[GUI Plugin] Kindle Collections (old)

[orlok]

Originally Posted by releki

I am seeing the collections in random places in the home page - can i make it so i only view the collections, not the books?

You can sort by "Collections", which will display the collections first, then the individual book titles afterwards. From the home screen, use the arrow navigation keys to go up to the top line (says someting like "Showing all xx items By Most Recent First") then press the right navigation key and select "Collections". This should give you what you want.

[kiwidude]

@releki/orlok

What orlok suggests will "work" but be aware that the Kindle will change the sort order of the collections based on when you last opened a book in them. Which can for some of us not be desirable.

If you genuinely want your collections to always be displayed at the top and their order to never change, then choose to sort by "Title" not "Collections". Then using meme's Kindle Collections plugin, make sure you put a prefix on the collection name like _ (underscore). This will ensure that all your collections appear at the top of the list, sorted alphabetically regardless of the order you access them. If you have multiple collection types (e.g. by author and by series) then give each a different prefix to keep them sorted together as a group. See meme's first post for suggested prefixes and the order they are sorted on the Kindle.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by kiwidude

@releki/orlok

What orlok suggests will "work" but be aware that the Kindle will change the sort order of the collections based on when you last opened a book in them. Which can for some of us not be desirable.

If you genuinely want your collections to always be displayed at the top and their order to never change, then choose to sort by "Title" not "Collections". Then using meme's Kindle Collections plugin, make sure you put a prefix on the collection name like _ (underscore). This will ensure that all your collections appear at the top of the list, sorted alphabetically regardless of the order you access them. If you have multiple collection types (e.g. by author and by series) then give each a different prefix to keep them sorted together as a group. See meme's first post for suggested prefixes and the order they are sorted on the Kindle.

Good point. Though I like my most recent book (the one I'm reading) to appear at the top, so I just re-sort every now and then to bring collections to the front.

[kiwidude]

@orlok - Yes it is one of those irritating usability choices you need to make as a Kindle user. If you only ever look at one book at a time and don't for instance ever offer it to others to show off to or play with (where they randomly open books to admire your collection) or open other books for various other reasons, then that is the simplest approach to take. Can be a pain to then find an author though if your sort order has got mixed up, at least without running meme's plugin again.

If however you aren't happy with the limitations of that, then what you can do as an alternative is make a special collection to put the book you are currently reading in that sorts above all the rest (in my case I call it ~Reading~). Then when I start genuinely reading a book I put it in that collection. So no matter what "fiddling" I do on my Kindle, I know my reading book is always in the first collection shown, and all my author collections are preserved alphabetically afterwards. You just need to remember to add/remove a book to this collection when you start/finish it, and make sure in meme's plugin configuration that you put your "~Reading~" or whatever collection in the list of collections it does not alter.

[TheD0ct0r]

Originally Posted by TheD0ct0r

A little help needed please:

I build most of my collections from Author_sort, but there are a few instances where I do not want to use this, for example short stories are in their own collection.

If I set the plugin to create from both the tag and from Author_sort, I get books in multiple collections. I tried simply plugging in the author name for the tag, but since I use last name, first name for my author each one is read as two tags.

Is there a way to either:

1) Have the plugin create a collection based on the tag if it exists, and Author_sort if there is no tag, or

2) Have the plugin read the whole tag field as a single tag, even if it contains a comma, or

3) Create a custom column in Calibre that will insert the tag if it exists, or the Author_sort if no tag exists?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I figured out a way to do this if anyone is interested. I used the "Tag" field for the collection name, putting the authors name (lastname, firstname), or a different collection name like "SS" for short stories. I created a "Custom Column" in Calibre using the "Tag" field. So now my custom column contains the same information as the "Tag" field. This shows as a single entry, so when the plugin creates the collection the comma in the authors name doesn't cause multiple collections to be created.

Edit: That doesn't work either. Calibre alphabatizes the tag! So, it works for Adams, Doug but Ball, Alan gets changed to Alan, Ball.

Anyone out there have any ideas/thought/comments/suggestions?

