diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/reflow.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/reflow.py
index 1b2149cf3a..f4bdb9c7ac 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/reflow.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/reflow.py
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ class Font(object):
 
 class Column(object):
 
+    # A column contains an element is the element bulges out to
+    # the left or the right by at most HFUZZ*col width.
+    HFUZZ = 0.2
+
     def __init__(self):
         self.left = self.right = self.top = self.bottom = 0
         self.width = self.height = 0
@@ -41,6 +45,10 @@ class Column(object):
         for x in self.elements:
             yield x
 
+    def contains(self, elem):
+        return elem.left > self.left - self.HFUZZ*self.width and \
+               elem.right < self.right + self.HFUZZ*self.width
+
 class Element(object):
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
@@ -238,11 +246,10 @@ class Page(object):
         return columns
 
     def find_elements_in_row_of(self, x):
-        interval = Interval(x.top - self.YFUZZ * self.average_text_height,
+        interval = Interval(x.top,
                 x.top + self.YFUZZ*(1+self.average_text_height))
         h_interval = Interval(x.left, x.right)
-        m = max(0, x.idx-15)
-        for y in self.elements[m:x.idx+15]:
+        for y in self.elements[x.idx:x.idx+15]:
             if y is not x:
                 y_interval = Interval(y.top, y.bottom)
                 x_interval = Interval(y.left, y.right)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
index 6cbae7f7b0..98b416eaa3 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
@@ -1361,7 +1361,7 @@ class Main(MainWindow, Ui_MainWindow, DeviceGUI):
 
     def generate_catalog(self):
         rows = self.library_view.selectionModel().selectedRows()
-        if not rows:
+        if not rows or len(rows) < 3:
             rows = xrange(self.library_view.model().rowCount(QModelIndex()))
         ids = map(self.library_view.model().id, rows)
         dbspec = None
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 84638410c7..db75516292 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -1634,13 +1634,15 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase):
         for i in iter(self):
             yield i[x]
 
-    def get_data_as_dict(self, prefix=None, authors_as_string=False):
+    def get_data_as_dict(self, prefix=None, authors_as_string=False, ids=None):
         '''
         Return all metadata stored in the database as a dict. Includes paths to
         the cover and each format.
 
         :param prefix: The prefix for all paths. By default, the prefix is the absolute path
         to the library folder.
+        :param ids: Set of ids to return the data for. If None return data for
+        all entries in database.
         '''
         if prefix is None:
             prefix = self.library_path
@@ -1649,12 +1651,15 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase):
             'isbn', 'uuid', 'pubdate'])
         data = []
         for record in self.data:
+            db_id = record[FIELD_MAP['id']]
+            if ids is not None and db_id not in ids:
+                continue
             if record is None: continue
             x = {}
             for field in FIELDS:
                 x[field] = record[FIELD_MAP[field]]
             data.append(x)
-            x['id'] = record[FIELD_MAP['id']]
+            x['id'] = db_id
             x['formats'] = []
             if not x['authors']:
                 x['authors'] = _('Unknown')