[GUI Plugin] Reading List

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Bigo2

Hi ownedbycats, I have done exactly as you described, creating both columns etc. It kind of works but not as I expected. The column listing when I click it looks like this:
Read Order v
Default [4]
Default [3]
Default [2]
Default [1]
No checkmarks but the name of the listing "Default" which can be changed or more listing names added in "Customize plugin..."
The listings in other columns Title - Author(s)... are OK showing related details, but the order is wrong, the highest number (= last created) on top...

When I remove all listing from the Reading List, the Order column stops showing those Default [n] lines so there is nothing in the Read Order column as expected - but if I click the column title it still keeps reordering putting those deleted listing titles in columns on top above the letter A...
The checkmarks icon - I tested it, it is linked properly but it does not appear in the column - there is only that Default with a [number].

I could use this as it is but I don't like those sorting errors...

Are you sorting by #readorder or #onreadinglist? The former behaves the way you described, while the latter either returns "yes" or a null value (which is why I called it a psuedobool).

I use #onreadinglist to sort the Reading List books to the top of the list without further mucking up the sort order.

[JimmXinu]

Okay, I think I have this figured out. I was tired last night and making assumptions based on the way I use Reading Lists, which is different than you do.

For future reference, this discussion started in SmartEject:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I installed SmartEject for the reading-list sync (and having a giant eject button on the toolbar). However I noticed that it always reminds me that there's books to be synced even when there's not. When I press "yes" the device doesn't eject (perhaps it's waiting for the nonexistent sync job to finish?).

I have one list per device I keep sync'ed and use FFF to automatically add new/updated books to those lists. I use 'Add/overwrite all list items to device' (to make sure that updated FFF stories are written to device even if already there) with 'Clear this list after a sync to this device' checked (to only send them once). It works great with Smart Eject--no surprise, since I made Smart Eject to work that way.

Reading List determines if there are lists that could be sync'ed (aka Sync Now is enabled) only by looking at whether there are entries in lists configured to sync the attached device. It does not take into account the distinction between 'New items' and old items.

Only when you actually do 'Sync Now' does RL compare the current contents of the device to the list and figure out which are 'new' (aka not on the device) and which are already on the device and can be skipped.

Whether that's because of historical reasons, or performance reasons, I couldn't tell you. But it looks like RL's Sync is functioning as designed.

I hesitate to try changing the need-to-sync check to include checking the device. I don't know why it works like it does now. My guess is performance--the Sync Now enabled/disabled check is done every time any list is changed in any way.

[Bigo2]

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

That little 'v' next to Read Order? That says 'sort descending' AKA, backwards. Click the column header again and it will switch sort direction. You probably clicked it more than once?

From your description, everything sounds like it is working as intended...

Yes, but that's how the 'v' appears after you sorted out putting "A" on top. It is showing the next direction if you click it again... Clicking it would reorder all library starting from "Z" on top of the screen and the Read Order list would be A-Z down there at the bottom bellow the Z-A listing of the entire library...

On Device column listing behaves correctly - it organizes the listing On device A-Z above the A-Z listing of the entire library or clicking it again gives Z-A bellow the Z-A listing of the entire library...
This new Read Order column listing should work like that, but it gives Read Order listing Z-A above A-Z listing of the entire library or clicking it again gives A-Z bellow the Z-A listing of the entire library...

If this is fixed the column will be handy.

[ownedbycats]

That makes sense. I wonder if it might be possible to enable a device check only when it's called by SmartEject (if there's even a way for it to tell).

I'll just keep the RL option disabled in SmartEject. Thankfully I don't often forget to sync the list. I mostly got it for the big button and keyboard shortcut.

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by Bigo2

Yes, but that's how the 'v' appears after you sorted out putting "A" on top. It is showing the next direction if you click it again... Clicking it would reorder all library starting from "Z" on top of the screen and the Read Order list would be A-Z down there at the bottom bellow the Z-A listing of the entire library...

That.... is not how it works for me at all. The triangle/carrot/up/down indicators show the current sort direction (up A-Z, down Z-A) on the last sorted column.

You seem to thing it's exactly opposite? Because it shows you what you'll get next time you click it?? It's possible you are using a different OS or a different theme with different indicators, I suppose.

