Kobo: Separate series index (text) and series_index (float)?

[ownedbycats]

Suggestion: I wonder if these would be within scope to implement in Kobo Utilities:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

On the Kobo device, the SeriesNumber row in the content table is a text column rather than an integer or float. Both null results and things like "1-4" are valid entries.

There's two things I'd like to know if are possible to do via plugboards:

1. For series omnibuses, I use series_indexes of x.y — 1.04 or 5.07. Is it possible to replace the period with a dash and remove the extra 0 to display as 1-4 on the Kobo?

2. For unnumbered series, I use a series_index of 0.0. This means a lot of "Series Name - 0"s on my device. Is it possible to return a null value instead?

Both of them can be done by editiing the SQLite database directly, but manually gets tiresome. If it's technically feasible, perhaps a KU menu option for selected books to run a SQLite query to overwrite, which is run prior to eject.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Suggestion: I wonder if these would be within scope to implement in Kobo Utilities:



Both of them can be done by editiing the SQLite database directly, but manually gets tiresome. If it's technically feasible, perhaps a KU menu option for selected books to run a SQLite query to overwrite, which is run prior to eject.

I can tell you that run a sqlite query to overwrite the database is totally feasible, as I have exactly that, an action chain which run the query (as an option for Kobo Utilities) and Smart Eject after that. The issue is that I think it could be dangerous if you're not really, really aware of what you're doing. I know too that is only in my version because davidfor didn't want to include something like that (I requested it).

[Majutsushi]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Suggestion: I wonder if these would be within scope to implement in Kobo Utilities:

Both of them can be done by editiing the SQLite database directly, but manually gets tiresome. If it's technically feasible, perhaps a KU menu option for selected books to run a SQLite query to overwrite, which is run prior to eject.

That's an interesting idea, although I'm not sure how it could be implemented without either being too specific or effectively reinventing plugboards. Or do you mean actually allowing you to run an arbitrary SQL query? That would certainly be possible but also very dangerous like Terisa said. It would also have to be run in a similar manual way to what Terisa described since I don't think there's a way to hook into an eject event.

I'm curious how it's implemented in the version that Terisa uses, particularly how you can run predefined queries in an automated fashion. I can create an issue for it, but I can't promise anything especially since I'm currently in the middle of some big internal refactorings.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by Majutsushi

That's an interesting idea, although I'm not sure how it could be implemented without either being too specific or effectively reinventing plugboards. Or do you mean actually allowing you to run an arbitrary SQL query? That would certainly be possible but also very dangerous like Terisa said. It would also have to be run in a similar manual way to what Terisa described since I don't think there's a way to hook into an eject event.

I'm curious how it's implemented in the version that Terisa uses, particularly how you can run predefined queries in an automated fashion. I can create an issue for it, but I can't promise anything especially since I'm currently in the middle of some big internal refactorings.

In my case, as it's a specific query, they query is built inside the code and there is a menu option to run it. So, it uses all the plugin mechanism to run it. It's not a "generic query builder" to run it, that I'm not sure how to implement it and, for sure, I wouldn't include as it's going to give more problems than adventages (that's my POV, of course).

[ownedbycats]

I will open a ticket and see what Kovid thinks.

EDIT: https://bugs.launchpad.net/calibre/+bug/2112564

EDIT: wontfix.

[DNSB]

And again, what effect would this change have on the SeriesNumberFloat field. Both fields are used internally by Kobo's firmware.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DNSB

And again, what effect would this change have on the SeriesNumberFloat field. Both fields are used internally by Kobo's firmware.

I'm curious; how do you know this? Is the firmware source available? What does the kobo use the float value for? My guess is sorting.

I'm tempted to add setting the text index using a template to the driver just to see what happens. I think the driver doesn't read/use that field (not near my computer so can't check). The change would be easier than it was to add collection management via template.

[Terisa de morgan]

In this message you can find some information about SeriesNumberFloat, that DNSB is talking about. Ah, and reading the thread, I see my query is doing what I wrote there: I keep Series and SeriesNumber, so the series is shown in the book in the library, but set to null (so not informed) SeriesId and SeriesNumberFloat, so Kobo doesn't count it to create series.

[Terisa de morgan]

In this message you can find some information about SeriesNumberFloat, that DNSB is talking about. Ah, and reading the thread, I see my query is doing what I wrote there: I keep Series and SeriesNumber, so the series is shown in the book in the library, but set to null (so not informed) SeriesId and SeriesNumberFloat, so Kobo doesn't count it to create series.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by chaley

I'm tempted to add setting the text index using a template to the driver just to see what happens. I think the driver doesn't read/use that field (not near my computer so can't check). The change would be easier than it was to add collection management via template.

I have an implementation of this that seems to work. I added a checkbox and template to the driver config metadata tab to set the series index (text) to whatever the template returns. I tested it with sideloaded books. I don't know what it will do with purchased/downloaded books.

My Libra 2 sorts on the series index (float). The series index (text) is ignored. I tested this by setting the text to (100-series_index).

If anyone wants to try it (no guarantees!) then run from source and put these two files in src/calibre/devices/kobo.

[ownedbycats]

I'll try it later. I connect my Kobo at end of day.

[ownedbycats]

program: 
switch_if(
	$series_index ==#'0', '',
	$series_index
	)

Worked. Have not figure out how to turn 1.04 into 1-4 though.

Maybe this could be split into a thread for development subforum.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

program: 
switch_if(
	$series_index ==#'0', '',
	$series_index
	)

Worked. Have not figure out how to turn 1.04 into 1-4 though.

Assuming you use n.m only for omnibus-style books, multiple books in order, and not for intermediate books e.g. a book 2.5 that falls between 2 and 3, then this might work:

program:
	series_start = floor($series_index);
	fraction = fractional_part($series_index);
	if fraction ==# 0 then
		result = series_start
	else
		series_end = floor(fraction*100);
		if series_end >=# 0 then
			result = series_start & '-' & series_end
		fi
	fi;
	result

This template assumes you always use 2 digits in the fraction. How to disambiguate single digit fractions and 2 digit fractions isn't obvious.

Also, if you have both omnibus and intermediate books (as I do) then you would need some way to distinguish between them. I would use a Yes/No "Is Omnibus" column for this.

It might be easiest in the long run to have a text custom column that contains the series string you want for the book.

Maybe this could be split into a thread for development subforum.

I put it in the devices forum.

[chaley]

I'll submit the changes to Kovid after I get more feedback.

If one doesn't use the feature then nothing changes in how the driver works.

Any risk arises if you use the feature and something in the Kobo or calibre doesn't like it. I think the risk is small because as far as I can tell the Kobo driver sets but never uses series_index (text).

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by chaley

Assuming you use n.m only for omnibus-style books, multiple books in order, and not for intermediate books e.g. a book 2.5 that falls between 2 and 3, then this might work:

program:
	series_start = floor($series_index);
	fraction = fractional_part($series_index);
	if fraction ==# 0 then
		result = series_start
	else
		series_end = floor(fraction*100);
		if series_end >=# 0 then
			result = series_start & '-' & series_end
		fi
	fi;
	result

This template assumes you always use 2 digits in the fraction. How to disambiguate single digit fractions and 2 digit fractions isn't obvious.

Also, if you have both omnibus and intermediate books (as I do) then you would need some way to distinguish between them. I would use a Yes/No "Is Omnibus" column for this.

It might be easiest in the long run to have a text custom column that contains the series string you want for the book.


I put it in the devices forum.

I have "omnibus" in the admintags column.