"Copy to Libary (delete after copy)" - Placement Suggestion

plib · 06-30-2012, 04:19 AM

I've put this in Library Management as it seems most logical, please move if more appropriate in Development or somewhere else.

I maintain a few libraries for different purposes. The main working library is on my local machine but I copy lot of books onto a networked library on a NAS to make them available to any machine in the house.

When I select a book to copy to "Calibre Network" the selection "Copy to library (delete after copy)" is directly below the "Copy to Library" line. On a number of occasions I've found myself on the point of deleting a book after copying because the mouse pointer has slipped down a few pixels.

To my mind it would make more sense to segregate the (delete after copy) selections in a separate section of the menu, e.g. lines 1-4 = Copy to library a/d, insert separator line, and lines 5-8 = Copy to libary a/d (delete after copy), rather than having the delete option right next to the copy option.

This would reduce the possibility of inadvertently deleting a book from my main, master library on copy.

kovidgoyal · 06-30-2012, 06:36 AM

I dont see what difference it makes. With your suggestion, if the mouse slips you end up creating an unwanted duplicate in another library, which means you will have to switch to that library and delete it. With the original scheme, your book gets moved instead of copied to the correct library, an error you can remedy by simply switching to that library and copying back, later. In either case you need to switch to another library, find the book and perform an action on it.

plib · 06-30-2012, 11:01 AM

The difference is that the original isn't deleted from my master library. If I notice I clicked the wrong line then I could fix it as you outline. If I don't notice then the original is gone from the master and if any point in the future I use the master to overwrite any of the subsidiary libraries, which I sometimes do with the network library, then the book is gone entirely.

I could live with a dupe in one of the subsidiary libraries a lot easier than I could with a deleted book from the master library. Plus, in the nature of things, it's easier to spot a dupe than a deletion.

kovidgoyal · 06-30-2012, 11:06 AM

I'm afraid that isn't a compelling enough reason to force everyone to get used to a new menu layout, or to add an option to have two different menu layouts.

kiwidude · 06-30-2012, 11:08 AM

@Kovid - I was going to suggest that plib just assign a keyboard shortcut if they don't trust themselves with a mouse, but I see you don't have keyboard shortcuts enabled for the Copy to Library functions. If you added support for that it would be an alternative?

plib · 07-01-2012, 03:27 AM

@kiwidude - That would be a possibility, though if the shortcuts were assigned by line they could have different effects. For example I usually copy from "Main" to "Network", but if I switch libraries that same first menu line could be from "Amazon freebies" to "Main" and the second line could be "Amazon freebies" to "Network", similarly with "Epub freebies". Still I suppose it would be fairly easy to figure out Ctrl-1, Ctrl-2 etc. by context, and at least it would ensure that it wasn't performing any kind of deletion.

@kovid - I recognize that it's difficult to change an existing menu structure. I just think it's unfortunate that the current layout could make deletion errors more likely, particularly when doing some high volume/frequency copying.

khonshu · 07-01-2012, 04:13 AM

Would it be possible/practical to confirm deletion before calibre really deletes the book? that means no menu layout change. Gives user a second chance to think on what it's gonna be done... Perfect if you could even switch it on/off (the confirmation) from preferences.

Khonshu

plib · 07-01-2012, 07:02 AM

That's a good idea. It could be called the Calibre "Senate" preference. The preference for sober, second thought!

Edit: As I had just come close to, but hadn't actually, deleted a book this way I thought it might be a good idea to check what warnings, if any, existed about the deletion (something I probably should have done before posting!). It appears that the deletion does happen without warning or confirmation, whereas the "Remove Book" function does have a confirmation dialog. So all levity aside, yes - this is a good idea, and one that would get my vote for a bug fix/improvement.

mezme · 07-17-2012, 09:53 PM

Speaking of functionality... Can I get something clarified?

When you choose the "copy to library" function... does it overwrite the existing format and metadata in the target library?

