Thought: Authors Database

[kiwidude]

@chaley - funnily enough that probably comes closest to a feature suggestion I made many many months ago. My suggestion was the ability to offer multiple tabs in the library view, to allow you to have individual searches in each and see the results simultaneously. Even better would be if the tabs (like in many code editors) could be moved into a split layout with a horizontal splitter. So this would allow you to have multiple views of your library simultaneously, each in full with all their attribution/columns. And as you say it could be done in such a way that for instance choosing "Similar->Authors" opens in a new tab without losing your position in the current one.

My Walk Search History plugin was primarily created so I could hit Alt+Left arrow to return back to my previous search when I do "dive in" for a cross reference type lookup. Because personally I want the ability to work with the books in full (editing, tags, custom columns etc), not just see a subset of attribution. And no popup windows to get in the way or irritate me

However I understand my suggestion is not trivial, whereas yours clearly was simple enough to implement. As it isn't a "full library view" I don't think I would make use of it but that's ok, you didn't make it for me

[chaley]

Originally Posted by kiwidude

@chaley - funnily enough that probably comes closest to a feature suggestion I made many many months ago. My suggestion was the ability to offer multiple tabs in the library view, to allow you to have individual searches in each and see the results simultaneously.

I have looked at this a few times, only to decide it is way beyond practical. There is no way short of rewriting all the caching stuff to have N > 1 views on the library. For example, search results are built into the cache and the cache is built into db2. I once looked at opening the database twice (two instances of db2), but that doesn't fly easily either.

However, given that Kovid is in fact rewriting the database layer, perhaps it will become practical to have multiple views of the DB. Then all one would need to deal with are the UI aspects, and of course these are trivial.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by chaley

However, given that Kovid is in fact rewriting the database layer, perhaps it will become practical to have multiple views of the DB.

I wasn't planning to do that, but now that you mention it, I don't see why not. Essentially, it would involve having three layers. A db layer, a cache and a view layer for managing restrictions/searching/sorting.

[chaley]

The feature I discussed in post #60 is now in calibre's source and will appear in the next release. It is called 'Quickview' and can be added to tool bars and context menus like other actions. It has the shortcut 'Q', which works even if the feature is on no menu. I don't have it attached to anything.

If you run from source, you can use it now. If any source-user does try it before release and finds problems, please let me know so I can fix them before release.

[travger]

OMG! Two days away and you've brainstormed into new feature!

Meanwhile I had some thoughts in favor of link in the comments:
- Jon Smith writes romance as Myra Flameheart, but SF as Jonas Steel
- Author's name has no DOB/DOD

So I would make a link showing:
Jon Wilbur Smith 1900-2000
and clicking it opens epub (if I can make one) or word file.
Into it I'd paste info from wikipeda or whatever - picture, *brief* bio of author with all the pen-names, awards won (with pictures)...

Listing all his work would be great, only some authors have so very much!
I definitely want to note first appearance (like, appeared in several issues of magazine in 1962, book came out 1963), awards won and if I have it. Right now I'm noting that info in comments of every book, though some of it could stay in comments.

I hardly ever look on book details window (have sometimes accidentally doubleclicked on the panel), but Book Details panel is always open.

[travger]

That's what I came up with:

1. Created new folder Calibre Authors next to the Calibre Library
2. Created new word file AndersonP in it
3. Pasted
<div><h4><a href="file:///C:%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cuser%5CCalibre%2 0Authors%5CAndersonP.doc"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#7100CC">Poul William Anderson (1926-2001)</font></a></h4>
into comments (html view).

Took some tries to get it right, but now it's a working link!

Couldn't make an epub, and Word is easier to edit too.
Added one just to illustrate what info I'd want (probably will cut some bibliography -maybe).

[chaley]

Originally Posted by travger

That's what I came up with:

file:///C:%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cuser%5CCalibre%2 0Authors%5CAndersonP.doc

Why not put that link directly on the author? (right-click on author in tag browser, choose "edit link") Do that and you can click on the author in book details to open the document.

[travger]

Ok, tried it. Right-clicked and pasted whole file:///C:%5CDo...%5CAndersonP.doc into the cell. But where is the change? Author's name opens wikipedia page as before and I'm really very happy with it - some info is always 1 click away, I can be lazy making docs. I think it's either 1. or 2. choice.

Very often author has pen-names, e. g. 'Lester del Rey' takes me to wikipedia and more extensive info, while 'Leonard Knapp 1915-1993' opens word doc where I can put small bio, series chronology etc.
On cases like that I like to see both names.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by travger

Ok, tried it. Right-clicked and pasted whole file:///C:%5CDo...%5CAndersonP.doc into the cell.

You pasted the link, right? Not the .doc?

But where is the change?

To make the book details panel 'see' a change to a currently-displayed author, you must change from, then back to, the book. Simple as hitting up-arrow then down-arrow on the library view. I fixed this once, but the change was rejected

Author's name opens wikipedia page as before and I'm really very happy with it - some info is always 1 click away, I can be lazy making docs. I think it's either 1. or 2. choice.

If you prefer the wikipedia link, then don't add author links.

Very often author has pen-names, e. g. 'Lester del Rey' takes me to wikipedia and more extensive info, while 'Leonard Knapp 1915-1993' opens word doc where I can put small bio, series chronology etc.
On cases like that I like to see both names.

Sorry, I don't understand what you are saying here. Sounds like you want two author names to go to different places, which is how things work.

In the end, I am not selling anything. I just wanted to be sure you knew you could add a link to an author. Whatever is linked to will be available wherever that author appears, instead of having to add a comment to each book by that author. If you prefer the comment system, then go with it!

[travger]

Pasted whole shebang from file...to...doc:

file:///C:%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cuser%5CCalibre%2 0Authors%5CAndersonP.doc

Tried again; everyone goes to wiki while Anderson just does nothing. No matter how slyly I try to click. As soon as I delete the link, he goes to wiki like others. No problem for me, I just wanted to see that it works for the twiddlings' sake.

Leonard Knapp = Lester del Rey
I just prefer to have real names and birthdate/deathdate visible, and whithout this thread I probably would not thought to make link of it.


JEE! I took another author (without his own wiki page) and linked his name to his homepage instead of wiki!

Happy-happy-happy!

[chaley]

Originally Posted by travger

Pasted whole shebang from file...to...doc:

file:///C:%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cuser%5CCalibre%2 0Authors%5CAndersonP.doc

Tried again; everyone goes to wiki while Anderson just does nothing. No matter how slyly I try to click. As soon as I delete the link, he goes to wiki like others. No problem for me, I just wanted to see that it works for the twiddlings' sake.

Does the link work if you paste it into the URL box of your internet browser (IE/Firefox/Chrome/??). If it does not, then it won't work in calibre. If it does, then something else is going on. Right-click on the author, copy the link, and try it in your browser.

[travger]

I don't know how and why, but now it works. Maybe just wanted to rest for a while before complying with my wishes.

[speakingtohe]

Quick view is kind of neat but not sure what I would do with it?

It did lead me to the books by same author submenu which is totally awesome. I love it.

I have my author link under look and feel->Book Details set to

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/search/?searchfor=author&keywords={author}

This works excellently (for me) as generally I want less detail and hunting around than on Wikipedia. Mostly I just want a list of books/series and links to them


I would like to suggest for sometime far in the future when you (Chaley) have time on your hands 2 or three non customizable links. (FF for fantastic fiction, Wiki for wikipedia and maybe another)

However as it is I just love it

Helen

[Manja]

You might also consider giving each author (and pseudonym author name) a link to the ISNI database.
- http://isni.org/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...ame_Identifier