Folder structure

[degroove]

Hello,

My folders show up as first name last name (Stephen King) and I was looking how to restructure to have them as last name, first name (King, Stephen).

I was very surprised to see that my saving template in the preference is actually on author_sort, and that author_sort is King, Stephen, and that in fact the example shows that this specific book should be saved as King, Stephen.

But all my books are still saved in the Stephen King structure, and even after reaffirming the setting and saving a new book, it didn't matter.

Any thought on what's going on?

[DNSB]

If you are looking at the structure of the calibre library, you can not modify the naming convention and storage without creating your own version of calibre. The save to disk template is for files saved outside of calibre's library.

Treat the calibre library as a black box and don't muck around with the contents.

See this message from 2011: Want to change folder structure or file names in the Calibre library?.

[Sirtel]

You can change your authors to last name, first name with the Quality Check plugin. This changes the folder names too.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DNSB

If you are looking at the structure of the calibre library, you can not modify the naming convention and storage without creating your own version of calibre. The save to disk template is for files saved outside of calibre's library.

Treat the calibre library as a black box and don't muck around with the contents.

See this message from 2011: Want to change folder structure or file names in the Calibre library?.

Having the authors as last name, first name is an exception and entirely possible.

[degroove]

I thought I would add screenshot to show why I am confused.

The template section of save to disk shows the way I would like it to be saved.

But the folder picture shows how it is saved.

Why is there a disconnect? Or am I misunderstanding what the template should be doing?

[PeterT]

See https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/gui.html#save-to-disk

Save to Disk is not the same as the library structure; it's a means of exporting content from calibre

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[BetterRed]

To reinforce what others have posted:

Save to Disk is an Action that copies a 'book' from the library to another location, as specified in Preferences->Save to disk.

It does not determine the naming of folders within the library, they are determined by the calibre software, and that's not going to change.

BR

[degroove]

Oh. I see! Thanks for clarifying. I'll just live with the current structure then. But I am grateful to you guys for pointing to me what this setting is about.

[PeterT]

Remember it's best to consider the calibre library folder as a black-box and not to peek under the covers. If you want to access it's contents then use the save to disk option to copy content out of it, or the calibre cli interface to query / update it from outside of the calibre gui.

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[Comfy.n]

First thing I would do:

- create a custom composite column (type: column built from other columns) with this template: {author_sort}. This helps user get better understanting of current settings, including a possible tweak named 'author_sort_copy_method'. This tweak doesnt alter the folder structure, though.

- Then, as Sirtel suggested, install Quality Check plugin and select Fix -> Swap author FN LN <> LN FN. Do that on a couple of books before any bulk changes, of course. This will change folder structure for author format.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by degroove

Oh. I see! Thanks for clarifying. I'll just live with the current structure then. But I am grateful to you guys for pointing to me what this setting is about.

As I said, you can change the structure with the Quality Check plugin.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Remember it's best to consider the calibre library folder as a black-box and not to peek under the covers. If you want to access it's contents then use the save to disk option to copy content out of it, or the calibre cli interface to query / update it from outside of the calibre gui.

So, why is this where it is… by default:



It's been there for ever, it used to be Path: Click to open and if that book had some supplementary files there'd be Data files link.

You don't even have to click the link, just press 'O'.

The 'under the skirts' line seems to have been dropped from the calibre aficionados lexicon, how about they drop the "black box" term… it has obscurantist connotations.

If you wanted to append some new images to a chronological CBZ what would you do?

I would open the book folder, then open the CBZ in an archive utility, drop the new images into the CBZ, close the archive utility and the book folder, then run Count Pages to count the 'pages'. If I wanted to do a quick top and tail edit of an MP4 video, I would open the Book files folder and fire up ClipChamp or Shotcut.

The 'guidelines' are quite simple: Do not add, delete or rename any items (subfolders or files) in a calibre library folder… except files in book 'data' folders, or items that are excluded from the Library maintenance->Check library feature (e.g. on Windows: a desktop.ini or a .libinfo folder).

If people are smart enough to use calibre, they're probably smart enough to follow some simple guidelines

BR

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

The 'guidelines' are quite simple: Do not add, delete or rename any items (subfolders or files) in a calibre library folder… except files in book 'data' folders, or items that are excluded from the Library maintenance->Check library feature (e.g. on Windows: a desktop.ini or a .libinfo folder).

If people are smart enough to use calibre, they're probably smart enough to follow some simple guidelines

I will agree with your first paragraph. As for the second paragraph? Going by many of the posts over the years, that is a very debatable statement.