Calibre Feature Request

[jvorzimmer]

Would love to see visible non-breaking spaces, narrow non-breaking spaces and zero-width non-breaking spaces in the editor, without having to use unicode or HTML.

Even MS Word has the option.

Thanks,
Jeff

[lomkiri]

In the menu "Edit", you have access to a table of special chars. You can rearrange your favorite chars in the beginning of this table. You may set a shortcut to this table for quick access.

@ Kovid : BTW, in linux, Ctrl-Shift-u + nnnn writes the char \unnnn. But this doesn't work in the editor. Would it be possible to activate this very practical feature ?

[jvorzimmer]

Originally Posted by lomkiri

In the menu "Edit", you have access to a table of special chars. You can rearrange your favorite chars in the beginning of this table. You may set a shortcut to this table for quick access.

@lomkiri: That's not what I'm asking for here. I was asking if Kovid could make these characters visible somehow in the editor.

Jeff

[Karellen]

Like enabling "Toggle Formatting Marks" in LibreOffice Writer and the equivalent in MS Word.

Yes that would be a helpful option.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by jvorzimmer

Would love to see visible non-breaking spaces, narrow non-breaking spaces and zero-width non-breaking spaces in the editor, without having to use unicode or HTML.

I can already see where the non-breaking spaces (and other special characters) are in the calibre Editor code window. See attached screencap.

Maybe have a look at
Edit > Preferences > Editor settings > Colour scheme

The 'SpecialCharacter' entry is the one you need to set. As spaces are involved make sure you set its Background colour to one which shows up well against the main background colour.

[kovidgoyal]

They are already visible, as jackie_W pointed out. @lomkiri you can enter unicode chars using hex codes already, see https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/edi...ial-characters

[lomkiri]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

you can enter unicode chars using hex codes already

Thank you, Kovid, I didn't know this trick. The restriction is that :
— it doesn't work in the search/replace fields
— it doesn't work if typed after a hexanum char, ex (saying I want a narrow no break space):
- I go there2027 + alt-x → I go ther\uE2027
- 11202f + alt-x doesn't make any transformation (I wanted to type 11 111)
So one would have to insert this sequence : space, 202f, alt-x, left-arrow, bkspace, right-arrow.
… or to use the table of special chars ;-)

The ctrl-shift-u technique would solve those cases, being furthermore a widely known trick for linux' users.
Is it a Qt restriction ?

[kovidgoyal]

narrow non break space is 202f and typing 202f and then alt+x works fine
1f408 is cat and typing that and alt+x again works fine

so not sure what your issue is. Yeah it doesnt work in all text fields, but that would be true regardless what shortcut is used.

I dont know what ctrl+shift+u on your linux box is doing, it doesnt do anything on mine. I am guessing it is triggerring a unicde char picker via IME. IME may or may not work with Qt depends on plugin versions/ABI compatibility, display backend, etc.

[lomkiri]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

narrow non break space is 202f and typing 202f and then alt+x works fine
1f408 is cat and typing that and alt+x again works fine

Only if the previous char is not an hexanum char. Try to type 11🐈, it won't work. "Go there(narrow nbsp)" will give Go ther&# 925743;

I dont know what ctrl+shift+u on your linux box is doing, it doesnt do anything on mine. I am guessing it is triggerring a unicde char picker via IME. IME may or may not work with Qt depends on plugin versions/ABI compatibility, display backend, etc.

My bad, I thought it was a X feature, and as a fact it's a Gtk feature (more exactly, an ibus one). It's possible to enable it in KDE, but only with a trick, it's not native, and thus, surely not supported by Qt.
(and yes, it's a picker, it displays u and wait for the unicode number; <enter> closes the sequence).

Not a big deal anyway, I can easily leave without it :-). Thanks a lot anyway!

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by lomkiri

Only if the previous char is not an hexanum char. Try to type 11🐈, it won't work. "Go there(narrow nbsp)" will give Go ther&# 925743;

If that's an issue for you then type &#x202f; when you finish typing it the editor will automatically make it a narrow non-break space.