[julius90]

This plugin is really cool. No more standalone collection manager is needed. Maybe more language support will be better. When I create a collection name in Simplified Chinese, it won't display correctly. After I reopen this, it will display in the right way. Kindle displaying is perfect.

[purpleinnej]

I'm sure this has been answered, but the thread is 38 pages long and my searches are coming up empty.

I previously set up collections in Calibre, exported to my Kindle, everything went fine. Now I've downloaded a bunch more books to my Kindle. How do I import all my previous work back into Calibre so that I can see what books are left that need sorted into Collections and which ones are already done?

[meme]

Originally Posted by purpleinnej

How do I import all my previous work back into Calibre so that I can see what books are left that need sorted into Collections and which ones are already done?

You can't import the collections back into Calibre or see a list of books not in a collection in the plugin, yet (working on adding this), but you can use Edit Collections to see all your books and whether they are in a collection or not (last column lists the number of collections for a book, although you can't sort, yet).

You can also use your Kindle - select sort by Collections and any books after your Collection list aren't in a collection.

[meme]

Originally Posted by julius90

This plugin is really cool. No more standalone collection manager is needed. Maybe more language support will be better. When I create a collection name in Simplified Chinese, it won't display correctly. After I reopen this, it will display in the right way. Kindle displaying is perfect.

Thanks for the feedback

Language support is difficult as I can't test it myself.

Where does the collection name not display correctly? Is this in the Edit Collection window when you type in the box or in the drop down. What do you mean by re-open?

Could you include screenshots in your post as an example?

[meme]

Originally Posted by TheD0ct0r

A little help needed please:

I build most of my collections from Author_sort, but there are a few instances where I do not want to use this, for example short stories are in their own collection.

If I set the plugin to create from both the tag and from Author_sort, I get books in multiple collections. I tried simply plugging in the author name for the tag, but since I use last name, first name for my author each one is read as two tags.

Is there a way to either:

1) Have the plugin create a collection based on the tag if it exists, and Author_sort if there is no tag, or

2) Have the plugin read the whole tag field as a single tag, even if it contains a comma, or

3) Create a custom column in Calibre that will insert the tag if it exists, or the Author_sort if no tag exists?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I figured out a way to do this if anyone is interested. I used the "Tag" field for the collection name, putting the authors name (lastname, firstname), or a different collection name like "SS" for short stories. I created a "Custom Column" in Calibre using the "Tag" field. So now my custom column contains the same information as the "Tag" field. This shows as a single entry, so when the plugin creates the collection the comma in the authors name doesn't cause multiple collections to be created.

Edit: That doesn't work either. Calibre alphabatizes the tag! So, it works for Adams, Doug but Ball, Alan gets changed to Alan, Ball.

Anyone out there have any ideas/thought/comments/suggestions?

1. The plugin can't create Author sort only if tag doesn't exist - it just creates what it sees in Calibre, so you need to do your setup in Calibre.

2. The plugin only sees the data Calibre sends it. Calibre is sending the tags as separate entries - so the plugin sees two tags "First", and "Last" and has no way to know which First goes with which Last or that the tag is an author's name

3. Yes. See the Examples section on the first post under Custom Columns. What you are looking for is to create a custom column based on other columns. To fill the column with "Short Stories" if there is a tag called "SS" or with Author Sort if there is no tag "SS", use the template: {tags:'contains($,"SS","Short Stories", field("author_sort"))'} I think I might add that as a new example as it shows how powerful Calibre's templates are.

[TheD0ct0r]

Originally Posted by meme

3. Yes. See the Examples section on the first post under Custom Columns. What you are looking for is to create a custom column based on other columns. To fill the column with "Short Stories" if there is a tag called "SS" or with Author Sort if there is no tag "SS", use the template: {tags:'contains($,"SS","Short Stories", field("author_sort"))'} I think I might add that as a new example as it shows how powerful Calibre's templates are.

You rock! That is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

Is there a tutorial somewhere on the syntax of the template? I've looked but haven't found anything that lays out the full syntax, just examples.

Thanks again!

