Sorting books by author's last name on Sony 650 and T1

[AlexBell]

The background to this question is that:
- I don't use the Sony reader software for the PRS 650 or T1; I use calibre.
- When I was using the Sony 650 I set up calibre so that it sorts ebooks by author's last name, but on a Sony T1 the same ebooks sort by author's first name - ebooks by J.R.R. Tolkien come before ebooks by Lois McMaster Bujold.
- My wife is likely to take over the 650, and to use my calibre library to store her books, so if at all possible I want to leave the settings the same.

Is there a way to get the books to sort by author's last name on the Sony T1? I know this is a Sony problem, not a calibre problem, but would like to know if there is a calibre solution.

[kovidgoyal]

Try posting in the the T1 thread in the calibre devices forum. The T1 has a completely different architecture from other SONY models and the people most knowledgeable abou thte T1 hang out there.

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Try posting in the the T1 thread in the calibre devices forum. The T1 has a completely different architecture from other SONY models and the people most knowledgeable abou thte T1 hang out there.

Thanks, Kovid, I didn't even think of that.

I wonder if a moderator could move it for me, otherwise I'll post the whole thing there.

[AlexBell]

Thanks for moving my post to this forum.

I've just ploughed through the 287 entry Sony PRS T1 on calibre thread. I didn't see any entries which dealt with my query - though I only understood about one word in three - so I thought I'd add some information to the background.

Not knowing any better I just plugged my T1 to my computer and opened calibre. Version 8.2.4 recognised the reader without problem, and I sent a few ebooks to the reader without problem. I do not have an SD card installed. I do not, so far as I know use plugins, and use default settings. I've since downloaded and installed some of HarryTs Jane Austen Books, and the way he does them made them sort by Author Last Name.

But I have a lot of books in my calibre library, and do not want to have to change the settings to make them sort on my T1 the way they do on my 650.

Is there a way of fixing this?

[enriquep]

Alex,

I am not an expert (so don't take my word as if I were one) but I am currently using a very simple metadata plugboard tweak designed for "older Sony devices" in my T1... and it works. Nobody has officially "confirmed" to me that it should, but it does: I've tried a few of them, and they've all worked.

Being a novice at this I feel unable to design complicated strings (... and feel extremely uneasy with simple ones, to be honest!): the ones I tried were all cut-and-paste from these forums, but I guess (?) that if all you want is to have your books sorted in your T1 by author last name, something like this should work, as a similar one works for me:

format: device-db
device: PRST1
template: {author_sort}
destination: authors

FYI, the template I am personally using, and that works perfectly, is

format: device-db
device: PRST1
template: {author_sort}{series:| - | }{series_index:0>2s}
destination: authors

Just as a reminder (but I have the feeling you already know that) plugboards can be accessed from Preferences -> Import/Export -> Metadata plugboards.

FYI I'm having some problems (discussed in other thread) with the books stored in my SD card (not in the main memory), but for the moment there's no reason to think that they are related to this plugboard question.

Please let me know if this works for you, I'm curious.

Best from Madrid,
Enrique

UPDATE: After the posting of this message it has been confirmed that the "SD card problems" were NOT plugboard related.

[AlexBell]

Thanks, Enrique. I really appreciate your interest and suggestion. I'll read up on plugboards, and see if I can get the confidence to try. My level of ignorance in software and hardware is abysmal.

Am I correct in thinking that your suggestion affects only the T1, and not the 650 and the calibre library on my computer?

[enriquep]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Am I correct in thinking that your suggestion affects only the T1, and not the 650 and the calibre library on my computer?

Yes, my suggestion as I posted it will only affect the sorting order in your T1 - and not modify the 650 or the Calibre library in your computer.

It's easy: To summarize my previous post (I am too talkative hehe) just enter Preferences -> Import/Export -> Metadata plugboards and follow this recipe:

format: device-db
device: PRST1
template: {author_sort}
destination: authors

Click save, apply, and you're done: It's a relatively guided, step-by-step procedure. From now on your books will appear in your T1 (and only in your T1) sorted by author name under the same order that you have set as "author_sort" in your Calibre library.

Best from (almost exactly) the other side of the world,
-Enrique

[itimpi]

Back to the original question, if you simply want sorting on authors last name then you should not need to use a plugboard. Instead all you should need to do is Customize the PRS-T1 Device Interface driver and check the box to use author_sort for the author field on the PRS-T1 (assuming that your Author Sort field is set up in Calibre to be lastname, firstname).

Plugboards come into their own when you want to do fancier things like get the Series name and/or index included in the Title that is displayed or want something in the author field that is more than one of the standard Calibre author/author_sort fields.

[enriquep]

Itimpi is completely right. I haven't tried this option but in theory it should work, and it could be easier (or "cleaner"). It definitely is another possibility.

(For Alex): Open Preferences -> Plugins -> Device Interface Plugins -> Sony PRST1 and newer.

Here you will find the "Device Interface driver window" that itimpi mentions (... I am attaching a screenshot) and check the box to use author_sort for the author field (... I have marked it in the screenshot). Click OK and the window will close. Click Apply. You will have to restart Calibre and that's it.

The practical results (650, Calibre library...) should be the same than in the previous solution.

[AlexBell]

Thanks to you both; I really appreciate your help, even if I don't quite understand it.

I've used the internal settings on the T1 to sort by author's name, and it does that. But it sorts by author's first name, not the last name. Does the advice above make it sort by author last name?

I suppose I'll have to summon up the courage to actually try for myself, so two more questions
- Do I need to have the T1 attached to my computer when I call up calibre and go through the steps described above? I know this is a dumb question, but that's my level of understanding
- Will the change affect the books already on the T1 - only a handful at the moment - or will I have to delete them and install them again?

[enriquep]

- Yes, using the internal settings in the T1 will not fix much: it will sort "by authors", or "by books"... but use author's first name. The advice above will also sort "by authors" and also will change the way the T1 sorts the books from "John Smith" to "Smith, John", so it will order them by author's last name.

- No, you don't have to have the T1 attached to your computer when you do those things, in fact you shouldn't. What you have to do is attach the T1 after doing them, perhaps transfer a couple of books (something that should be unnecessary strictly speaking, but well...) and wait for Calibre/your PC and your T1 to synchronize all their files and data. When you see that the activity between them has finished, that's it

- If everything is set as it should be and is the default, the change will affect the books on the T1, so you will not have to delete them and install them again.

Hope this helps. Go ahead, it is not at all difficult!

[AlexBell]

Thanks again to you both - It Worked! I used Itimpi's simpler suggestion, and followed Enrique's outline and graphic.

This is the first time I've ever had the courage to mess around with hardware, and I'm so pleased with the result. You've made my day.

[enriquep]

I'm glad that you've had a brighter day. But, let's face it: it was itimpi (not me) who had a brighter mind

Best from Madrid!