I've been working exclusively with the GUI, as my only reader at the moment is an Ebookwise with it's own limited conversion/Library software elsewhere on my PC.
My previous efforts at cataloging my Library were on the AZZ Cardfile program, where I've also kept a list of my Custom Columns for Calibre.
Several of these had to be redone because I had chosen them originally as non-comma'd versions. I therefore recommend
using the commas unless you are
absolutely certain that they will
never be needed!
With one exception these are all being filled in by "hand" w/o any {}.
Not sure whether these would count as recipes, but they are hereby offered below as some may find the examples useful:
Column type/{} if any/search designation in lower case/column Heading
Column built from other columns/{format}/format/eFormats
showing all the formats present that are recognized by Calibre for each book, previously discussed in FAQ
Ratings, shown with stars/myrate/My Rating
as opposed to those supplied by others
Floating point numbers/price/Retail recording cover price or equivalent
Text, but with a fixed set of permitted values/drm/DRM
Notes the original Encrypted Format purchased, if any.
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/award/Awards
citing both Wins and Nominations
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/genre/Genres
not as yet used
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/length/Length
includes both Fictionwise VS/S/M/L/VL (coded below as L1 thru L5) as well as "Named" Lengths: Flash & Micro-Fiction, Shortstories vs. Short for Non-fiction, and Novelet(te)s vs. Novellas vs. Novels & Omnibus Volumes
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/line/Lines
such as Romance lines: Intrigue, Blaze, Desire, etc., with or without line #'s
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/myseries/My Series
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/otherfmt/Other Formats
as Paper, Trade, Hardcover, Leatherbound, Stageplay & Audio
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/note/Notes
such Signed, First Edition, as well as corrections needed, Etc.
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/setting/Settings such as Ireland, Scotland, name of town, etc.
Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser/subject/Subjects
Long text, like comments, not shown in tag browser/com2/My Comments
Long text, like comments, not shown in tag browser/comm/Other Comments
Text,column shown in the tag browser/cat/Catalog
personal catalog # in previous use matching cover art in separate folder
This was originally intended to get rid of idiosyncratic file names and allow me to locate and view the covers, which the cardfile couldn't readily handle, but still has secondary benefits, as I can store multiple covers here, and change them off if desired, as well as copying the best of them to folders accessed by my screensaver for a slideshow, and can break the latter down by style such as vintage pulp, watercolor, etc. The screensaver runs more smoothly using the catalog #'s than it did when they had regular titles attached.
Text,column shown in the tag browser/code/Code
is a personal alpha-numeric code based on the Word-Length of Books -
for example, L3aj includes a 2.4H (hour) reading time for a mid-length book described by some as a novella.
Text,column shown in the tag browser/issue/Issue
such as Magazine, Webscription or other Issue data
Text,column shown in the tag browser/time/Time
Reading time in Decimal Hours as 2.4H, Etc. rounded up
from the high end Fictionwise Reading time in minutes
Yes/No/coll/ACMO for Anthologies, Collections, Magazines & Omnibi
a yes shows that there will be further information in other columns
Yes/No/classic/Classic
Yes/No/mark/Mark as recomendation for or against for my brother at home who actually reads
Yes/No/read/Read (by me)