v1.2.0

Add `Line` option for subtitle generation

Thank you, merged!

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+# 1.2.0
+- Added `Line` option to subtitle generation modes, allowing subtitles to be generated based on line breaks in the text, by @mleg in #94.
+- Added a loading indicator to the book handler window for better user experience during book preprocessing.
+- Fixed `cannot access local variable 'is_narrow'` error when subtitle format `SRT` was selected, mentioned by @Kinasa0096 in #88.
+- Fixed folder and filename sanitization to properly handle OS-specific illegal characters (Windows, Linux, macOS), ensuring compatibility across all platforms when creating chapter folders and files.
+- Fixed `/` and `\` path display by normalizing paths.
+- Fixed book reprocessing issue where books were being processed every time the chapters window was opened, improving performance when reopening the same book.
+- Fixed taskbar icon not appearing correctly in Windows.
+- Fixed “Go to folder” button not opening the chapter output directory when only separate chapters were generated.
+- Improvements in code and documentation.
+
 # 1.1.9
 - Fixed the issue where spaces were deleted before punctuation marks while generating subtitles.
 - Fixed markdown TOC generation breaks when "Replace single newlines" is enabled.

README.md

@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ pip3 install --pre torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pyt
 
 > See [How to fix "No matching distribution found" error?](#no-matching-distribution-found)
 
+> See [How to fix "[WinError 1114] A dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed" error?](#WinError-1114)
+
 > See [How to use "uv" instead of "pip"?](#use-uv-instead-of-pip)
 
 > Special thanks to [@hg000125](https://github.com/hg000125) for his contribution in [#23](https://github.com/denizsafak/abogen/issues/23). AMD GPU support is possible thanks to his work.
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ Here’s Abogen in action: in this demo, it processes ∼3,000 characters of tex
 | **Select Voice** | First letter of the language code (e.g., `a` for American English, `b` for British English, etc.), second letter is for `m` for male and `f` for female. |
 | **Voice mixer** | Create custom voices by mixing different voice models with a profile system. See [Voice Mixer](#voice-mixer) for more details. |
 | **Voice preview** | Listen to the selected voice before processing. |
-| **Generate subtitles** | `Disabled`, `Sentence`, `Sentence + Comma`, `Sentence + Highlighting`, `1 word`, `2 words`, `3 words`, etc. (Represents the number of words in each subtitle entry) |
+| **Generate subtitles** | `Disabled`, `Line`, `Sentence`, `Sentence + Comma`, `Sentence + Highlighting`, `1 word`, `2 words`, `3 words`, etc. (Represents the number of words in each subtitle entry) |
 | **Output voice format** | `.WAV`, `.FLAC`, `.MP3`, `.OPUS (best compression)` and `M4B (with chapters)` |
 | **Output subtitle format** | Configures the subtitle format as `SRT (standard)`, `ASS (wide)`, `ASS (narrow)`, `ASS (centered wide)`, or `ASS (centered narrow)`. |
 | **Replace single newlines with spaces** | Replaces single newlines with spaces in the text. This is useful for texts that have imaginary line breaks. |
@@ -146,6 +148,8 @@ Here’s Abogen in action: in this demo, it processes ∼3,000 characters of tex
 
 > Special thanks to [@jborza](https://github.com/jborza) for chapter support in PR [#10](https://github.com/denizsafak/abogen/pull/10)
 
+> Special thanks to [@mleg](https://github.com/mleg) for adding `Line` option in subtitle generation in PR [#94](https://github.com/denizsafak/abogen/pull/94)
+
 | Book handler options | Description |
 |---------|-------------|
 | **Chapter Control** | Select specific `chapters` from ePUBs or markdown files or `chapters + pages` from PDFs. |
@@ -371,6 +375,22 @@ This will start Abogen in command-line mode and display detailed error messages.
 
 </details>
 
+<details><summary><b>
+<a name="WinError-1114">How to fix "[WinError 1114] A dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed" error?</a>
+</b></summary>
+
+> I faced this error when trying to run Abogen in a virtual Windows machine without GPU support. Here's how I fixed it:
+> If you installed Abogen using the Windows installer `(WINDOWS_INSTALL.bat)`, go to Abogen's folder (that contains `python_embedded`), open your terminal there and run:
+> ```bash
+> python_embedded\python.exe -m pip install torch==2.8.0 torchaudio==2.8.0 torchvision==0.23.0
+> ```
+> If you installed Abogen using pip, open your terminal in the virtual environment and run:
+> ```bash
+> pip install torch==2.8.0 torchaudio==2.8.0 torchvision==0.23.0
+> ```
+
+</details>
+
 <details><summary><b>
 <a name="japanese-audio-not-working">How to fix Japanese audio not working?</a>
 </b></summary>
@@ -392,6 +412,22 @@ This will start Abogen in command-line mode and display detailed error messages.
 
