Selectively exclude custom columns from single MDE

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@chaley - if the column list in L&F->MDE could include column type it would be better than perfect

I looked at this and won't do it. The same list of fields is used in "edit metadata", "book details", and "quickview". Some of them need to add & remove fields where the data type description doesn't make sense. This takes us into "no good deed goes unpunished" territory.

Another wish list item.

In book lists I hide long text columns with an 'is set' icon, and to avoid horizontal scrolling I shrink the column widths accordingly, and I often give such columns a 2 character Header name. It would be good if columns had a another 'label' (e.g. Column title) which if present would be used in Book Details, Metadata Edit etc.

In this screen shot the Red labels in the Book details panel are Column titles for my #blurb and @checklist columns.

Attachment 192098

As always - only if its easy-ish

BR

I will think about this if someday I am near the mass of code to manage and use custom columns. Don't hold your breath.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

I looked at this and won't do it. The same list of fields is used in "edit metadata", "book details", and "quickview". Some of them need to add & remove fields where the data type description doesn't make sense. This takes us into "no good deed goes unpunished" territory.

Okay.

BR

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

In book lists I hide long text columns with an 'is set' icon, and to avoid horizontal scrolling I shrink the column widths accordingly, and I often give such columns a 2 character Header name. It would be good if columns had a another 'label' (e.g. Column title) which if present would be used in Book Details, Metadata Edit etc.

It's kind of an ugly solution, but what I've done before is have one column with a short label for book list/MDE use, and then have a {#yourcolumn} composite column with a nicer label for book detail usage.

[ownedbycats]

Also, just curious: Is there any way to access an enumerated column's "edit permissible values" from within the MDE dialog, or is that only from the tag browser?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Also, just curious: Is there any way to access an enumerated column's "edit permissible values" from within the MDE dialog, or is that only from the tag browser?

That editor is available only in the tag browser. Not sure why, but I did have a reason at the time.

[chaley]

I added splitters to the all-on-one metadata edit dialog. They are in source now. There is a splitter between the field boxes and the comments box, and between those and the formats/cover box. There isn't a splitter between the standard and custom fields group boxes.

[ownedbycats]

It works. I like the ability to completely collapse the sectoions; that might be useful.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

It's kind of an ugly solution, but what I've done before is have one column with a short label for book list/MDE use, and then have a {#yourcolumn} composite column with a nicer label for book detail usage.

Composite columns don't have a header position attribute so that's not suitable for columns such as my Blurb column.

BR

[ownedbycats]

Ah, I don't use longtext columns much so I didn't think of that. I wonder if it would be much of a change to have composite columns support a header position.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Ah, I don't use longtext columns much so I didn't think of that. I wonder if it would be much of a change to have composite columns support a header position.

That would a lot of smallish changes that could easily break things.

[chaley]

I moved the 5 edit metadata tweaks to the look & feel dialog. They are use 2 columns, elide custom labels, where the elision point is, and the label widths for bulk and single metadata edit. The changes are in source.

Because many people are currently bouncing between releases I didn't delete the tweaked values. They are instead shown in "plugin tweaks" when using a version that supports them as options. They reappear as standard tweaks when you use a version that doesn't support the options. Note, though, that changing an option does not change the corresponding tweak. The first time an option-supporting version of calibre is run the tweaks are copied to the options. That doesn't happen again even if you change the tweaks.

[ownedbycats]

Looks good.



Question: Seeing as they're all custom columns, I'm assuming the icons are from another (possibly shared) section of code?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Question: Seeing as they're all custom columns, I'm assuming the icons are from another (possibly shared) section of code?

Yes. The same code is used 3 times in Look & feel: here, in Quickview preferences, and in Book details preferences.

[chaley]

BTW: there is also now a splitter on the All-on-1-tab dialog between the cover image box and formats box.