[TheD0ct0r]

Originally Posted by meme

3. Yes. See the Examples section on the first post under Custom Columns. What you are looking for is to create a custom column based on other columns. To fill the column with "Short Stories" if there is a tag called "SS" or with Author Sort if there is no tag "SS", use the template: {tags:'contains($,"SS","Short Stories", field("author_sort"))'} I think I might add that as a new example as it shows how powerful Calibre's templates are.

What if I have multiple tags? For example, "SS" for Short Stories, "Single Author" for those authors that I only have 1 book, or no tag for all the others? Can I specify multiple "Contains" arguments?

Edit: Figured this one out through trial and error:

{tags:'contains($,"SS","Short Stories", contains($,"Single","Authors with only 1 book", field("author_sort")))'}

Thanks again!

[meme]

Originally Posted by TheD0ct0r

Is there a tutorial somewhere on the syntax of the template? I've looked but haven't found anything that lays out the full syntax, just examples.

Thanks again!

You're welcome.

The Calibre Template Language section in the Calibre User Manual is at http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/template_lang.html I've updated my first post examples with a direct link to it.


Wow, I just saw that there were over 2000 downloads of the plugin .

[allisondbl]

Quote:
Originally Posted by meme

"In case you are interested, you can use the plugin referenced above to organize your books into collections without having to tag them. It does require Calibre to use the plugin, but you don't actually have to import any books into Calibre. Just install the plugin and run the Edit Collections option. You can then add/modify collection names and add/remove books directly on the Kindle. It isn't quite the same as creating collections based on folders, but its an option. I'll give some thought to creating collections from folder names in the plugin, but it might not make sense if you already have Calibre installed."


Running your plugin using "edit collections" s you suggested has now infected my Kindle with dozens of YOUR "collections" which I did NOT want and which I could find no way to REMOVE as options when I gave the program a try by running Calibre edit and trying to - as you suggested - "just run the edit collections option."

So. Is there way to remove the dozens of collections that I assume constitute tags you for some reason chose to assign MY books - I certainly did not - without A having to now bloody do THIS one by one by one and B not remove the actual books from the device.

And running "restore previous' or whatever the undo option that appears under plugins is called just ADDED MORE collections.

This is obscene and ridiculous. I cannot be the only person having these problems. I have used literally hundreds of programs and never had a problem.

Someone please get me back to my collections only please - without having to spend hours deleting the infestation collections one by one - and NO they don't appear when Kindle is plugged into PC so I can delete there because of course that would be EASY ... then I will remove this plugin and possibly Calibre completely and hope someone will invent or update a simple collections manager than can just plug and play. Otherwise I guess I sell my kindle and buy a Sony which can do its job as a holder of multiple books. Which is all the Kindle is supposed to do and which it is not. Which is sad as except for this problem I love my Kindle. And if I sound pissed off: yes. I have wasted too many many hours on this which should require NO time at all. And following instructions and having dozens and dozens of someone else's collections tags added is enough to make me want to punch someobody and I NEVER flame. It's four in the morning and I must get some sleep. Kindle is now toast unless someone can help.

[kiwidude]

@allisondbl - firstly, please lose the attitude. Remember we are all just unpaid volunteers for a free application in our own time offering to help, including undoubtedly hundreds of hours by meme on this particular plugin. That you have a problem is due to your own error, not meme's "fault". So showing your annoyance this way in the post doesn't exactly encourage assistance. That you are tired and frustrated we can understand.

I believe your particular issue may have been aided by a default I disagree with that meme has in the plugin. That default is to create collections based on Tags. @meme - if you want to put in a default, then by author or author sort is a much better choice imho. What makes it worse, is that the default size of the dialog can mean that the Tags choice is likely off screen until you scroll down. So allisondbl probably didn't notice it - is that correct?

So your first step will be to go to the "Customize plugin" screen and edit the line 13 I think it is which says Create for Tags. Change the dropdown back from "Create" to blank. This will ensure that you don't create any more collections from tags.

In terms of cleaning up your existing ones, I think you could use the "Edit collections on the Kindle" button. Or there might be something "smarter" you can do that meme or someone else can suggest.