06-30-2012, 04:19 AM	#1
plib Guru Posts: 777 Karma: 6356004 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	"Copy to Libary (delete after copy)" - Placement Suggestion I've put this in Library Management as it seems most logical, please move if more appropriate in Development or somewhere else. I maintain a few libraries for different purposes. The main working library is on my local machine but I copy lot of books onto a networked library on a NAS to make them available to any machine in the house. When I select a book to copy to "Calibre Network" the selection "Copy to library (delete after copy)" is directly below the "Copy to Library" line. On a number of occasions I've found myself on the point of deleting a book after copying because the mouse pointer has slipped down a few pixels. To my mind it would make more sense to segregate the (delete after copy) selections in a separate section of the menu, e.g. lines 1-4 = Copy to library a/d, insert separator line, and lines 5-8 = Copy to libary a/d (delete after copy), rather than having the delete option right next to the copy option. This would reduce the possibility of inadvertently deleting a book from my main, master library on copy.

06-30-2012, 11:01 AM	#3
plib Guru Posts: 777 Karma: 6356004 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	The difference is that the original isn't deleted from my master library. If I notice I clicked the wrong line then I could fix it as you outline. If I don't notice then the original is gone from the master and if any point in the future I use the master to overwrite any of the subsidiary libraries, which I sometimes do with the network library, then the book is gone entirely. I could live with a dupe in one of the subsidiary libraries a lot easier than I could with a deleted book from the master library. Plus, in the nature of things, it's easier to spot a dupe than a deletion. Last edited by plib; 06-30-2012 at 11:04 AM.

07-01-2012, 07:02 AM	#8
plib Guru Posts: 777 Karma: 6356004 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	That's a good idea. It could be called the Calibre "Senate" preference. The preference for sober, second thought! Edit: As I had just come close to, but hadn't actually, deleted a book this way I thought it might be a good idea to check what warnings, if any, existed about the deletion (something I probably should have done before posting!). It appears that the deletion does happen without warning or confirmation, whereas the "Remove Book" function does have a confirmation dialog. So all levity aside, yes - this is a good idea, and one that would get my vote for a bug fix/improvement. Last edited by plib; 07-01-2012 at 02:10 PM.

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06-30-2012, 06:36 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I dont see what difference it makes. With your suggestion, if the mouse slips you end up creating an unwanted duplicate in another library, which means you will have to switch to that library and delete it. With the original scheme, your book gets moved instead of copied to the correct library, an error you can remedy by simply switching to that library and copying back, later. In either case you need to switch to another library, find the book and perform an action on it.

06-30-2012, 11:06 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I'm afraid that isn't a compelling enough reason to force everyone to get used to a new menu layout, or to add an option to have two different menu layouts.

06-30-2012, 11:08 AM	#5
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,636 Karma: 2162064 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	@Kovid - I was going to suggest that plib just assign a keyboard shortcut if they don't trust themselves with a mouse, but I see you don't have keyboard shortcuts enabled for the Copy to Library functions. If you added support for that it would be an alternative?

07-01-2012, 03:27 AM	#6
plib Guru Posts: 777 Karma: 6356004 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	@kiwidude - That would be a possibility, though if the shortcuts were assigned by line they could have different effects. For example I usually copy from "Main" to "Network", but if I switch libraries that same first menu line could be from "Amazon freebies" to "Main" and the second line could be "Amazon freebies" to "Network", similarly with "Epub freebies". Still I suppose it would be fairly easy to figure out Ctrl-1, Ctrl-2 etc. by context, and at least it would ensure that it wasn't performing any kind of deletion. @kovid - I recognize that it's difficult to change an existing menu structure. I just think it's unfortunate that the current layout could make deletion errors more likely, particularly when doing some high volume/frequency copying.

07-01-2012, 04:13 AM	#7
khonshu Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Hanlin v3	Would it be possible/practical to confirm deletion before calibre really deletes the book? that means no menu layout change. Gives user a second chance to think on what it's gonna be done... Perfect if you could even switch it on/off (the confirmation) from preferences. Khonshu

07-17-2012, 09:53 PM	#9
mezme Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS700	Speaking of functionality... Can I get something clarified? When you choose the "copy to library" function... does it overwrite the existing format and metadata in the target library?

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