[Quoth]

I'd never used Cntrl Shift U, as my keyboard map has all common and Compose has rarer (you can add to Compose). I did have an issue with aspects of Compose not working in QT and some programs. I have an .Xcompose but

include "/usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose"

needed to be in the first line.
Suits all western Locales, there is none for other en_ as the whole point is that it adds all Latin/Roman/Western non-English characters, e.g. óþł§ßĸðç etc Compose ~ n gives ñ

Some of my Linux systems needed this executed in the Console/terminal/command line for QT applications to work properly.

im-config -n ibus

I disable Caps Lock, make Compose be Caps Lock and then both shift is CapsLock and either cancels.

I just tested Cntrl Shift U 256 Return in Calibre Editor: the main HTML edit window, find and replace boxes.
Shows u digits and then when return hit gives ɖ

Linux Mint 20.1, Mate Desktop, Server2003 theme, XP Metallic window frame and Window Manager = Marco +Compositing
(Marco +Compositing allows transparency so drag & drop in programs like Thunderbird lets you see text on destination folder)

My custom .XCompose in Home (~) has Greek via Compose g and Compose G, prime ′ and double prime ″ (feet, inches or minutes, seconds) using Compose 0 ' and Compose 0 "

I've not tried adding all the special spaces to Compose. At least one is on Space Bar. Alt Space is Title bar menu as in Windows.
.XCompose

Spoiler:

include "/usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose"
# GREEK CAPITAL LETTERS
<Multi_key> <G> <A> : "Α" U0391 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA
<Multi_key> <G> <B> : "Β" U0392 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER BETA
<Multi_key> <G> <G> : "Γ" U0393 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER GAMMA
<Multi_key> <G> <D> : "Δ" U0394 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER DELTA
<Multi_key> <G> <E> : "Ε" U0395 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON
<Multi_key> <G> <Z> : "Ζ" U0396 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ZETA
<Multi_key> <G> <H> : "Η" U0397 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ETA
<Multi_key> <G> <I> : "Ι" U0399 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA
<Multi_key> <G> <K> : "Κ" U039A # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER KAPPA
<Multi_key> <G> <L> : "Λ" U039B # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER LAMDA
<Multi_key> <G> <M> : "Μ" U039C # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER MU
<Multi_key> <G> <N> : "Ν" U039D # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER NU
<Multi_key> <G> <P> : "Π" U03A0 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PI
<Multi_key> <G> <R> : "Ρ" U03A1 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER RHO
<Multi_key> <G> <S> : "Σ" U03A3 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER SIGMA
<Multi_key> <G> <T> : "Τ" U03A4 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER TAU
<Multi_key> <G> <U> : "Υ" U03A5 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER UPSILON
<Multi_key> <G> <F> : "Φ" U03A6 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PHI
<Multi_key> <G> <X> : "Χ" U03A7 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER CHI
<Multi_key> <G> <O> : "Ω" U03A9 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER OMEGA

# DOUBLES (additional stroke <Q>)
<Multi_key> <G> <Q> <T> : "Θ" U0398 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER THETA
<Multi_key> <G> <Q> <O> : "Ο" U039F # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER OMICRON
<Multi_key> <G> <Q> <X> : "Ξ" U039E # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER XI
<Multi_key> <G> <Q> <P> : "Ψ" U03A8 # GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PSI

# greek small letters
<Multi_key> <g> <a> : "α" U03B1 # GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA
<Multi_key> <g> <b> : "β" U03B2 # GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA
<Multi_key> <g> <g> : "γ" U03B3 # GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA
<Multi_key> <g> <d> : "δ" U03B4 # GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA
<Multi_key> <g> <e> : "ε" U03B5 # GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON
<Multi_key> <g> <z> : "ζ" U03B6 # GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA
<Multi_key> <g> <h> : "η" U03B7 # GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA
<Multi_key> <g> <i> : "ι" U03B9 # GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA
<Multi_key> <g> <k> : "κ" U03BA # GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA
<Multi_key> <g> <l> : "λ" U03BB # GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA
<Multi_key> <g> <m> : "μ" U03BC # GREEK SMALL LETTER MU
<Multi_key> <g> <n> : "ν" U03BD # GREEK SMALL LETTER NU
<Multi_key> <g> <p> : "π" U03C0 # GREEK SMALL LETTER PI
<Multi_key> <g> <r> : "ρ" U03C1 # GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO
<Multi_key> <g> <s> : "σ" U03C3 # GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA
<Multi_key> <g> <t> : "τ" U03C4 # GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU
<Multi_key> <g> <u> : "υ" U03C5 # GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON
<Multi_key> <g> <f> : "φ" U03C6 # GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI
<Multi_key> <g> <x> : "χ" U03C7 # GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI
<Multi_key> <g> <o> : "ω" U03C9 # GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA

