Question about Sorting via authors?

Dullahir · 03-14-2013, 11:59 AM

Hey everyone, basically what I'm trying to do is sort epub files by authors, and the Author Sort doesn't work. Even when the author is listed as 'Adrian Tchaikovsky', 'Algernon Blackwood' shows up first, because even though the Author Sort is Firstname, Lastname, it still seems to sort them by Lastname, Firstname.

Is there any way to work around this? I did see some other threads about this, but I am unsure if the process referred to my issue, because it was talking about books in Mobi format.

Also, when Adding Books and choosing 'Get Metadata From File Name', is it still possible to have the Comments listed? It's a pain to have to re-download them, since a lot of the information is still dead-wrong, lol.

The main reason why I want to rename them myself before adding them is because when I add them as Kim Harrison [The Hollows Book 01] Dead Witch Walking, the author is always unknown. Or some of the books have the last name listed first in the authors, or have the authors as the titles and such, it's just really aggrevating to have to manually rename the files within calibre. :P
Thanks, as always, to those who assist.

Also, another issue that seems questionable is this:

Sometimes the books have metadata added in the comments. However: The series is missing. So I do another Metadata check, and there is only one listing that shows up for that particular book - With series info included..? Could someone also tell me how this could happen?

theducks · 03-14-2013, 12:27 PM

Comments come from internal metadata or download.

If you choose to get metadata from 'filename' , you will not (normally) get any comments. Note: putting comments in a filename will probably cause file system problems.

If you want 'Strictly Alphabetical', you need to set the appropriate Tweak.
Note: Firstname Lastname does not have a Comma. There are plugins that flip and remove/add commas to normalize data

BTW Complain to the Publisher for not properly setting the Author Metadata value. The book should have never been released without that set properly.

Dullahir · 03-14-2013, 01:00 PM

Thanks for the help, as always! About to try out that tweak. Without it, all the books look a tad sloppy, haha. And yes, I believe I have the plugin you speak of, which is a lifesaver.

By the way, which tweak do you speak of? I can't seem to find it. The only ones I have that have 'Strictly Alphabetic' as a choice are 'Control sorting of titles and series in the library display' and 'Control formatting of titles and series when used in templates'. While great, they don't really solve this issue. Unless there's some way to download tweaks or something.

theducks · 03-14-2013, 02:37 PM

Control sorting in Library display:
But ..

IIRC There is also one more setting

author_sort_copy_method , yours is set to invert

Displays Fn Ln Sorts Ln, Fn

I think you want 'Copy'
Displays Fn Ln Sorts Fn Ln

Note: you will need to force a re-calculate of the sort value;

One way: Select All; tap the 'E' key: tick the automatic set Author sort box: Apply

DuskyRose · 03-14-2013, 07:53 PM

I had the same problem early on. I found that there are two different author lists, one you see in the column and one that the program sorts by.

For those that don't sort right, look in the "Edit Metadata - Individual" and see if the two lists differ.

I went to the "Authors" list on the left, selected all, then right clicked on "Manage Authors" and selected "Copy all Authors sort values to author". That way I could see which ones needed to be changed so that they were all listed the same way, with Lastname, Firstname.

That helped mine sort out the way I wanted them to. I even had some that had extra spaces that was throwing the sort off.

Dullahir · 03-15-2013, 12:19 AM

xP Thanks a lot for trying you guys, lol. xD Duckie, it wasn't set to 'Invert', unfortunately, it was set to Comma.

And Dusky, that may be on the right track, but it wasn't quite it because it was a last name, first name after doing the Copy All Sort Values to Author"

Here's my current list of three books.

After Sundown - Amanda Ashley
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
According to Hoyle - Abigail Roux

They are listed in that order, but it should be

According to Hoyle - Abigail Roux
After Sundown - Amanda Ashley
American Gods - Neil Gaiman

because it would sort by Author's first name, not last name, lol.

DuskyRose · 03-15-2013, 11:38 AM

Sorry if I'm repeating, bad week to have a head cold.

Have you gone into each book individually and checked to see what is in "Author Sort"?

Also, if you select all books, go to the "Authors" link on the left, and right click on it, then chose "Manage Authors" I think you should be able to click on "sort by author".

IIRC, this will sort by one field over the other which would be important if they're different. (like FirstLast rather than LastFirst)

But I'd keep an eye on what you have in those two fields. I just find it easier to keep the same format in both fields, and mine sort fine. But I don't sort by first names so can't test it for you.

