CC alpha release 3.4.4i

[chaley]

CC alpha release 3.4.4i has been published and will be available to people in the alpha test program.

Changes since 3.4.4g (see this thread for details about 3.4.4h):

• Some changes that might help with dialog boxes on e-ink devices
• [BUG FIX]Fix regression causing columns built from other columns not being separated into individual tags-like items

Unless someone discovers a serious bug, this will be the last alpha release for a while. I am starting the work for "cloud access".

The following is a summary of changes since 3.4.4, similar to what will be published when 3.5.1 is released.

• Single-level hierarchical columns. See the new setting in the grouping section
• Optionally sync book files: calibre sends book formats to CC if the copy in calibre is newer than in CC
• Optionally temp-mark a book in calibre if its is-read information was updated by info in CC
• Enable the "fast scroller" on the booklist, grouping pane, and the book grid. This is a rectangle that appears when you scroll the list, which you can grab and move to scroll much more quickly.
• Add options to control the scroller: where it appears, which side it is on, and whether it shows permanently.
• Add option to fall back to automatic connect if connection to the specified IP address fails
• Per-group first letter control in the grouping drawer
• Use value-sensitive ranges for numbers in the grouping drawer when doing first-letter grouping
• Add an option to remove <<>> lines in the grouping drawer
• Allow reordering groups in the grouping drawer
• Make the top-level group name not scroll when the info under it is scrolled
• Option to specify an auto-sort for the "Groups" line (not grouping)
• Support picking custom fields to group from a list. Requires calibre 2.1 or newer
• Add Languages as a groupable item. See "Make groups for custom columns" to enable this feature.
• Add formats as a groupable item. See "Make groups for custom columns" to enable this feature.
• Allow reordering the sorts shown in the menu
• Support picking the is-read columns (yes/no and date) from a list. Requires calibre 2.1 or newer
• Display file size in book details
• Make "Disconnect" optionally appear on the action bar when "Connect" is on the menu
• Performance improvement in grouping drawer
• Support the Samsung version of Kindle for Android
• Support both standalone content server instances and a calibre instance running the content server on the same local network.
• Support both standalone content server instances and a calibre instance running the content server on the same computer. Requires calibre V2.0 or newer.
• Use a "star" character for rating types in the book list instead of a number
• In book details, respect the calibre format for custom number columns if there is one, otherwise use commas.
• Some changes that might help with dialog boxes on e-ink devices
• [BUG FIX]Fix not being able to long-press on the first line of a group
• [BUG FIX]Prevent duplicated Date and Pubdate entries in various selection dialog boxes
• [BUG FIX]Fix Groups and the category line not using the specified font size
• [BUG FIX]Ensure that new books will get covers sent on next connect if the current connection is interrupted
• [BUG FIX]Ensure that restore settings does all necessary setting migration
• [BUG FIX]Make the progress spinner stop if connect to wireless device is cancelled

[Purple Lady]

The hierarchical grouping looks great now, thanks. I will uodate my T62 a little later today to check out those changes.

[Purple Lady]

I can see again! I see the text now on my T62 where I couldn't before, thanks!

[kaufman]

I just noticed that clicking on a group name still shows the "Cannot Long Press on a Group Name" popup. Did you decide not to make that change, or is this an issue?

[Purple Lady]

I just tried to connect my T62 wirelessly for the first time. Can somebody tell me what this says?

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I just tried to connect my T62 wirelessly for the first time. Can somebody tell me what this says?
Attachment 129046

I can't help but think that the vendor of the device needs a solution to prevent white on white text....

Do any of the existing Accessibility Apps help I wonder?

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I can't help but think that the vendor of the device needs a solution to prevent white on white text....

Do any of the existing Accessibility Apps help I wonder?

The T62 has a lot less white on white than the Boox T68 at least. Are there any particular accessibility apps you know about?

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

The T62 has a lot less white on white than the Boox T68 at least. Are there any particular accessibility apps you know about?

No.. this was just my musing out loud.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by PeterT

No.. this was just my musing out loud.

I looked on Google play and most of what I saw was apps with accessibility options not apps that work with existing apps.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I just tried to connect my T62 wirelessly for the first time. Can somebody tell me what this says?
Attachment 129046

It is asking you for your wireless connection password. Try typing in the password. Or remove the password.

I suspect that e-ink android devices will become more common over time, especially in the segment that CC plays in. The T62 looks like an interesting example for testing such devices. Unfortunately it is hard to justify purchasing yet another device I won't use on a daily basis.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by kaufman

I just noticed that clicking on a group name still shows the "Cannot Long Press on a Group Name" popup. Did you decide not to make that change, or is this an issue?

TBH I forgot about it. I will add it to the wish list so it doesn't disappear again.

[chaley]

Question: should I release 3.4.4i to beta and, eventually, generally?

Life is getting in the way of me doing the cloud connection stuff. That made me wonder: is 3.4.4i by itself enough to release to the world at large? There is a lot of what I hope is useful stuff in there.

I can go either way. What do people think? Is there enough here to justify the hassle for people of getting a new release and dealing with the changes?

[kaufman]

I was going to post almost the same thing this afternoon. I was going to say that it seems very solid and ask when you planned to move this to beta.

I think there is a ton of great new stuff in this release that makes it worth doing a release. Perhaps it's not a 4.0 release, but the details in list view and the hierarchical groups alone would be worth a release, even leaving aside the numerous smaller changes.

Also, releasing this now takes the pressure of the cloud release off your shoulders. You can take as long as you like without worrying about the people who have been reading about these changes without being able to get them.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by chaley

Is 3.4.4i by itself enough to release to the world at large?

Surely you can't be serious! Compare and contrast the length of the list in post #1 with your average android 'What's New?' update. Most of them want me to get excited by the fact they added a new language or got a new icon or integration with Facebook now "better than ever". There's loads of good stuff in 3.4.4i.

The hierarchical grouping is a major feature on its own, although I haven't psyched myself to try it yet because I need to rethink my whole calibre tagging process before I do. Hopefully others who already tag in hierarchies have alpha-tested.

Is there enough, indeed ...

[Terisa de morgan]

Please, although not alpha / beta tester (I don't use it so much as to offer myself to test it in a serious way), I would like to see the new features (the hierarchical would be nice, I already have my genres ready for them )