Ordinal numbers in custom columns (1st, 2nd, 3rd etc)

[Luiztfc]

Hi!

I have the same books in different editions and it's useful to keep them to check the differences. I tried to add a custom column to account for this (Edition) but in the "column type" I chose interger, which does not allow me use add numbers in ordinal format (1st, 2nd, 3rd etc). I thought about using a "text" column type, but I wonder if this would end up limiting my ability to sort books by edition.

Is there a better way to do this?

Thank you!

[ownedbycats]

Text is one option.

You may also be able to use a composite column that checks the integer and convert it to text. But that's a bit more of an effort.

[theducks]

If the columns purpose is Edition, why Ordinal?
2 in the edition column is the second edition

Also note you need to pad text if the number is above 9 if you want to sort (alpha sort rule)

Personally, I just append (2nd ed) to the title
Stuff in the paren does not affect the sort value

[Luiztfc]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Text is one option.

You may also be able to use a composite column that checks the integer and convert it to text. But that's a bit more of an effort.

Good idea, thank you!

Originally Posted by theducks

If the columns purpose is Edition, why Ordinal?
2 in the edition column is the second edition

Also note you need to pad text if the number is above 9 if you want to sort (alpha sort rule)

Personally, I just append (2nd ed) to the title
Stuff in the paren does not affect the sort value

You're right, there's no practical reason to do this. I hadn't thought about adding the edition in parenthesis. Thank you.

[ownedbycats]

Note that you can use a comments/long-text type column set to 'title'.

Depending on your use, this may be more suitable as It won't appear as a category in the tag browser or be a clickable link in book details. I use it for subtitles.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

You may also be able to use a composite column that checks the integer and convert it to text. But that's a bit more of an effort.

For fun I made a template for a composite column to calculate the ordinal from the integer. You put the integer of the edition in some column, in my case #myint. You make a composite column with one of these two templates. You would sort and search on the integer column. You would display the composite.

General Program Mode:

program:
	n = raw_field('#myint', '');
	if n then
		t = mod(n, 100);
		if t >=# 4 && t <=# 20 then
			suffix = 'th'
		else
			dex = mod(t, 10);
			if dex >=# 4 then dex = 4 fi;
			suffix = list_item('th,st,nd,rd,th', dex, ',')
		fi;
		return n & suffix
	fi;
	return ''

Python Template Mode (much faster):

python:
def evaluate(book, context):
	n = book.get('#myint')	
	if n is None:
		return ''
	if 4 <= (n % 100) <= 20:
		suffix = 'th'
	else:
		suffix = ['th', 'st', 'nd', 'rd', 'th'][min(n % 10, 4)]
	return str(n) + suffix

(Code from Stack Overflow)

Originally Posted by theducks

Personally, I just append (2nd ed) to the title
Stuff in the paren does not affect the sort value

But it does affect searching.