Testers wanted for 'series' custom columns

chaley · 06-20-2010, 04:43 PM

After discussion with Kovid, I have added a new type of custom column: series. I am looking for some testers.

Series custom columns are like the standard series column. They contain a series name that many books can refer to, and a 'n.nn' value that is individual to a book. Editing via edit metadata and directly on the library view is supported. The series name is searchable and appears in the tag browser. Like other custom fields, you cannot yet use them in collections, but that will come.

The series type was added to permit books to be in more than one series at a time. For example, Weber's Honorverse books have at least an Honorverse temporal order, a publishing order, and a sub-series order. Bradley's Darkover books have the same characteristics, with the added complexity that the sub-series are threaded together. Using the new column type, you can keep track of the ones that interest you.

Now to testing: I have tried it in all the permutations that I can think of, but hard experience has shown that I don't think of them all. My hope for opening it for testing is to get confidence that series columns work and that nothing else has been broken. Even just a few people trying it will raise confidence levels substantially.

Some things to test: I had to touch a little bit of code in a lot of places. I had to change both edit metadata functions (single and bulk), and there is some possibility that I broke them. I also changed the library view to both display and edit the series columns, changed sorting for the obvious reason, and modified the create custom column display. All of these should be tried by different fingers than mine. In addition, the version should be simply used as normal, because there might be unexpected behavior somewhere else.

To test, you must run from source. The source repository is lp:~cbhaley/calibre/charles_test/. If you have never run from source, see http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/develop.html. The process isn't overly difficult, but it does make a few demands that not everyone is prepared for. The most challenging is installing the version control environment 'bzr', used for downloading the source.

There are no changes to the database schema, so the risk of damaging a your database is extremely low. That said, as always it would be good to have a backup.

There is only one 0.7.4 compatibility problem. Once you create series columns, you will not be able to run 0.7.4 until you delete those columns. If you forget to delete them, 0.7.4 will complain bitterly about an unknown column type '#series' and not start properly. If you want to back up to 0.7.4, delete the columns using the test version, or by using 0.7.4's command line command 'calibredb remove_custom_column'. Alternatively, and better, would be to run it on a copy of your library.

Thank you in advance for your help.

theducks · 06-20-2010, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

I am looking for some testers.

The series type was added to permit books to be in more than one series at a time. For example, Weber's Honorverse books have at least an Honorverse temporal order, a publishing order, and a sub-series order. Bradley's Darkover books have the same characteristics, with the added complexity that the sub-series are threaded together. Using the new column type, you can keep track of the ones that interest you.

If you want to back up to 0.7.4, delete the columns using the test version, or by using 0.7.4's command line command 'calibredb remove_custom_column'. Alternatively, and better, would be to run it on a copy of your library.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Charley
I have both those example series (and More

.
I love to test for you, but I seem to be dense in getting the bzr's to run (currently have the trunk on my system)

I set the Windows environment:

Code:

CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM

value:

Code:

"C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre"

That is the folder that has the src, icons,resources... folders that "Tortoise Bazaar" manages (and updates, trunk is now 5545 according to Bazaar Explorer)

I should just start Calibre like I always do and it should run from the source, Right?

GRiker · 06-20-2010, 08:06 PM

I think you need to set the variable one level deeper to the src directory.

You will see an asterisk by the version number in the gui when running from source.

G

theducks · 06-20-2010, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRiker

I think you need to set the variable one level deeper to the src directory.

You will see an asterisk by the version number in the gui when running from source.

G

I added "\src", "\src\" no joy

Then I noticed that there was a calibre\src inside the src dir

that did not work either No 0.7.4* when I restart Calibre

I give up

chaley · 06-21-2010, 03:41 AM

Thanks for trying.

My setting is

Code:

set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM=C:\calibre_development\calibre\src

Calibre_development is the folder where I keep my various source trees (I have 6). calibre is the folder containing the managed source. It contains the files/folders: .settings, icons, resources, setup, src, .bzrignore, .project, .pydevproject, Changelog.yaml, COPYRIGHT, INSTALL, LICENSE, LICENSE.rtf, README, session.vim, setup.py, and .bzr. You won't have all of them, because some are put there the eclipse/pydev development environment. It is 'src' in this folder that must appear in the CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM variable.

The other trick is that you must set the environment variable so that calibre can see it. You can set it in the windows environment list (my computer, ..., environment), but that is harder to manage. For example, you usually need to reboot after changing it.