 </details>
 
+<details><summary><b>
+<a name="use-uv-instead-of-pip">How to uninstall Abogen?</a>
+</b></summary>
+
+> - From the settings menu, go to `Open configuration directory` and delete the directory.
+> - From the settings menu, go to `Open cache directory` and delete the directory.
+> - If you installed Abogen using pip, type:
+>```bash
+>pip uninstall abogen # uninstalls abogen
+>pip cache purge # removes pip cache
+>```
+> - If you installed Abogen using the Windows installer (WINDOWS_INSTALL.bat), just remove the folder that contains Abogen. It installs everything inside `python_embedded` folder, no other directories are created.
+> - If you installed espeak-ng, you need to remove it separately.
+
+</details>
+
 ## `Contributing`
 I welcome contributions! If you have ideas for new features, improvements, or bug fixes, please fork the repository and submit a pull request.
 ### For developers and contributors

WINDOWS_INSTALL.bat

@@ -139,10 +139,10 @@ if exist "%VERSION_FILE%" (
 REM Python embedded download configuration for different architectures
 if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
     set PYTHON_EMBEDDED_FILE=%PROJECTFOLDER%\python_embedded_win32.zip
-    set PYTHON_EMBEDDED_URL=https://github.com/wojiushixiaobai/Python-Embed-Win64/releases/download/3.12.8/python-3.12.8-embed-win32.zip
+    set PYTHON_EMBEDDED_URL=https://github.com/wojiushixiaobai/Python-Embed-Win64/releases/download/3.12.12/python-3.12.12-embed-win32.zip
 ) else (
     set PYTHON_EMBEDDED_FILE=%PROJECTFOLDER%\python_embedded_amd64.zip
-    set PYTHON_EMBEDDED_URL=https://github.com/wojiushixiaobai/Python-Embed-Win64/releases/download/3.12.8/python-3.12.8-embed-amd64.zip
+    set PYTHON_EMBEDDED_URL=https://github.com/wojiushixiaobai/Python-Embed-Win64/releases/download/3.12.12/python-3.12.12-embed-amd64.zip
 )
 
 :: Check if Python exists

abogen/VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.1.9
+1.2.0

abogen/book_handler.py

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import re
-import html
 import ebooklib
 import base64
 import fitz  # PyMuPDF for PDF support
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ from PyQt5.QtWidgets import (
     QMenu,
     QLabel,
 )
-from PyQt5.QtCore import Qt
+from PyQt5.QtCore import Qt, QThread, pyqtSignal
 from abogen.utils import clean_text, calculate_text_length, detect_encoding
 import os
 import logging  # Add logging
@@ -41,6 +40,38 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
     _merge_chapters_at_end = True
     _save_as_project = False  # New class variable for save_as_project option
     
+    # Cache for processed book content to avoid reprocessing
+    # Key: (book_path, modification_time, file_type)
+    # Value: dict with content_texts, content_lengths, doc_content (for epub), markdown_toc (for markdown)
+    _content_cache = {}
+
+    class _LoaderThread(QThread):
+        """Minimal QThread that runs a callable and emits an error string on exception."""
+        error = pyqtSignal(str)
+
+        def __init__(self, target_callable):
+            super().__init__()
+            self._target = target_callable
+
+        def run(self):
+            try:
+                self._target()
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.error.emit(str(e))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def clear_content_cache(cls, book_path=None):
+        """Clear the content cache. If book_path is provided, only clear that book's cache."""
+        if book_path is None:
+            cls._content_cache.clear()
+            logging.info("Cleared all content cache")
+        else:
+            keys_to_remove = [key for key in cls._content_cache.keys() if key[0] == book_path]
+            for key in keys_to_remove:
+                del cls._content_cache[key]
+            if keys_to_remove:
+                logging.info(f"Cleared content cache for {os.path.basename(book_path)}")
+
     def __init__(self, book_path, file_type=None, checked_chapters=None, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
 
@@ -139,14 +170,11 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
         # Initialize checked_chapters set
         self.checked_chapters = set(checked_chapters) if checked_chapters else set()
 
-        # For storing content and lengths
+        # For storing content and lengths (will be filled by background loader)
         self.content_texts = {}
         self.content_lengths = {}
 
-        # Pre-process content based on file type
-        self._preprocess_content()
-
-        # Add "Information" item at the beginning of the tree
+        # Add a placeholder "Information" item so the tree isn't empty immediately
         info_item = QTreeWidgetItem(self.treeWidget, ["Information"])
         info_item.setData(0, Qt.UserRole, "info:bookinfo")
         info_item.setFlags(info_item.flags() & ~Qt.ItemIsUserCheckable)
@@ -154,8 +182,18 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
         font.setBold(True)
         info_item.setFont(0, font)
 
