Sigil-0.9.991 (1.0 Pre-release)

[BeckyEbook]

Originally Posted by odamizu

The 3 plugins are: FolderOut, KindleGen, and InsertImageSVG. (I will post details in each of the plugin pages.)

Get newest plugins from first post each plugin thread.
Plugins FolderOut and KindleGen are updated for Sigil 1.x, InsertImageSVG not yet.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

Get newest plugins from first post each plugin thread.
Plugins FolderOut and KindleGen are updated for Sigil 1.x, InsertImageSVG not yet.

I am so sorry! I should have thought of that!

ETA: I do monitor the plugin threads and update my plugins when the developer posts that an update is available. But these stealth updates slipped by me

[BeckyEbook]

Existing NCX file is not updated after change .xhtml file name

1. Run Sigil
2. Default file name: Section0001.xhtml
3. Look --> ncx file --> inside is Section0001.xhtml
4. Rename Section0001.xhtml to other name
5. Look again --> ncx file --> inside is Section0001.xhtml still

Older versions of Sigil automatically updated ncx with EXISTING entries.

[BeckyEbook]

An annoying aesthetic problem in the Preview pane

1. Open any epub with svg cover (or use attached file).
2. Look at xhtml with svg container (any cover created by Sigil).
3. Open the preview window (F10) if it is not open by default.
4. Look at the bottom right corner of the Preview window.
Hmmm… Scrollbars? Why?

Use a small image, use a large image... Always a scrollbar?

I suppose adding a toolbar at the bottom of the preview window caused the available height to be calculated incorrectly and we always see scrollars.

I found a workaround for this problem, but it's not perfect because it applies to all svgs.

Spoiler:

Add to custom_preview_style.css file:

svg {height: 99%!important;width: 99%!important}

Will it be possible to code a better solution?

height = original_height – toolbar_height?

[DiapDealer]

We're not really concerned with aesthetics at the moment. We're focused on potential breakage and loss of functionality.

The scrollbar thing is probably related to this commit. Which fixed an even more annoying qtwebengine preview problem where full-screen svg-wrapped images weren't honoring the 100% height attribute like they did with qtwebkit. Try adjusting the css overflow properties in the meantime if the scroll bars annoy you.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

Existing NCX file is not updated after change .xhtml file name

1. Run Sigil
2. Default file name: Section0001.xhtml
3. Look --> ncx file --> inside is Section0001.xhtml
4. Rename Section0001.xhtml to other name
5. Look again --> ncx file --> inside is Section0001.xhtml still

Older versions of Sigil automatically updated ncx with EXISTING entries.

Works just fine on EPUB2 where the ncx is mandatory and present by default. But if my default is EPUB3, then there no ncx file to look at when I get to steps 3 & 5 of your instructions (with the latest Sigil versions).

Now that Sigil doesn't force the use of an ncx in EPUB3, it's not being kept in sync when one is optionally added. The general idea is that anyone who's including an ncx in their EPUB3 for backward compatibility with epub2 devices/apps should simply generate the optional NCX from the NAV data after all editing is complete.

[BeckyEbook]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Works just fine on EPUB2 where the ncx is mandatory and present by default.

I am referring to epub2, but using a new function in Sigil to change epub layout using it as the default.

Folder "Text" is hardcoded in file NCXResource.cpp

[DiapDealer]

My mistake. I assumed this was default behavior as of Sigil 0.9.16 when we made the ncx optional. But I see that's not the case. Sigil 0.9.18 DID update the optional ncx of an EPUB3 whenever a file was renamed, but 0.9.991 does not.

Sigil DOES still update the ncx of an epub2 that is in Sigil's standard format, but not one that uses an alternative structure where xhtml is not in the "Text" subfolder.

We'll look into it. This is exactly the type of thing that the pre-release was intended to ferret out. Thanks!

[BeckyEbook]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The scrollbar thing is probably related to this commit. Which fixed an even more annoying qtwebengine preview problem where full-screen svg-wrapped images weren't honoring the 100% height attribute like they did with qtwebkit. Try adjusting the css overflow properties in the meantime if the scroll bars annoy you.

