Query re: Custom columns & multiple libraries

[jackie_w]

Firstly a big 'thank you' for all the new features introduced in the last few weeks.

Now, before I let my imagination run wild & free with custom columns please could someone clarify the following for me?

When custom columns were originally introduced I have a vague memory that we were warned that if we had multiple libraries then a new custom column should be created in all the libraries or not at all. Is this still the case? or have I misunderstood/misremembered?

I only have 2 libraries (Novels and Reference) but I probably don't really need some of my planned new custom columns in both libraries.

Any help is appreciated.

Also I'm not sure I really understand the concept of "metadata plugboards". Is there somewhere I can read more about it?

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Also I'm not sure I really understand the concept of "metadata plugboards". Is there somewhere I can read more about it?

I can't really answer the library questions, so I'll stick to this one. There is some documentation in the template language description. You should read that, but for now, the basic idea is that you set a combination of device and format and then are allowed to specify what the metadata of the book should be changed to on send to device (this doesn't change the actual metadata of the book in the library). The specification of what metadata should go where uses the template language of Calibre, see the link above.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

When custom columns were originally introduced I have a vague memory that we were warned that if we had multiple libraries then a new custom column should be created in all the libraries or not at all. Is this still the case? or have I misunderstood/misremembered?

I'll answer this with 90% confidence.
You remember correctly, but that was from a time when multiple libraries were not officially supported. When Kovid made them official, he fixed this.
Of course, the ten percent of the time I'm wrong seems to happen 90% of the time

If it helps any, I've done lots of tests with libraries having different custom columns. I needed Charles' help to handle custom columns in the Merge code, and I tested with several small libraries that had custom columns not found in my main library. I've never had a problem.

[jackie_w]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

@Manichean... I think I must be having a 'senior moment' because I could swear I read that page this afternoon. I must have stopped before I came to the Plugboards bit at the bottom. I definitely read the bits about template formatting.

@Starson...If you've tried it with no ill-effects, I'll give it a go (after backing up , of course).

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I have different custom columns in two different libraries and have had no problems.