Collections and Sony Reader PRS-600

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

But it can be done with the Series Collections, so why not other Collections?

Because no programmer wants to implement it.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by itimpi

I guess the other point is that, up to now, nobody has asked about creating Collections based on author, so no one has bothered to write the code to support this.

If you set the Sony Plug in to Author, Series, it creates a Collection for each Author Name, as well as for each Series.

So it already creates Collections based on Author. But in the Series Collection, it orders by Series Number, and in Author it ONLY orders alphabetically.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by itimpi

I guess the other point is that, up to now, nobody has asked about creating Collections based on author, so no one has bothered to write the code to support this.

If you set the Sony Plug in to Author, Series, it creates a Collection for each Author Name, as well as for each Series.

So it already creates Collections based on Author. But in the Series Collection, it orders by Series Number, and in Author it ONLY orders alphabetically.

So Calbre CAN order the books in a collection based on some criteria, is it just that, at this time, there is no option to set this order in Calibre.

[Perkin]

With the new beta, (and future main releases)
I've created a custom-column (series type), called disporder

for each author, select the books in order, bulk-edit, select custom metadata,
change disporder to 'Authors Name' (however you want it displayed), and auto-number the series.

In sony-device preferences, - collections, add '#disporder', (without quotes) and apply seetings

now send the books to device, a new collection for 'Authors Name' will have your sorted ordered books.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Perkin

now send the books to device, a new collection for 'Authors Name' will have your sorted ordered books.

If you have metadata management set to auto, you don't even need to resend the books. The new collection will be built the next time you connect the device. Note that calibre does this work on connection. If the device is already connected, you must disconnect and reconnect. Or send the books.

[Perkin]

Or listen to chaley.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chaley

The beta can do this easily, should you want to.

First, create a series-type column. You probably only need one. Then:
1) select the books in the order you will want them to sort.
2) bulk-edit the books.
3) in search and replace, select authors as source and the series as destination.
4) press OK
5) bulk edit again (everything is still selected)
6) on the custom metadata page, check the auto-assign box for the series column.
7) check the 'force start' box for that column
8) press OK.

Voila, those books now have the author(s) in the series column and the numbers are in the order you chose.

Originally Posted by Pinecone

But it can be done with the Series Collections, so why not other Collections?

Chaley explains how it can be done easily in the upcoming release and instead of saying "Cool I can't wait to try it" your still picking nits. In case you still aren't sure Perkin has explained it well in post 19.

Did you know that there are many ereaders out there where series can't be ordered or collections easily created, like every Kindle sold. Or that there are so many things that bug the Apple folks because their devices can't be accessed directly. Every device is completely different.

I don't understand people who are so anal about doing something a particular way that they can't acknowledge and give thanks for the fact that a way to accomplish what they want is about to be released.

This may not be exactly the way you wanted to do things but this creates the author collections exactly how you want to see them and it creates the series collections exactly how you want to see them.

Nobody cares about doing it any other, less flexible, device specific way. This is not Sony software, this is Calibre ebook management software that in its current configuration is extremely flexible in how and what it can do.

When the next release comes out take some time and learn how to accomplish your very unique requirement. If you still need help at that point, ask and I'm sure we can get you set up and working.

[Pinecone]

Excuse me, but I have acknowledged the work and effort that Calibre represents. And in fact, the software is SO flexible and handy, it amzaes me that in some ways it is so inflexible.

On the one hand you talk about the flexibility of the software

Calibre ebook management software that in its current configuration is extremely flexible

. Then on the other, talk about doing it in a less flexible, way

Nobody cares about doing it any other, less flexible, device specific way.

. And BTW the lack of flexibility that I am talking about is not device specific, since obviously Calibre is able to order colelctions based on series.

I DO have complaints about the Sony Reader itself, but that is not for this section.

I did not see where an upcomng release would do this. And in that case, I eagerly await that release.

Actually I see I can probably do it with the current version.

And I DO understand that no programmer cares. But locking anything into one way makes no sense. Especially to then talk about how flexible it is.

