How to search for "&" in authors column?

manawydan · 02-07-2014, 03:34 PM

I couldn't find it here or in the manual sorry if I missed it.

Calibre displays the authors column in FN LN format and if there are more than one author it is FN LN & fn ln (e.g. Harry Potter & Rachel Morgan & S. Stackhouse).

However I can't seem to be able to search for authors with more than one entry.

authors:&
authors:" & "
authors:"&"

and advanced searches similar to this show no results.

What do I miss?

Is it better to switch all & back to ; (if only I can find the entries with &)?

theducks · 02-07-2014, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manawydan

I couldn't find it here or in the manual sorry if I missed it.

Calibre displays the authors column in FN LN format and if there are more than one author it is FN LN & fn ln (e.g. Harry Potter & Rachel Morgan & S. Stackhouse).

However I can't seem to be able to search for authors with more than one entry.

authors:&
authors:" & "
authors:"&"

and advanced searches similar to this show no results.

What do I miss?

Is it better to switch all & back to ; (if only I can find the entries with &)?

The & does not really exist. It represents multiple authors (1 record per Author in the DB)

search for: authors:Smith and authors:Jones

BetterRed · 02-07-2014, 03:52 PM

@manawydan - Perhaps one way to do it would be to create a custom column (#author_count) that used a template that counted the number of authors

Then you would search on author count > 1

But I'm not clever enough to tell you what the template would look like - at least not off the top of my head.

BR

theducks · 02-07-2014, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@manawydan - Perhaps one way to do it would be to create a custom column (#author_count) that used a template that counted the number of authors

Then you would search on author count > 1

But I'm not clever enough to tell you what the template would look like - at least not off the top of my head.

BR

Code:

authors:#>3

returns any book with 4+ authors

BetterRed · 02-07-2014, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

But I'm not clever enough to tell you what the template would look like - at least not off the top of my head.

Code:

authors:#>3

returns any book with
4+ authors

BR

LadyKate · 02-09-2014, 08:01 AM

It would be useful to have a way to search for multiple authors on a table easily. I like to put all the authors of an anthology into author so I can see the anthologies an author has works in when I search on the author BUT it would be nice to have an editor column and have the save to disk use the editor when an editor is in the "editor" column.

I'm not sure how I would go about doing that though.

Adoby · 02-09-2014, 09:24 AM

Use the authors field as usual, but manually change author_sort to "Edited by Ln, Fn". Use author_sort when saving to disk.

LadyKate · 02-09-2014, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoby

Use the authors field as usual, but manually change author_sort to "Edited by Ln, Fn". Use author_sort when saving to disk.

That wouldn't work for having the anthology show up when I sort on the author. I title a was an anthology by x y z and edited by z then when I search on x it would not show up.

Adoby · 02-09-2014, 10:13 AM

If you search using the tag browser or the search bar, it would. Also only the first author shows up in the correct place when you sort on author using the normal conventions. So not much worse.

Another option is to have all anthologies in a separate library, perhaps virtual, to allow special handling.

manawydan · 02-09-2014, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

search for: authors:Smith and authors:Jones

Would not work if I do not know the authors' names.

A search with authors:#>1 works perfect, thank you.

At the moment it looks like keeping authors separated by ";" would be a better way since it's no problem to find the ; .

But - isn't it set somewhere in preferences which special character functions as "and"?

A little bit OT but not worth a new thread:
How to ask Calibre to display only entries with something missing?
Like the "authors without commas" option in quality check - what would be the expression for this?
I want to combine it with date (e.g. date:today).

BetterRed · 02-09-2014, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manawydan

But - isn't it set somewhere in preferences which special character functions as "and"?

Try Preferences->Tweaks>Splitting multiple author names

BR

theducks · 02-09-2014, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Try Preferences->Tweaks>Splitting multiple author names

BR

That tweak affects the words to split UPON.
The & you see in the Library is not affected by that

LadyKate · 02-09-2014, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoby

Use the authors field as usual, but manually change author_sort to "Edited by Ln, Fn". Use author_sort when saving to disk.

If you search using the tag browser or the search bar, it would. Also only the first author shows up in the correct place when you sort on author using the normal conventions. So not much worse.

Another option is to have all anthologies in a separate library, perhaps virtual, to allow special handling.

I would be hesitant to try to maintain the author and author_sort fields with totally different information. Too much chance of loosing the list of authors for the anthologies some of which take a fair bit of time to type out lol.

