Quick Guide to Shelf Management with calibre 0.9.1 & above (Touch / Glo / Mini /Aura)

[oren64]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I assume that first lise is the collections columns and the second is the the metadata plugboard you use

I set that in Preferences -> Advanced -> Plugins->Device Interface plugins section->Kobo Touch Extended.

Originally Posted by davidfor

If the above is the metadata plugboard used to set the title in the device, when you select "Title" sorting on the device, it should sort the series books together in the series index order.

I tried sort Title and it didn't work.

EDIT: I thick it's not possible to sort by series like i want (Mitch Rapp-1, Mitch Rapp-2...)
because there not (sort:series).

Thanks David

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by oren64

I set that in Preferences -> Advanced -> Plugins->Device Interface plugins section->Kobo Touch Extended.


I tried sort Title and it didn't work.

EDIT: I thick it's not possible to sort by series like i want (Mitch Rapp-1, Mitch Rapp-2...)
because there not (sort:series).

Ok, the second line is the save template? Ok, it looks like a template commonly used for the title in a metadata plugboard.

Yes, there is no option to sort by series. The solution a lot of people use is to change the title when sending the book to the device to include the series info. This is done with a metadata plugboard. These can change several parts of the metadata as the book is sent to a device. The first post has instructions on how to do this and the example uses the template you listed. Once this is done and you resend the books, or use the Kobo Utilities to update the metadata (you need to select the "Use plugboard" option), the title sort will do what you want as the series info is part of the title.

[oren64]

I am setting some of my collections as series (#myshelves, series), and some by authors (#myshelves, authors).

If I set Metadata management as Automatic management, is it going delete all the metadata and than rebuild it or only delete the the empty collections?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by oren64

I am setting some of my collections as series (#myshelves, series), and some by authors (#myshelves, authors).

If I set Metadata management as Automatic management, is it going delete all the metadata and than rebuild it or only delete the the empty collections?

The only metadata management done for the Kobo devices is the series info and the collections. For the collections, it will create and delete them, and out books into them or remove them. This is done to match the values in the columns specified in the driver configuration. And it is done each time you connect the device.

Now, I'm not sure what you think will happen with the two configurations. Or at least I can't work out what you want. If you set the shelf columns to "#myshelves, series" and connect, it will create the collections for the series plus whatever is in #myshelves. If you then change the configuration to "#myshelves, authors" and connect, the series collections will be removed and collections for the authors will be created. If you want both author and series collections, you need "#myshelves, authors, series".

[oren64]

In metadata management:Manual management, I can load books as "#myshelves, series" and "#myshelves, authors", the downside if I delete books I get empty collections that I need to delete manually in my Kobo.

Originally Posted by davidfor

Now, I'm not sure what you think will happen with the two configurations. Or at least I can't work out what you want. If you set the shelf columns to "#myshelves, series" and connect, it will create the collections for the series plus whatever is in #myshelves. If you then change the configuration to "#myshelves, authors" and connect, the series collections will be removed and collections for the authors will be created. If you want both author and series collections, you need "#myshelves, authors, series".

So if understand you correctly in Automatic management I need to choose between "#myshelves, series" to "#myshelves, authors".

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by oren64

In metadata management:Manual management, I can load books as "#myshelves, series" and "#myshelves, authors", the downside if I delete books I get empty collections that I need to delete manually in my Kobo.

Setting the metadata management to manual will mean that calibre will make no changes to the collections on the device. In that case, it doesn't matter what the driver configuration is.

There is an option in the driver to delete empty collections.

So if understand you correctly in Automatic management I need to choose between "#myshelves, series" to "#myshelves, authors".

Yes, but it really depends on what you want. You can use whatever columns you want for the collections. So, you can use the above or "#myshelves, series, authors". Or just "series, authors". The configuration is flexible, but you can only have one at a time.

[oren64]

Thanks for clearing this out David.

[oren64]

I am going to stick to management manual.

If I want to delete the empty collections, I set Automatic management, and driver configuration only option is "Delete empty bookshelf", is it going to change my existing collections that I set management manual mix authors and series?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by oren64

I am going to stick to management manual.

Sorry, I don't know what you mean. The only thing I can think of is that you are planning to create the collections using the device and not from calibre.

If I want to delete the empty collections, I set Automatic management, and driver configuration only option is "Delete empty bookshelf", is it going to change my existing collections that I set management manual mix authors and series?

If you set a collection columns in the driver configuration and set "Metadata management" to automatic, the next time you connect the device, the driver will manage the collections. This will create collections or delete them if those options are selected. And it will move books to or from the collections to match the values in the columns. It doesn't matter if this was done by calibre before or by you using the device.

But, I have to say this: I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to achieve. A couple of things you have said seem to be at cross purposes but maybe I am misinterpreting what you are writing.

Can you explain what you really want? By that I mean, what sort of collections you want on the device and what will be in them.

[compurandom]

If you set calibre to automatically manage the shelves, it will NOT:

- delete collections containing only books on the device
- delete books from collections when the books are only on the device

So, if the books in calibre are in the collections you want them to be in, it is safe to let it automatically manage the shelves.

[oren64]

I wanted to only delete the empty collections, and not create new collections,
but I understand it's not possible.

Thanks.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by oren64

I wanted to only delete the empty collections, and not create new collections,
but I understand it's not possible.

Thanks.

It is possible by configuring the plugin to use an empty field so there is no way it can create a new collection.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It is possible by configuring the plugin to use an empty field so there is no way it can create a new collection.

No, if there are no columns specified for the collections, no collection management will be done. If something does happen, it is a bug and I want to be told about it so I can fix it.

[oren64]

Originally Posted by davidfor

No, if there are no columns specified for the collections, no collection management will be done. If something does happen, it is a bug and I want to be told about it so I can fix it.

I only load books metadata management:Manual.

Originally Posted by oren64

In metadata management:Manual management, I can load books as "#myshelves, series" and "#myshelves, authors", the downside if I delete books I get empty collections that I need to delete manually in my Kobo.

So I thought that I can use metadata management:Automatic to delete the empty collections, but as you explain it doesn't work this way, I also try it myself.

Originally Posted by davidfor

If you set a collection columns in the driver configuration and set "Metadata management" to automatic, the next time you connect the device, the driver will manage the collections. This will create collections or delete them if those options are selected. And it will move books to or from the collections to match the values in the columns. It doesn't matter if this was done by calibre before or by you using the device.

I don't think there is bug in caliber or plugin.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by oren64

I only load books metadata management:Manual.

So I thought that I can use metadata management:Automatic to delete the empty collections, but as you explain it doesn't work this way, I also try it myself.

I don't think there is bug in caliber or plugin.

All that is correct (or at least I know of no bug in the driver). But, I am still a bit baffled as what you want really want to do. Saying "I wanted to only delete the empty collections, and not create new collections," is fine. But, how are you creating the collections in the first place, and how are you putting books in them? As you have mentioned "#myshelves, series" and "#myshelves, authors" several times, that implies that you want to manage collections from calibre, but as you want metadata management as manual, that cannot be happening.

So, are you planning to do all your collection management in the device and wanted a quick way to remove any empty collections? Or are you trying to achieve something else?