Yes. I remember it.

This problem is absolutely not a priority.
A workaround in the css file will suffice in most cases.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

This problem is absolutely not a priority.
A workaround in the css file will suffice in most cases.

Perhaps we'll be able to inject the css that disables the scrollbars on full-screen images sometime in the future.

[KevinH]

That is up to you. There is nothing inherently wrong when creating an ebook from scratch to use a layout you like. Sigil's default epub layout is in fact a very logical and good one. But some epubs like compendiums and some epub3's that use prebuilt location specific javascripts, need a specific epub layout. Sigil could never properly edit them before without a lot of renaming, and even sometimes breakage. That is why Sigil is needed this feature before it claim "1.0" status.
As for me, I rarely use or need a different structure than what Sigil defaults to. That said, since this is an alpha release for testing purposes, I hope everyone is loading one of their non-standard epubs and trying hard to break Sigil and reporting back.

As for plugins, the other main purpose of this alpha release, is to give plugin developers access to a working version of the new plugin interface so that they could update their plugins before Sigil 1.0 is actually released. So please ask nicely in the Plugin's thread for an update to work with Sigil 1.0 but understand not everyone will update things soon.

I personally would be happy to help update any plugin developers plugins if they run into any difficulties.

If you have skills in python, another approach is to fix that plugin yourself and give the changes back to the developer after testing that it works with standard and non-standard epubs as well as on Sigil-0.9.991 and the previous Sigil-0.9.18.

Hope this helps,

KevinH

Originally Posted by odamizu

I've spent a little time playing with Sigil 0.9.991 on macOS High Sierra, and so far so good. I also opened 0.9.991 on Catalina, but haven't done anything further than to make sure it launches successfully.

Sigil itself is running fine so far, however I've run into one plugin (InsertImageSVG) that fails when it comes to epubs with non-Sigil-standard structures. Using Tools > Restructure Epub to Sigil Norm solves the problem.

QUESTION: I understand KevinH and DiapDealer went to great lengths to enable Sigil to accept and handle any epub structure. Is there an advantage to leaving the epub in its original non-Sigil-standard structure? Is there any reason that I should not use the Tools > Restructure Epub to Sigil Norm as soon as I load an epub into Sigil as part of my workflow now?

[KevinH]

Is this by chance an epub3? If so, Sigil will not auto update the ncx and will only auto update the nav. If not, a definite bug as long as the file that is pointed to by the ncx link actually truly exists.

KevinH

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

Existing NCX file is not updated after change .xhtml file name

1. Run Sigil
2. Default file name: Section0001.xhtml
3. Look --> ncx file --> inside is Section0001.xhtml
4. Rename Section0001.xhtml to other name
5. Look again --> ncx file --> inside is Section0001.xhtml still

Older versions of Sigil automatically updated ncx with EXISTING entries.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

I am referring to epub2, but using a new function in Sigil to change epub layout using it as the default.

Folder "Text" is hardcoded in file NCXResource.cpp

Yes. Those template strings are going to have to be rethought for alternatively structured EPUBs (especially when an alternative structure is set as the new default.)

In the meantime, the ncx in your alternatively structured EPUB2 should resume being synced if you manually edit the content src attributes of the NavPoints to match your existing structure.

I'm not entirely sure why EPUB3 NCXs stopped syncing with 0.9.991 (even when using an epub with Sigil's traditional structure). Need to do more sussing.

[KevinH]

Not syncing epub3 ncx was done by design as the nav is primary in those cases.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Is this by chance an epub3? If so, Sigil will not auto update the ncx and will only auto update the nav. If not, a definite bug as long as the file that is pointed to by the ncx link actually truly exists.

I thought the same thing at first. But it seems it's only v0.9.991 that stopped updating the optional NCX when files are renamed. Was that a conscience decision for 0.9.991 because of nomove's purpose?

And she's referring to EPUB2s where she's set a default alternative structure (or created one on the fly). The hard-coded "Text/" in the template string creates a default ncx that doesn't match the new structure and thus won't be updated when the file is renamed in BookBrowser.