03-14-2013, 11:59 AM	#1
Dullahir Zealot Posts: 146 Karma: 13316 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Deva, Romania Device: Android	Question about Sorting via authors? Hey everyone, basically what I'm trying to do is sort epub files by authors, and the Author Sort doesn't work. Even when the author is listed as 'Adrian Tchaikovsky', 'Algernon Blackwood' shows up first, because even though the Author Sort is Firstname, Lastname, it still seems to sort them by Lastname, Firstname. Is there any way to work around this? I did see some other threads about this, but I am unsure if the process referred to my issue, because it was talking about books in Mobi format. Also, when Adding Books and choosing 'Get Metadata From File Name', is it still possible to have the Comments listed? It's a pain to have to re-download them, since a lot of the information is still dead-wrong, lol. The main reason why I want to rename them myself before adding them is because when I add them as Kim Harrison [The Hollows Book 01] Dead Witch Walking, the author is always unknown. Or some of the books have the last name listed first in the authors, or have the authors as the titles and such, it's just really aggrevating to have to manually rename the files within calibre. :P Thanks, as always, to those who assist. Also, another issue that seems questionable is this: Sometimes the books have metadata added in the comments. However: The series is missing. So I do another Metadata check, and there is only one listing that shows up for that particular book - With series info included..? Could someone also tell me how this could happen? Last edited by Dullahir; 03-14-2013 at 12:21 PM.

03-14-2013, 01:00 PM	#3
Dullahir Zealot Posts: 146 Karma: 13316 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Deva, Romania Device: Android	Thanks for the help, as always! About to try out that tweak. Without it, all the books look a tad sloppy, haha. And yes, I believe I have the plugin you speak of, which is a lifesaver. By the way, which tweak do you speak of? I can't seem to find it. The only ones I have that have 'Strictly Alphabetic' as a choice are 'Control sorting of titles and series in the library display' and 'Control formatting of titles and series when used in templates'. While great, they don't really solve this issue. Unless there's some way to download tweaks or something. Last edited by Dullahir; 03-14-2013 at 01:05 PM.

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03-14-2013, 12:27 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,054 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Comments come from internal metadata or download. If you choose to get metadata from 'filename' , you will not (normally) get any comments. Note: putting comments in a filename will probably cause file system problems. If you want 'Strictly Alphabetical', you need to set the appropriate Tweak. Note: Firstname Lastname does not have a Comma. There are plugins that flip and remove/add commas to normalize data BTW Complain to the Publisher for not properly setting the Author Metadata value. The book should have never been released without that set properly.

03-14-2013, 02:37 PM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,054 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Control sorting in Library display: But .. IIRC There is also one more setting author_sort_copy_method , yours is set to invert Displays Fn Ln Sorts Ln, Fn I think you want 'Copy' Displays Fn Ln Sorts Fn Ln Note: you will need to force a re-calculate of the sort value; One way: Select All; tap the 'E' key: tick the automatic set Author sort box: Apply

03-14-2013, 07:53 PM	#5
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 754 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Note Air3, Palma, K-Scribe, Eclipsa 2e, & Libra 2, Ipads	I had the same problem early on. I found that there are two different author lists, one you see in the column and one that the program sorts by. For those that don't sort right, look in the "Edit Metadata - Individual" and see if the two lists differ. I went to the "Authors" list on the left, selected all, then right clicked on "Manage Authors" and selected "Copy all Authors sort values to author". That way I could see which ones needed to be changed so that they were all listed the same way, with Lastname, Firstname. That helped mine sort out the way I wanted them to. I even had some that had extra spaces that was throwing the sort off.

03-15-2013, 12:19 AM	#6
Dullahir Zealot Posts: 146 Karma: 13316 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Deva, Romania Device: Android	xP Thanks a lot for trying you guys, lol. xD Duckie, it wasn't set to 'Invert', unfortunately, it was set to Comma. And Dusky, that may be on the right track, but it wasn't quite it because it was a last name, first name after doing the Copy All Sort Values to Author" Here's my current list of three books. After Sundown - Amanda Ashley American Gods - Neil Gaiman According to Hoyle - Abigail Roux They are listed in that order, but it should be According to Hoyle - Abigail Roux After Sundown - Amanda Ashley American Gods - Neil Gaiman because it would sort by Author's first name, not last name, lol.

03-15-2013, 11:38 AM	#7
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 754 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Note Air3, Palma, K-Scribe, Eclipsa 2e, & Libra 2, Ipads	Sorry if I'm repeating, bad week to have a head cold. Have you gone into each book individually and checked to see what is in "Author Sort"? Also, if you select all books, go to the "Authors" link on the left, and right click on it, then chose "Manage Authors" I think you should be able to click on "sort by author". IIRC, this will sort by one field over the other which would be important if they're different. (like FirstLast rather than LastFirst) But I'd keep an eye on what you have in those two fields. I just find it easier to keep the same format in both fields, and mine sort fine. But I don't sort by first names so can't test it for you.

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