Hierarchal Fields Not Working - Help Please!

[DeshaDaine]

Hello, I have an issue with hierarchal fields.

I've set them up like Genre1, Genre1.Sub1, Genre1.Sub2, etc. and ticked the field under Preferences > Look & Feel > Hierarchy and searching, but it won't work. The tag browser treats Genre1 and Genre1.Sub1 as completely unrelated tags and doesn't nest anything.

I.e.:
Genre1
Genre1.Sub1
Genre1.Sub2

instead of:
Genre1
->Sub1
->Sub2

I've tested it with a brand new custom field, which also didn't work, and found a 2yo post on Reddit with the same issue, but it resolved itself when they reinstalled, which hasn't worked for me.

I've been using Calibre for years and have a lot of customisation so I don't want to start again, but I've got to the point where I need hierarchal fields.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[BetterRed]

FWIW: the columns I have checked in the Hierarchy and searching list are unchecked in the Partitioning and collapsing list. It's a long time since I created those columns, so can't recall if that was a conscious or serendipitous decision.

BR

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DeshaDaine

Hello, I have an issue with hierarchal fields.

I've set them up like Genre1, Genre1.Sub1, Genre1.Sub2, etc. and ticked the field under Preferences > Look & Feel > Hierarchy and searching, but it won't work. The tag browser treats Genre1 and Genre1.Sub1 as completely unrelated tags and doesn't nest anything.

I.e.:
Genre1
Genre1.Sub1
Genre1.Sub2

instead of:
Genre1
->Sub1
->Sub2

I've tested it with a brand new custom field, which also didn't work, and found a 2yo post on Reddit with the same issue, but it resolved itself when they reinstalled, which hasn't worked for me.

I've been using Calibre for years and have a lot of customisation so I don't want to start again, but I've got to the point where I need hierarchal fields.

Does anyone have any ideas?

What you describe should work and does for me. This implies that something isn't right in the setup. Please attach screen captures of the column definition (Preferences / Add your own columns), marking the column hierarchical (Preferences / Look & feel / Tag browser / Hierarchy and searching), and the tag browser entries for the column.

I've attached mine for comparison.


Also be sure that the period being used to separate the items in the hierarchy is a standard period, not some look-similar symbol.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

FWIW: the columns I have checked in the Hierarchy and searching list are unchecked in the Partitioning and collapsing list. It's a long time since I created those columns, so can't recall if that was a conscious or serendipitous decision.

BR

Partitioning and hierarchy work fine together.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

. . .
Also be sure that the period being used to separate the items in the hierarchy is a standard period, not some look-similar symbol.

That was my first thought.

The Lancet still uses a middle dot '·' for decimal point. I was taught to use it in primary school, and then told not to use it in secondary school. That was in the 1950's when we wrote with nibbed pens dipped into inkwells

One of the implementations of the IPTC subject code schema uses middle dot, e.g. "labour·employment·occupations". Maybe the OP is using something similar. IMO they look better than periods… especially if numbers play a role in a category.

Originally Posted by chaley

Partitioning and hierarchy work fine together.

When I took a look at my hierarchical categories I see it would make no sense to partition them on first letter, so it would have been a conscious decision.

BR