But overall, thanks to the people who put the effort into Calibre.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

BTW the lack of flexibility that I am talking about is not device specific, since obviously Calibre is able to order colelctions based on series.

Collections based on series and series sorting is very much device specific.

I have to admit ignorance on all of the devices out there. I imagine there are a few, but I am not aware of any device but the Sony's that calibre can order books by series on. It does pass series to itunes utilizing one of the fields and since the Kobo seems to have an enthusiastic user that puts effort into developing the plugin that unit might sort by series too. But the concept of ordering by series is device specific based on which developers are interested. Currently the series field is not a universally recognized metadata field within ebook formats.

[Pinecone]

My point was, if Calibre can sort by series order on the Sony Reader, then it can sort collections in any order that is desired (once it is programmed to do so).

Alpha sort is not a default (except in the Books section).

The default sort is the order they were added to the collection.

[Agama]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

My point was, if Calibre can sort by series order on the Sony Reader, then it can sort collections in any order that is desired (once it is programmed to do so).

Alpha sort is not a default (except in the Books section).

The default sort is the order they were added to the collection.

I've done some testing on my PRS-300 and calibre definitely sorts non-series books by Title within a Collection, which generally suits me.

Of course it would be possible for calibre to sort collections based on any field - if it was programmed to do so, which would only happen if enough people found the option useful. However, the up-coming release, (now in beta), looks like the answer for you.

It's a pity that the Sony has no way to sort collections on the fly. There are times when I want to sort a collection by Title and then another time it may be more convenient to sort it by Author. At least we do have collections. I don't think that all readers have this facility.

[bookit]

OMG!! I've searched hi & lo to find the answer to sorting into author collections - Doesn't everyone have favorite authors, even if they don't write books that are in series - So, thank you, thank you, and thank you again chaley! :-)

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by Perkin

With the new beta, (and future main releases)
I've created a custom-column (series type), called disporder

for each author, select the books in order, bulk-edit, select custom metadata,
change disporder to 'Authors Name' (however you want it displayed), and auto-number the series.

In sony-device preferences, - collections, add '#disporder', (without quotes) and apply seetings

now send the books to device, a new collection for 'Authors Name' will have your sorted ordered books.

OK, I got a PRS-650 and decided to Calibre exclusively.

So I set up a new column called disporder as stated (using the option of Text column of keeping series-like information). I have several disporder names that I want as collections, with the series number to have them in the right order. And under Custom Metadata I get a drop down box for Disporder and a Number field for Disporder Index.

I go to Preferences - Plug Ins - Device Interface Plug Ins - SONY Device Interface. In the bottom box, for the column that I want turned into Collections and I have tried #disporder, disporder, Disporder, and #Disporder. And I get NO collections at all.

I have tried Manual and Automatic for Metadata Management.

If I put series, #disorder into the field, I get collections based on the series, but not on the disporder.

So why doesn't this work?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

So why doesn't this work?

First, what version of calibre are you running? It must be later than 0.7.21 (IIRC). I strongly recommend that you be using the latest release.

If you are running the latest release of calibrem then are you sure that you are using the 'key' for the field? The key is the value in the first box when you create the column, prefixed by a '#'. You can see it by hovering over the column heading of the custom column in question.

If you run calibre in debug mode, then it will tell you the fields that it thinks it is to use for collections. If you are running the latest release, you can easily run in debug mode by:
1) ensure that your 650 is not plugged in
2) start calibre.
3) click the little down arrow next to the preferences button. Choose restart in debug mode.
4) after calibre restarts, plug in the device. Ensure you have chosen automatic management.
5) close calibre
6) look at the resulting debug output. Posting it here would be best.

[Pinecone]

Thanks. Especially for the quick response


I had already updated to the latest, 0.7.35. And just for fun, I checked with my PRS-600 and the same thing happens.

If I hover over the column heaing, it shows #disporder. Which is what I put in the Device Plug In.

