7.40 in osx issues and questions

Stingo · 01-15-2011, 08:47 AM

Sorry if any of these have been asked.

In 7.40, every time that I select another window (non-Calibre), Calibre 7.4 disappears. It comes back when I hit the system tray icon but it is annoying. Is there any way to stop this?

For some time now the enable system tray icon has not worked. If you hit the red button and the program goes to the system tray, it won't respond again. The solution has been to turn off the system tray icon function. Has this been fixed or is it going to be fixed?

I can't seem to adjust the column widths on the main Calibre page. This makes the author and book titles hard to read. Is this a bug in 7.4?

Thanks all.

ldolse · 01-15-2011, 08:53 AM

Both of those issues have been around for quite some time. My guess is the first issue relates to the new version of Qt that was implemented a few months back.

The second issue has existed for as long as I can remember - it's not really a bug, the OS X convention of adding menus to create a new window were never implemented.

In general they haven't bothered me, I haven't noticed any other mention of them...

kovidgoyal · 01-15-2011, 10:04 AM

I would recommend against using the system tray in OS X. OS X doesn't really support the concept of a system tray fr an application that is also in the dock. Disable the system tray and use the dock instead.

Stingo · 01-15-2011, 11:16 AM

The background problem is new. In 7.38 I could click another window on the screen and the Calibre Window would be visible in the background. Now when I click another window on the screen the Cablibre window goes away until I click the Icon on the dock.

kovidgoyal · 01-15-2011, 11:21 AM

This is with or without a system tray icon?

Stingo · 01-15-2011, 03:46 PM

Ok. I had not experimented with the system tray option in a few generations so I just did some experimenting. I am using the latest version of OSX with all updates.

With the system tray option off (not checked), if I click a window somewhere on the screen, the Calibre window disappears. It still is on in the Toolbar on the bottom of the screen (has little light beneath icon). If I click it on the tool bar it pops right back up.

With the system tray option on (checked), if I click a window somwhere else on the screen, the Calibre window stays were it was. I can click back and forth between the Calibre and the non-Calibre windows.

That said, the old problem continues if the system tray option is on, which is that if I hit the red button on the Calibre window to make it close, I cannot open Calibre again by clicking the tool bar icon. No matter how much I click the tool bar icon the window will not open. If I click the icon on the system tray, it pops right back up. Very weird behavior.

DoctorOhh · 01-15-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingo

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I would recommend against using the system tray in OS X. OS X doesn't really support the concept of a system tray fr an application that is also in the dock. Disable the system tray and use the dock instead.

That said, the old problem continues if the system tray option is on, which is that if I hit the red button on the Calibre window to make it close, I cannot open Calibre again by clicking the tool bar icon.

I would stick with the recommendation then ask questions about whatever issue I'm having with the software.

kovidgoyal · 01-15-2011, 05:15 PM

I dont see this behavior of the calibre window disappearing when you click another window, with the system tray icon off. Not being an OS X guru I don;t have any insight into what window manager settings could cause this behavior.

When you have minimized to tray the only way to restore the window is by clicking the tray icon. That is the way system tray icons work. It's weird on OS X because of the dock, as I said before.

JMikeD · 01-15-2011, 06:37 PM

I'm confused about "system tray"? Are we talking about the Menu Bar at the top of the screen, or about some add-on third party app?

kovidgoyal · 01-15-2011, 06:41 PM

yeah the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Stingo · 01-15-2011, 09:26 PM

Kovid,

I just installed 7.4 on another machine and the disappearing screen issue did not happen. The problem has to be on my side.

I also finally get how the system tray icons works with Calibre. That is why the doc icon would not respond with system tray was selected.

Here is the confusion for an OSX user. Most programs in OSX, when you hit the red button, close the window but stay in the tray. With Calibre when you press the red button the application shuts down. With the system tray option on it does not shut down but it also won't open up from the dock, only from the tray.

