PRS-T1 How to sort series in order?

[Lanix]

calbire doesn't seem send the series number (e.g. Foundation trilogy [1]) or PRS-T1 ignores/doesn't use it. I guess the only way to get proper series order is renaming the titles to "Foundation trilogy #1: Foundation"?

[ghostyjack]

The only way I've found so far is the "manual" approach.

Copy the book to the T1 and then on the T1 create a new collection for the series.

e.g. using your example call it "Foundation Trilogy" or as I'd do it "Asimov, Isaac: The Foundation Trilogy".

Then go into the new collection and then add the books one at a time starting with the first book. With the sort for the collection set to being ordered by when added, you will actually have them in the correct order.

It can be a bit long-winded, but it does work.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Lanix

calbire doesn't seem send the series number (e.g. Foundation trilogy [1]) or PRS-T1 ignores/doesn't use it. I guess the only way to get proper series order is renaming the titles to "Foundation trilogy #1: Foundation"?

There's no need to compromise your nice, clean Calibre metadata to achieve this. Calibre can be made to do what you want, but it may not be immediately obvious. Here's an overview of what's available:

• You can automatically create Collections using the Calibre Series metadata. The books in each series Collection should by default end up in series_index order. If you want to let Calibre manage your Collections you will not be able to manually manage them yourself at the Sony end.
• If you don't want a new Collection for each Series you can still get books in a Collection sorted in any order you want by setting up a new custom column in Calibre (based on each book's metadata) to define the sort sequence you want. As an example of what I mean, this is mine.
  

  {author_sort}{series:| - | }{series_index:0>2s} - {title}

• The above will sort the books how you want but the Series info is not "visible" on the Sony at this point. To actually "see" the series/index you need to explore Calibre's Metadata Plugboard feature. In a nutshell, it allows you to manipulate each book's Author and/or Title as it is copied to the Sony. So you could change the plain 'Title' of any book to 'Series_name - Series_index - Title'. My own preference is to change the 'Author' name on the Sony to 'Author (LN, FN) - Series_name - Series_index'. Either option (and many more) is easily possible.

[Lanix]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

You can automatically create Collections using the Calibre Series metadata. The books in each series Collection should by default end up in series_index order. If you want to let Calibre manage your Collections you will not be able to manually manage them yourself at the Sony end.

I checked a couple series and they are in order when sorted by "added order". So I guess Calbire adds series starting from 1 when sending to the reader.

Though I see know that 3 books added later on in a collection still are in correct order on the device and not at the end. So inside a collection at least sorting "added order" is actually series order?

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Lanix

I checked a couple series and they are in order when sorted by "added order". So I guess Calbire adds series starting from 1 when sending to the reader.

Though I see know that 3 books added later on in a collection still are in correct order on the device and not at the end. So inside a collection at least sorting "added order" is actually series order?

Yes, I think Collections "by added order" is the one Calibre expects you to use.

[speakingtohe]

@jackie_w

I was visiting a friend who just got a new reader (PRS-T1) and he asked me how to do collections. He already had calibre so I showed him the basics.

Then I told him about your plugboard with the series at the end of author.

He said, I don't think I would like that. I said easy to change back if you don't and proceeded to type it in.

He was extremely happy with the result and bellowed Yes! A few times.

Helen

[Xanthe]

After I finish adding the metadata on Calibre, I go into the book title and add abbreviated series info, e.g. David Weber's first Honor Harrington book "On Basilisk Station" would be shown as: On Basilisk Station (HH01). I then make sure the title sort box has the same info.

I don't bother with setting up separate collections of series on my Sony reader.

[Polarpenguin]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

@jackie_w

I was visiting a friend who just got a new reader (PRS-T1) and he asked me how to do collections. He already had calibre so I showed him the basics.

Then I told him about your plugboard with the series at the end of author.

He said, I don't think I would like that. I said easy to change back if you don't and proceeded to type it in.

He was extremely happy with the result and bellowed Yes! A few times.

Helen

I wasn't going to bother using the plugboards on my PRS-300 either. As I had series collections, which were in order I didn't see the point. Then the other day I was bored & decided to have a play, just to see how it would look. Loved how it looks, definitely a keeper.

[speakingtohe]

@polarpenguin
Too true.

BTW I cut and pasted your series thing for Sony sort order (from another thread) to friends calibre and it worked as well.

Thanks
Helen

[Polarpenguin]

^^Glad my post (from the other thread) was of use. However, I stole that from someone else, around here. So can't take the credit. Not quite got my head around regex yet, am working on it.
Tweaking Calibre is quite addictive, it really cuts into my reading time

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

@jackie_w

I was visiting a friend who just got a new reader (PRS-T1) and he asked me how to do collections. He already had calibre so I showed him the basics.

Then I told him about your plugboard with the series at the end of author.

He said, I don't think I would like that. I said easy to change back if you don't and proceeded to type it in.

He was extremely happy with the result and bellowed Yes! A few times.

Helen

Adding the series info to the end of Author name is rather counter-intuitive, but it looks better than it sounds. Glad to hear you're spreading the joy