# doubles (additional stroke <q>)
<Multi_key> <g> <q> <t> : "θ" U03B8 # GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA
<Multi_key> <g> <q> <o> : "ο" U03BF # GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON
<Multi_key> <g> <q> <p> : "ψ" U03C8 # GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI
<Multi_key> <g> <q> <s> : "ς" U03C2 # GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA
<Multi_key> <g> <q> <x> : "ξ" U03BE # GREEK SMALL LETTER XI

# prime etc
<Multi_key> <0> <apostrophe> : "′" U2032 # prime
<Multi_key> <0> <quotedbl> : "″" U2033 # double prime

[lomkiri]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Some of my Linux systems needed this executed in the Console/terminal/command line for QT applications to work properly.
im-config -n ibus
[…]
I just tested Cntrl Shift U 256 Return in Calibre Editor: the main HTML edit window, find and replace boxes.

It's maybe working for you because of your im-config command. I've installed im-config and made "im-config -n ibus" without effect, but "im-config -a" says me that I have to restart the system before the cmd takes effect. I'll try this later on, since I cannot reboot now.

Originally Posted by Quoth

I disable Caps Lock, make Compose be Caps Lock and then both shift is CapsLock and either cancels.

Aaaah, I liked this one, CapsLock is a pain in the ass! (Un)locking with Shift-CapsLock is a very good idea. What is your keymap file to do this? (the file loaded with xmodmap)

(My compose key is Meta-left. Like you, I use it a lot!)

[jvorzimmer]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

They are already visible, as jackie_W pointed out. @lomkiri you can enter unicode chars using hex codes already, see https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/edi...ial-characters

But, Kovid, that only shows non-breaking spaces and hyphens. I would like some indication of zero-width non-breaking spaces in the editor without having to go to the code view.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by lomkiri

Aaaah, I liked this one, CapsLock is a pain in the ass! (Un)locking with Shift-CapsLock is a very good idea. What is your keymap file to do this? (the file loaded with xmodmap)

(My compose key is Meta-left. Like you, I use it a lot!)

It's Control Center -> Keyboard -> Layouts -> [Options] button


Caps Lock Behaviour:
(*) Caps Lock is disabled

Miscellaneous compatibility options:
[/] Both Shft together enable Caps Lock; one Shift key disables it

Position of Compose Key
[/] Caps Lock

(Only works reliably if disabled above)


My Windows Logo Key:
Go Window Preferences -> Behaviour > Movement Key
(*) Super (or Windows logo)
I've one laptop/PC ever where that doesn't work
(Center and Snap are off on Placement).

Not edited Xmodmap for years.

The .XCompose in home:
It works immediately when first created, but subsequently you need to log out and log in to test changes (ideally in Xed, not KATE or any QT based program in case there is a QT issue).

There is also an option in IBus preferences -> General:
[/] Embed preedit text in application window
This means you can see a mistyped Compose string and Backspace to edit.

IBus preferences -> Input Method
Should be the Keyboard in Hardware > Keyboard

Also IBus must be the option in Look and Feel > Input Method

All distros should have all these settings somewhere.

Avoid Wayland and Gnome 3?

[lomkiri]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If that's an issue for you then type &#x202f; when you finish typing it the editor will automatically make it a narrow non-break space.

Thank you Kovid, good trick!

Originally Posted by Quoth

It's Control Center -> Keyboard -> Layouts -> [Options] button
Caps Lock Behaviour:

Xfce has none of those settings. Never mind, I'll get that feature using xmodmap. Thanks for the idea.

Originally Posted by Quoth

Avoid Wayland and Gnome 3?

I have nothing against Wayland, but I won't use Gnome for sure. Each one makes his own choices ;-)