Question about creating columns

[Jabby]

I think I posted this in the wrong forum earlier. I'll try again.

I am trying to find a way to create a column that will hold and display the author's last name only. I created such a column but I have to hand enter the name. I use this to create my download file name, (Poe-Raven, The.epub)

I would also like to know how I can get the new title_sort field to display as a column and also use it to create my download name. I have been doing this by had as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and regards - John

[kovidgoyal]

You have to create a composite column and use the template language. See User Manual for details on the template language. This is not an area of the code I work on/use, so I can't be more specific than that.

[pchrist7]

Originally Posted by Jabby

I think I posted this in the wrong forum earlier. I'll try again.

I am trying to find a way to create a column that will hold and display the author's last name only. I created such a column but I have to hand enter the name. I use this to create my download file name, (Poe-Raven, The.epub)

I would also like to know how I can get the new title_sort field to display as a column and also use it to create my download name. I have been doing this by had as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and regards - John

Hi John
I need to see an example of the info you have in the Authors and Author_sort fields too figure this out.

However if you create a custom column, choose Column Type as "Column built from other columns", enter

{title_sort}

in the template field should work.
But maybe I'm not quite understanding your request.

[Archon]

Let me just question your concept a little by saying there are many authors with the same last name that could be lumped together in your 'download' (I assume you mean save-to-disk).

This could become a problem for you later when you have 4 authors named Brown and you can't remember who wrote which book.

For instance, if you saved your whole library in that format how could you find all the books written by Dan Brown vs all the books written by John Brown or Sandra Brown?

Just a suggestion.
Happy Sunday
Archon

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Archon

Let me just question your concept a little by saying there are many authors with the same last name that could be lumped together in your 'download' (I assume you mean save-to-disk).

This could become a problem for you later when you have 4 authors named Brown and you can't remember who wrote which book.

For instance, if you saved your whole library in that format how could you find all the books written by Dan Brown vs all the books written by John Brown or Sandra Brown?

Just a suggestion.
Happy Sunday
Archon

I'm with you:

2100 books: (only 2 Browns )
3 Andersons
3 Greens
3 Hamiltons
4 Jones

Lots of 2's (Many not related)

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by pchrist7

Hi John
I need to see an example of the info you have in the Authors and Author_sort fields too figure this out.

However if you create a custom column, choose Column Type as "Column built from other columns", enter

{title_sort}

in the template field should work.
But maybe I'm not quite understanding your request.

I entered "books_john, Books, {title_sort}" into the column create box. It was accepted and I restarted Calibre. I then went to have the column displayed and it wasn't in the list of possibles.

Beats me.

Regards -John

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by theducks

I'm with you:

2100 books: (only 2 Browns )
3 Andersons
3 Greens
3 Hamiltons
4 Jones

Lots of 2's (Many not related)

Archon is right; I meant "save to disk".

I created an additional column the I use to hand enter the last name of the author. The original, full name, column is still there so there is no confusion in Calibre. And since the metadata is still intact the file name has no effect on the readers.

But it helps with the Sony which allows sorting by file name - no change to the display. Where it is really handy is with the JetBook Lite. It is a pure DOS file system so I setup folders with genre names and place the books in them. I wanted the last name only so that it would be an author sort but would take up minimum space allowing me to see as much of the title as possible.

The question is moot now. Since I have to set up some sort of template to have my "lastname" field automated and I am to lazy to learn how to do that, I will just leave well enough alone.

My best to all- John

[pchrist7]

Originally Posted by Jabby

I entered "books_john, Books, {title_sort}" into the column create box. It was accepted and I restarted Calibre. I then went to have the column displayed and it wasn't in the list of possibles.

Beats me.

Regards -John

Hi John
Sorry to ask this, but .. did you remember to click Apply when creating the custom column before leaving the costum column window ?

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by pchrist7

Hi John
Sorry to ask this, but .. did you remember to click Apply when creating the custom column before leaving the costum column window ?

Yes I did, but thanks for the reminder.

My solution was about the same sort of thing. The column was created but displayed off screen and then, I didn't remember that you had to create the column for each library. Oh well, I'll just chalk it up to "old timers disease", with my apologies to the forum members.

Regards - John

[Manichean]

If this is still relevant, this template should do what you wanted to do in your original post for the first of the authors:

{author_sort:re(\,.*,)}

[Archon]

Manichean's solution works to create the custom column when you use the 'Column built from other columns' and paste it into the 'Template' field and then restart.

I named my custom column 'lastname' for the sort field and Author Lastname to display but you can call it what you wish. Just adjust the 'save to disk' statement I have here accordingly.

Then just put this into the 'save to disk' field for naming the files.
{#lastname}_{title}

Then I got this file saved to disk for example:
Dickson_Call Him Lord.epub

It still saves the files with the .jpg cover and the .opf file you will have to sort out and trash if you don't need them.

Interesting problem. I learned something today.
The day is a success.

Archon

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by Manichean

If this is still relevant, this template should do what you wanted to do in your original post for the first of the authors:

{author_sort:re(\,.*,)}

Its still relevant and thanks.
I'm just starting some regex tutorials but I'm still pretty confused. I'll sort it in time (maybe?).

Regards -John

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by Archon

Manichean's solution works to create the custom column when you use the 'Column built from other columns' and paste it into the 'Template' field and then restart.

I named my custom column 'lastname' for the sort field and Author Lastname to display but you can call it what you wish. Just adjust the 'save to disk' statement I have here accordingly.

Then just put this into the 'save to disk' field for naming the files.
{#lastname}_{title}

Then I got this file saved to disk for example:
Dickson_Call Him Lord.epub

It still saves the files with the .jpg cover and the .opf file you will have to sort out and trash if you don't need them.

Interesting problem. I learned something today.
The day is a success.

Archon

I'm going to give this a shot and get back to you and Manichean.

Thanks to both -John

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by Jabby

Its still relevant and thanks.
I'm just starting some regex tutorials but I'm still pretty confused. I'll sort it in time (maybe?).

Regards -John

There's a regex tutorial available here for non-technical users.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Manichean

There's a regex tutorial available here for non-technical users.

I'm sorry but by the time I reached "Hey, neat! This is starting to make sense!
", I was so confused, my eyes were crossing and glazing over and I had the starts of a headache. Seriously, it may make sense to you but it won't to everyone (especially me; having ADD, I had serious trouble trying to stay focussed on it).