-        # Build tree based on file type
-        self._build_tree()
+        # Setup UI now so dialog appears immediately
+        self._setup_ui()
+
+        # Create a centered loading overlay and show it while background load runs
+        self._create_loading_overlay()
+        # Hide the main UI so only the overlay is visible initially
+        if getattr(self, 'splitter', None) is not None:
+            self.splitter.setVisible(False)
+        self._show_loading_overlay("Loading...")
+
+        # Start background loading of book content so the dialog opens immediately
+        self._start_background_load()
 
         # Hide expand/collapse decoration if there are no parent items
         has_parents = False
@@ -165,30 +203,123 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
                 break
         self.treeWidget.setRootIsDecorated(has_parents)
 
-        # Setup UI (creates save_chapters_checkbox and other UI elements)
-        self._setup_ui()
 
-        # Run auto-check after UI is setup
-        if not self._are_provided_checks_relevant():
-            self._run_auto_check()
 
-        # Connect signals
-        self.treeWidget.currentItemChanged.connect(self.update_preview)
-        self.treeWidget.itemChanged.connect(self.handle_item_check)
-        self.treeWidget.itemChanged.connect(lambda _: self._update_checkbox_states())
-        self.treeWidget.itemDoubleClicked.connect(self.handle_item_double_click)
+    def _create_loading_overlay(self):
+        """Create a simple centered QLabel used as loading indicator.
 
-        # Select first item and expand all
-        self.treeWidget.expandAll()
-        if self.treeWidget.topLevelItemCount() > 0:
-            self.treeWidget.setCurrentItem(self.treeWidget.topLevelItem(0))
-            self.treeWidget.setFocus()
+        This label is added to the dialog's main layout above the splitter so
+        when the splitter is hidden only the text is visible.
+        """
+        try:
+            label = QLabel(self)
+            label.setAlignment(Qt.AlignCenter)
+            # larger plain text per request
+            label.setStyleSheet("font-size: 14pt;")
+            label.setVisible(False)
+            # insert at top of main layout if present, otherwise keep as child
+            try:
+                layout = self.layout()
+                if layout is not None:
+                    layout.insertWidget(0, label)
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+            self._loading_label = label
+        except Exception:
+            self._loading_label = None
 
-        # Update checkbox states
-        self._update_checkbox_states()
+    def _show_loading_overlay(self, text: str):
+        lbl = getattr(self, '_loading_label', None)
+        if lbl is None:
+            return
+        lbl.setText(text)
+        lbl.setVisible(True)
+
+    def _hide_loading_overlay(self):
+        lbl = getattr(self, '_loading_label', None)
+        if lbl is None:
+            return
+        lbl.setVisible(False)
+
+
+    def _start_background_load(self):
+        """Start a QThread that runs the preprocessing in background."""
+        # Start a minimal QThread which executes _preprocess_content
+        self._loader_thread = HandlerDialog._LoaderThread(self._preprocess_content)
+        self._loader_thread.finished.connect(self._on_load_finished)
+        self._loader_thread.error.connect(self._on_load_error)
+        # ensure thread instance is deleted when done
+        self._loader_thread.finished.connect(self._loader_thread.deleteLater)
+        self._loader_thread.start()
+
+    def _on_load_error(self, err_msg):
+        logging.error(f"Error loading book in background: {err_msg}")
+        if getattr(self, 'previewEdit', None) is not None:
+            self.previewEdit.setPlainText(f"Error loading book: {err_msg}")
+        if getattr(self, 'splitter', None) is not None:
+            self.splitter.setVisible(True)
+        self._hide_loading_overlay()
+
+    def _on_load_finished(self):
+        """Called in the main thread when background loading finished."""
+        # Build the tree now that content_texts/content_lengths/etc. are ready
+        try:
+            # Rebuild tree based on file type
+            self._build_tree()
+
+            # Run auto-check if no provided checks are relevant
+            if not self._are_provided_checks_relevant():
+                self._run_auto_check()
+
+            # Connect signals (after tree exists)
+            self.treeWidget.currentItemChanged.connect(self.update_preview)
+            self.treeWidget.itemChanged.connect(self.handle_item_check)
+            self.treeWidget.itemChanged.connect(lambda _: self._update_checkbox_states())
+            self.treeWidget.itemDoubleClicked.connect(self.handle_item_double_click)
+
+            # Expand and select first item
+            self.treeWidget.expandAll()
+            if self.treeWidget.topLevelItemCount() > 0:
+                self.treeWidget.setCurrentItem(self.treeWidget.topLevelItem(0))
+                self.treeWidget.setFocus()
+
+            # Update checkbox states
+            self._update_checkbox_states()
+
+            # Update preview for the current selection
+            current = self.treeWidget.currentItem()
+            self.update_preview(current)
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error finalizing book load: {e}")
+        # Show the main UI and hide loading text
+        if getattr(self, 'splitter', None) is not None:
+            self.splitter.setVisible(True)
+        self._hide_loading_overlay()
 
