Combining two custom columns?

[pg111]

Originally Posted by theducks

In the place you CREATED the custom (predefined tags) column: Select that column from the list:click the EDIT button on the right.
Note that you can't change the TYPE once created, but just about anything else can be updated. BEWARE of changing the lookup name if you have used it in plugins or scripts, Calibre can't suss out all uses, so those can now fail.

Thanks, but I don't want the hassle to edit custom column settings everytime I'm entering a new value. Like in Excel and a lot of programs around, I want to be able to modify an existing list by just entering a new value. It seems this is not possible in calibre.

[Terisa de morgan]

The solution is: Don't define a list but create a custom column like tag (or text, I don't remember, but not fixed values).
In that way, if you are going to add an existing value, there will be help to autocomplete, but if it is a new one, you won't have any limitation. Yes, it will be empty when the database is empty, but I don't think it's a big problem.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by pg111

Thanks, but I don't want the hassle to edit custom column settings everytime I'm entering a new value. Like in Excel and a lot of programs around, I want to be able to modify an existing list by just entering a new value. It seems this is not possible in calibre.

As Terisa said, it is most certainly possible. It is the normal behavior if you create a column "Comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser", which is what most people use.

I thought your use case was that you had a column that for various semantic reasons such as a use by a converter could not have other values. In that case you would need to add the "other values" in another column to avoid breaking the rules. If all you want to do is add new values to an existing column, do what Teresa suggested.

[pg111]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

The solution is: Don't define a list but create a custom column like tag (or text, I don't remember, but not fixed values).
In that way, if you are going to add an existing value, there will be help to autocomplete, but if it is a new one, you won't have any limitation. Yes, it will be empty when the database is empty, but I don't think it's a big problem.

Thanks Terisa de morgan. That may be an option. Thanks for the tip. In that case I just have to maintain a separate list of values for reference in a text or spreadsheet file.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by pg111

Thanks Terisa de morgan. That may be an option. Thanks for the tip. In that case I just have to maintain a separate list of values for reference in a text or spreadsheet file.

Or create an empty book suitably titled (e.g. "_PredefinedValues") and enter the complete list of values into that book's tag like custom column.

BR

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by pg111

Thanks Terisa de morgan. That may be an option. Thanks for the tip. In that case I just have to maintain a separate list of values for reference in a text or spreadsheet file.

It depends. If there are a lot of new values, yes. If you get the values from the beginning, the calibre column is the list itself. @BetterRed's solution is ok too... If your column admits more than a value.