Displaying LN, FN in Author Column

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I've got 824 authors in my library that are listed as FN LN, both on the main screen and in the tag broweser. How can I change them to read LN, FN (the way I've always seen it done all my life; I'm 63, btw)? I would die of old age first if I have to do it all manually.

Also, will I have to manually change FN LN to LN, FN manually every time I add a book or is there a way to get calibre to do automatically?

Please keep in mind that I'm computer challenged and senile. I need simple, step by step directions.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I've got 824 authors in my library that are listed as FN LN, both on the main screen and in the tag broweser. How can I change them to read LN, FN (the way I've always seen it done all my life; I'm 63, btw)? I would die of old age first if I have to do it all manually.

Also, will I have to manually change FN LN to LN, FN manually every time I add a book or is there a way to get calibre to do automatically?

Please keep in mind that I'm computer challenged and senile. I need simple, step by step directions.

Kiwidude has a plugin for that

(now you just have to figure out what THAT is )

The QC plugin has a FIX subsection the swap is just one of them.
Highlight (select) the problem kids, invoke the Fix

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Ok, I'm totally confused. Are we talking about two differnet plug ins? I wasn't kidding when I said I need simple, step by step directions.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I've got 824 authors in my library that are listed as FN LN, both on the main screen and in the tag broweser. How can I change them to read LN, FN (the way I've always seen it done all my life; I'm 63, btw)? I would die of old age first if I have to do it all manually.

It is kind of an illusion to say you've seen it done LN, FN all your life. Certainly the books in the library and book store have always been sorted on the shelf by LN, FN as calibre also, is by default, sorted by LN, FN. But the books themselves, at least fiction, have always listed the author on the cover FN, LN.

That said everyone is entitled to setup their library the way they are comfortable. Check this section of the manual for more information. After you adjust the tweaks outlined in this section you can install the Quality Check plugin, Preferences - Plugins - Get new plugins. After the plugin is installed select the books you want to swap FN, LN > LN, FN then select the menu item as shown in the attached image. Further info is in the QC plugin help section.

I personally don't alter my library in this manner so more detailed instructions will have to come from someone else.

Good Reading.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I'm sorry but the directions you linked in the manual don't make the least bit of sense to me. I couldn't find the tweaks the directions referred to. I couldn't even find the screen you showed in the attachment and, if I had, I wouldn't have the foggiest notion what to do with it. Again, I wasn't kidding when I said I need to have it spelled in detailed, step by step directions. I'm not a programmer so none of it makes sense to me.

[Divingduck]

Many ways to find a solution:

I use a custom column what displays the author sort field. This is easy to handle and you have the possibility to use both ways.

How to do:
Preferences -> Interface -> Add your own columns (or right click on an existing column header in Calibre main window book listing and then choose "Add your own columns“ at the end of the listing).
Then click on the green "+" in the right and add a new column (pic1). A small window opens and you need to make the entries as shown as in pic2. You can use own names instead of what I had used. The field "Template" is the important one and this has to be {author_sort}. It represents the book information of author_sort in "Edit metadata"(pic5). After finishing the input save the new column with pressing "ok".
Then you will find a new column "Author Sort" at the end of your list (pic3). You can move the column to another position by selecting the column and then clicking on the green up and down arrow in the right. Click on "Apply" after you move the column to the correct position (window top, left).
When you are back in the main window of Calibre, you can see the new column i.e. like it is in pic4.
You can hide columns you don't want to see by right click at the header of a column and then choose "hide column..."

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Ok, I tried that and wound up with a column in the tag browser that showed it had only 480 authors when the Author(s) column shows 828. It took a bit of digging to figure out why the difference; the new column only displays the first author of books that have multiple authors. I have a lot of books with more than one author, especially anthologies that may have as many a dozen or more authors, so this isn't going to work unless there is some way to get the new column to show all authors.

[paw3pals]

First, do the below (which should also make all future author's names listed as LN,FN):

.Go to Preferences, then select Tweaks (on bottom of page)
.Click on Author name sort algorithm in the left column
.In the bottom right, make it say author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'
.Click Apply and then close Preferences
.EXIT CALIBRE AND THEN RESTART IT AGAIN

Now there are 2 or 3 ways to change all the authors in Calibre.
1. On the left side of the Calibre screen, in the list should be Authors and a number in brackets - right click it and select Manage Authors

.Scan the list of author's names and see if there is a column that has them listed as Last Name, First Name (LN,FN) already
.If the Author Sort column does, click the copy all author sort values to author button
.Check through the authors to be sure you are happy. You can still press Cancel to abandon the changes. Once you press OK, there is no undo.

.If 1 column has a name listed wrong and the other is correct, right click the correct name and select copy to (the other column)

.Press OK, at which point calibre will change the authors in all your books. This can take a while.

I apologize for leaving you hanging, but I have to leave now. Hopefully the above has helped you and/or others have posted to help. I will check back later to see how you are doing. (Other ways of changing author's names are by using the bulk metadata edit dialog or the Quality Check plugin).

I periodically scan author's names to catch errors. Recently, I somehow changed author Weber, David to ,Hebrew and had to fix it. I also check the metadata for each new ebook added to Calibre.

Good Luck.

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I'm sorry but the directions you linked in the manual don't make the least bit of sense to me. I couldn't find the tweaks the directions referred to. I couldn't even find the screen you showed in the attachment and, if I had, I wouldn't have the foggiest notion what to do with it. Again, I wasn't kidding when I said I need to have it spelled in detailed, step by step directions. I'm not a programmer so none of it makes sense to me.

[paw3pals]

Personally, I don't list all author's names for anthologies. Usually I just list the editor or the biggest name on the cover. The maximum I will list is 3 names; usually the editor and/or 1 or 2 major author's.

