File Association

Soxendom · 10-16-2009, 10:45 AM

Often when I am checking fb2's and epub's I want to check them with the calibre reader.
I'd like to be able to associate the calibre reader with those type of files so that when I double click on them it automatically opens them in the reader. Is there any way to do this?
I've tried using the "open with" command in windows and then double clicking on the reader in the calibre folder but nothing happens. It doesn't show as a program. Is there any way round this?

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 02:41 PM

Me too, Soxendom.

I'm sure this used to work OK in a previous version of calibre. I was trying to associate LRFs and EPUBs with their respective readers yesterday after I got round to upgrading to v6.17 but couldn't make it work. I'm using Windows XP SP3.

I hope someone can put us out of our misery.

itimpi · 10-16-2009, 05:37 PM

Have you made sure that the calibre install folder is included in your path? It is required for the file association to work. The new installer does not add the Calibre folder to the path automatically any more so you have to do it manually.

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 05:56 PM

Thanks for replying.

Sorry to be a dummy, but where is "the path". I use Calibre totally through the GUI. How/where do I amend the path?

itimpi · 10-16-2009, 06:56 PM

The PATH is a Windows level setting about where it should look for binaries. It is normally set via control Panel->System->Advanced->Environment Variables. Esrlier versions of the Calibre Installer would set this automatically.

You might want to look PATH up in Windows help.

kovidgoyal · 10-16-2009, 08:26 PM

It doesn't need to be in PATH for file association to work. See

http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ticket/3753

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 08:38 PM

Nothing I do will let me associate either epub or lrf with a viewer. When I try to select the relevant .exe in "C:\Program Files\Calibre - E-book Management" using "Windows - Control Panel - Folder Options - FileTypes" nothing happens.

kovidgoyal · 10-16-2009, 08:40 PM

Press and hold your shift key and right click on an epub (or whatever) file. In the menu select Open with

In the window that opens up click browse and then select ebook-viewer.exe

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 08:42 PM

... I should have added that the viewers work OK when used from the Calibre GUI.

I also tried the path thing. It made no difference.

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 08:45 PM

Sorry we crossed replies there. I tried the right-click. It gives the same result as the Control Panel - Folder Options - i.e. Nothing

itimpi · 10-16-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

It doesn't need to be in PATH for file association to work. See

http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ticket/3753

The actual file assocation itself does not require calibre to be on the PATH as one gives an absolute path to the viewer program. I have the file association setup and working fine. However if I remove calibre from the PATH then it stops working. I was assuming that something that is needed by the viewer program is only found if the path is set up correctly (just as is required for the Calibre command-line programs to operate correctly).

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 09:31 PM

I managed to find a "kind-of" workaround by associating lrf and epub with my Firefox browser, which brings up a pop-up which allows me to set an "Open-with" program which I can point at the relevant calibre viewer for each. So it seems Firefox is willing to make associations but Windows can't. This isn't a solution but it's better than nothing.

Will ticket 3753 be re-opened?

DoctorOhh · 10-16-2009, 09:45 PM

I have had this association setup for awhile now. I am using windows XP-SP3 and my path is different. (C:\Documents and Settings\HOME\My Documents\My Dropbox) It might not like the path with extra spaces and a dash, Windows is weird sometimes. If the below doesn't work try simplifying the path just for fun.

Select epub file
Right click. select "open with" - choose program
Check box "always use selected program to open up this kind of file."
Select browse
navigate to appropriate directory
select exe file for viewer
click open
click ok

This should work everytime. I have LRF setup with the lrfviewer and Epub setup with the ebook-viewer.

Good Luck

jackie_w · 10-16-2009, 10:04 PM

I'm not sure what you're trying to say, dwanthny. Are you saying that you have been able to associate lrf with lrfviewer by using the standard Windows associate method? Or have you also done it in 2 stages like I described above, i.e. use Windows associate to point lrf at Firefox.exe followed by using Firefox to associate with lrfviewer.exe.

I have not been able to do it directly. This is the first time I've ever had problems with Windows file type association.

DoctorOhh · 10-16-2009, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I'm not sure what you're trying to say, dwanthny. Are you saying that you have been able to associate lrf with lrfviewer by using the standard Windows associate method?

