When the user asks calibre to converta book, show a small animation to make highlight that the convert job has been queued to run in the background

src/calibre/gui2/actions/convert.py

@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ class ConvertAction(InterfaceAction):
             num = len(jobs)
 
         if num > 0:
+            self.gui.jobs_pointer.start()
             self.gui.status_bar.show_message(_('Starting conversion of %d book(s)') %
                 num, 2000)
 

src/calibre/gui2/job_indicator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=UTF-8:ts=4:sw=4:sta:et:sts=4:fdm=marker:ai
+from __future__ import (unicode_literals, division, absolute_import,
+                        print_function)
+
+__license__   = 'GPL v3'
+__copyright__ = '2012, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>'
+__docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
+
+from PyQt4.Qt import (QPainter, Qt, QWidget, QPropertyAnimation, QRect, QPoint,
+                      QColor, QEasingCurve, QBrush, QPainterPath, QPointF,
+                      QPalette)
+
+from calibre.gui2 import config
+
+class Pointer(QWidget):
+
+    def __init__(self, gui):
+        QWidget.__init__(self, gui)
+        self.setObjectName('jobs_pointer')
+        self.setVisible(False)
+        self.resize(100, 80)
+        self.animation = QPropertyAnimation(self, "geometry", self)
+        self.animation.setDuration(750)
+        self.animation.setLoopCount(2)
+        self.animation.setEasingCurve(QEasingCurve.Linear)
+        self.animation.finished.connect(self.hide)
+
+        taily, heady = 0, 55
+        self.arrow_path = QPainterPath(QPointF(40, taily))
+        self.arrow_path.lineTo(40, heady)
+        self.arrow_path.lineTo(20, heady)
+        self.arrow_path.lineTo(50, self.height())
+        self.arrow_path.lineTo(80, heady)
+        self.arrow_path.lineTo(60, heady)
+        self.arrow_path.lineTo(60, taily)
+        self.arrow_path.closeSubpath()
+
+        c = self.palette().color(QPalette.Active, QPalette.WindowText)
+        self.color = QColor(c)
+        self.color.setAlpha(100)
+        self.brush = QBrush(self.color, Qt.SolidPattern)
+
+        # from PyQt4.Qt import QTimer
+        # QTimer.singleShot(1000, self.start)
+
+    @property
+    def gui(self):
+        return self.parent()
+
+    def point_at(self, frac):
+        return (self.path.pointAtPercent(frac).toPoint() -
+                QPoint(self.rect().center().x(), self.height()))
+
+    def rect_at(self, frac):
+        return QRect(self.point_at(frac), self.size())
+
+    def abspos(self, widget):
+        pos = widget.pos()
+        parent = widget.parent()
+        while parent is not self.gui:
+            pos += parent.pos()
+            parent = parent.parent()
+        return pos
+
+    def start(self):
+        if config['disable_animations']:
+            return
+        self.setVisible(True)
+        self.raise_()
+        end = self.abspos(self.gui.jobs_button)
+        end = QPointF( end.x() + self.gui.jobs_button.width()/3.0, end.y()+20)
+        start = QPointF(end.x(), end.y() - 0.5*self.height())
+        self.path = QPainterPath(QPointF(start))
+        self.path.lineTo(end)
+        self.path.closeSubpath()
+        self.animation.setStartValue(self.rect_at(0.0))
+        self.animation.setEndValue(self.rect_at(1.0))
+        self.animation.setDirection(self.animation.Backward)
+        num_keys = 100
+        for i in xrange(1, num_keys):
+            i /= num_keys
+            self.animation.setKeyValueAt(i, self.rect_at(i))
+        self.animation.start()
+
+    def paintEvent(self, ev):
+        p = QPainter(self)
+        p.setRenderHints(p.Antialiasing)
+        p.setBrush(self.brush)
+        p.setPen(Qt.NoPen)
+        p.drawPath(self.arrow_path)
+        p.end()
+

src/calibre/gui2/ui.py

@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.auto_add import AutoAdder
 from calibre.library.sqlite import sqlite, DatabaseException
 from calibre.gui2.proceed import ProceedQuestion
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.message_box import JobError
+from calibre.gui2.job_indicator import Pointer
 
 class Listener(Thread): # {{{
 
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin, # {{{
     def __init__(self, opts, parent=None, gui_debug=None):
         global _gui
         MainWindow.__init__(self, opts, parent=parent, disable_automatic_gc=True)
+        self.jobs_pointer = Pointer(self)
         self.proceed_requested.connect(self.do_proceed,
                 type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
         self.proceed_question = ProceedQuestion(self)