Mark books as read

[rcharbon]

In Calibre, how can I:
-Easily mark a book as "read".
-Hide read books (or unhide them) when viewing a list of books (for example, I would like to be able to hide read books when viewing all books, or books by a single author

I can add a 'read' tag if needed, but using tags to view/hide read books appears to require writing a custom search for each view, which is too cumbersome.

[rcharbon]

Never mind.

[DoctorOhh]

You said Nevermind, what method did you end up using?

Originally Posted by rcharbon

I can add a 'read' tag if needed, but using tags to view/hide read books appears to require writing a custom search for each view, which is too cumbersome.

After adding the Read tags there is no special writing of custom search required, simply clicking in the Tag browser on the tag "Read" twice so it shows a minus will show you only Unread books. Save this search (right side of calibre search bar) as Un-Read and you can simply click the Restrict to dropdown (left side of calibre search bar) and choose your Un-Read saved search to restrict you library view and activities to just unread books. Definitely not "too cumbersome."

Good Luck

[Serpentine]

I just use a Yes/No column for the read status of each book, and when I'm done just set it to be ticked off. That was it also works easily with searching, as well as being orderable.

[mcramer]

That's exactly what I do. A simple yes/no column - easily orderable. Looks like this:

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by mcramer

That's exactly what I do. A simple yes/no column - easily orderable.....

i like text w/color better

[rcharbon]

None of these suggestions meet the goal of hiding "read" books in any view. A "yes/no" column is better than tagging for marking items read, but doesn't let you hide books. Hiding books by tag only works when you're looking at the entire list of books. If you want to only see books by a certain author, and also hide read books, you need a custom search for each author.

I decided to move read books into a separate library for now. It's also a less than ideal solution, but meets the primary goal of getting read books out if the way in any view without losing them entirely.

Marking books as read and hiding read books seem like obvious functions that shouldn't require indirect methods. Apparantly I need to file a bug report to make suggestions...

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by rcharbon

None of these suggestions meet the goal of hiding "read" books in any view.

Post 3 explains using restricted view.

Originally Posted by rcharbon

Hiding books by tag only works when you're looking at the entire list of books. If you want to only see books by a certain author, and also hide read books, you need a custom search for each author.

Wrong read post 3 again. If you restrict the view to hide read books then the entire library will act as if read books do not exist in your library.

Originally Posted by rcharbon

I decided to move read books into a separate library for now. It's also a less than ideal solution, but meets the primary goal of getting read books out if the way in any view without losing them entirely.

There is no need for a separate library, but a separate library will work. It essentially gives you exactly what you would see in a restricted view, but whatever works for you.

Originally Posted by rcharbon

Marking books as read and hiding read books seem like obvious functions that shouldn't require indirect methods. Apparantly I need to file a bug report to make suggestions...

File a bug report if you want, but Kovid will tell you (as explained above) that this is already a feature, see attached for a restricted view example.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by rcharbon

None of these suggestions meet the goal of hiding "read" books in any view. A "yes/no" column is better than tagging for marking items read, but doesn't let you hide books. Hiding books by tag only works when you're looking at the entire list of books. If you want to only see books by a certain author, and also hide read books, you need a custom search for each author.

I decided to move read books into a separate library for now. It's also a less than ideal solution, but meets the primary goal of getting read books out if the way in any view without losing them entirely.

Marking books as read and hiding read books seem like obvious functions that shouldn't require indirect methods. Apparantly I need to file a bug report to make suggestions...

You need to take some more time with Calibre's supreme flexibility.


Your way just works:
Dwanthny's (and mine) is poetry in action.

Those saved searches restrict the view to the (yellow marked number) of titles.
All the rest of the power of Calibre now works on just THOSE .

So if you have you Not Read Filter in force:
and you select the Really Bad Puns tag, you see those books by Piers Anthony and Robert Aspirn that you have not suffered through

BTW I keep 'Empty books' to document my DT Library so my filter also includes formats:EPUB (has to have my favorite format E-book attached)

[rcharbon]

Thanks for clarifying "Restrict to: I still think that makring books as read should be a core function of the app, but whatever.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by rcharbon

I still think that makring books as read should be a core function of the app, but whatever.

Would you require tracking of multiple readers? Would you track date read? For each different person (husband wife/kids) who reads? Would you track in process of being read, percentage read or only when finished?

A hard-coded "marking books as read" probably won't fit the needs of everyone. I prefer calibre's current design strategy of providing excellent flexible tools to track whatever metadata the user wants to track. Yes, it takes more effort, but that's one way calibre differs from other software - it gives more power to the user and the cost is, as usual, a bit more effort by its users.

[Mhaly]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

After adding the Read tags there is no special writing of custom search required, simply clicking in the Tag browser on the tag "Read" twice so it shows a minus will show you only Unread books. Save this search (right side of calibre search bar) as Un-Read and you can simply click the Restrict to dropdown (left side of calibre search bar) and choose your Un-Read saved search to restrict you library view and activities to just unread books.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but since I ended up here from google and I don't feel like it's worth to make a new thread...there it goes:

Is there any way to make Calibre remember the "restrict to dropdown" selection? I want to see my library minus some books I've tagged as "College" without having to select the "restrict to" everytime I execute the program.

I guess that if there's no workaround for this I could still make a second Calibre library and move everything from "College" there?

Thanks.

PS: Forgive my english.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Mhaly

Is there any way to make Calibre remember the "restrict to dropdown" selection? I want to see my library minus some books I've tagged as "College" without having to select the "restrict to" everytime I execute the program.

Preferences->Behaviour>Restriction to apply when the library is opened

BR

[Mhaly]

Thanks m8. I didn't see that option when I checked for something like that.

[rpgmaker]

I went with custom 'read' column and virtual library for not read books. Thanks!