This is what I'm saying. I used the standard method described in my previous post (which I updated).

10-16-2009, 10:45 AM	#1
Soxendom Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Sony PRS T1	File Association Often when I am checking fb2's and epub's I want to check them with the calibre reader. I'd like to be able to associate the calibre reader with those type of files so that when I double click on them it automatically opens them in the reader. Is there any way to do this? I've tried using the "open with" command in windows and then double clicking on the reader in the calibre folder but nothing happens. It doesn't show as a program. Is there any way round this?

10-16-2009, 09:45 PM	#13
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,867 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Kindle PaperWhite SE 11th Gen	I have had this association setup for awhile now. I am using windows XP-SP3 and my path is different. (C:\Documents and Settings\HOME\My Documents\My Dropbox) It might not like the path with extra spaces and a dash, Windows is weird sometimes. If the below doesn't work try simplifying the path just for fun. Select epub file Right click. select "open with" - choose program Check box "always use selected program to open up this kind of file." Select browse navigate to appropriate directory select exe file for viewer click open click ok This should work everytime. I have LRF setup with the lrfviewer and Epub setup with the ebook-viewer. Good Luck Last edited by DoctorOhh; 10-16-2009 at 10:05 PM.

10-16-2009, 10:04 PM	#14
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	I'm not sure what you're trying to say, dwanthny. Are you saying that you have been able to associate lrf with lrfviewer by using the standard Windows associate method? Or have you also done it in 2 stages like I described above, i.e. use Windows associate to point lrf at Firefox.exe followed by using Firefox to associate with lrfviewer.exe. I have not been able to do it directly. This is the first time I've ever had problems with Windows file type association. Last edited by jackie_w; 10-16-2009 at 10:06 PM.

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10-16-2009, 02:41 PM	#2
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	Me too, Soxendom. I'm sure this used to work OK in a previous version of calibre. I was trying to associate LRFs and EPUBs with their respective readers yesterday after I got round to upgrading to v6.17 but couldn't make it work. I'm using Windows XP SP3. I hope someone can put us out of our misery.

10-16-2009, 05:37 PM	#3
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Have you made sure that the calibre install folder is included in your path? It is required for the file association to work. The new installer does not add the Calibre folder to the path automatically any more so you have to do it manually.

10-16-2009, 05:56 PM	#4
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	Thanks for replying. Sorry to be a dummy, but where is "the path". I use Calibre totally through the GUI. How/where do I amend the path?

10-16-2009, 06:56 PM	#5
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	The PATH is a Windows level setting about where it should look for binaries. It is normally set via control Panel->System->Advanced->Environment Variables. Esrlier versions of the Calibre Installer would set this automatically. You might want to look PATH up in Windows help.

10-16-2009, 08:26 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,480 Karma: 24495778 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	It doesn't need to be in PATH for file association to work. See http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ticket/3753

10-16-2009, 08:38 PM	#7
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	Nothing I do will let me associate either epub or lrf with a viewer. When I try to select the relevant .exe in "C:\Program Files\Calibre - E-book Management" using "Windows - Control Panel - Folder Options - FileTypes" nothing happens.

10-16-2009, 08:40 PM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,480 Karma: 24495778 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Press and hold your shift key and right click on an epub (or whatever) file. In the menu select Open with In the window that opens up click browse and then select ebook-viewer.exe

10-16-2009, 08:42 PM	#9
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	... I should have added that the viewers work OK when used from the Calibre GUI. I also tried the path thing. It made no difference.

10-16-2009, 08:45 PM	#10
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	Sorry we crossed replies there. I tried the right-click. It gives the same result as the Control Panel - Folder Options - i.e. Nothing

10-16-2009, 09:31 PM	#12
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,216 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	I managed to find a "kind-of" workaround by associating lrf and epub with my Firefox browser, which brings up a pop-up which allows me to set an "Open-with" program which I can point at the relevant calibre viewer for each. So it seems Firefox is willing to make associations but Windows can't. This isn't a solution but it's better than nothing. Will ticket 3753 be re-opened?

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