The easiest way (for me) to run calibre from source is to use a .bat (or .cmd) file and run from a cmd prompt. The file will contain the following, but with your path:

Code:

set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM=C:\calibre_development\calibre\src
calibre-debug -g

This way you will see the debug output, which will help if something goes wrong.

If you want to use a different library, add the appropriate CALIBRE line(s) to the above. What I do is use different configuration folders so settings so my production library doesn't get touched. As such I add:

Code:

set CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=C:\calibre_development\config_test

to my .bat file, having copied my production config folder to there and then modifying the library path in global.py.

The same techniques work on linux systems, with syntax changes appropriate for the shell in use. Don't forget to export your environment variables if your shell requires it (most do).

theducks · 06-21-2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Thanks for trying.

My setting is

Code:

set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM=C:\calibre_development\calibre\src

Calibre_development is the folder where I keep my various source trees (I have 6). calibre is the folder containing the managed source. It contains the files/folders: .settings, icons, resources, setup, src, .bzrignore, .project, .pydevproject, Changelog.yaml, COPYRIGHT, INSTALL, LICENSE, LICENSE.rtf, README, session.vim, setup.py, and .bzr. You won't have all of them, because some are put there the eclipse/pydev development environment. It is 'src' in this folder that must appear in the CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM variable.

I saw thos files

Quote:

The other trick is that you must set the environment variable so that calibre can see it. You can set it in the windows environment list (my computer, ..., environment), but that is harder to manage. For example, you usually need to reboot after changing it.

That is where I set it. I opened the command prompt and did the "echo test"

Quote:

Code:

set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM=C:\calibre_development\calibre\src
calibre-debug -g

This way you will see the debug output, which will help if something goes wrong.

[/CODE]to my .bat file, having copied my production config folder to there and then modifying the library path in global.py.

Could my problem be that I had to quote the PATH location because of the spaces in the path?

chaley · 06-21-2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Could my problem be that I had to quote the PATH location because of the spaces in the path?

Yes, definitely. Without the quotes, the path will stop at the first space.

theducks · 06-21-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Yes, definitely. Without the quotes, the path will stop at the first space.

Thought so, I did it correctly

and it still did not work.

Thanks

chaley · 06-21-2010, 11:37 AM

Copy the following and paste it into a cmd box.

Code:

set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM="C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src"
calibre-debug -g

Assuming I have the paths right (they are copied from a previous message), calibre should run from source. You should see an asterisk next to the version number. You will be using your standard configuration.

If this doesn't work, then either the path does not lead to the right place or there is something wrong with the source folders.

The 'right place' will contain the folders routes, calibre, cherrypy, odf, and pyPdf.

theducks · 06-21-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Copy the following and paste it into a cmd box.

Code:

set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM="C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src"
calibre-debug -g

Assuming I have the paths right (they are copied from a previous message), calibre should run from source. You should see an asterisk next to the version number. You will be using your standard configuration.

If this doesn't work, then either the path does not lead to the right place or there is something wrong with the source folders.

The 'right place' will contain the folders routes, calibre, cherrypy, odf, and pyPdf.

Absolutely strange:

Code:

  Volume in drive C is C-clamp
 Volume Serial Number is F857-3467

 Directory of C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src

06/15/2010  19:57    <DIR>          .
06/15/2010  19:57    <DIR>          ..
06/19/2010  21:27    <DIR>          calibre
06/15/2010  19:57    <DIR>          cherrypy
06/15/2010  19:57    <DIR>          odf
06/15/2010  19:57    <DIR>          pyPdf
06/15/2010  19:57    <DIR>          routes
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
               7 Dir(s)  22,999,883,776 bytes free

and the Echo of the Environment (2 times to be sure it was my echo that logged)

"C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src" 
"C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src"

BTW I did not know environment vars were case sensitive in Windows

echo %calibre_develop_from% (was not set)

No *

chaley · 06-21-2010, 01:35 PM

Could there be a DEVELOP_CALIBRE_FROM specified in your windows environment? Go to my computer, right-click and choose properties, then advanced, then environment variables, and check both the user box and the system box.

theducks · 06-21-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Could there be a DEVELOP_CALIBRE_FROM specified in your windows environment? Go to my computer, right-click and choose properties, then advanced, then environment variables, and check both the user box and the system box.