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Ok, I tried that and wound up with a column in the tag browser that showed it had only 480 authors when the Author(s) column shows 828. It took a bit of digging to figure out why the difference; the new column only displays the first author of books that have multiple authors. I have a lot of books with more than one author, especially anthologies that may have as many a dozen or more authors, so this isn't going to work unless there is some way to get the new column to show all authors.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by paw3pals

First, do the below (which should also make all future author's names listed as LN,FN):

.Go to Preferences, then select Tweaks (on bottom of page)
.Click on Author name sort algorithm in the left column
.In the bottom right, make it say author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'

I got as far as the last line and got stumped. Where the heck on the right do I "make it say author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'"? For that matter, what do you mean by "make it say"? I have a large blank area over there with all sorts of mumbojumbo printed on it. Do you mean add to the mumbo jumbo or replace it all with author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'?

Sorry to be so obtuse but, for me, this is like trying to learn Greek with a Spanish to English dictionary.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I got as far as the last line and got stumped. Where the heck on the right do I "make it say author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'"? For that matter, what do you mean by "make it say"? I have a large blank area over there with all sorts of mumbojumbo printed on it. Do you mean add to the mumbo jumbo or replace it all with author_sort_copy_method = 'copy'?

Sorry to be so obtuse but, for me, this is like trying to learn Greek with a Spanish to English dictionary.

You type it in (or copy and paste)THE BOTTOM section, including any quote marks show in the examples at the top of the tweak. Remember to clic 'Apply' before leaving each changed tweak.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Ok, I pasted it in below the other mumbo jumbo clicked APPLY at bottom, then at top. I restarted calibre, added a book, and the new book still shows as FN LN on both the main screen and in the tag editor so that didn't work. Now what?

[kiwidude]

@Lady - just keep reading the instructions in the post from paw3pals - they explain the "now what". The step you have just taken of modifying Tweaks just means that whenever you add a *new* book to calibre (or rename an author for an existing book), that whatever you type as the author will be copied to also be how that author sorts on screen. So that if you type "Bloggs, Joe" as an author, it is going to *copy* the same value into the author sort as "Bloggs, Joe" for it.

However your issue next is twofold. You have a whole bunch of existing books you can see need changing because they were there before you changed the tweak. The problem is that even if you went through and just changed them on screen (either by typing in the library view, or using the single/bulk metadata dialogs, or even using the Quality Check plugin) that probably isn't going to completely solve your problem. The reason being that the very first time you add a book for an author to calibre, calibre will set a "default sort" for that author name that is associated with the author itself. Confusing I know - it had me in a pickle when I started. There is a sort for the author for each book, and there is a default sort for the author itself. Likely you will have a mish-mash in this field if you have been (like I did) experimenting with renaming authors without changing the tweak first.

So what you need to do is follow paw3pals instructions of using the Manage Authors feature to change this "Default" sort for an author. It just so happens that when you do that, there is buttons on that dialog as per their instructions which will also effectively let you "fix" all your book authors too. A two for one deal - go through this little drama once and you will never have to bother again.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by kiwidude

@Lady - just keep reading the instructions in the post from paw3pals - they explain the "now what". The step you have just taken of modifying Tweaks just means that whenever you add a *new* book to calibre (or rename an author for an existing book), that whatever you type as the author will be copied to also be how that author sorts on screen. So that if you type "Bloggs, Joe" as an author, it is going to *copy* the same value into the author sort as "Bloggs, Joe" for it...

And that is what didn't work (unless I'm misunderstanding you).

Edit: Ok, I was misunderstanding (I think). I had to go into the metadata editor to manually change the author field from FN LN to LN, FN and then click on the little square to the right to get it to change in the author sort field. If I have very many books to add, that would be one heckuvalot of work (especially for authors with long and/or oddly spelled names)! I would think it would be easier to leave it as is and do a copy/paste from the author sort field to the author field. Is there any way to get calibre to automatically put LN, FN in the author field when adding a book?

Edit2: I changed the preferences back to the default and tried going to the metadata editor after adding a book, then just copying the author sort field and pasting into the author field. That was a considerable improvement over having to retype the author.

So, I'm back to asking, is there any way to get calibre to automatically put LN, FN in the author field when adding a book without having to change it in the metadata editor after adding the book (if so, then the tweek should work)?

[kiwidude]

Jeannie, as I said in my post paw3pals laid it all out for you in their post and I mentioned it as well - there is a button on the Manage Authors dialog which will do them all at once for you, once you verify that the current way the author sort field is populated as the values you now want to display for the author just hit the magic "copy all author sort values to author" button...

Originally Posted by paw3pals

Now there are 2 or 3 ways to change all the authors in Calibre.
1. On the left side of the Calibre screen, in the list should be Authors and a number in brackets - right click it and select Manage Authors

.Scan the list of author's names and see if there is a column that has them listed as Last Name, First Name (LN,FN) already
.If the Author Sort column does, click the copy all author sort values to author button
.Check through the authors to be sure you are happy. You can still press Cancel to abandon the changes. Once you press OK, there is no undo.

.If 1 column has a name listed wrong and the other is correct, right click the correct name and select copy to (the other column)

.Press OK, at which point calibre will change the authors in all your books. This can take a while.

As for automatically putting a name into LN, FN format for new books, no calibre does not have that feature. However the Quality Check plugin has a feature to do this which you can assign to a keyboard shortcut. So if you import the author and it is already LN, FN due to your regular expression or book metadata then all is fine and you have nothing to do. If calibre sees the author as FN LN then you need to flip it, which the QC plugin has a feature to do to save you the typing and without having to enter the Edit Metadata dialog.