Add an option to optimize the calibre UI for use with large numbers of libraries. With this option, the Quick Switch and Copy to Library menus will remember more than just 25 libraries and the libraries will be sorted alphabetically instead of by most frequently used. Option is under Preferences->Behavior. Fixes #1133691 (feature request: again: sort entries in "quick switch")

src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py

@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
 defs['tags_browser_category_icons'] = {}
 defs['cover_browser_reflections'] = True
 defs['extra_row_spacing'] = 0
+defs['many_libraries'] = False
 del defs
 # }}}
 

src/calibre/gui2/actions/choose_library.py

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from calibre.constants import (filesystem_encoding, iswindows,
         get_portable_base)
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.gui2 import (gprefs, warning_dialog, Dispatcher, error_dialog,
     question_dialog, info_dialog, open_local_file, choose_dir)
 from calibre.library.database2 import LibraryDatabase2
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ def write_stats(self):
         locs = list(self.stats.keys())
         locs.sort(cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(self.stats[x], self.stats[y]),
                 reverse=True)
-        for key in locs[25:]:
+        for key in locs[(10000 if gprefs['many_libraries'] else 25):]:
             self.stats.pop(key)
         gprefs.set('library_usage_stats', self.stats)
 
@@ -72,8 +73,10 @@ def locations(self, db):
         locs = list(self.stats.keys())
         if lpath in locs:
             locs.remove(lpath)
-        locs.sort(cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(self.stats[x], self.stats[y]),
-                reverse=True)
+        if gprefs['many_libraries']:
+            locs.sort(key=sort_key)
+        else:
+            locs.sort(key=lambda x: self.stats[x], reverse=True)
         for loc in locs:
             yield self.pretty(loc), loc
 

src/calibre/gui2/preferences/behavior.py

@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ def genesis(self, gui):
             signal.connect(self.internally_viewed_formats_changed)
 
         r('bools_are_tristate', db.prefs, restart_required=True)
+        r('many_libraries', gprefs, restart_required=True)
         r = self.register
         choices = [(_('Default'), 'default'), (_('Compact Metadata'), 'alt1'),
                    (_('All on 1 tab'), 'alt2')]

src/calibre/gui2/preferences/behavior.ui

@@ -284,6 +284,18 @@ If not checked, the values can be Yes or No.</string>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
+   <item row="4" column="0">
+    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_many_libraries">
+     <property name="toolTip">
+      <string>Optimizes the interface for use with a large number of libraries. calibre will
+now remeber unlimited numbers of libraries in its Quick Switch and Copy to Library
+menus, and the libraries will be sorted alphabetically.</string>
+     </property>
+     <property name="text">
+      <string>Optimize for use with many &amp;libraries (Requires restart)</string>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
  <resources>