How to turn a Yes/No Column into a Tag on sending to device

[SharkLaser]

I've currently got Calibre set up with custom Yes/No column named 'Read' to indicate whether the book has been read or not.

What I'd like to do is use this Yes/No column to create a collection on my Sony Reader for read books (and unread books). Currently Calibre creates collections based on tags, but is there any way to use my custom Yes/No column to create a collection (or a tag, which itself will create a collection) when sending to device?

I know I could do this by way of abandoning the Yes/No column and adding 'read' and 'unread' tags to everything, but I'd rather avoid that if possible, because I want to keep the read status separate in my library.

Thanks.

[Manichean]

Have a look at the options in the Sony device interface plugin (preferences->plugins). You can add your custom column as a column to create collections for. You might have to create another column that translates the yes/no values into strings of "read"/"unread"- I don't have a Sony, so I don't know (and can't test) what name a collection based on a binary column will get.
Oh, and remember that custom columns need to be prefixed with a hash sign ('#').

[SharkLaser]

Okay, that sort of worked (didn't realise you needed the '#' sign) - it created collections called 'no (read)' and 'yes (read)'. Thanks

I'd ideally like to use a custom column to translate the yes/no value to an 'read' and 'unread' tag, which I can then send over - that would probably be the neatest in terms of collections on the Reader. What template would I need to use to do that? (Sorry, I'm not terribly experienced with Calibre and this sort of thing).

[Manichean]

Moderator Notice
Moved to devices. I just now realized this thread belongs there.

[speakingtohe]

Have you tried the text with a fixed set of permitted values custom column? Might work.
I admit to being a bit curious as to wh you want to keep 'read' books on your reader.

Helen

[kiwidude]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Have you tried the text with a fixed set of permitted values custom column? Might work.
I admit to being a bit curious as to wh you want to keep 'read' books on your reader.

Helen

I remember quite a while ago a user posting on the plugin ideas thread a request for something similar to this. My response was the same as yours Helen, I don't understand why someone would want to intentionally store read books on their reader. Or more specifically, why they want to put them back on there with that classification.

The only reason I have for putting a book on my reader is if I intend to read it. My backlog is so huge that rereading books is not going to happen anytime soon. However if I was intending to reread a book, then I wouldn't want it classified any differently to the others on there.

But that is just me, and we all work differently so of course there is nothing "wrong" with storing read books on there. Maybe they have a small collection and want their entire library on the device. Or perhaps as a way to break out of a reading funk they want to dive into a previously read book. Or maybe they want to be able to talk to someone about a book they think they read and being able to confirm it by it being in that collection on their device. I am guessing at reasons

[nynaevelan]

I for one like specific read books on my device because I plan to re-read them and because some of my series has notes attached to them that I like to refer back to when reading the next volumes. But I along with their normal tags I have a custom column which has the additional tag of "re-Reads" so I know exactly where to find them.

@Kiwidude: I too have a large backlog but there are just some books I come back to no matter how large the backlog. For instance this summer I will be re-reading the Wheel of Time series to prepare me for the last book.

[theducks]

I keep copies all my books on my reader (SD Card).
What else am I going to do with all that storage

As to Read, status.:

Sometimes , I manage to update the flag in Calibre (which resets the Modified date), So I update my device on the next send