Finding partially read series

[ownedbycats]

Using either the built-in search functions or a plugin (MCS?), is there a way to find series that have nonidentical metadata in a specific column?

I have a composite #readstatus column. I want to find series where all the books aren't either 'Read' or 'Unread.'

Thanks

[chaley]

You don't say if #readstatus can have values other than 'Read' or 'Unread'. I assume it can't. The templates below won't work if my assumption is wrong.

These two templates return 'Yes' if #readstatus has more than one value for a series, the empty string otherwise. The GPM template is probably easier for you to maintain. The Python template is much faster.

Edit: add comments to the template, and remove the trailing comma

program:
	globals(answers = '');
	if !answers then
# Get a list of series names
		series_names = book_values('series', 'id:true', ',', 1);
# Loop over the series names
		for series in series_names:
# Get all the values in the '#readstatus column
			values = book_values('#readstatus', 'series:="' & series & '"', ',', 1);
			if list_count(values, ',') > 1 then
# More than one value found. Store the series in the answers global for later use
				answers = answers & series & ','
			fi
		rof;
# remove the trailing comma
		answers = re(answers, ',$', '');
		set_globals(answers)
	fi;
	str_in_list(answers, ',', $series, 'Yes', '')

Edit: Fix bug where identical values were counted as unique

python:
def evaluate(book, context):
	db = context.db.new_api
	answer = context.globals.get('answer', None)
	if answer is None:
		answer = set()
		all_series = db.all_field_names('series')
		for series in all_series:
			series_id = db.get_item_id('series', series)
			books_in_series = db.books_for_field('series', series_id)
			vals = db.all_field_for('#readstatus', books_in_series)
			unique_vals = {v for v in vals.values()}
			if len(unique_vals) > 1:
				answer.add(series)
		context.globals['answer'] = answer
	return 'Yes' if book.series in answer else ''

The 'globals' stuff is there so the template computes the answer data once for the search instead of for every book.

[ownedbycats]

It does have other statuses; read, unread, currently reading, to be read, and undefined.

[Terisa de morgan]

So, I'm assuming this template would give you all the unfinished series.... I would like to use them in a search, not adding a composite column. How could I do that? Sorry, my searches are quite simple... and this can avoid me a function I've not that calculates some data for a series every time I add or read a book.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

It does have other statuses; read, unread, currently reading, to be read, and undefined.

What exactly is the rule? When should the template return 'Yes'?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

So, I'm assuming this template would give you all the unfinished series.... I would like to use them in a search, not adding a composite column. How could I do that? Sorry, my searches are quite simple... and this can avoid me a function I've not that calculates some data for a series every time I add or read a book.

Use a "Template Search", which allows you to do more-or-less arbitrary things while searching. Your situation is exactly why I added it -- avoiding creating composite columns for one-off searches.

You get to Template Search using the advanced search button. Using the above python template as an example, the template search would be:

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by chaley

What exactly is the rule? When should the template return 'Yes'?

It pulls from my readstatus() template:

program:

	if $$#percentread >=#1 && $$#percentread <=#99
	then 'currentlyreading' 

	elif "To Be Read" in $#readinglist && $$#percentread ==#0
	then 'toberead' 

	elif $$#percentread >=#100
	then 'read' 

	elif $$#percentread == 'None'
	then 'undefined' 

	elif $$#percentread >=#0
	then 'unread' 

	fi

program:
	if readstatus()=='currentlyreading' then 'Currently Reading'
	elif readstatus()=='toberead' then 'To Be Read'
	elif readstatus()=='read' then 'Read'
	elif readstatus()=='unread' then 'Unread'
	elif readstatus()=='Undefined' then 'Undefined'	
	fi

I'd like to return "yes" when the books in the series don't match the same value.

For example, a series of three books:
All three books are 'unread' - false
The first two books are 'read', and the third 'unread' - true
The first book is 'read', the second is 'to be read', and the third 'unread' - true

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I'd like to return "yes" when the books in the series have different values.

The above templates do that. They return 'Yes' when the list of values for books in a series contains one result. It doesn't matter what that result is, only that there is only one. For example, it will return 'Yes' when one book has 'Undefined' and another book has 'Unread'. If all books have the same value such as 'toberead' then the template returns ''.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by chaley

Use a "Template Search", which allows you to do more-or-less arbitrary things while searching. Your situation is exactly why I added it -- avoiding creating composite columns for one-off searches.

You get to Template Search using the advanced search button. Using the above python template as an example, the template search would be:

Thank you ,and good, because the python template is exactly what I understand

[ownedbycats]

It works Thank you

[Terisa de morgan]

Thank you! It works perfectly with my column for reading status.