Disable confirmation after metadata download

rahlquist · 07-29-2011, 09:51 PM

Is there a way to disable the confirmation after downloading updated metadata?

kiwidude · 07-30-2011, 03:24 AM

No. It is necessary because you could be doing anything in calibre at the time it completes, like using the edit metadata window, applying a bulk operation etc. To prevent issues of overwriting data it has to have the prompt so that when you click yes to actually update the metadata you are blocked from doing anything else at the same time.

unboggling · 07-30-2011, 07:06 AM

Personally, I'd prefer to have a choice in preferences or tweaks to just overwrite the metadata quietly. I use metadata download only for isbn's, pubdates, and covers. The confirmation prompt can be startling and disruptive, because I am nearly always doing something else somewhere else when it insists on being dealt with. Further disruptive is the additional confirmation box noticing that I changed metadata since initiating the metadata request - if I didn't want to change that metadata, I wouldn't have changed it. The download metadata feature is great in general, except for that, and a choice in prefs or tweaks would solve my startlement problem and give me the problem of remembering which isbns, pubdates, and covers just got downloaded so I can doublecheck them. I'd rather have the latter problem.

theducks · 07-30-2011, 10:34 AM

I'm with the Kiwidude thinking. I routinly try and work while Calibre does thing in background and don't want a data-race stomping on my work if I manage to edit a record with a bulk metadata fetch scheduled.

speakingtohe · 07-31-2011, 07:15 PM

I no longer do bulk downloads because of the prompt and the problems it caused me. I remember it crashed a time or two with downloads of less than 60 books.

This was a while back when that particular prompt first appeared so maybe it isn't a problem anymore.

Not complaining as overall it is better to choose the metadata one wants with all of the improved sources, but as unboggling said, if I didn't want the metadata overwritten, why would I have started the bulk download.

Helen

lathom · 08-03-2011, 08:57 AM

Please add my vote for a tweak/option to allow the confirmation dialogs on cover/metadata downloads to be disabled.

Thanks!
-Andy

unboggling · 08-03-2011, 08:13 PM

How about something like this as a compromise solution. If all user-selected fields (in Prefs, fields user wants to download metadata to) are empty in that set of user-selected books for the grab, overwrite quietly. If not, refer to user choices of what to overwrite quietly in Prefs, in a new list or new checkbox in old list, set by user. If all fields are chosen to overwrite quietly, then overwrite quietly. If not, confirm first.

Edit: But I'd still prefer not to see those confirmation dialogs at all. If I do something stupid, oh well, I'll have to live with it.

kiwidude · 08-04-2011, 03:45 AM

You guys seem to be under the impression that this "could" somehow be optional - perhaps I was not clear enough in my first response. It wasn't an "opinion" as to why it was done that way. I have tried to explain this in more detail on the Count Pages plugin thread here where the same question came up.

The only way that I am aware of (and Kovid/chaley etc can correct me if wrong) right now that we can safely guarantee that it could silently update your books in the database is if Calibre stops you from doing anything from the point you choose to start downloading to the point it finishes (rather than a background job). Guess what - that is what Calibre used to do, and users (quite rightly) complained that it was a horrible user experience.

unboggling · 08-04-2011, 05:55 AM

Okay. Sorry I misunderstood. I do understand the situation now.

Starson17 · 08-04-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwidude

The only way that I am aware of (and Kovid/chaley etc can correct me if wrong) right now that we can safely guarantee that it could silently update your books in the database is if Calibre stops you from doing anything from the point you choose to start downloading to the point it finishes (rather than a background job). Guess what - that is what Calibre used to do, and users (quite rightly) complained that it was a horrible user experience.

I suppose one option would be to detect when the confirmation dialog gains focus, then autoselect to update. If you are actually doing something, the dialog window can't get focus until you're done and you've clicked on it. Personally, I don't see that as much of an improvement - you'd still have to click on it. I prefer the current design where I've got an option to not update the metadata. However, if you're not doing anything when it completes, I think the dialog window will automatically gain focus.

theducks · 08-04-2011, 11:56 AM

I like the current design (single book).
I can accept or cancel/keep depending on what I see.
I do miss the ability to override the default (mine is not overwrite Author and Title) on a per book basis.
Same with Comments: Overwrite or Merge. current allows Overwrite or None.

kiwidude · 08-04-2011, 02:33 PM

@theducks - we are diverging a bit here but funnily enough when Kovid first announced he was changing the merging of downloaded metadata for 0.8 to give more granularity etc, I had a quite different mental picture of how it might looks. I thought it might be something like a display of your current data/fields on the left, and the downloaded data on the right, and you could choose which you wanted. Clearly it didn't turn out that way

I agree that when it comes to decisions about overwriting data it would be nice to be able to override your earlier download preferences "at the last minute" once you can see what data it would be replaced with. Doing the download multiple times to go back and forth manipulating individual flags isn't ideal. Neither is accidentally overwriting your data because you forgot what settings you last used

07-29-2011, 09:51 PM	#1
rahlquist Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 60 Join Date: Sep 2005 Device: Nook Color (ICS)	Disable confirmation after metadata download Is there a way to disable the confirmation after downloading updated metadata?

