Understanding Virtual Libraries

[Rellwood]

I have been using Calibre for two years now, and still don't understand how the virtual libraries work. I have a pretty extensive library with different genres from American History to Urban Fantasy. Unfortunately, the only thing I know how to do to break it up is to just make new libraries and shuttle books between them. This is a PAIN because then the columns don't match and I have different metadata for the same books, etc.

I have tried to use the virtual libraries, but

1) I don't understand how they work beyond knowing they partition books from a main source;

2) the fact that I cannot simply highlight a book, and using the context menu add them to a pre-created empty virtual library.

The fact that I have to use the search feature (which I suck at too), that doesn't take genre (custom column) into consideration makes it difficult for those who simply want to click on a book and say "add to XXX virtual library".

Am I wrong about this? Is there already a way that I could set up a virtual library based on a created name and manually adding books to it? Or a decent work-around? I seriously cannot keep track of my books if they are spread across 5 or 6 libraries.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Rellwood

I have been using Calibre for two years now, and still don't understand how the virtual libraries work. I have a pretty extensive library with different genres from American History to Urban Fantasy. Unfortunately, the only thing I know how to do to break it up is to just make new libraries and shuttle books between them. This is a PAIN because then the columns don't match and I have different metadata for the same books, etc.

I have tried to use the virtual libraries, but

1) I don't understand how they work beyond knowing they partition books from a main source;

2) the fact that I cannot simply highlight a book, and using the context menu add them to a pre-created empty virtual library.

The fact that I have to use the search feature (which I suck at too), that doesn't take genre (custom column) into consideration makes it difficult for those who simply want to click on a book and say "add to XXX virtual library".

Am I wrong about this? Is there already a way that I could set up a virtual library based on a created name and manually adding books to it? Or a decent work-around? I seriously cannot keep track of my books if they are spread across 5 or 6 libraries.

Vl's can be as simple as tag based
Any valiv search can be turned into a VL
A VERY simple example. Assumes there is a tag non-fiction applied properly

Fiction (VL) (non- comic)
not tags: non-fiction and not formats:cbz

Non-Fiction (VL)
tags: non-fiction

[eschwartz]

Or if you really need to, create a custom column called "virtual libraries", create a VL for each tag in that custom column, and add those tags to each book that belongs in xxxx virtual library

[Rellwood]

I understand about the tags, but the truth of the matter is, I have WAYYY too many tags as it is.

Please don't ask me to explain how I ended up with 722 tags, and 167 genres but understand that I have a wicked case of ADD that is the "organizational" type, meaning I will organize something to death, with redundant and changing criteria to suit the needs of the moment. I have changed my GR library so many times, adding, removing, and renaming shelves which all get downloaded when I sync and add to GR. I keep lists of book types (series, POV, page numbers, etc.) So there are a ton of tags.

Is it really that hard to program the ability to shuttle to a virtual library without the search feature? I could do it to send between libraries....I pretty much want to start over with Calibre. I am so close to just going in and deleting everything in the way of columns, genres, tags etc. I am a tag hoarder...

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Rellwood

I understand about the tags, but the truth of the matter is, I have WAYYY too many tags as it is.

Please don't ask me to explain how I ended up with 722 tags, and 167 genres but understand that I have a wicked case of ADD that is the "organizational" type, meaning I will organize something to death, with redundant and changing criteria to suit the needs of the moment. I have changed my GR library so many times, adding, removing, and renaming shelves which all get downloaded when I sync and add to GR. I keep lists of book types (series, POV, page numbers, etc.) So there are a ton of tags.

Is it really that hard to program the ability to shuttle to a virtual library without the search feature? I could do it to send between libraries....I pretty much want to start over with Calibre. I am so close to just going in and deleting everything in the way of columns, genres, tags etc. I am a tag hoarder...

How many tags you have does not matter. A VL can be based upon tags (or any valid search). More tags is a supplement to the comments

Think about sorting those books into piles:
What 1 set of things do all the books in a pile have in common:
That is a VL

Do that for each pile. Presto VL's

Not that books CAN be in more than 1 VL, so don't worry about some overlap (Too much, and you probably need to add another selection term)

BTW I have 833 tags.
I drop the BS (hold over from physical car days): We use computers. They can search any old way: Science Fiction or Fantasy
no need for every permutation under the sun

Author names (don't belong in tags), General (unless it is Military, Then it is Military.Famous General) << Did you note the DOT. Hierarchical tags
Compound tags get split (Science fiction & Fantasy => Science Fiction, Fantasy)
Fiction - Science Fiction (Duh! Fiction is even part of this name) Science fiction

SF, SciFi, SF&F all get converted to their legal names (besides, I hate the term SciFi )

Clean the unnecessary, redundant kruft.
In the cases where a splitting might confuse, I use the hyphen version
Romance-Historical
Battles-Historical or Military-Battles
Science Fiction-Military (And NOT the flip)

[BetterRed]

@rellwood - also have a look at User Categories - Left sidebar->Tag Browser->Manage auth...

You can create arbitrary categories based on other categories (tags, authors, publishers etc) and then use those categories in VL search expressions.

There's explanation of User Categories on page 19 of the PDF manual (v 2.38) ==>> http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/calibre.pdf.

BR

[Rellwood]

@theducks,

I am glad to know I am not the only person who has so many tags! I have been going through and eliminating a bunch of one-book tags, and combining things like UF, UF.series, series.uf, Urban Fantasy, etc. I guess I never know exactly what permutation of that term I will use.

