil-1.9.20 has now been released with your cycle css requested feature, would you please update the relevant sections of the Sigil User's guide with info on this new feature and of course update any images with Preview in them to be consistent.

Thanks!

[RbnJrg]

Originally Posted by KevinH

@RbnJrg

Since Sigil-1.9.20 has now been released with your cycle css requested feature, would you please update the relevant sections of the Sigil User's guide with info on this new feature and of course update any images with Preview in them to be consistent.

Thanks!

Yes Kevin, of course, I'll do that!

[RbnJrg]

Hi Kevin, what name do we give this new feature?

[KevinH]

Perhaps "Cycle CSS "? But really any name you deem appropriate.

In the Preview chapter, please add info on the new icon and explain what its purpose is, how it can be useful, the file names required, etc.
Sample css code for each would help.

The biggest job will be re-generating all the screenshots that include Preview in them someplace. Please make sure to use an out of copyright epub (now public domain) so that images and text are not an issue. Please use a light theme and png file formats as they are generally quite readable. I typically generate all the screen shots with identical filenames as the original first, and then use Add Existing and tell it to overwrite their namesakes. That way no need to play around with links.

Thanks for all your help with this!

Kevin

Originally Posted by RbnJrg

Hi Kevin, what name do we give this new feature?