How do you organize your PP?

[Acrimonus]

Just wondering how some people organize their file structure for the pocket pro, a rigid file structure would be nice by type(fic and non-fic)/genre/author/book however you get into the problem with well related but separate books, notably the Forgotten Realms books. Not all written by the same author but very related. Another perfect example would be Star Wars. MANY different authors and series but all very related. What do you do in this situation?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Acrimonus

Just wondering how some people organize their file structure for the pocket pro, a rigid file structure would be nice by type(fic and non-fic)/genre/author/book however you get into the problem with well related but separate books, notably the Forgotten Realms books. Not all written by the same author but very related. Another perfect example would be Star Wars. MANY different authors and series but all very related. What do you do in this situation?

I use 2 Calibre templates (you must switch templates before saving, by save type)
The first is for books not in a series and rises to the first position when the PEz is set to sort by name
I created folders by the Authors Last name initial so there should only be 4 pages of folders at the first level


The second is for series.

00NoSeries/{author_sort[0]}_authors/{authors}/{title}-{id}/{title}

{series}/{series_index:0>2s}-{title}_{id}/{title}_{authors}

{id} is in place in case Calibre decides to use it to manage existing books on the device that way.
You could use Gene tags, but that can add to the number of templates needed :/ to manage

[AJ Starr]

Originally Posted by Acrimonus

Just wondering how some people organize their file structure for the pocket pro, a rigid file structure would be nice by type(fic and non-fic)/genre/author/book however you get into the problem with well related but separate books, notably the Forgotten Realms books. Not all written by the same author but very related. Another perfect example would be Star Wars. MANY different authors and series but all very related. What do you do in this situation?

So far, I have avoided DRM'd books and have only added the ones I have scanned and/or stripped and/or gleaned from public domain books. But here's what I've created:

1. Recent Files ==> default created by the PP. Can't change it.
2. "2_ICE" ==> Generic folder with my personal info, like who to return it to. Also my personal files. [ICE: In Case of Emergency. As I understand it, it is the only folder emergency personnel are allowed to look at to obtain info, whether cell phones, "pda's", or in my case my PP.]
3. "3_Author's Last name" Remember to NOT have any spaces in the folder names or bookmarks act funny.
4. & 5. "4_Author's Last Name" I add the numbering so my folder will be in the order I want.
6. "6_Classics"
7. "7_Favorites" for my favorite novels that I don't have enough of one author for an individual folder.
8. "8_Miscellaneous" non-classic novels that I wish to read someday.

NEXT PAGE

1. "9_Non_Fiction"
2-rest of page PP created folders

Not traditional, but it's how I like mine.

AJ

[Acrimonus]

Originally Posted by theducks

I use 2 Calibre templates (you must switch templates before saving, by save type)
The first is for books not in a series and rises to the first position when the PEz is set to sort by name
I created folders by the Authors Last name initial so there should only be 4 pages of folders at the first level


The second is for series.

00NoSeries/{author_sort[0]}_authors/{authors}/{title}-{id}/{title}

{series}/{series_index:0>2s}-{title}_{id}/{title}_{authors}

{id} is in place in case Calibre decides to use it to manage existing books on the device that way.
You could use Gene tags, but that can add to the number of templates needed :/ to manage

So if you had a well related series like Star Wars written by authors A B and C and you also had other books written by author B you would have author B's other books in your first template and the books that author B did for Star Wars in the second template?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Acrimonus

So if you had a well related series like Star Wars written by authors A B and C and you also had other books written by author B you would have author B's other books in your first template and the books that author B did for Star Wars in the second template?

Correct, assuming the books did not belong to another series.
(the series index is first, to help order the books properly. if your series has more than 99, start with changing the 2 to a 3 so books are 001-999, not 01-999 which sorts really wrong)
Ex.
John Ringo appears in many folders, including 00NoSeries

My "ring of Fire" series contains many authors works.
unfortunately, the file system of the PEz does not allow (cross)links to the other folders.

[Fincary]

I transfer books to my Pez with Calibre using:

My Books/{tags}/{series}/{series_index:0>2s} {title}

I use a single tag for my books that is the genre. This sets a "My Books" folder as the top level, followed by Genre. If a book isn't in a series, it is dropped there, if it is in series, a series folder is made and the books are dropped there. All titles are prefaced with the series number so they are in order.

Author is only important when I'm choosing a book for purchase. I don't find it useful to sort by author on my reader.

[Sweetpea]

Generally, I use a simple

{Format}/{Author}/{Book.format} (or {Format}/{Author}/{Series}/{nr in series} - {Book.format} in case of a series)

organization.