But it seems more likely to me that you:

1. Clicked on some column, say Title, to sort A-Z.
2. Clicked on your custom series column twice, telling it to sort Z-A, which it does.
3. However! Because all those other books don't have any value in that custom series column, the previous sort is still being applied to them and they still show up Title A-Z.
4. And only the books with something in your custom series column are sorted Z-A on that column.

Regardless: Reading List will save a value to a series column for you. Once that value is saved, how it sorts is not controlled by Reading List. If you think Calibre isn't sorting correctly, you'll have to take up with Kovid in the main Calibre thread.

Spoiler:

I will add something I stumbled across recently that might make a difference:

What Language is set for a book can effect sorting of the Title and built-in Series column, at least. 'The Something [1]' on a book marked Russian sorted after 'The Something [2]' on a book marked English because English sorted on 'Something, The' and Russian didn't treat 'The' special.

[ownedbycats]

In my case, when I used View Manager to sort by the #readorder I had to put it in descending order to sort them to the top, and then the series numbering ended up overriding the other sorting.

For instance, I wanted my fanfics to sort by Currently Reading (composite psuedobool) > Reading List (series) > Last Read (date) > Last Updated (date). But because of the series numbering, any books on the reading list would end up sorting by the series order instead of the two date columns.

I just made a comp column to check whether #readorder was populated and then return "Yes" if it was and null if not. That didn't muck up my sort order.

[Bigo2]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

In my case, when I used View Manager to sort by the #readorder I had to put it in descending order to sort them to the top, and then the series numbering ended up overriding the other sorting.

For instance, I wanted my fanfics to sort by Currently Reading (composite psuedobool) > Reading List (series) > Last Read (date) > Last Updated (date). But because of the series numbering, any books on the reading list would end up sorting by the series order instead of the two date columns.

I just made a comp column to check whether #readorder was populated and then return "Yes" if it was and null if not. That didn't muck up my sort order.

I like it as I installed it according to your previous recommendation and I intend to keep it, but how can I fix the sorting?
There is also the problem that if I remove all the listing it is still somewhat sorting even if I click the empty column...

[ownedbycats]

I just hid #readorder entirely and just pretended it didn't exist at all. I only sort by #onreadinglist.

[Bigo2]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I just hid #readorder entirely and just pretended it didn't exist at all. I only sort by #onreadinglist.

I tried this. I have both column on screen now - the first column (#readorder) is showing Default (or whatever title I assign in the plugin) but in wrong order and the second one (#onreadinglist) is showing checkmarks - again, in wrong order...


ownedbycats, JimmXinu said the sorting order is correct, perhaps it is OK in his plugin, but definitely not here in those columns I created as you recommended.

So, all in all the columns according to your design are perfect except the wrong sorting... why is the sorting wrong?

[Bigo2]

Hi - Going again trough all the setting I have realized:
JimmXinu is right, the sorting is correct! However, the results of sorting [Read Order ˄] A-Z instead of appearing on top of all the A-Z organized titles in the library, it is found down, below all the books.
And when I click the column again [Read Order ˅] the sorting result Z-A appear on top of all titles!
That's what confused me so I thought that the sorting is wrong...
So the question is: how to put the sorting results of #readorder [Read Order ˄] A-Z above the all the A-Z organized titles? Can you help me with that?

[ownedbycats]

You can't.

[Bigo2]

Thank you all with helping me with this...

[ownedbycats]

However, note this:



(missing numbers are because I'm in a virtual library)

Sort #readorder first, and make sure it's ascending. Then you sort by #onreadinglist.

It requires two steps but it'll get your reading list on top of the list and in order.

[Bigo2]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

However, note this:

Attachment 182736

(missing numbers are because I'm in a virtual library)

Sort #readorder first, and make sure it's ascending. Then you sort by #onreadinglist.

It requires two steps but it'll get your reading list on top of the list and in order.

Thanks ownedbycats

[snarkophilus]

I've got a local change to this plugin that adds "move up/down 10" and "move to top/bottom" buttons as my reading list now has about 200 entries and adding something new to the list but wanted to move it to the top was a little painful to say the least.

Is there any interest in these changes? If so, what's the best way to share them? I can do a unix style diff or just post my working ZIP file of the plugin. Note that I couldn't find any existing button images for the new buttons, so I've made up some very average looking ones myself.