Ebook-viewer loses settings unless via shortcut

Vortex · 03-17-2014, 03:26 PM

If I open Calibre's ebook-viewer.exe from a shortcut I placed on my desktop it opens with all the settings, theme and background image that I set it up with, but if I open ebook-viewer.exe from within the calibre folder (that the shortcut points to) or open an ebook by clicking the links in Calibre program then it has none of my settings...

Vortex · 03-19-2014, 03:18 PM

I presumed Calibre was opening ebook-viewer.exe when a book is opened from within Calibre, but I just noticed that if I open a book link in Calibre and look at what programs are running there's Calibre.exe and Calibre-parallel.exe running, but no ebook-viewer.exe, is this why I'm getting the default viewer settings when I open a book from within Calibre but if I open ebook-viewer.exe from within the calibre folder I get all my settings, theme and background image? I think this happened on the last upgrade, before that they were the same both ways.

eschwartz · 03-19-2014, 10:07 PM

calibre-parallel is just a helper application to allow multiple calibre components to use the same code loaded into memory, IIRC. Otherwise you have the overhead of 2 (or 3 or 4) programs running at once.

It shouldn't affect the viewer settings.

kovidgoyal · 03-19-2014, 11:53 PM

You are probably mixing a portable and non-portable calibre install, witht he viewer settings defined in the non-portable install. They will not be available in the portable install.

Vortex · 03-20-2014, 04:22 PM

Thanks Kovid, It was actually two separate portable instals, one was recently updated and the other not, they originally both were setup with the same viewer settings but around the time of the upgrade things went strange.

DoctorOhh · 03-21-2014, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vortex

Thanks Kovid, It was actually two separate portable instals, one was recently updated and the other not, they originally both were setup with the same viewer settings but around the time of the upgrade things went strange.

Strange, how? Since they are different installs of calibre portable changes to either will be located in different configuration directories.

Vortex · 03-21-2014, 03:04 PM

Strange as in when I open ebook-viewer.exe the viewer has my theme, css and background image, but if I open the viewer via a book link from within Calibre it has none, if I open the preferences there's no trace of them.

Here's a screenshot of the same book opened from the same version of calibre in the two different ways:

kovidgoyal · 03-21-2014, 11:17 PM

You cannot use exes from inside the portable install on their own. If you do, they wont pick up the settings from the portable folder, they will instead use the settings from the system location.

So if you open ebook-viewer.exe it will look for settings in your home directory

If you open the viewer by clicking the view button inside a calibre process that has been started via calibre-portable.exe it will look for settings inside the portable folder.

DoctorOhh · 03-21-2014, 11:21 PM

Thanks for the explanation.

Vortex · 03-22-2014, 11:46 AM

OK, that explains a lot, thanks.

BetterRed · 03-22-2014, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You cannot use exes from inside the portable install on their own. If you do, they wont pick up the settings from the portable folder, they will instead use the settings from the system location.

So if you open ebook-viewer.exe it will look for settings in your home directory

If you open the viewer by clicking the view button inside a calibre process that has been started via calibre-portable.exe it will look for settings inside the portable folder.

As a matter of interest if CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY was say, C:\Calibre Portable\Calibre Settings, then would opening C:\Calibre Portable\Calibre\ebook-viewer.exe use those settings

Away from home so I can't easily test.

BR

kovidgoyal · 03-23-2014, 12:35 AM

Yes, you can use the environment variables to force the exes to look inside the portable folder.

Vortex · 03-23-2014, 06:43 AM

Great, how do I do it?

BetterRed · 03-23-2014, 06:47 AM

@Vortex - http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cust...ment-variables

BR

Vortex · 03-24-2014, 07:37 AM

Sorted, thanks.

03-17-2014, 03:26 PM	#1
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	Ebook-viewer loses settings unless via shortcut If I open Calibre's ebook-viewer.exe from a shortcut I placed on my desktop it opens with all the settings, theme and background image that I set it up with, but if I open ebook-viewer.exe from within the calibre folder (that the shortcut points to) or open an ebook by clicking the links in Calibre program then it has none of my settings...

03-19-2014, 03:18 PM	#2
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	I presumed Calibre was opening ebook-viewer.exe when a book is opened from within Calibre, but I just noticed that if I open a book link in Calibre and look at what programs are running there's Calibre.exe and Calibre-parallel.exe running, but no ebook-viewer.exe, is this why I'm getting the default viewer settings when I open a book from within Calibre but if I open ebook-viewer.exe from within the calibre folder I get all my settings, theme and background image? I think this happened on the last upgrade, before that they were the same both ways. Last edited by Vortex; 03-19-2014 at 03:21 PM.

03-21-2014, 03:04 PM	#7
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	Strange as in when I open ebook-viewer.exe the viewer has my theme, css and background image, but if I open the viewer via a book link from within Calibre it has none, if I open the preferences there's no trace of them. Here's a screenshot of the same book opened from the same version of calibre in the two different ways: Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Vortex; 03-21-2014 at 03:43 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
settings for viewer?	travger	Calibre	7	11-29-2013 03:52 PM
Kual shortcut for hidden image viewer (Kindle Touch & PW)	Aeris	Kindle Developer's Corner	0	10-12-2013 06:09 AM
[old-topic]ebook-viewer: Open source, crossplatform viewer for EPUB, LIT, MOBI, etc	kovidgoyal	Calibre	68	05-30-2011 09:46 PM
Keyboard Shortcut Issue in viewer	bigpallooka	Calibre	2	10-21-2010 02:32 AM
eBook viewer Print Preview settings not saved	Agama	Calibre	3	08-22-2010 09:04 PM

03-19-2014, 10:07 PM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	calibre-parallel is just a helper application to allow multiple calibre components to use the same code loaded into memory, IIRC. Otherwise you have the overhead of 2 (or 3 or 4) programs running at once. It shouldn't affect the viewer settings.

03-19-2014, 11:53 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,566 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You are probably mixing a portable and non-portable calibre install, witht he viewer settings defined in the non-portable install. They will not be available in the portable install.

03-20-2014, 04:22 PM	#5
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	Thanks Kovid, It was actually two separate portable instals, one was recently updated and the other not, they originally both were setup with the same viewer settings but around the time of the upgrade things went strange.

03-21-2014, 11:17 PM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,566 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You cannot use exes from inside the portable install on their own. If you do, they wont pick up the settings from the portable folder, they will instead use the settings from the system location. So if you open ebook-viewer.exe it will look for settings in your home directory If you open the viewer by clicking the view button inside a calibre process that has been started via calibre-portable.exe it will look for settings inside the portable folder.

03-21-2014, 11:21 PM	#9
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	Thanks for the explanation.

03-22-2014, 11:46 AM	#10
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	OK, that explains a lot, thanks.

03-23-2014, 12:35 AM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,566 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Yes, you can use the environment variables to force the exes to look inside the portable folder.

03-23-2014, 06:43 AM	#13
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	Great, how do I do it?

03-23-2014, 06:47 AM	#14
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,008 Karma: 27620706 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@Vortex - http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cust...ment-variables BR

03-24-2014, 07:37 AM	#15
Vortex Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Likebook Mars	Sorted, thanks.

Advert

Advert