Cannot Edit Collections on PRS-300

[grizedale]

I would like to be able to edit 'Collections' on my PRS-300, the only way I can see to achieve this is to save to my PC, edit the tags/series in Calibre then send back to device.

p.s. Tags and Series in my Library are combined as Collections on my Device yes?

Well done on the new version .7.2, the loading times once unplugged are back to normal.

Thank you for all your hard work

[chaley]

Originally Posted by grizedale

I would like to be able to edit 'Collections' on my PRS-300, the only way I can see to achieve this is to save to my PC, edit the tags/series in Calibre then send back to device.

I have never found a way to change anything directly on the 300, except to delete a book.

p.s. Tags and Series in my Library are combined as Collections on my Device yes?

They are the defaults.

You can choose almost any metadata field to make into a collection. Go to preferences, plugins, device interface plugins, and select the Sony driver. Press the customize plugin button. Near the bottom is a box where you enter which metadata you want to be collections. The name you type is the same name as used in search, which can be found by hovering on the column heading and looking at the tool tip.

Some people like to pick author_sort so they have a list sorted by last name. Of course, you could use 'last, first' for authors (I do), but using author_sort is a way out for those who prefer 'first last'

I have no idea what will happen if you pick 'size'. If things work correctly, you should end up with a million collections, each named for the size of the book in bytes.

Custom column/fields cannot be used yet. That feature will show up in a few releases, once things stabilize.

Well done on the new version .7.2, the loading times once unplugged are back to normal. Thank you for all your hard work

Thanks.

[grizedale]

Slight misunderstanding re Collections, I did not mean directly on the device but through Calibre...

Thank you for explaining re Tags etc, I love this software more and more.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by grizedale

Slight misunderstanding, I did not mean directly on the device but through Calibre...

Ahhh, now I understand the question. Yes, today the only way to change the collections (the metadata) is to resend the book.

Random musing follows:

Inferring from your question, what you want is to have the collections automatically updated when you change metadata in the library. I want the same thing, but have been struggling with the gotchas for some time. Putting aside the implementation complexities in calibre, I have been worried about the metadata in the cache (that .calibre.metadata file) differing from the metadata in the ebooks (epubs in particular). If the cache is ever rebuilt, the metadata will revert back to what is in the book. Resending the book avoids this problem, at least for epubs.

I have come to the conclusion that I can live with the cache differing from what is in the book. After all, it will always be true for formats that don't store metadata, and will sometimes be true if the cache was rebuilt.

This leaves me with the question: what do calibre users want? Would it be a good thing to automatically update metadata, or would people hate it (and hate my cat while they are at it)? My experience with the 0.7 beta implies that the only way to find out is to implement it, then wait for the kudos and rocks. Both will come.

Kovid and I are exploring this question. We have discussed providing a 'timestamp' for metadata, which would provide a way to detect that it has changed. If changed, then the new metadata would be sent back to the device during device/book matching. Another possibility: provide an option on the device menu directing calibre to update the metadata for all books on the device that are matched with a book in the library, or possibly a selection of books that are matched. The first would be automatic, the second would require user interaction. The first must wait for the metadata cache redesign required for custom fields, the second could be done now.

I lean slightly toward the second, because it permits people who don't want it not to use it. On the other hand, it raises the already-high learning bar just a little more. And yes, I anticipate the response "Do both and give me an option to choose which to use." The difficulty: adding options raises all of the learning bar, implementation complexity, and maintenance complexity. They shouldn't be added lightly.

And that is the state of the world...