[DaltonST]

[GUI Plugin] Author Book Count Hierarchy

This plugin updates a new custom column for the total number of books written by each author and each co-author in a partionable pattern for every book in a library.

This plugin is designed specifically for those users who desire details about books with multiple authors.

Main Features of the Author Book Count Hierarchy Plugin:

This plugin updates the custom column “abc_hierarchy” for the total number of books for every author and co-author for each book your library. It always updates all books in the open library.

That custom column may optionally be combined with the field Author in another optional custom column “abc_abc_hierarchy” and the results displayed in the left browser pane under "ABC_ABCH or anything else you wish to choose. It is yours. Only custom column abc_hierarchy is required. All others are optional.


Installation Notes:

Spoiler:

1. Calibre > Preferences > Custom Columns > Add a new custom column called "abc_hierarchy" with a title of "ABC Hierarchy" and with the default "text, with column shown in the tag browser". Uncheck the new column to hide it. Save your work and restart Calibre. Refer to the attached configuration image file.

2. Calibre > Preferences > Plugins > Load Plugin from File and load the attached zip file. Save your work and restart Calibre.

3. Calibre > Preferences > Toolbar > Main Menu Toolbar and then add the icon for ABC Hierarchy. Save your work. Close the window.

4. If you do not want to see the data in the Book Details view, go to Calibre > Preferences > Look and Feel > Book Details and customize the view to your taste.

5. The Calibre tag-browser defaults to sorting by Text instead of by Numbers within Text. To change this: Calibre > Preferences > Tweaks > Recognize Numbers Within Text When Sorting > and set numeric_collation = True. See the instructions.

6. Calibre > Preferences > Custom Columns > Add Optionally add another new (optional) custom column called "abc_abc_hierarchy" with a title of "ABC_ABCH" and with the type "column built from other columns, behaves like tags". The template could either be: {author}.{#abc_hierarchy} or perhaps {#author_book_count}.{author}.{#abc_hierarchy}. Of course, you may customize this template to please yourself. This column is not to be shown. Uncheck it to hide it.

7. Go to Calibre > Preferences > Look and Feel > Tag Browser and configure it based upon the image shown in the instructions. You may change the Tag Browser configuration to suit your personal taste. Experiment until you find a combination that pleases you. If your optional template from above is {#author_book_count}.{author}.{#abc_hierarchy}, then author probably should be allowed to be partioned.

Special Notes:

1. Requires Calibre version 6.0.0 or later.

2. The ABC Hierarchy plugin does not interact with the ABC plugin that uses the "author_book_count" custom column. You may have both installed in Calibre if you wish, or only one of them. They each answer different questions. ABC is not designed specifically for multiple authors of a single book, but rather is generic. ABC Hierarchy is specifically designed for multiple authors of a single book, as well as single authors. Different plugins for different people with different needs and different tastes.

3. It is advisable to compact your Calibre metadata.db database periodically. The menu path is Calibre > Library > Library Maintenance > Check Library. It will perform a SQLite Vacuum operation to condense/compact/defrag the database.

Version History:

Spoiler:

Version 1.2.5 - 15 April 2023 Links now in normalized custom column tables.

Version 1.2.4 - 07 January 2023 Qt.core.
Version 1.2.3 - 18 December 2020 Miscellany.
Version 1.2.2 - 19 December 2019 Technical changes after Python 3.8 testing with Calibre 4.99.2
Version 1.2.1 - 16 December 2019 Technical Tweaks after compiling with Python 3.8
Version 1.2.0 - 23 July 2019 Miscellany
Version 1.1.9 - 26 May 2019 Python 3 compatibility; minimum Calibre version now 3.41.3.
Version 1.1.8 - 16 May 2017 Remove unnecessary blank space from final ABCH value; Technical changes to improve performance.
Version 1.1.7 - 5 May 2017 Allow themes with user-defined icons.
Version 1.1.6 - 9 June 2016 Revised Documentation; Added automatic detection and reporting in the job log of corrupt authors using the LN,FN format.
Version 1.1.5 - 16 May 2016 Changes for use by the Favourites Plug-in.
Version 1.1.4 - 29 August 2015 Use a comma in the abc_hierarchy value even if authors.name uses a bar.
Version 1.1.3 - 22 June 2015 Changes to make ABCH consistent with ABC.
Version 1.1.2 - 22 June 2015 Improved user experience when executing repetitively in multiple Calibre libraries continuously.
Version 1.1.1 - 21 June 2015 Miscellaneous performance tweaks.
Version 1.1.0 - 7 June 2015 Many Technical Changes to Improve Performance and Ease of Use.
Version 1.0.4 - 5 September 2014 Change due to Calibre 2.2.0 refactor
Version 1.0.3 - 10 August 2014 Revised Instructions; Improved ABCH format.
Version 1.0.2 - 6 August 2014 Changed format for ABCH text to enhance readability
Version 1.0.1 - 5 August 2014 Updated Instructions With New Possibilities
Version 1.0.0 - 4 August 2014 New Plugin