I still have to fix my incoming tags for syncing with GR, I tend to either add from Calibre, or add on the site, so I have tags going both ways. Once I change, add, or remove shelves, i am stuck with the old tags...

I like the idea of a column that i can use as a VL tag. That would be as good as having it be "click and shuttle" as i could get. I have no problem setting up a VL using pre-made columns....However....the VL Search list doesn't have a selection for adding a column other than tags. Nevermind....Hierarchical tags will do.

Yes, i do use hierarchical tags, I have more of them than regular tags, and they do go out three fold. I may be into certain straight forward genres, but aspects of those genres need clarifying to determine what I want to read next....

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Rellwood]

@BetterRed,

I have always saw the manage author, user, tags, etc. but I never really got into it. Because there are so many tags it was a bit overwhelming....
But I do have the Calibre user help catalog on tab whenever I am using Calibre. I really try to figure it out on my own before coming here...

[fidvo]

All the above comments are great discussions on the theory of virtual libraries. Now for some practical advice.

My suggestion is to create a "Virtual Library" custom column, that holds tag-like information.

Figure out what Virtual Libraries you want. For instance, suppose you want a "Fiction" virtual library.

Go to one of the books that should be in the Fiction library. Type "Fiction" into the newly created Library column. Now in the tag browser, click on Virtual Library -> Fiction. This will create the search that you'll use to build the virtual library.

Create your "Fiction" virtual library from the current search.

Repeat for each of the virtual libraries you want.

You won't be able to right-click and send a book to a virtual library, but this method is the next best thing. To put a book in a virtual library, just add that library's name to its Virtual Library column.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by fidvo

You won't be able to right-click and send a book to a virtual library, but this method is the next best thing. To put a book in a virtual library, just add that library's name to its Virtual Library column.

Using this scheme you can add a book to a virtual library by dragging the book onto the library name in the tag browser. That will add that library name to the book's custom column.

[Rellwood]

Originally Posted by fidvo

All the above comments are great discussions on the theory of virtual libraries. Now for some practical advice.

My suggestion is to create a "Virtual Library" custom column, that holds tag-like information.

Figure out what Virtual Libraries you want. For instance, suppose you want a "Fiction" virtual library.

Go to one of the books that should be in the Fiction library. Type "Fiction" into the newly created Library column. Now in the tag browser, click on Virtual Library -> Fiction. This will create the search that you'll use to build the virtual library.

Create your "Fiction" virtual library from the current search.


Repeat for each of the virtual libraries you want.

You won't be able to right-click and send a book to a virtual library, but this method is the next best thing. To put a book in a virtual library, just add that library's name to its Virtual Library column.

@theducks

Ok, I ran off and didn't see the whole "Virtual Libraries" custom column and basically just made tags such as "VL.Non-Fiction", and added them by hand along with a search for the tags "non-fiction" or whatever variance of the genre. I have found a problem doing this in that I cannot easily see which books are in that library because there is no custom column, and I found that a bunch of books were being added to the lists that really don't belong there because one random tag was added.

My question....

The custom column with tags, do I choose to use comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser? I am asking because I would like to see all the VL's being represented per book..Also, what is that "show checkmarks" selection that is added when I am creating the column? I don't think I have seen that before...

I will check the user manual for that...

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Rellwood

@theducks

Ok, I ran off and didn't see the whole "Virtual Libraries" custom column and basically just made tags such as "VL.Non-Fiction", and added them by hand along with a search for the tags "non-fiction" or whatever variance of the genre. I have found a problem doing this in that I cannot easily see which books are in that library because there is no custom column, and I found that a bunch of books were being added to the lists that really don't belong there because one random tag was added.

My question....

The custom column with tags, do I choose to use comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser? I am asking because I would like to see all the VL's being represented per book..Also, what is that "show checkmarks" selection that is added when I am creating the column? I don't think I have seen that before...

I will check the user manual for that...

YOU DO NOT NEED A CUSTOM COLUMN to use a VL

You need to simply set up the conditions you want (or use a saved Search), Right-click the Virtual Library: Create: <give it a name>; tags:="VL.Non-Fiction"

That hard for simple queries. you can also build up from saved searches

[fidvo]

Originally Posted by Rellwood

@theducks

Ok, I ran off and didn't see the whole "Virtual Libraries" custom column and basically just made tags such as "VL.Non-Fiction", and added them by hand along with a search for the tags "non-fiction" or whatever variance of the genre. I have found a problem doing this in that I cannot easily see which books are in that library because there is no custom column, and I found that a bunch of books were being added to the lists that really don't belong there because one random tag was added.

My question....

The custom column with tags, do I choose to use comma separated text, like tags, shown in the tag browser? I am asking because I would like to see all the VL's being represented per book..Also, what is that "show checkmarks" selection that is added when I am creating the column? I don't think I have seen that before...

I will check the user manual for that...

Yes, use "comma separated text, like tags, show in the tag browser". I don't know what the "show checkmarks" option is, because I've never used it myself. You should probably turn it off.

BTW, Chaley's suggestion is a great addition to this system. It's a simple drag-and-drop method, almost as good as, or possibly even better than, a right-click system.

[tlc]

Originally Posted by Rellwood

Please don't ask me to explain how I ended up with 722 tags, and 167 genres...

Off topic, but I'm wondering if you have a good source for genre data or are you deciding genres on your own? Also, multiple genres per book?