     def _preprocess_content(self):
         """Pre-process content from the document"""
+        # Create cache key from file path, modification time, and file type
+        try:
+            mod_time = os.path.getmtime(self.book_path)
+        except Exception:
+            mod_time = 0
+        
+        cache_key = (self.book_path, mod_time, self.file_type)
+        
+        # Check if content is already cached
+        if cache_key in HandlerDialog._content_cache:
+            cached_data = HandlerDialog._content_cache[cache_key]
+            self.content_texts = cached_data['content_texts']
+            self.content_lengths = cached_data['content_lengths']
+            if 'doc_content' in cached_data:
+                self.doc_content = cached_data['doc_content']
+            if 'markdown_toc' in cached_data:
+                self.markdown_toc = cached_data['markdown_toc']
+            logging.info(f"Using cached content for {os.path.basename(self.book_path)}")
+            return
+        
+        # Process content if not cached
         if self.file_type == "epub":
             try:
                 self._process_epub_content_nav()  # Use the new navigation-based method
@@ -204,6 +335,19 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
         else:
             self._preprocess_pdf_content()
         
+        # Cache the processed content
+        cache_data = {
+            'content_texts': self.content_texts,
+            'content_lengths': self.content_lengths,
+        }
+        if hasattr(self, 'doc_content'):
+            cache_data['doc_content'] = self.doc_content
+        if hasattr(self, 'markdown_toc'):
+            cache_data['markdown_toc'] = self.markdown_toc
+        
+        HandlerDialog._content_cache[cache_key] = cache_data
+        logging.info(f"Cached content for {os.path.basename(self.book_path)}")
+
     def _preprocess_pdf_content(self):
         """Pre-process all page contents from PDF document"""
         for page_num in range(len(self.pdf_doc)):
@@ -1906,6 +2050,17 @@ class HandlerDialog(QDialog):
         return metadata
 
     def get_selected_text(self):
+        # If a background loader thread is running, wait for it to finish to
+        # preserve compatibility with callers that expect content to be ready
+        # when they create a HandlerDialog and immediately request selected text.
+        try:
+            if hasattr(self, '_loader_thread') and getattr(self, '_loader_thread') is not None:
+                # Wait for thread to finish (blocks until done)
+                if self._loader_thread.isRunning():
+                    self._loader_thread.wait()
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
         if self.file_type == "epub":
             return self._get_epub_selected_text()
         elif self.file_type == "markdown":

abogen/conversion.py

@@ -28,6 +28,66 @@ def get_sample_voice_text(lang_code):
     return SAMPLE_VOICE_TEXTS.get(lang_code, SAMPLE_VOICE_TEXTS["a"])
 
 
+def sanitize_name_for_os(name, is_folder=True):
+    """
+    Sanitize a filename or folder name based on the operating system.
+    
+    Args:
+        name: The name to sanitize
+        is_folder: Whether this is a folder name (default: True)
+    
+    Returns:
+        Sanitized name safe for the current OS
+    """
+    if not name:
+        return "audiobook"
+    
+    system = platform.system()
+    
+    if system == "Windows":
+        # Windows illegal characters: < > : " / \ | ? *
+        # Also can't end with space or dot
+        sanitized = re.sub(r'[<>:"/\\|?*]', '_', name)
+        # Remove control characters (0-31)
+        sanitized = re.sub(r'[\x00-\x1f]', '_', sanitized)
+        # Remove trailing spaces and dots
+        sanitized = sanitized.rstrip('. ')
+        # Windows reserved names (CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1-9, LPT1-9)
+        reserved = ['CON', 'PRN', 'AUX', 'NUL'] + \
+                   [f'COM{i}' for i in range(1, 10)] + \
+                   [f'LPT{i}' for i in range(1, 10)]
+        if sanitized.upper() in reserved or sanitized.upper().split('.')[0] in reserved:
+            sanitized = f"_{sanitized}"
+    elif system == "Darwin":  # macOS
+        # macOS illegal characters: : (colon is converted to / by the system)
+        # Also can't start with dot (hidden file) for folders typically
+        sanitized = re.sub(r'[:]', '_', name)
+        # Remove control characters
+        sanitized = re.sub(r'[\x00-\x1f]', '_', sanitized)
+        # Avoid leading dot for folders (creates hidden folders)
+        if is_folder and sanitized.startswith('.'):
+            sanitized = '_' + sanitized[1:]
+    else:  # Linux and others
+        # Linux illegal characters: / and null character
+        # Though / is illegal, most other chars are technically allowed
+        sanitized = re.sub(r'[/\x00]', '_', name)
+        # Remove other control characters for safety
+        sanitized = re.sub(r'[\x01-\x1f]', '_', sanitized)
+        # Avoid leading dot for folders (creates hidden folders)
+        if is_folder and sanitized.startswith('.'):
+            sanitized = '_' + sanitized[1:]
+    
+    # Ensure the name is not empty after sanitization
+    if not sanitized or sanitized.strip() == '':
+        sanitized = "audiobook"
+    
+    # Limit length to 255 characters (common limit across filesystems)
+    if len(sanitized) > 255:
+        sanitized = sanitized[:255].rstrip('. ')
+    
+    return sanitized
+
+
 class ChapterOptionsDialog(QDialog):
     def __init__(self, chapter_count, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
@@ -248,6 +308,10 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                 input_file = self.display_path if self.display_path else self.file_name
                 processing_file = self.file_name
 
