Problem/Suggestion on Bulk Numbering Series Like

[Pinecone]

I am changing how I number some sets of books in a Series-like custom column.

I thought that maybe calibre would support decimal numbering, but it seems only to use integer numbering there (at least for the starting number).

So my suggestion would be for calibre to allow a decimal starting number, then to number the book using the smallest increment based on that number.

So if you put in a starting number of 5, it would number them 6, 7, 8, etc. as it does now.

But if you were to put in 5.1, it would number them 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 etc. Or if you put in 5.01, it would number 5.02, 5.03, etc.

Just a thought.

[kiwidude]

You might want to take a look at the Manage Series plugin, it helps with stuff like this.

[Pinecone]

It doesn't seem to accept decimal values.

I can't input 1.01 as the starting number.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

It doesn't seem to accept decimal values.

I can't input 1.01 as the starting number.

I just put in 1.01 as a number in the series field and it worked fine. I create a series title that didn't exist.

[kiwidude]

Just click on the right arrow a couple of times (down the bottom right of the screen)

[Pinecone]

Hmm, I tried to type in 1.01 and it appeared as 101.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Hmm, I tried to type in 1.01 and it appeared as 101.

@Pinecone
You are correct . Bulk Metadata edit (on XP) does not appear to allow fractional numbers

There is a tweak for Series Auto Numbering that will accept fractional numbers, but rare is the usage that you would have that as default.

Use the Manage Series PI, it allows both

[Pinecone]

I tried the Manage Series Plug In, and it did the same thing 1.01 ended up at 101.

I will have to try some more.

[kiwidude]

@Pinecone - just follow the instructions I have you above. Click the right arrow button (just above Cancel in the lower right) on the Manage Series dialog a couple of times, and the value will be come 1.01 for the selected book. You can't type it into the "Start At" box because that is necessarily limited to integers.

[Pinecone]

Once I was in front of Calibre, I was able to make the plug in work.

But wouldn't it be easier to just allow you to put 10.01 in the start number?

[kiwidude]

This is the first time this request has ever come up. When I find the time at home I will take a look at it as an enhancement.

[kiwidude]

On second thoughts (after a quick look at the code) I am unlikely to change it as it creates too many issues. There are too many permutations to deal with when it comes to attempting to preserve existing "depth" of series numbering.

Since it is a niche requirement, and you have the ability to apply the numbering you want using the arrow buttons that is as good as it is going to get for now.

[Pinecone]

NP

Thanks. It seemed like a quicker way to the end. If you put in a x.1, it would number incrementing by 0.1. If you put in x.01, it would increment my 0.01.

[kiwidude]

If all you ever did with the plugin was assign series values by completely ignoring whatever existing values the series had, then yes it could do that.

However it does attempt to preserve whatever existing numbering strategy the series has. So if I have books in a series of 1, 1.5, 2 and being them up in the plugin, the default behaviour is to keep them as 1, 1.5, 2. Were you to type "2" as the start number, the books will become 2, 2.5, 3 - not 2, 3, 4.

That is only possible thanks to some complex logic which all goes to pot if the user were allowed to type 1.1 or 1.01. Or if the existing series numbering started at 0.5 for instance. Too much effort for the sake of a mouse click on your part

[Pinecone]

I like saving mouse clicks. They are valuable.

Thanks for the explanation. I see now.