Author folders in Library , driving me nuts

[At_Libitum]

Hi,

Don't worry, I don't want to change anything if it ain't Calibre itself doing the changing. This has been driving me nuts for a couple of weeks now and since I know the penalty on bringing up the subject of 'library folder structure' I kept looking...but now I'm at the point I gotta ask...

I may have this completely wrong but I seem to remember there being an option to specify whether author folders get created in LN, FN order or FN LN order in a library. So far all of the libraries I let Calibre create use FN LN, where as every where else in Calibre I use LN, FN. So I am thinking that may be the fixed default.

It's not a big deal, but if I want to quickly see if I have books from a specific author, I usually just look in the library folder using Explorer (its always open) and I ain't always got Calibre running now that I'm chasing cops. And with about 600 authors, if the folders where in LN, FN order, it would make visual scanning a bit faster...

Like I said, if there's a setting that controls this, great, otherwise no big deal.

[speakingtohe]

I don't think so. But there quite a few ways to find an author.

type the first few letters of the last name into the search bar of the tag browser is pretty fast. Type the full name or partial into the regular search bar. Both should be as fast as scrolling down a folder list.

Helen

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by At_Libitum

I may have this completely wrong but I seem to remember there being an option to specify whether author folders get created in LN FN order or FN LN order in a library. So far all of the libraries I let Calibre create use FN LN, where as every where else in Calibre I use LN, FN. So I am thinking that may be the fixed default.

The folders are created by whatever is in the Author field so the only way to change the folders is to change the Author field to LN, FN. Read more on how to change the author field to LN, FN here, review the Note at the end of the section for a quick method of changing the Author field.

Edit: If you do this make sure you have any sync software like Dropbox paused until the change is completed.

[BetterRed]

if you're on vista, 7 or 8, can't remember if this works on XP, i suspect it does because it works on NT3.

when you have the library folder open in explorer - just tab into the list of folders (if you're not there already) type the name of the author you're looking for - eg type 'jane' and explorer will locate and select first 'jane' - eg Jane Abernathy

if folders are LN FN, type 'aber' and Abernathy Jane will be there, now type 'row' and Rowling J.K. will be thereabouts.

BR

pretty sure that works in finder and nautilus toof

[eschwartz]

You could ask Kovid if that would be a reasonable change to make, but for the moment there is no way.

You could try opening a command prompt and typing

calibredb list -s 'authors:"=J. K. Rowling" '

This would actually be the fastest way I could think of checking an author.

You could even put it into a batch file, say, foo.bat, like such:

@echo off
calibredb list -s 'authors:"=%*"'

then use Ctrl+R to get a run prompt and

foo.bat J. K. Rowling

to get all the books you have by J. K. Rowling.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You could ask Kovid if that would be a reasonable change to make, but for the moment there is no way.

No way except for the method I gave him in post 3 that is outlined in the Calibre manual.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

No way except for the method I gave him in post 3 that is outlined in the Calibre manual.

But then you end up with all your calibre authors in author_sort format, which is ugly, and requires you to change your books to trick calibre into conforming to your need, which is just as bad as the original problem.

And you need to edit all your books, current and future, to keep this working, and then you need plugboards so metadata gets saved to disk and device properly, but that still doesn't help the ugly display of authors in calibre.

[itimpi]

I am afraid then there is nothing you can do.

Kovid has said many times that the current folder structure is hardwired deep into the Calibre code and not amenable to change.

The only easy answer is to use the Calibre GUI to find stuff so that you do not need to be aware of the underlying folder structure.

[At_Libitum]

Thanks all, I must have used the LN, FN construction in the distant past then as DoctorOhh indicated. I never noticed that this is linked to the folder format.

And like eschwartz pointed out, it opens up a whole new bag of 'oh sh...ts!' so I think I'll stick with Win7 typeahead search.

Btw. nice 'trick' with the commandline options.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

if you're on vista, 7 or 8, can't remember if this works on XP, i suspect it does because it works on NT3.

when you have the library folder open in explorer - just tab into the list of folders (if you're not there already) type the name of the author you're looking for - eg type 'jane' and explorer will locate and select first 'jane' - eg Jane Abernathy

if folders are LN FN, type 'aber' and Abernathy Jane will be there, now type 'row' and Rowling J.K. will be thereabouts.

BR

pretty sure that works in finder and nautilus toof

Typing the first letter of a file/folder name works on XP (and before ), type it again and in moves to the next occurrence
XP(pro only?) also has 'Show in Groups' as part of View: Arrange Icons By:

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by At_Libitum

Thanks all, I must have used the LN, FN construction in the distant past then as DoctorOhh indicated. I never noticed that this is linked to the folder format.

And like eschwartz pointed out, it opens up a whole new bag of 'oh sh...ts!' so I think I'll stick with Win7 typeahead search.

Btw. nice 'trick' with the commandline options.

The LN, FN would make it stored as LN, FN, so does that mean this was all a dream???

I'm glad you liked my trick, are you using it?

You don't even have to have the Explorer opened to Calibre Library, it's just as fast as the search step, and it will display, for example,

schwartze@ltsp22:~$ calibredb list -s 'authors:"=J. K. Rowling" '
id   title                                     authors       
14   Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone     J. K. Rowling 
29   Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets   J. K. Rowling 
30   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban  J. K. Rowling 
31   Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix J. K. Rowling 
32   Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince    J. K. Rowling 
39   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows      J. K. Rowling 
43   Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire       J. K. Rowling 
452  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them   J. K. Rowling 
453  Quidditch Through the Ages                J. K. Rowling 
454  The Tales of Beedle the Bard              J. K. Rowling

all in one step (no opening explorer, going to Calibre Library, searching author, then opening the folder) and gives you room to do all kinds of fun calibre searches on the spot.