Well, at least I finally figured it out. Thanks.

ldolse · 01-15-2011, 10:19 PM

I was wondering what was meant by the system tray icon as well. System tray is enabled on my system, and I don't recall ever enabling it, so I assume it's a default setting?

Anyway I see the window disappearing behavior very intermittently - I've assumed it was something to do with Spaces or Expose - a lot of applications can behave a bit oddly with those features, I wouldn't be surprised if QT based apps are in that category.

One thing (I've only just learned) that's nice about the system tray is I can close the window using the red 'x' and restore it - I wasn't aware of this. Without the restore option in the tray I don't see any way to restore a closed window - neither the dock or the Calibre menu have an option to open a new window.

kovidgoyal · 01-16-2011, 01:14 AM

system tray used to be enabled by default a long time ago. As Stingo points out, it doesn't work very well on OS X so I changed the default to off.

I have debated changing the close button on OS X to close to dock, but I'm not certain if that if a good idea given that there are lots and lots of users used to the current behavior. And not having received many requests for this, I'm not sure that changing established behavior is worth it.

ldolse · 01-16-2011, 03:14 AM

I think users probably don't complain because in the end it's not really that big a deal.

However, in terms of following OS X conventions, Calibre isn't acknowledging them. I just disabled the system tray to see the behavior, and now when I click the red x that kills Calibre completely. Standard OS X convention would be to go to close the window and remain running in some sort of background mode in the dock. Some apps will spawn a new window when clicking on the dock, others will just bring the application menu to the title bar, where there is typically a new window item tied to the Command-N shortcut.

Personally I don't care that much, just pointing it out - I realize with a cross platform apps following specific OS conventions can be a bit of a pain. I'll probably leave the system tray enabled, hasn't caused me any trouble yet and it does cause Calibre to behave a little closer to the standard convention.

Stingo · 01-16-2011, 01:48 PM

If it isn't too much work to change, I would prefer Calibre stick to the OSX convention of red button closing to dock. At least provide an option as with the system tray.

When I first switched from Windows to OSX this convention annoying. Now I am used to it and keep mistakenly shutting down Calibre when I want it in the background acting a server. Not a big deal but it is generally better to keep to the conventions of each operating system.

01-15-2011, 08:47 AM	#1
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	7.40 in osx issues and questions Sorry if any of these have been asked. In 7.40, every time that I select another window (non-Calibre), Calibre 7.4 disappears. It comes back when I hit the system tray icon but it is annoying. Is there any way to stop this? For some time now the enable system tray icon has not worked. If you hit the red button and the program goes to the system tray, it won't respond again. The solution has been to turn off the system tray icon function. Has this been fixed or is it going to be fixed? I can't seem to adjust the column widths on the main Calibre page. This makes the author and book titles hard to read. Is this a bug in 7.4? Thanks all.

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01-15-2011, 08:53 AM	#2
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	Both of those issues have been around for quite some time. My guess is the first issue relates to the new version of Qt that was implemented a few months back. The second issue has existed for as long as I can remember - it's not really a bug, the OS X convention of adding menus to create a new window were never implemented. In general they haven't bothered me, I haven't noticed any other mention of them...

01-15-2011, 10:04 AM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I would recommend against using the system tray in OS X. OS X doesn't really support the concept of a system tray fr an application that is also in the dock. Disable the system tray and use the dock instead.

01-15-2011, 11:16 AM	#4
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	The background problem is new. In 7.38 I could click another window on the screen and the Calibre Window would be visible in the background. Now when I click another window on the screen the Cablibre window goes away until I click the Icon on the dock.

01-15-2011, 11:21 AM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	This is with or without a system tray icon?