Here is the debug output:

calibre Debug log
calibre 0.7.35
Windows-XP-5.1.2600-SP3
Windows
('Windows', 'XP', '5.1.2600')
Python 2.7.0
Windows: ('XP', '5.1.2600', 'SP3', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Starting up...
Started up in 7.79699993134
Job: 1 Get device information finished
No details available.
DEBUG: 0.0 PRS505: starting fetching books for card None
DEBUG: 0.0 USBMS: Fetching list of books from device. oncard= None
DEBUG: 0.0 USBMS: dirs are: K:\ database/media/books
DEBUG: 2.5 USBMS: count found in cache: 412, count of files in metadata: 412, need_sync: False
DEBUG: 2.5 USBMS: Finished fetching list of books from device. oncard= None
DEBUG: 2.5 Building XMLCache... {0: 'K:\\database\\cache\\media.xml'}
DEBUG: 2.6 Done building XMLCache...
DEBUG: 2.6 Updating JSON cache: 0
DEBUG: 2.6 Start build_id_playlist_map
DEBUG: 2.6 Removing playlist id: 420 Purchased
DEBUG: 2.6 after cleaning playlists
DEBUG: 2.6 Finish build_id_playlist_map. Found 0
DEBUG: 2.6 Finished updating JSON cache: 0
DEBUG: 2.6 PRS505: finished fetching books for card None
DEBUG: 2.6 PRS505: starting fetching books for card carda
DEBUG: 2.6 USBMS: Fetching list of books from device. oncard= carda
DEBUG: 2.6 Building XMLCache... {0: 'K:\\database\\cache\\media.xml'}
DEBUG: 2.7 Done building XMLCache...
DEBUG: 2.7 PRS505: finished fetching books for card carda
DEBUG: 2.7 PRS505: starting fetching books for card cardb
DEBUG: 2.7 USBMS: Fetching list of books from device. oncard= cardb
DEBUG: 2.7 Building XMLCache... {0: 'K:\\database\\cache\\media.xml'}
DEBUG: 2.7 Done building XMLCache...
DEBUG: 2.7 PRS505: finished fetching books for card cardb
Job: 2 Get list of books on device finished
No details available.
DEBUG: 4.7 PRS505: started sync_booklists
DEBUG: 4.7 Building XMLCache... {0: 'K:\\database\\cache\\media.xml'}
DEBUG: 4.8 Done building XMLCache...
DEBUG: 4.8 PRS505: collection fields: [u'#disporder']
Device using plugboard device_db PRS505 None
DEBUG: 4.8 PRS505: use plugboards None
DEBUG: 4.8 Starting update [u'#disporder']
DEBUG: 4.8 Start build_id_playlist_map
DEBUG: 4.8 Removing playlist id: 420 Purchased
DEBUG: 4.8 after cleaning playlists
DEBUG: 4.8 Finish build_id_playlist_map. Found 0
DEBUG: 4.8 Updating XML Cache: 0
DEBUG: 5.6 Timezone votes: 7 GMT, 405 LTZ, use_tz_var=True
DEBUG: 5.6 Starting update_playlists [u'#disporder'] 0
DEBUG: 5.6 Starting get_collections: on_connect
DEBUG: 5.6 Renaming rules: {}
DEBUG: 5.6 Sorting rules: []
DEBUG: 5.7 update_playlists: finished building maps
DEBUG: 5.7 Finishing update_playlists
DEBUG: 5.7 In update/ Starting refresh of device_collections
DEBUG: 5.7 Start build_id_playlist_map
DEBUG: 5.7 after cleaning playlists
DEBUG: 5.7 Finish build_id_playlist_map. Found 0
DEBUG: 5.7 Running fix_ids()
DEBUG: 5.7 Finished running fix_ids()
DEBUG: 5.7 Finished update
DEBUG: 5.8 USBMS: starting sync_booklists
DEBUG: 7.4 USBMS: finished sync_booklists
DEBUG: 7.4 PRS505: finished sync_booklists
Job: 3 Send metadata to device finished
No details available.
get_metadata cache: 415 calls, 99.76% misses