Alphabetizing titles in Calibre

[dwciardi]

I am a VERY NEW user of Calibre - and trying to learn it and understand it!

I have "added" about 110 books to a Library - and I know there are duplicates in the list. For the life of me, I can not sort/alphabetize the list by TITLE. I can sort by author and by Collections (custom column), but when I click on the "Title" column - the titles DO NOT alphabetize completely - only partially. I'm sure I am doing something very dumb - but can't figure it out.

Can anyone help?

Also - is there anyway to print the list of books in Calibre? Or copy them so I can paste them into Word and print them?

dwciardi

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by dwciardi

I have "added" about 110 books to a Library - and I know there are duplicates in the list. For the life of me, I can not sort/alphabetize the list by TITLE. I can sort by author and by Collections (custom column), but when I click on the "Title" column - the titles DO NOT alphabetize completely - only partially.

Give us an example of what you think is not alphabetical. I believe by default it sorts titles as a library sort, which means it will ignore articles in the beginning of a title like The and A.

Originally Posted by dwciardi

Also - is there anyway to print the list of books in Calibre?

The dropdown arrow next to the conversion icon will let you create a catalog. You can choose the format of the catalog. Read this sticky post for more info.

[dwciardi]

dwanthny:
Thanks a bunch! I made the "catalogue" and was able to print part of the list - see below. I think, though, that I edited the "title" - but not the "title sort" - and that may be what is messing up the title sort? Am I right? So - that means I have to edit - individually - every "title sort" name in order to get the titles to sort alphabetically - right?

dwciardi



title title_sort
When Love Awaits When Love Awaits
Paradise Wild Johanna Lindsey - Paradise Wild
Prisoner of My Desire Lindsey
Brave the Wild Wind Brave the Wild Wind
Secret Fire Johanna Lindsey - Secret Fire.txt
So Speaks the Heart So Speaks the Heart
Defy Not The Heart Defy Not The Heart
Prisoner of My Desire Prisoner of My Desire
Prisoner of My Desire Johanna Lindsey - Prisoner of My Desire
Glorious Angel Southern 1 - Glorious Angel
Tender Is The Storm Tender Is The Storm
Reckless Johanna Lindsey - Reckless
LOVE ONLY ONCE LOVE ONLY ONCE
Once a Princess Once a Princess—Johanna Lindsey
When Love Awaits Lindsey, Johanna - When Love Awaits.htm
The Heir Johanna Lindsey - Reid Family 01 - The Heir
THE HEIR HEIR, THE
The Devil Who Tamed Her Johanna Lindsey - Reid Family 02 - The Devil Who Tamed

[DoctorOhh]

I thought the Title sort was updated automatically. I have never had to fix it. That said follow the below steps and all of your titles will match their title sort.

Select all of your books
Click Edit metadata icon
Check the Update title sort box
Click OK

Update: if I update my Title in the library list window the title sort is set automatically, but if I update my title in the edit metadata window I have to physically click the arrow to update the title sort. I always do my title updating in the library list window so I was confused by what you experienced.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Update: if I update my Title in the library list window the title sort is set automatically, but if I update my title in the edit metadata window I have to physically click the arrow to update the title sort. I always do my title updating in the library list window so I was confused by what you experienced.

At an earlier point in Calibre's history, title_sort was not accessible by the user. It was autocalculated regardless of where the title was edited or entered. When it was made accessible (on the edit metadata screen), I believe it was decided that it should remain autocalculated if changed on the main screen, but not if edited from the metadata edit screen. I found it somewhat disconcerting that I had to press another button, since I mostly edited in the metadata edit screen, but I understand why that happened.

[dwciardi]

dwanthny & Starson17:

THANKS so much for your help. I think I am beginning to understand Calibre a little better. The hint to Edit metadata in bulk - then click the "Update title sort box" was a GREAT TIP!! Thanks for that!!

My next question is: Is there any way to update the format in bulk? It doesn't appear when I select Update Metadata in bulk so that I can delete all but the Mobi format.

OR - when you "Send to Device" and you have specified only .mobi - does that take care of it and you don't have to worry about deleting the other formats before sending to device?

And - if so - how do I (where do I) specify I want only the .mobi format to be sent?

dwciardi

[itimpi]

What formats are supported by a device is controlled by customising the Device driver for a specific device under Preferences->Plugins->Device Interface plugins.

As well as controlling what formats are allowed for that device, you can also control the priority order if more than one of the allowed formats exist in your library.

If you try and send a book which is not in an allowed format, then Calibre will ask if you want to convert to an allowed format before sending.

I find that other than some disk space there is little downside to keeping multiple formats of a given book in Calibre. It can be useful if later you plug in a new device wanting a different format as you may already have that format present.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by itimpi

there is little downside to keeping multiple formats of a given book in Calibre.

I agree with itimpi's comment here. Keep all your formats. If you (or your family) ever has a reader for the original format, you don't want to have to convert back to that format. It will never be as good as what you started with. It may also be needed if you find that your first conversion was not as good as it could have been and you want to try again.

[dwciardi]

Thanks, everybody! As long as all the formats don't take up much space, I'll just keep them all, then.

dwciardi

[theducks]

Originally Posted by dwciardi

Thanks, everybody! As long as all the formats don't take up much space, I'll just keep them all, then.

dwciardi

I received a Ad from a local chain store today:
3 Terabyte SATA-3 HD US$ 129

Why worry about space

[dwciardi]

Oh! I thought you were talking about the device - I already have two 2 T external hard drives - and a 500 GB external hard drive. I "don't" worry about space!!

Dana

[theducks]

Originally Posted by dwciardi

Oh! I thought you were talking about the device - I already have two 2 T external hard drives - and a 500 GB external hard drive. I "don't" worry about space!!

Dana

Right

For your each device (model) type, set the format order to your preferred format at the top of the list (IMHO some devices do a better job on some formats than other 'supported' ones ).
remove ticks for any (device supported) format you don't want sent ever