01-15-2011, 03:46 PM	#6
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	Ok. I had not experimented with the system tray option in a few generations so I just did some experimenting. I am using the latest version of OSX with all updates. With the system tray option off (not checked), if I click a window somewhere on the screen, the Calibre window disappears. It still is on in the Toolbar on the bottom of the screen (has little light beneath icon). If I click it on the tool bar it pops right back up. With the system tray option on (checked), if I click a window somwhere else on the screen, the Calibre window stays were it was. I can click back and forth between the Calibre and the non-Calibre windows. That said, the old problem continues if the system tray option is on, which is that if I hit the red button on the Calibre window to make it close, I cannot open Calibre again by clicking the tool bar icon. No matter how much I click the tool bar icon the window will not open. If I click the icon on the system tray, it pops right back up. Very weird behavior.

01-15-2011, 05:15 PM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I dont see this behavior of the calibre window disappearing when you click another window, with the system tray icon off. Not being an OS X guru I don;t have any insight into what window manager settings could cause this behavior. When you have minimized to tray the only way to restore the window is by clicking the tray icon. That is the way system tray icons work. It's weird on OS X because of the dock, as I said before.

01-15-2011, 06:37 PM	#9
JMikeD Evangelist Posts: 473 Karma: 15000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: Various and sundry	I'm confused about "system tray"? Are we talking about the Menu Bar at the top of the screen, or about some add-on third party app?

01-15-2011, 06:41 PM	#10
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	yeah the menu bar at the top of the screen.

01-15-2011, 09:26 PM	#11
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	Kovid, I just installed 7.4 on another machine and the disappearing screen issue did not happen. The problem has to be on my side. I also finally get how the system tray icons works with Calibre. That is why the doc icon would not respond with system tray was selected. Here is the confusion for an OSX user. Most programs in OSX, when you hit the red button, close the window but stay in the tray. With Calibre when you press the red button the application shuts down. With the system tray option on it does not shut down but it also won't open up from the dock, only from the tray. Well, at least I finally figured it out. Thanks.

01-15-2011, 10:19 PM	#12
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	I was wondering what was meant by the system tray icon as well. System tray is enabled on my system, and I don't recall ever enabling it, so I assume it's a default setting? Anyway I see the window disappearing behavior very intermittently - I've assumed it was something to do with Spaces or Expose - a lot of applications can behave a bit oddly with those features, I wouldn't be surprised if QT based apps are in that category. One thing (I've only just learned) that's nice about the system tray is I can close the window using the red 'x' and restore it - I wasn't aware of this. Without the restore option in the tray I don't see any way to restore a closed window - neither the dock or the Calibre menu have an option to open a new window.

01-16-2011, 01:14 AM	#13
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	system tray used to be enabled by default a long time ago. As Stingo points out, it doesn't work very well on OS X so I changed the default to off. I have debated changing the close button on OS X to close to dock, but I'm not certain if that if a good idea given that there are lots and lots of users used to the current behavior. And not having received many requests for this, I'm not sure that changing established behavior is worth it.

01-16-2011, 03:14 AM	#14
ldolse Wizard Posts: 1,337 Karma: 123455 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Malaysia Device: PRS-650, iPhone	I think users probably don't complain because in the end it's not really that big a deal. However, in terms of following OS X conventions, Calibre isn't acknowledging them. I just disabled the system tray to see the behavior, and now when I click the red x that kills Calibre completely. Standard OS X convention would be to go to close the window and remain running in some sort of background mode in the dock. Some apps will spawn a new window when clicking on the dock, others will just bring the application menu to the title bar, where there is typically a new window item tied to the Command-N shortcut. Personally I don't care that much, just pointing it out - I realize with a cross platform apps following specific OS conventions can be a bit of a pain. I'll probably leave the system tray enabled, hasn't caused me any trouble yet and it does cause Calibre to behave a little closer to the standard convention.

01-16-2011, 01:48 PM	#15
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	If it isn't too much work to change, I would prefer Calibre stick to the OSX convention of red button closing to dock. At least provide an option as with the system tray. When I first switched from Windows to OSX this convention annoying. Now I am used to it and keep mistakenly shutting down Calibre when I want it in the background acting a server. Not a big deal but it is generally better to keep to the conventions of each operating system.