Virtual Library - Help for Exclusions

pghaworth · 10-19-2014, 01:53 PM

Hi all - thank you in advance for your help.

What I would like to do is create a virtual library that has only the books that are NOT currently in my other virtual libraries. Is there a way to do this?

I tried the manual and experimented with various things, but they didn't work. Regular and search expressions, etc., are very weak areas for me.

Also wondering if I can create a VL from my custom columns? That would be great, too! Thanks!

Adoby · 10-19-2014, 04:25 PM

A virtual library for SF could be created with this search:

tags:"=Sf" or tags:"=Science-Fiction" or tags:"=Sci-Fi" or tags:"=Science Fiction"

A virtual library for NOT SF could be created with the same search, but with a "not" and parenthesis like this:

not (tags:"=Sf" or tags:"=Science-Fiction" or tags:"=Sci-Fi" or tags:"=Science Fiction")

You would have to recreate, perhaps cut-and-paste, all the searched for all the other VL, put "or" between them and use "not" and parentheses like above.

Anothter way could be to add a tag "In_VL" to all books in each VL in turn, and when done make a VL that is defined with this search:

not tags:"=In_VL"

If you can search for something, you can use it to create a VL.

Assume that you have a custom column named "custom" that holds floating point numbers. Then you can make a VL that contains all books where custom is above 23.3 like this:

#custom:>22.3

You can read more about searches here: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/gui....arch-interface

BetterRed · 10-19-2014, 04:28 PM

Adoby

@pghaworth - Say I have 2 VLs 'Final' and 'Later' defined as:

'Final' VL search term - #status:"=Final"
'Later' VL search term - tags:"=_later"

I could define a 'None of the Above' VL with this search term:

(not #status:"=Final") and (not tags:"=_later")

The parentheses may not be absolutely necessary, but I think they make the expression easier to comprehend, in complex expressions that mix 'and-ing' and 'or-ing' they are more or less obligatory.

In the above sample #status is a custom column, that is what the '#' denotes. If you hover the pointer on column header the 'internal' column name is displayed in a tooltip (same for a VL tab, the search term is displayed if you hover the pointer on them).

BR

eschwartz · 10-19-2014, 06:26 PM

A virtual Library is exactly the same as a saved search, except for some visual improvements -- saved searches cannot become tabs on the top of the library list.

One thing you cold do is use saved searches, and make a corresponding virtual library that simply looks up the saved search. Then make a virtual library for

Code:

not search:"=search1" and not search:"=search2" [and so on]

The whole thing could then be maintained using the saved searches only (no replicating the searches to virtual libraries). You'd just need to add a new virtual library for each saved search, and append it to the exclusions library. All other changes would be read from the saved search, so no need to maintain custom columns.*
Although there may be a performance hit to looking up the saved search from the virtual library -- I don't know. Perhaps chaley or Kovid knows.

* -- some people do use custom columns for search/virtual libraries, simply because it allows you to associate an arbitrary list, like for example a reading list.

pghaworth · 10-19-2014, 06:46 PM

Thank you all!!! I will try again using your offered selections. I knew I wasn't putting something right, but at least I tried (over, and over, and over) and read the manual. At the end of all of it I realized that I need a regular/search expressions manual for dummies and/or a class on them.

pghaworth · 10-19-2014, 08:24 PM

You three - Adoby, BetterRed, & last, but never least eschwartz - have changed my library, my perspective, and my life today with your patient posts. I have used a bit of everything and now my library will finally approach my dreams of what it could be.

Many humble thanks.

all.

eschwartz · 10-19-2014, 09:03 PM

Happy to help.

chaley · 10-20-2014, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

A virtual Library is exactly the same as a saved search, except for some visual improvements -- saved searches cannot become tabs on the top of the library list.

Not quite. A virtual library changes the contents of the tag browser to include only items coming from books in the VL, while a saved search (or any search) does not.

eschwartz · 10-20-2014, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Not quite. A virtual library changes the contents of the tag browser to include only items coming from books in the VL, while a saved search (or any search) does not.

Another visual improvement.

BetterRed · 10-20-2014, 03:46 PM

Another difference I perceive with VL's is that you can do a search within a VL, either by typing into the search box or using the Advanced search feature.

With a SS you have to work within the the saved search string that's already in the search box to inject the extra condition(s); and one faces a cut and paste 'challenge' to make use the features of Advanced search.

