Copy Column layout from Calibre Library to another library

wildchild1954 · 12-07-2023, 03:37 AM

I have been using Calibre to manage all of my ebooks for several years now. I'm setting up different libraries for all of my different authors (or at least the ones with a lot of books!). I use the normal Calibre columns of Title, Author(s), Series, Publisher, Published, and one Custom Column I created to show if the epub has comments included. I'm looking at approximately 40 - 50 new libraries and having to space all of the columns and create my custom one again each time is daunting, to say the least!! Is there any way that I can just copy the column format from the main Calibre Library to each of the others as I create them?

Hoping someone here can help me!

Terisa de morgan · 12-07-2023, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildchild1954

I have been using Calibre to manage all of my ebooks for several years now. I'm setting up different libraries for all of my different authors (or at least the ones with a lot of books!). I use the normal Calibre columns of Title, Author(s), Series, Publisher, Published, and one Custom Column I created to show if the epub has comments included. I'm looking at approximately 40 - 50 new libraries and having to space all of the columns and create my custom one again each time is daunting, to say the least!! Is there any way that I can just copy the column format from the main Calibre Library to each of the others as I create them?

Hoping someone here can help me!

You can create a new library saying that it copies the structure for the library you are at that moment (it creates the same custom columns).

BetterRed · 12-07-2023, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildchild1954

I have been using Calibre to manage all of my ebooks for several years now. I'm setting up different libraries for all of my different authors (or at least the ones with a lot of books!). I use the normal Calibre columns of Title, Author(s), Series, Publisher, Published, and one Custom Column I created to show if the epub has comments included. I'm looking at approximately 40 - 50 new libraries and having to space all of the columns and create my custom one again each time is daunting, to say the least!! Is there any way that I can just copy the column format from the main Calibre Library to each of the others as I create them?

Hoping someone here can help me!

Whoa - why do you want to do that?

If you separate books into separate physical libraries based on Author you'll lose the ability to search all books that have… "moon" in the Series name, or "Cowboys" in Tags etc.

BR

theducks · 12-07-2023, 06:24 AM

I'm in the Whoa group. Your plan has sooooo many flaws.

You want sorted by Author, then click the Author column title.

You only want to see Books by that Author, Click on the name in the tag browser. (green + appears)

Note: This exposes 1 of the plan flaws: Multiple Authors for a book
Multiply that by Z when the 'with' authors varies book to book
Set that to CRAZY, if the book is part of an Anthology (or boxed special)

And what about Pen Names?
The Tag browser allows you to create some pretty complex filters with multiple click.
Speaking of Filters, You can create Virtual Libraries, which is a view by the VL's set filter, and the Rest of Calibr works ONLY on that view

BetterRed · 12-07-2023, 03:46 PM

↑ ↑ ↑ ✔

Another tip, to see the books by the author of the current book, use the Similar books tool, which should be in the book list context menu, viz:

Click image for larger version

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Views: 21
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ID: 205076

Even better, press Alt+A

BR

wildchild1954 · 12-08-2023, 03:14 PM

If I want to search for a specific word in a title I still have all of those books in the Calibre library which allows me to do all of those things you guys seem to think I need to be doing. I still like having a separate library for each author (and multiples don't count as I will only list the book by the first author listed). I don't, generally speaking, buy multiple author books.

Anyway, thanks for the help with this. In all those messages I did find that if I click on 'Copy structure from the current library' I get exactly what I wanted!!

BetterRed · 12-08-2023, 04:47 PM

@wildchild1954, if you change the metadata of a book (e.g. add, change, delete a tag) in an Author library I don't think it will change in the 'All books library', and vice-versa.

I wonder if your need might be better served with an option to show Virtual libraries as a list in a vertical sidebar rather than tabs in a horizontal bar… some browsers have this as an option, others have an add-on.

BR

theducks · 12-08-2023, 05:20 PM

BR if you click on the words Virtual Library, it shows as a vertical list. It just is not sticky

BetterRed · 12-08-2023, 05:26 PM

Which is why I wrote "in a vertical sidebar".

theducks · 12-08-2023, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Which is why I wrote "in a vertical sidebar".

Which is why I wrote not sticky

BetterRed · 12-08-2023, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Which is why I wrote not sticky

…Ψ³

BR

12-07-2023, 03:37 AM	#1
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	Copy Column layout from Calibre Library to another library I have been using Calibre to manage all of my ebooks for several years now. I'm setting up different libraries for all of my different authors (or at least the ones with a lot of books!). I use the normal Calibre columns of Title, Author(s), Series, Publisher, Published, and one Custom Column I created to show if the epub has comments included. I'm looking at approximately 40 - 50 new libraries and having to space all of the columns and create my custom one again each time is daunting, to say the least!! Is there any way that I can just copy the column format from the main Calibre Library to each of the others as I create them? Hoping someone here can help me!

12-07-2023, 03:46 PM	#5
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,553 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	↑ ↑ ↑ ✔ Another tip, to see the books by the author of the current book, use the Similar books tool, which should be in the book list context menu, viz: Even better, press Alt+A BR

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12-07-2023, 06:24 AM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,782 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I'm in the Whoa group. Your plan has sooooo many flaws. You want sorted by Author, then click the Author column title. You only want to see Books by that Author, Click on the name in the tag browser. (green + appears) Note: This exposes 1 of the plan flaws: Multiple Authors for a book Multiply that by Z when the 'with' authors varies book to book Set that to CRAZY, if the book is part of an Anthology (or boxed special) And what about Pen Names? The Tag browser allows you to create some pretty complex filters with multiple click. Speaking of Filters, You can create Virtual Libraries, which is a view by the VL's set filter, and the Rest of Calibr works ONLY on that view

12-08-2023, 03:14 PM	#6
wildchild1954 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A SM-T510	If I want to search for a specific word in a title I still have all of those books in the Calibre library which allows me to do all of those things you guys seem to think I need to be doing. I still like having a separate library for each author (and multiples don't count as I will only list the book by the first author listed). I don't, generally speaking, buy multiple author books. Anyway, thanks for the help with this. In all those messages I did find that if I click on 'Copy structure from the current library' I get exactly what I wanted!!

12-08-2023, 04:47 PM	#7
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,553 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@wildchild1954, if you change the metadata of a book (e.g. add, change, delete a tag) in an Author library I don't think it will change in the 'All books library', and vice-versa. I wonder if your need might be better served with an option to show Virtual libraries as a list in a vertical sidebar rather than tabs in a horizontal bar… some browsers have this as an option, others have an add-on. BR

12-08-2023, 05:20 PM	#8
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,782 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	BR if you click on the words Virtual Library, it shows as a vertical list. It just is not sticky

12-08-2023, 05:26 PM	#9
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,553 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Which is why I wrote "in a vertical sidebar".

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