+            # Normalize paths for consistent display (fixes Windows path separator issues)
+            input_file = os.path.normpath(input_file) if input_file else input_file
+            processing_file = os.path.normpath(processing_file) if processing_file else processing_file
+
             self.log_updated.emit(f"- Input File: {input_file}")
             if input_file != processing_file:
                 self.log_updated.emit(f"- Processing File: {processing_file}")
@@ -417,6 +481,9 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                 base_path = self.display_path if self.display_path else self.file_name
 
             base_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(base_path))[0]
+            # Sanitize base_name for folder/file creation based on OS
+            sanitized_base_name = sanitize_name_for_os(base_name, is_folder=True)
+            
             if self.save_option == "Save to Desktop":
                 parent_dir = user_desktop_dir()
             elif self.save_option == "Save next to input file":
@@ -437,11 +504,11 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
             while True:
                 suffix = f"_{counter}" if counter > 1 else ""
                 chapters_out_dir_candidate = os.path.join(
-                    parent_dir, f"{base_name}{suffix}_chapters"
+                    parent_dir, f"{sanitized_base_name}{suffix}_chapters"
                 )
                 # Only check for files with allowed extensions (extension without dot, case-insensitive)
                 clash = any(
-                    os.path.splitext(fname)[0] == f"{base_name}{suffix}"
+                    os.path.splitext(fname)[0] == f"{sanitized_base_name}{suffix}"
                     and os.path.splitext(fname)[1][1:].lower() in allowed_exts
                     for fname in os.listdir(parent_dir)
                 )
@@ -461,7 +528,7 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
             # Prepare merged output file for incremental writing ONLY if merge_chapters_at_end is True
             if merge_chapters_at_end:
                 out_dir = parent_dir
-                base_filepath_no_ext = os.path.join(out_dir, f"{base_name}{suffix}")
+                base_filepath_no_ext = os.path.join(out_dir, f"{sanitized_base_name}{suffix}")
                 merged_out_path = f"{base_filepath_no_ext}.{self.output_format}"
                 subtitle_entries = []
                 current_time = 0.0
@@ -554,6 +621,13 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                     merged_subtitle_path = (
                         os.path.splitext(merged_out_path)[0] + f".{file_extension}"
                     )
+                    # Default subtitle layout flags/strings so they exist regardless
+                    # of whether ASS-specific handling runs. This prevents runtime
+                    # errors when non-ASS formats (like SRT) are selected.
+                    is_centered = False
+                    is_narrow = False
+                    merged_subtitle_margin = ""
+                    merged_subtitle_alignment_tag = ""
                     if "ass" in subtitle_format:
                         merged_subtitle_file = open(
                             merged_subtitle_path,
@@ -644,8 +718,13 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                     loaded_voice = self.voice
                 # Prepare per-chapter output file if needed
                 if save_chapters_separately and total_chapters > 1:
+                    # First pass: keep alphanumeric, spaces, hyphens, and underscores
                     sanitized = re.sub(r"[^\w\s\-]", "", chapter_name)
+                    # Replace multiple spaces/hyphens with single underscore
                     sanitized = re.sub(r"[\s\-]+", "_", sanitized).strip("_")
+                    # Apply OS-specific sanitization
+                    sanitized = sanitize_name_for_os(sanitized, is_folder=False)
+                    # Limit length (leaving room for the chapter number prefix)
                     MAX_LEN = 80
                     if len(sanitized) > MAX_LEN:
                         pos = sanitized[:MAX_LEN].rfind("_")
@@ -705,13 +784,20 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                         chapter_subtitle_path = os.path.join(
                             chapters_out_dir, f"{chapter_filename}.{file_extension}"
                         )
+                        # Ensure these variables exist even when not using ASS so
+                        # later code can safely reference them.
+                        is_centered = False
+                        is_narrow = False
+                        chapter_subtitle_margin = ""
+                        chapter_subtitle_alignment_tag = ""
+                        # Open the chapter subtitle file for writing for both SRT and ASS
+                        chapter_subtitle_file = open(
+                            chapter_subtitle_path,
+                            "w",
+                            encoding="utf-8",
+                            errors="replace",
+                        )
                         if "ass" in subtitle_format:
-                            chapter_subtitle_file = open(
-                                chapter_subtitle_path,
-                                "w",
-                                encoding="utf-8",
-                                errors="replace",
-                            )
                             # Minimal ASS header
                             chapter_subtitle_file.write("[Script Info]\n")
                             chapter_subtitle_file.write("Title: Generated by Abogen\n")
@@ -734,18 +820,13 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                             is_narrow = subtitle_format in (
                                 "ass_narrow",
                                 "ass_centered_narrow",
-                        )
-                        chapter_subtitle_margin = "90" if is_narrow else ""
-                        chapter_subtitle_alignment_tag = (
-                            f"{{\\an5}}" if is_centered else ""
-                        )
+                            )
+                            chapter_subtitle_margin = "90" if is_narrow else ""
+                            chapter_subtitle_alignment_tag = (
+                                f"{{\\an5}}" if is_centered else ""
+                            )
                     else:
-                        chapter_subtitle_file = open(
-                            chapter_subtitle_path,
-                            "w",
-                            encoding="utf-8",
-                            errors="replace",
-                        )
+                        chapter_subtitle_file = None
                 else:
                     chapter_subtitle_path = None
                     chapter_subtitle_file = None
@@ -1036,11 +1117,12 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                         merged_out_path,
                     )
             else:
-                # If not merging, just finish after chapters
+                # If not merging, report the folder that holds the chapter files
                 self.progress_updated.emit(100, "00:00:00")
+                chapters_dir = os.path.abspath(chapters_out_dir or parent_dir)
                 self.conversion_finished.emit(
-                    ("\nAll chapters saved.", "green"),
-                    None,
+                    (f"\nAll chapters saved to: {chapters_dir}", "green"),
+                    chapters_dir,
                 )
         except Exception as e:
             # Cleanup ffmpeg subprocesses on error
@@ -1246,9 +1328,14 @@ class ConversionThread(QThread):
                 if end is None or end <= start or end <= 0:
                     subtitle_entries[-1] = (start, fallback_end_time, text)
 