BR

10-19-2014, 01:53 PM	#1
pghaworth Fervent Pleasure Seeker Posts: 1,224 Karma: 712073 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Windmills of My Mind Device: Clara HD	Virtual Library - Help for Exclusions Hi all - thank you in advance for your help. What I would like to do is create a virtual library that has only the books that are NOT currently in my other virtual libraries. Is there a way to do this? I tried the manual and experimented with various things, but they didn't work. Regular and search expressions, etc., are very weak areas for me. Also wondering if I can create a VL from my custom columns? That would be great, too! Thanks! Last edited by pghaworth; 10-19-2014 at 02:24 PM.

10-19-2014, 04:25 PM	#2
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,737 Karma: 26785684 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	A virtual library for SF could be created with this search: tags:"=Sf" or tags:"=Science-Fiction" or tags:"=Sci-Fi" or tags:"=Science Fiction" A virtual library for NOT SF could be created with the same search, but with a "not" and parenthesis like this: not (tags:"=Sf" or tags:"=Science-Fiction" or tags:"=Sci-Fi" or tags:"=Science Fiction") You would have to recreate, perhaps cut-and-paste, all the searched for all the other VL, put "or" between them and use "not" and parentheses like above. Anothter way could be to add a tag "In_VL" to all books in each VL in turn, and when done make a VL that is defined with this search: not tags:"=In_VL" If you can search for something, you can use it to create a VL. Assume that you have a custom column named "custom" that holds floating point numbers. Then you can make a VL that contains all books where custom is above 23.3 like this: #custom:>22.3 You can read more about searches here: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/gui....arch-interface Last edited by Adoby; 10-19-2014 at 04:38 PM.

10-19-2014, 06:26 PM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	A virtual Library is exactly the same as a saved search, except for some visual improvements -- saved searches cannot become tabs on the top of the library list. One thing you cold do is use saved searches, and make a corresponding virtual library that simply looks up the saved search. Then make a virtual library for Code: not search:"=search1" and not search:"=search2" [and so on] The whole thing could then be maintained using the saved searches only (no replicating the searches to virtual libraries). You'd just need to add a new virtual library for each saved search, and append it to the exclusions library. All other changes would be read from the saved search, so no need to maintain custom columns.* Although there may be a performance hit to looking up the saved search from the virtual library -- I don't know. Perhaps chaley or Kovid knows. * -- some people do use custom columns for search/virtual libraries, simply because it allows you to associate an arbitrary list, like for example a reading list. Last edited by eschwartz; 10-19-2014 at 06:30 PM.

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10-19-2014, 04:28 PM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Adoby @pghaworth - Say I have 2 VLs 'Final' and 'Later' defined as: 'Final' VL search term - #status:"=Final" 'Later' VL search term - tags:"=_later" I could define a 'None of the Above' VL with this search term: (not #status:"=Final") and (not tags:"=_later") The parentheses may not be absolutely necessary, but I think they make the expression easier to comprehend, in complex expressions that mix 'and-ing' and 'or-ing' they are more or less obligatory. In the above sample #status is a custom column, that is what the '#' denotes. If you hover the pointer on column header the 'internal' column name is displayed in a tooltip (same for a VL tab, the search term is displayed if you hover the pointer on them). BR

10-19-2014, 06:46 PM	#5
pghaworth Fervent Pleasure Seeker Posts: 1,224 Karma: 712073 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Windmills of My Mind Device: Clara HD	Thank you all!!! I will try again using your offered selections. I knew I wasn't putting something right, but at least I tried (over, and over, and over) and read the manual. At the end of all of it I realized that I need a regular/search expressions manual for dummies and/or a class on them.

10-19-2014, 08:24 PM	#6
pghaworth Fervent Pleasure Seeker Posts: 1,224 Karma: 712073 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Windmills of My Mind Device: Clara HD	You three - Adoby, BetterRed, & last, but never least eschwartz - have changed my library, my perspective, and my life today with your patient posts. I have used a bit of everything and now my library will finally approach my dreams of what it could be. Many humble thanks. all.

10-19-2014, 09:03 PM	#7
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Happy to help.

10-20-2014, 03:46 PM	#10
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Another difference I perceive with VL's is that you can do a search within a VL, either by typing into the search box or using the Advanced search feature. With a SS you have to work within the the saved search string that's already in the search box to inject the extra condition(s); and one faces a cut and paste 'challenge' to make use the features of Advanced search. BR