Calibre, the most popular ebook management program, has just been updated to version 4.0, and it brings about some big changes.
Calibre’s built-in ebook viewer has been completely rewritten, and the Calibre Content Server has received some upgrades and now has all the capabilities of the main Calibre interface.
Apparently many of the changes with the 4.0 update are due to Calibre switching from Qt WebKit to Qt WebEngine because Qt WebKit has been deprecated.
The Calibre forum is afire with comments about the new update.
Some folks don’t like the new ebook viewer because there have been a number of changes.
The new ebook viewer emphasizes being more streamlined and distraction free, and the workflow is completely different now.
You can always run a previous version of Calibre if you want the old viewer back.
It’s also possible to run two different versions of Calibre on the same computer (at least on Windows with Calibre Portable) so you can keep the old viewer and still use the latest version of Calibre to manage your ebook library if you want.
Installing two versions and just setting up the files you want to open with the old viewer is the best instruction, and the most simple instruction, I’ve come across. I just use the app to manage, and the viewer to check edits\conversions, so it’s not a big deal for me. But with so many changes, I’ma hold off on the update for a few cycles (wait for them to iron out bugs n such). I am looking forward to the performance improvements though!
I do not like the new version. In the old version, if you wanted to see the Table of Contents, for example, you clicked on some lines on the left margin. Easy peasy. In the new version, you have to to a right click to see the options that are laid out on the margins in the old version.
Fortunately, I can access the old version on my Start menu. The shortcut goes to the new version. I sent the shortcut to the trash.
I agree with you 100% on this new ebook viewer. The last thing I needed was another step added into my work flow. I used those links on the left side of the viewer quite a bit and I am not liking this haing to right click just to find them.
There is a function removed from the reader that I simply cannot access: The page number. Important if you want to know the size of the book you plan to read. It is true that the size in KBites gives you an idea, but it is too inaccurate for my needs.
(Translated from Spanish using Deep Translator)
I think you can change the header or footer to show page numbers. I haven’t played with it so I’m not absolutely sure.
The workaround I do to get page numbers in Calibre is to convert to DOCX. Microsoft will then give you the number of pages in a Word doc: Review/Word Count. While it won’t give the same number of pages as an EPUB/AZW3 doc, it will at least give an approximation.
You are right, you can’t show page numbers, even if you set it to only show 1 page in landscape & portrait both.
The new reader looks way better, to me. It shows multiple pages and looks professional. The old version would stretch images, and I found it unusable (maybe there was a trick to keep it from doing that). Two thumbs up from me!
Ik vind de nieuwe ebook-viewer een totale ramp. Hoe krijg ik de oude terug want als die nieuwe blijft dan ga ik misschien wel helemaal stoppen met het overigens fantastische programma.
Ik begrijp echt niet wat Calibre met deze onbruikbare reader bedoelt. Lijkt me geschikt als scherm van standalone e-readers maar ik dacht toch dat de reader een aanvulling is bij de Calibrebibliotheek en die staat veelal op een PC of laptop waarop je dan ook het boek kan inzien en/of lezen. Maar wat moet ik met een leeg scherm met een voorpagina …. en wat dan? Ja R-klikken op een lege plek en er verschijnt een over het boek vallend menu waaruit je Bladzijde omslaan kan kiezen. Wie bedenkt zoiets?
I DO NOT LIKE THE NEW VIEWER.
At least I can use the previous version & presumably refuse to accept updates.