[GUI Plugin] Unplugged

[Jellby]

This is a very simple plugin that allows you activate an "unplugged" mode, in which calibre will not detect any new connected devices. Devices already connected will continue to function normally.

N.B. This is a quick initial version. It seems to be working for me, but it may fail for any configuration different than mine (i.e., whenever I say "will", read "should"). Feel free to try it out.

Why?

You may want to plug a device into your computer and not have calibre detect and mount it. Maybe you want to run a checkdisk-like utility, or mount the device outside calibre, or the device and/or calibre is behaving strangely... You can set calibre to ignore a particular device, but that's not quick, and it requires connecting the device first, and restarting calibre, anyway.

How?

When you install the plugin there will be a new button that you can add to your toolbars, called "Unplugged". If the icon shows a plain USB plug, calibre will work as normal. Clicking on the button will toggle to a crossed out plug, now the "unplugged" mode is enabled (confusing enough?) this means if you plug a device, calibre will not detect it. The rest of the OS should be unaffected, of course. Click on the button again and calibre is back to normal (and will detect the device if you still have it plugged in). The status of the plugin is saved between calibre sessions.

Version History:

Spoiler:

• Version 1.0.0 (2015-09-13)
  Initial release

[Dopedangel]

Nice now I can connect my phone or reader using calibrecompanion and still attach it to the pc for charging. Will try it and let you know about the results.

[Joanna]

Great idea! Simple, yet extremely useful. Thank you!

[Joanna]

The plugin doesn't work anymore. It would be great if this could be fixed.

[Jellby]

In which way it doesn't work? It still does for me (calibre 2.62 on linux, just tested with a Kindle Fire), and I don't see anything in the relevant code that has changed recently.

Remember that the plugin is enabled (new devices are not detected) when the icon shows a crossed-out plug (forbidden sign).

[JimmXinu]

Seems fine with Calibre 2.62 and Windows 10.

[Joanna]

I enabled the plugin (so that a crossed-out plug was shown), waited for a moment and plugged the device in: it was detected by Calibre. I repeated this a couple of times, with the same result (I restarted Calibre and switched the plugin on and off).

I'm on Calibre 2.60, Win 7 Pro, the device was Kindle Paperwhite 3. I'll check it again: if it works for all of you and nothing relevant has changed, it should work for me as well .

[Jellby]

Maybe the code path for the Paperwhite is different. Did it work for you before?

[Joanna]

It did work for me before, I've had the same reader for almost a year. However, using my Kindle e-mail to send books, I hadn't plugged the device in for quite a while, until yesterday.

Today I've tried it again and this time, it seemed to work fine (my computer detected the device, and Calibre didn't, a couple of times in a row). Maybe it was just some glitch? I'll keep an eye on that.

[compurandom]

I wish this plugin could simulate ejecting / unplugging a device that is already plugged in. Or maybe just simulate replugging a device.

In other words, something has happened and the books on the device have changed since calibre synced, I'd like it to pretend the device was just plugged in and have it resync.

[Jellby]

I'm not sure I have the ability (or motivation) to implement that. It could be something useful in calibre itself, have you suggested it there? (I suggested the functionality of this plugin, but Kovid said he wouldn't do it because he thought it would only confuse users, but he may agree on a resync option.)