In case the author isn't important (such as the Star Trek books), the organization is:

{Format}/{Series}/{Subseries}/{nr in series} - {book.format}

(so, it would be "Mobi/Star Trek/SCE/53 - Fables of the Prime Directive.mobi"

[Spiffy]

Originally Posted by theducks

I created folders by the Authors Last name initial so there should only be 4 pages of folders at the first level

I agree that having "alphabetical" directories at the top level is the ONLY way to have ANY sanity using this product, if like me you insist on having most of your eBook collection on it at any one time. Any at all. I love the device overall, but the interface is a nightmare. Before I figured out how to have Calibre send books out in alpha directories, with author directories under each top level letter directory, I sat there like a dummy spending minutes at a time hitting the page down button just to look for files with the misfortune of being in the later part of the alphabet.

EDITED TO ADD MORE DETAIL

To cap things off, I then have a series, if the book is in one, be the next directory down, then the actual filename reverses the usual file naming I use on my PC (author last name, author first name - series series# - title), because its unnecessary to see the author up front in a structured subdirectory like that, and instead the whole thing is written out (directory path AND filename) like this:

top level/B/Burroughs, Edgar Rice/Tarzan/Tarzan 02 - The Return of Tarzan - Burroughs, Edgar Rice.epub

All the info is STILL kept in the filename, even though its reversed, in case I ever have to copy the file BACK to my main database from that copy.

Actually using the PP, even divvied up, with a mere 26 or 27 top level directories and that efficient directory and file naming structure, it STILL takes knowing exactly what an author's name is, and how its spelled, and that presumes of course that Calibre wrote the files out correctly named and spelled in the first place. This stuff is especially wrong in a lot of self-published/small press books, and often really gets munged up if you converted formats.

Multi-author books I don't have any good system for. I kind of am just stuck with the first author in the string setting where in the alpha sort the whole thing goes.

So much needs to be done with the basic PP firmware. If an on-unit search is too much, at least a way to save Favorites. Even that Buggins guy and his alternate firmware can't do that yet, but it seems essential.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Spiffy

I agree that having "alphabetical" directories at the top level is the ONLY way to have ANY sanity using this product, if like me you insist on having most of your eBook collection on it at any one time. Any at all. I love the device overall, but the interface is a nightmare. Before I figured out how to have Calibre send books out in alpha directories, with author directories under each top level letter directory, I sat there like a dummy spending minutes at a time hitting the page down button just to look for files with the misfortune of being in the later part of the alphabet.

Even divvied up, with a mere 26 or 27 top level directories, it still takes knowing exactly what an author's name is, and how its spelled, and that presumes of course that the metadata was correct and Calibre wrote the files out correctly named and spelled.

Multi-author books I don't have any good system for. I kind of am just stuck with the first author in the string setting where in the alpha sort the whole thing goes.

So much needs to be done with the basic PP firmware. If an on-unit search is too much, at least a way to save Favorites. Even that Buggins guy and his alternate firmware can't do that yet, but it seems essential.

That is why I place a copy of the Calibre Catalog in the Main Storage (books are on the SD Card.

I can look-up by Author or Series or title and know how the book was filed, Then I switch to the SD Card and go there. A PITA , but better than nothing

BTW If you highlight a selection of books and Create a catalog (give a different name), then that is what appears in the catalog.

[Spiffy]

Originally Posted by theducks

That is why I place a copy of the Calibre Catalog in the Main Storage (books are on the SD Card.

I can look-up by Author or Series or title and know how the book was filed, Then I switch to the SD Card and go there. A PITA , but better than nothing

BTW If you highlight a selection of books and Create a catalog (give a different name), then that is what appears in the catalog.

Okay, if I am getting this, you mean that the Catalog is written out as a readable document, and you open that document on the reader to get a current inventory? Am I getting this right?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Spiffy

Okay, if I am getting this, you mean that the Catalog is written out as a readable document, and you open that document on the reader to get a current inventory? Am I getting this right?

Correct.
Pick EPUB
Mine is 12Meg for 1K books with covers
Did I mention, the Catalog has thumbnails of the covers?

[Solicitous]

Ok, I just had a look at the Catalog feature in Calibre and all I can say is "way coooool". Thanks for mentioning it in this thread.

Quick question, is there any way to have the catalog display a list of books in a series?? I see you can go to Author through the TOC and see it that way, but wondering (not that I have found yet) a way to have it generate a set of pages of your ebooks according to series.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Ok, I just had a look at the Catalog feature in Calibre and all I can say is "way coooool". Thanks for mentioning it in this thread.

Quick question, is there any way to have the catalog display a list of books in a series?? I see you can go to Author through the TOC and see it that way, but wondering (not that I have found yet) a way to have it generate a set of pages of your ebooks according to series.

In the TOC, they are called Generes

Yes! Ultimate cool.