08-03-2011, 08:13 PM	#7
unboggling Wizard Posts: 1,065 Karma: 858115 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kobo Clara, Kindle Paperwhite 10	How about something like this as a compromise solution. If all user-selected fields (in Prefs, fields user wants to download metadata to) are empty in that set of user-selected books for the grab, overwrite quietly. If not, refer to user choices of what to overwrite quietly in Prefs, in a new list or new checkbox in old list, set by user. If all fields are chosen to overwrite quietly, then overwrite quietly. If not, confirm first. Edit: But I'd still prefer not to see those confirmation dialogs at all. If I do something stupid, oh well, I'll have to live with it. Last edited by unboggling; 08-03-2011 at 08:27 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Disable search-while-typing for authors in Edit Metadata	QuantumBeep	Library Management	2	06-03-2011 12:44 AM
[Metadata Download Plugin] Goodreads Metadata Deprecated	kiwidude	Plugins	30	04-23-2011 02:10 PM
HELP!! can't download metadata	bsell1	Calibre	10	03-11-2011 10:17 AM
Does "Download Metadata & Covers" also download social metadata?	iridius	Library Management	3	02-22-2011 12:50 PM
Metadata download	spacemonkey	Calibre	13	08-13-2010 11:51 AM

07-30-2011, 03:24 AM	#2
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,641 Karma: 2162064 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	No. It is necessary because you could be doing anything in calibre at the time it completes, like using the edit metadata window, applying a bulk operation etc. To prevent issues of overwriting data it has to have the prompt so that when you click yes to actually update the metadata you are blocked from doing anything else at the same time.

07-30-2011, 07:06 AM	#3
unboggling Wizard Posts: 1,065 Karma: 858115 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kobo Clara, Kindle Paperwhite 10	Personally, I'd prefer to have a choice in preferences or tweaks to just overwrite the metadata quietly. I use metadata download only for isbn's, pubdates, and covers. The confirmation prompt can be startling and disruptive, because I am nearly always doing something else somewhere else when it insists on being dealt with. Further disruptive is the additional confirmation box noticing that I changed metadata since initiating the metadata request - if I didn't want to change that metadata, I wouldn't have changed it. The download metadata feature is great in general, except for that, and a choice in prefs or tweaks would solve my startlement problem and give me the problem of remembering which isbns, pubdates, and covers just got downloaded so I can doublecheck them. I'd rather have the latter problem.

07-30-2011, 10:34 AM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,904 Karma: 55267620 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I'm with the Kiwidude thinking. I routinly try and work while Calibre does thing in background and don't want a data-race stomping on my work if I manage to edit a record with a bulk metadata fetch scheduled.

07-31-2011, 07:15 PM	#5
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	I no longer do bulk downloads because of the prompt and the problems it caused me. I remember it crashed a time or two with downloads of less than 60 books. This was a while back when that particular prompt first appeared so maybe it isn't a problem anymore. Not complaining as overall it is better to choose the metadata one wants with all of the improved sources, but as unboggling said, if I didn't want the metadata overwritten, why would I have started the bulk download. Helen

08-03-2011, 08:57 AM	#6
lathom Kindle user Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Falls Church, VA Device: Kindle	Please add my vote for a tweak/option to allow the confirmation dialogs on cover/metadata downloads to be disabled. Thanks! -Andy

08-04-2011, 03:45 AM	#8
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,641 Karma: 2162064 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	You guys seem to be under the impression that this "could" somehow be optional - perhaps I was not clear enough in my first response. It wasn't an "opinion" as to why it was done that way. I have tried to explain this in more detail on the Count Pages plugin thread here where the same question came up. The only way that I am aware of (and Kovid/chaley etc can correct me if wrong) right now that we can safely guarantee that it could silently update your books in the database is if Calibre stops you from doing anything from the point you choose to start downloading to the point it finishes (rather than a background job). Guess what - that is what Calibre used to do, and users (quite rightly) complained that it was a horrible user experience.

08-04-2011, 05:55 AM	#9
unboggling Wizard Posts: 1,065 Karma: 858115 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kobo Clara, Kindle Paperwhite 10	Okay. Sorry I misunderstood. I do understand the situation now.

08-04-2011, 11:56 AM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,904 Karma: 55267620 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I like the current design (single book). I can accept or cancel/keep depending on what I see. I do miss the ability to override the default (mine is not overwrite Author and Title) on a per book basis. Same with Comments: Overwrite or Merge. current allows Overwrite or None.

08-04-2011, 02:33 PM	#12
kiwidude Calibre Plugins Developer Posts: 4,641 Karma: 2162064 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis	@theducks - we are diverging a bit here but funnily enough when Kovid first announced he was changing the merging of downloaded metadata for 0.8 to give more granularity etc, I had a quite different mental picture of how it might looks. I thought it might be something like a display of your current data/fields on the left, and the downloaded data on the right, and you could choose which you wanted. Clearly it didn't turn out that way I agree that when it comes to decisions about overwriting data it would be nice to be able to override your earlier download preferences "at the last minute" once you can see what data it would be replaced with. Doing the download multiple times to go back and forth manipulating individual flags isn't ideal. Neither is accidentally overwriting your data because you forgot what settings you last used

Advert

Advert