-        elif self.subtitle_mode == "Sentence" or self.subtitle_mode == "Sentence + Comma":
+        elif self.subtitle_mode in ["Sentence", "Sentence + Comma", "Line"]:
             # Define separator pattern based on mode
-            separator = r"[.!?]" if self.subtitle_mode == "Sentence" else r"[.!?,]"
+            if self.subtitle_mode == "Line":
+                separator = r"\n"
+            elif self.subtitle_mode == "Sentence":
+                separator = r"[.!?]"
+            else:  # Sentence + Comma
+                separator = r"[.!?,]"
             current_sentence = []
             word_count = 0
 

abogen/gui.py

@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ from abogen.voice_profiles import load_profiles
 # Import ctypes for Windows-specific taskbar icon
 if platform.system() == "Windows":
     import ctypes
-    import winreg
 
 
 class DarkTitleBarEventFilter(QObject):
@@ -231,6 +230,8 @@ class InputBox(QLabel):
         size_str = self._human_readable_size(os.path.getsize(file_path))
         name = os.path.basename(file_path)
         char_count = 0
+        window = self.window()
+        cache = getattr(window, "_char_count_cache", None)
 
         def parse_size(size_str):
             # Use regex to extract the numeric part
@@ -250,40 +251,49 @@ class InputBox(QLabel):
             except Exception:
                 return str(n)
 
-        if (
-                file_path.lower().endswith(".epub")
-                or file_path.lower().endswith(".pdf")
-                or file_path.lower().endswith((".md", ".markdown"))
-        ) and hasattr(self.window(), "selected_chapters"):
-            # EPUB, PDF, or Markdown: sum character counts for selected chapters
-            try:
+        doc_extensions = (".epub", ".pdf", ".md", ".markdown")
+        char_source_path = file_path
+        cached_char_count = None
 
