Custom Column Recommendations

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

I mostly use it on my computer, then I upload the books I want to read to my tablet, so it will be on the computer that I make all the columns.

Only place you can make them AFAIK.

The column I use is only a benefit for my reader and my mother's. It allows me to have my collections as I want them while still maintaining the complete metadata on my computer.

Helen

[Tanjamuse]

I was just wandering if anyone had any suggestions or something that they use the column for, I don't understand much of the templates, but I don't mind trying to learn

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

I was just wandering if anyone had any suggestions or something that they use the column for, I don't understand much of the templates, but I don't mind trying to learn

@Tanjamuse - have a browse of these threads

Sticky Techniques to use plugboards, custom columns and templates (← click)

Plugboard, template, and custom composite column recipes (← click)

BR

[Tanjamuse]

When using the reading reading list plugin, do you know if it is possible to make those books in the list another color?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

When using the reading reading list plugin, do you know if it is possible to make those books in the list another color?

@Tanjamuse - I think you would need to make use of the Column Update Options values to set a custom column when books were added & removed, and then use that column as the basis for column colouring. If you had more than one reading list you could set different values for different reading lists in the custom column, and have different colours for each possible value.

BR

[Tanjamuse]

How would I set that up? Can you maybe help me through it, it would be fantastic to make those that are marked on my list for the tablet in another color, not just those that are on the tab, but also those that are waiting on the list?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

How would I set that up? Can you maybe help me through it, it would be fantastic to make those that are marked on my list for the tablet in another color, not just those that are on the tab, but also those that are waiting on the list?

@Tanjamuse - try this

Lets say I have two reading lists, Vocational and Leisure.

First I set up a custom column that I called readinglist/ReadingList - see first attachment

Then I defined some colouring rules based on that column and the On Device column - see second attachment

Then I hook the Reading lists themselves to the Reading List column - see third Attachment - I'm sure you can work the one for Leisure

The fourth attachment shows the results, I added the Red books to the Vocation reading list and the Blue books to the Leisure reading list

I can't show what the On device = True would look like because I don't allow calibre to 'see' my tablet - I only keep a few books on it at any one time, and I prefer to manage it myself.

BR

[Tanjamuse]

What if I have the same story on two different lists?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

What if I have the same story on two different lists?

@Tanjamuse - then my scheme as presented wont work, because it relies on there being a 1:1 correspondence between the permissible #readinglist column values and Reading Lists themselves.

Right now I can't think of a sensible way to cope with the same book being in multiple lists, current thoughts are too convoluted. I'll have think about it.

BR

[Tanjamuse]

That's okay I thank you for your help, I may return with other questions later

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

That's okay I thank you for your help, I may return with other questions later

(for BR too ...)

Just for completeness and ignoring that this technique is quite technical, note that you can choose arbitrary combinations by using a custom rule.

In this example I used one tags-like custom column to hold the reading lists. In my debugging environment that column is named #mytextmult. I set up reading list to put "List1" into #mytextmult if the book is on List1 and "List2" into #mytextmult if the book is on List2.

The template for the custom rule checks the four combinations of interest:

• A book is on both lists. Returns the color "green".
• A book is on List1 only. Returns the color "red".
• A book is on List2 only. Returns the color "blue".
• A book is on neither list. Returns the color "yellow".

In all the cases the rule checks that the book is not on the device.

The sample template is:

program:
	l = field('#mytextmult');
	list1 = 'List1';
	list2 = 'List2';
	first_non_empty(
		test(	and(	not(ondevice()),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list1, '1', ''),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list2, '1', '')),
			'green',
			''),
		test(	and(	not(ondevice()),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list1, '1', ''),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list2, '', '1')),
			'red',
			''),
		test(	and(	not(ondevice()),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list1, '', '1'),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list2, '1', '')),
			'blue',
			''),
		test(	and(	not(ondevice()),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list1, '', '1'),
				str_in_list(l, ',', list2, '', '1')),
			'yellow',
			''),
	)

EDIT: changed the template to use variables for the values to look for in the list.

The attachment shows the results. In addition to putting the template into a coloring rule, I put the template into a custom composite column to make it easier to see the results.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

(for BR too ...)

Just for completeness and ignoring that this technique is quite technical, note that you can choose arbitrary combinations by using a custom rule.

chaley - I was hoping you'd jump in, your template goes where my convoluted thoughts were headed - but it would have taken me quite a while to work out the template.

@Tanjamuse - I'm hoping between my earlier post (#22) and chaley's contribution you have enough information to get the result you want. I suggest you do some 'experiments' - feel free to come back with any matters arising.

BR

[Tanjamuse]

I have no idea where to input all that great info I know very little about templates and coding, but I know how to follow a step-by-step guide

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

I have no idea where to input all that great info I know very little about templates and coding, but I know how to follow a step-by-step guide

@Tanjamuse - happy to provide that, but it would help if you could give a idea of what you actually want - ie how many reading lists, what level of differentiation you want between books that are on and not on your device.

Because we can only colour the text there are practical limits to how many colours you can use before the differences become hard to discern. However, there's very a similar facility to column colouring that allows the display of icons, so perhaps a combination of row colouring and icons would be the best solution for you.

But without a concise idea of what you want its a bit hard to write a step-by-step guide beyond what's already been provided.

BR

[Tanjamuse]

I have 3 lists in my reading list plugin, "Remember", "Tab", "Favorites", I may come up with a fourth sometime in the future. The icons sound interesting, do they show up in a column of their own?

I'm very happy with all the help, and keep pdf's and take notes to remember