I think my solution (personal solution) is to start slowly adding the editor to a new column "editedby" and at some point save the anthologies again.

After all, my library is fluid. Changing as my needs/ideas take form. That is what I like so much about using Calibre. My working as in take to reading device library is so easy to generate using Save to disk.

I just wish there was a way to save a list of useful save templates.

Adoby · 02-10-2014, 02:28 AM

I fix ISBN, authors and author_sort (and title) when I add the book to calibre, the first time. Typically first ISBN, using the find ISBN-plugin, then download metadata. Then adjust title, authors and series information. After that neither change ever, unless I made a spelling error. Information from author can be used to update author_sort, but the other way I don't think is as easy. So whatever is as authors is isolated from what I write in author_sort. That is why it works so nice to have "Edited by" in the author_sort field. Makes it easy to see what books are anthologies.

theducks · 02-10-2014, 11:30 AM

I simply hang a (ed) at the end of the authors name, Calibre does not copy that to author_sort

Martin H. Greenberg (ed)

02-07-2014, 03:34 PM	#1
manawydan Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 5854 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: none	How to search for "&" in authors column? I couldn't find it here or in the manual sorry if I missed it. Calibre displays the authors column in FN LN format and if there are more than one author it is FN LN & fn ln (e.g. Harry Potter & Rachel Morgan & S. Stackhouse). However I can't seem to be able to search for authors with more than one entry. authors:& authors:" & " authors:"&" and advanced searches similar to this show no results. What do I miss? Is it better to switch all & back to ; (if only I can find the entries with &)?

02-09-2014, 10:13 AM	#9
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,736 Karma: 26785668 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Thinkpad E595, Ubuntu Mate, Huawei Mediapad 5, Bouye Likebook Plus	If you search using the tag browser or the search bar, it would. Also only the first author shows up in the correct place when you sort on author using the normal conventions. So not much worse. Another option is to have all anthologies in a separate library, perhaps virtual, to allow special handling. Last edited by Adoby; 02-09-2014 at 10:17 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Question: addition of "virtual libraries" (was "base search restriction")	chaley	Library Management	53	04-15-2013 12:52 PM
Custom column: "Updated date", when adding new "versions" of the same file?	enriquep	Library Management	16	11-03-2011 10:46 AM
Search & Replace "wildcards"?	LoveMyKobo	Calibre	3	05-26-2011 06:12 PM
Question - Does iLiab have the "search" & "annotation, highlighting" features?	HiSoC8Y	iRex	5	07-01-2009 04:37 PM

02-07-2014, 03:52 PM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,570 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@manawydan - Perhaps one way to do it would be to create a custom column (#author_count) that used a template that counted the number of authors Then you would search on author count > 1 But I'm not clever enough to tell you what the template would look like - at least not off the top of my head. BR

02-09-2014, 08:01 AM	#6
LadyKate Fanatic Posts: 515 Karma: 1470724 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Quebec CA Device: android 4 (samsung tablet and asus tablet)	It would be useful to have a way to search for multiple authors on a table easily. I like to put all the authors of an anthology into author so I can see the anthologies an author has works in when I search on the author BUT it would be nice to have an editor column and have the save to disk use the editor when an editor is in the "editor" column. I'm not sure how I would go about doing that though.

02-09-2014, 09:24 AM	#7
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,736 Karma: 26785668 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Thinkpad E595, Ubuntu Mate, Huawei Mediapad 5, Bouye Likebook Plus	Use the authors field as usual, but manually change author_sort to "Edited by Ln, Fn". Use author_sort when saving to disk.

02-10-2014, 02:28 AM	#14
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,736 Karma: 26785668 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Thinkpad E595, Ubuntu Mate, Huawei Mediapad 5, Bouye Likebook Plus	I fix ISBN, authors and author_sort (and title) when I add the book to calibre, the first time. Typically first ISBN, using the find ISBN-plugin, then download metadata. Then adjust title, authors and series information. After that neither change ever, unless I made a spelling error. Information from author can be used to update author_sort, but the other way I don't think is as easy. So whatever is as authors is isolated from what I write in author_sort. That is why it works so nice to have "Edited by" in the author_sort field. Makes it easy to see what books are anthologies.

02-10-2014, 11:30 AM	#15
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,803 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I simply hang a (ed) at the end of the authors name, Calibre does not copy that to author_sort Martin H. Greenberg (ed)

Advert

Advert