-                book_path = file_path
-                dialog = HandlerDialog(
-                    book_path,
-                    checked_chapters=self.window().selected_chapters,
-                    parent=self.window(),
-                )
-                chapters_text, all_checked_hrefs = dialog.get_selected_text()
-                # Clean text before counting characters
-                cleaned_text = clean_text(chapters_text)
-                char_count = calculate_text_length(cleaned_text)
-            except Exception:
-                char_count = "N/A"
-        else:
+        if file_path.lower().endswith(doc_extensions):
+            selected_file_path = getattr(window, "selected_file", None)
+            if selected_file_path and os.path.exists(selected_file_path):
+                char_source_path = selected_file_path
+            else:
+                char_source_path = None
+
+        if cache is not None:
+            cached_char_count = cache.get(file_path)
+            if (
+                    cached_char_count is None
+                    and char_source_path
+                    and char_source_path != file_path
+            ):
+                cached_char_count = cache.get(char_source_path)
+
+        if cached_char_count is not None:
+            char_count = cached_char_count
+        elif char_source_path:
             try:
-                with open(file_path, "r", encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore") as f:
+                with open(char_source_path, "r", encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore") as f:
                     text = f.read()
-                    # Clean text before counting characters
                     cleaned_text = clean_text(text)
                     char_count = calculate_text_length(cleaned_text)
             except Exception:
                 char_count = "N/A"
+        else:
+            char_count = "N/A"
+
+        if cache is not None and isinstance(char_count, int):
+            cache[file_path] = char_count
+            if char_source_path and char_source_path != file_path:
+                cache[char_source_path] = char_count
+
         # Store numeric char_count on window
         try:
-            self.window().char_count = int(char_count)
+            window.char_count = int(char_count)
         except Exception:
-            self.window().char_count = 0
+            window.char_count = 0
         # embed icon at native size with word-wrap for the filename
         self.setText(
             f'<img src="data:image/png;base64,{img_data}"><br><span style="display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; word-break: break-all;"><b>{name}</b></span><br>Size: {size_str}<br>Characters: {format_num(char_count)}'
@@ -294,11 +304,11 @@ class InputBox(QLabel):
             f"QLabel {{ {self.STYLE_ACTIVE} }} QLabel:hover {{ {self.STYLE_ACTIVE_HOVER} }}"
         )
         self.clear_btn.show()
-        is_document = self.window().selected_file_type in ["epub", "pdf", "md", "markdown"]
+        is_document = window.selected_file_type in ["epub", "pdf", "md", "markdown"]
         self.chapters_btn.setVisible(is_document)
         if is_document:
-            chapter_count = len(self.window().selected_chapters)
-            file_type = self.window().selected_file_type
+            chapter_count = len(window.selected_chapters)
+            file_type = window.selected_file_type
             # Adjust button text based on file type
             if file_type == "epub" or file_type == "md" or file_type == "markdown":
                 self.chapters_btn.setText(f"Chapters ({chapter_count})")
@@ -313,8 +323,8 @@ class InputBox(QLabel):
 
         # For epub/pdf files, show edit if we have a selected_file (temp txt)
         if (
-                self.window().selected_file_type in ["epub", "pdf", "md", "markdown", "md", "markdown"]
-                and self.window().selected_file
+                window.selected_file_type in ["epub", "pdf", "md", "markdown", "md", "markdown"]
+                and window.selected_file
         ):
             should_show_edit = True
 
@@ -322,13 +332,13 @@ class InputBox(QLabel):
         self.go_to_folder_btn.show()
         # Enable add to queue button only when file is accepted (input box is green)
         self.resizeEvent(None)
-        if hasattr(self.window(), "btn_add_to_queue"):
-            self.window().btn_add_to_queue.setEnabled(True)
+        if hasattr(window, "btn_add_to_queue"):
+            window.btn_add_to_queue.setEnabled(True)
 
         self.chapters_btn.adjustSize()
         # Reset the input_box_cleared_by_queue flag after setting file info
-        if hasattr(self.window(), "input_box_cleared_by_queue"):
-            self.window().input_box_cleared_by_queue = False
+        if hasattr(window, "input_box_cleared_by_queue"):
+            window.input_box_cleared_by_queue = False
 
