Library Order sort function stopped working

[txdomer]

After updating to the latest version (0.8.37), I've discovered that the library_order sort tweak has stopped working properly. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't (i.e. some books sort by library_order, some by strictly_alphabetic)- and I can't figure out how or why it's not working for all books in my calibre library.

I did not adjust or change the tweaks preferences since updating- but even so, I doublechecked, and:

- title_series_sorting = 'library_order'
- save_template_title_series_sorting = 'library_order'
and even
- title_sort_articles = '^(A|The|An)\\s+'

I tried editing the metadata numerous times (removing the title completely, trying a different title, removing the article A or The from the title, adding the article back, etc.) restoring the tweaks values above to defaults (which are these same values, but still I tried anyway!), restarting calibre numerous times, removing and re-adding books to the library... nothing seems to work. Book A will still sort by library, Book B by alphabetic, and so on.

I feel like there is probably a really obvious reason why some books sort by library order and some by alphabetic... but I just can't figure it out. Any hints or help would be greatly appreciated!

[speakingtohe]

Check the offending titles in the edit metadata screen. AFAIK Calibre now uses the title sort field as opposed to the title field to sort books.

Helen

[txdomer]

Helen-
Your message made me realize I should be more clear about what I'm doing that's causing the issue... thanks! I think I've been describing the problem wrong!

What I *should* have said was: the titles in my calibre library sort properly based upon what is listed in the "Title sort" field, BUT the "Title sort" field does not automatically propagate from the "Title" field as it has always done before the latest calibre update.

So:

If I enter "A Long Walk" in the Title field, and hit the arrow button, it appears (and sorts) as "A Long Walk" in the Title sort field for some books and as "Long Walk, A" for other books.

Whereas before the update:

If I entered "A Long Walk" in the Title field, and hit the arrow button, it always appeared (and sorted) as "Long Walk, A" for other books.

How do I get the title to transfer properly from the Title field to the Title sort field in library order (rather than alphabetical) for all books?

(hope that's more clear, I should have said that from the get-go!)

[speakingtohe]

Sorry I misunderstood.
You should probably submit a bug report.

And/or go back a version until the problem is fixed.

Helen

[txdomer]

No, no- you didn't misunderstand, I just didn't describe it correctly!

[kovidgoyal]

You presumably changed the Tweak that controls this behavior in Preferences->Tweaks. If not, then your books have a language other than english. Newer versions of calibre take the language of the book into account when auto generating the title sort

[txdomer]

Thanks for the help/input!

I did not change the tweaks before this started happening (although now, I have reset them to defaults three times, gone back two versions, uninstalled and reinstalled, etc. -- but tweaks remain unchanged), and all my books are in English. That's what's got me exasperated - calibre has worked fine for me forever (years?) across multiple Macs... and it's only when I upgraded to the latest build that the little arrow button stopped working.

The only thing I can think so far is that maybe the books being in a series might affect whether or not they are properly sorted in Library Order? That if calibre sees the book is in a series, the little arrow button function defaults to alphabetical sort rather than library order sort?

I'm kind of at a loss to pinpoint what the culprit is.

[kovidgoyal]

Look at the language field in the edit metadata dialog, what does it say?