[Old Thread] Calibre 0.8.15 - Languages Metadata Field

[drMerry]

Originally Posted by Schaapje82

Anything on the automatically filled in language? Can I turn that off?

At this moment added books do get a language automatically.
There is a bug in calibre that gives the set language for books where no language could be defined.
This bug should be fixed in the next release today.

For users that do have a personal column you could ease migration in 2 ways things in this way.

• PLEASE READ ALSO THE LAST STEP
  1. If your naming matches the naming used in calibre:
     • Make sure you set calibre to the language used in your personal language-column
     • Select all books with the column set
       • Search: #language:true (assumed #language is the search of your personal column)
     • mass edit metadata
       last tab:
       from: #language (assumed this is your column)
       to: language
       
       All languages will be copied (assumed you named them the same way as calibre does and separated multiple languages with a ,)
       
     • PLEASE NOTE: There is a bug that sees lowercase languages as wrong input.
       This should also be fixed in the next release today, so you'd better wait with this option to try it this weekend with an updated calibre.
  2. If you have set you'r languages in an other way, or want some more control
     • Select your books per language.
       • If you put your language-column on your tag-browser, expand it and click on one of the languages.
       • You can also use the search function #language:"=MY DEFINED LANGUAGE"
     • Mass edit your books
     • Set the language you want to be set on tab one
• Take an extra look at books you set multiple languages. Look if the books do have multiple languages set (separated by ,) in the language column (set this column and your "#language" column to visible)
• When the language and the #language column match, you can remove the info from #language (optionally)
  • To update all data set in books:
    • search (assumed #language is your personal column):
      #language:true
      (be sure the search option is set to restrict, not hi-lighting)
    • select all books (ctrl+a)
    • Mass edit
    • Personal tab -> make sure the box next to your language column is empty and check the update box next to it
    • press ok
• remove your personal column

ONCE MORE, there are some bugs that should be fixed in the release of today, so you could wait with the described steps, or just leave your personal column for a day to be sure you do not loose information.

[adove]

I am a computer programmer and am not interested in the entries currently in the languages drop-down. I would like to replace them all with more relevant choices, such as: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, etc.

Plus, how can I add custom data to the Series drop down? I would like to fill it with category choices, such as: SharePoint, Graphic Design, UI, UX, etc.

Thanks,
Alex

[theducks]

Originally Posted by adove

I am a computer programmer and am not interested in the entries currently in the languages drop-down. I would like to replace them all with more relevant choices, such as: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, etc.

Plus, how can I add custom data to the Series drop down? I would like to fill it with category choices, such as: SharePoint, Graphic Design, UI, UX, etc.

Thanks,
Alex

Series is not preset (out of the box, there are no entries in the hint table).
You type in the Series... BUT

I really think you want hierarchical (see help to enable this for 'Tags') tags

IS_Languages.HTML
IS_Languages.C++
IS_Languages.Cobol
IS_Languages.Java

[XrXca]

Originally Posted by adove

I am a computer programmer and am not interested in the entries currently in the languages drop-down. I would like to replace them all with more relevant choices, such as: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, etc.

Plus, how can I add custom data to the Series drop down? I would like to fill it with category choices, such as: SharePoint, Graphic Design, UI, UX, etc.

Thanks,
Alex

I'd think a custom column for programming language might be a better choice than changing the languages column after all it would be perfectly valid for a book on programming in c++ to be written in German...

Take a look at preferences/add your own columns.

Either that, or just add it to the tags. This is what I do in my technical library, that way your not limited, when you get a pdf that is documentation for something a bit more obscure you can handle it without having to change your schema.