     def set_error(self, message):
         self.setText(message)
@@ -721,6 +731,8 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
         self.selected_chapters = set()
         self.last_opened_book_path = None  # Track the last opened book path
         self.last_output_path = None
+        self.char_count = 0
+        self._char_count_cache = {}
         # Only one of selected_profile_name or selected_voice should be set
         self.selected_profile_name = self.config.get("selected_profile_name")
         self.selected_voice = None
@@ -953,6 +965,7 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
         self.subtitle_combo.setToolTip(
             "Choose how subtitles will be generated:\n"
             "Disabled: No subtitles will be generated.\n"
+            "Line: Subtitles will be generated for each line.\n"
             "Sentence: Subtitles will be generated for each sentence.\n"
             "Sentence + Comma: Subtitles will be generated for each sentence and comma.\n"
             "Sentence + Highlighting: Subtitles with word-by-word karaoke highlighting.\n"
@@ -963,7 +976,7 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
                 for lang in SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES_FOR_SUBTITLE_GENERATION
             )
         )
-        subtitle_options = ["Disabled", "Sentence", "Sentence + Comma", "Sentence + Highlighting"] + [
+        subtitle_options = ["Disabled", "Line", "Sentence", "Sentence + Comma", "Sentence + Highlighting"] + [
             f"{i} word" if i == 1 else f"{i} words" for i in range(1, 11)
         ]
         self.subtitle_combo.addItems(subtitle_options)
@@ -1254,6 +1267,7 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
             self.selected_chapters = set()
             self.last_opened_book_path = book_path
 
+        # HandlerDialog uses internal caching to avoid reprocessing the same book
         dialog = HandlerDialog(
             book_path,
             file_type=getattr(self, 'selected_file_type', None),
@@ -1292,6 +1306,12 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
             if book_path.lower().endswith(".pdf"):
                 self.pdf_has_bookmarks = getattr(dialog, "has_pdf_bookmarks", False)
 
+            cleaned_text = clean_text(chapters_text)
+            computed_char_count = calculate_text_length(cleaned_text)
+            self.char_count = computed_char_count
+            if isinstance(getattr(self, "_char_count_cache", None), dict):
+                self._char_count_cache[book_path] = computed_char_count
+
             # Use "abogen" prefix for cache files
             # Extract base name without extension
             base_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(book_path))[0]
@@ -1376,6 +1396,8 @@ class abogen(QWidget):
             self.selected_file = tmp
             self.selected_book_path = book_path
             self.displayed_file_path = book_path
+            if isinstance(getattr(self, "_char_count_cache", None), dict):
+                self._char_count_cache[tmp] = computed_char_count
             # Only set file info if dialog was accepted
             self.input_box.set_file_info(book_path)
             return True

abogen/main.py

@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ import signal
 try:
     from PyQt5.QtCore import QLibraryInfo
     plugins = QLibraryInfo.location(QLibraryInfo.PluginsPath)
-    platform_dir = os.path.join(plugins, "platforms")
+    # Normalize path to use the OS-native separators and absolute path
+    platform_dir = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(plugins, "platforms"))
+    # Ensure we work with an absolute path for clarity
+    platform_dir = os.path.abspath(platform_dir)
     if os.path.isdir(platform_dir):
         os.environ["QT_QPA_PLATFORM_PLUGIN_PATH"] = platform_dir
         print("QT_QPA_PLATFORM_PLUGIN_PATH set to:", platform_dir)
@@ -18,6 +21,16 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     print("PyQt5 not installed.")
 
+# Set application ID for Windows taskbar icon
+if platform.system() == "Windows":
+    try:
+        from abogen.constants import PROGRAM_NAME, VERSION
+        import ctypes
+        app_id = f"{PROGRAM_NAME}.{VERSION}"
+        ctypes.windll.shell32.SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID(app_id)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print("Warning: failed to set AppUserModelID:", e)
+
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication
 from PyQt5.QtGui import QIcon
 from PyQt5.QtCore import qInstallMessageHandler, QtMsgType
@@ -86,13 +99,6 @@ def qt_message_handler(mode, context, message):
 # Install the custom message handler
 qInstallMessageHandler(qt_message_handler)
 
-# Set application ID for Windows taskbar icon
-if platform.system() == "Windows":
-    import ctypes
-
-    app_id = f"{PROGRAM_NAME}.{VERSION}"
-    ctypes.windll.shell32.SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID(app_id)
-
 # Handle Wayland on Linux GNOME
 if platform.system() == "Linux":
     xdg_session = os.environ.get("XDG_SESSION_TYPE", "").lower()

abogen/queue_manager_gui.py

@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@ class QueueManager(QDialog):
 
     def process_queue(self):
         """Process the queue items."""
+        import os
+        
         self.listwidget.clear()
         if not self.queue:
             self.empty_overlay.resize(self.listwidget.size())
@@ -221,9 +223,12 @@ class QueueManager(QDialog):
             display_file_path = getattr(item, "save_base_path", None) or item.file_name
             processing_file_path = item.file_name
             
+            # Normalize paths for consistent display (fixes Windows path separator issues)
+            display_file_path = os.path.normpath(display_file_path) if display_file_path else display_file_path
+            processing_file_path = os.path.normpath(processing_file_path) if processing_file_path else processing_file_path
+            
             # Only show the file name, not the full path
             display_name = display_file_path
-            import os
 
             if os.path.sep in display_file_path:
                 display_name = os.path.basename(display_file_path)