Cannot sort device by title

[Kenneth C Tucker]

calibre, version 6.12.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>TypeError</b>:'&lt;' not supported between instances of 'str' and 'bytes'

calibre 6.12 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.19044-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.19044')
Python 3.10.1
Windows: ('10', '10.0.19044', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
Successfully initialized third party plugins: Gather KFX-ZIP (from KFX Input) (1, 49, 0) && Package KFX (from KFX Input) (1, 49, 0) && KFX metadata reader (from KFX Input) (1, 49, 0) && KFX Input (1, 49, 0) && Set KFX metadata (from KFX Output) (1, 64, 0) && KFX Output (1, 64, 0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "calibre\gui2\library\views.py", line 704, in user_sort_requested
  File "calibre\gui2\library\views.py", line 724, in intelligent_sort
  File "calibre\gui2\library\views.py", line 742, in sort_by_named_field
  File "calibre\gui2\library\views.py", line 697, in sort_by_column_and_order
  File "calibre\gui2\library\models.py", line 1615, in sort
TypeError: '<' not supported between instances of 'str' and 'bytes'
______________________________________________
I am simply clicking on the title header
This always worked before
I have no idea what might have changed
I uninstalled Calibre, then installed current version, but problem still exists

[Kovid Goyal (kovid)]

Fixed in branch master. The fix will be in the next release. calibre is usually released every alternate Friday.

 status fixreleased