Charley
No! to the environment vars user and system

you just wrote
DEVELOP_CALIBRE_FROM

the instrustions said:
CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM

are there errors in the instructions :/

chaley · 06-21-2010, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Charley
No! to the environment vars user and system

you just wrote
DEVELOP_CALIBRE_FROM

the instrustions said:
CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM

are there errors in the instructions :/

No. I typed it wrong. It is CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM.

If you want to give up at this point, that would be completely understandable.

If not, then grasping at straws at this point: Are there a lot of .py files in the sub-folders of C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src\calibre? Does the folder C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\resources exist?

theducks · 06-21-2010, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

No. I typed it wrong. It is CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM.

If you want to give up at this point, that would be completely understandable.

If not, then grasping at straws at this point: Are there a lot of .py files in the sub-folders of C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src\calibre? Does the folder C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\resources exist?

yes

I Give up

I would have liked to have contributed by being a tester since my modern code skills are minimal (I understand, maybe 25% of what I am seeing.

. )

ivanm · 06-26-2010, 06:06 AM

I've just found this feature in the new 0.7.5 version, and am quite pleased with it. However, I'm not sure how to deal with numbering of both the main series and the sub-series (and the Honorverse books are the main culprits

); any advice?

Also, is there any nice way of dealing with books which may or may not have a sub-series when sending them to a device or saving them (rather than having to use yet another possible saving format)?

06-20-2010, 04:43 PM	#1
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,951 Karma: 7225107 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Testers wanted for 'series' custom columns After discussion with Kovid, I have added a new type of custom column: series. I am looking for some testers. Series custom columns are like the standard series column. They contain a series name that many books can refer to, and a 'n.nn' value that is individual to a book. Editing via edit metadata and directly on the library view is supported. The series name is searchable and appears in the tag browser. Like other custom fields, you cannot yet use them in collections, but that will come. The series type was added to permit books to be in more than one series at a time. For example, Weber's Honorverse books have at least an Honorverse temporal order, a publishing order, and a sub-series order. Bradley's Darkover books have the same characteristics, with the added complexity that the sub-series are threaded together. Using the new column type, you can keep track of the ones that interest you. Now to testing: I have tried it in all the permutations that I can think of, but hard experience has shown that I don't think of them all. My hope for opening it for testing is to get confidence that series columns work and that nothing else has been broken. Even just a few people trying it will raise confidence levels substantially. Some things to test: I had to touch a little bit of code in a lot of places. I had to change both edit metadata functions (single and bulk), and there is some possibility that I broke them. I also changed the library view to both display and edit the series columns, changed sorting for the obvious reason, and modified the create custom column display. All of these should be tried by different fingers than mine. In addition, the version should be simply used as normal, because there might be unexpected behavior somewhere else. To test, you must run from source. The source repository is lp:~cbhaley/calibre/charles_test/. If you have never run from source, see http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/develop.html. The process isn't overly difficult, but it does make a few demands that not everyone is prepared for. The most challenging is installing the version control environment 'bzr', used for downloading the source. There are no changes to the database schema, so the risk of damaging a your database is extremely low. That said, as always it would be good to have a backup. There is only one 0.7.4 compatibility problem. Once you create series columns, you will not be able to run 0.7.4 until you delete those columns. If you forget to delete them, 0.7.4 will complain bitterly about an unknown column type '#series' and not start properly. If you want to back up to 0.7.4, delete the columns using the test version, or by using 0.7.4's command line command 'calibredb remove_custom_column'. Alternatively, and better, would be to run it on a copy of your library. Thank you in advance for your help.

06-21-2010, 03:41 AM	#5
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,951 Karma: 7225107 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Thanks for trying. My setting is Code: set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM=C:\calibre_development\calibre\src Calibre_development is the folder where I keep my various source trees (I have 6). calibre is the folder containing the managed source. It contains the files/folders: .settings, icons, resources, setup, src, .bzrignore, .project, .pydevproject, Changelog.yaml, COPYRIGHT, INSTALL, LICENSE, LICENSE.rtf, README, session.vim, setup.py, and .bzr. You won't have all of them, because some are put there the eclipse/pydev development environment. It is 'src' in this folder that must appear in the CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM variable. The other trick is that you must set the environment variable so that calibre can see it. You can set it in the windows environment list (my computer, ..., environment), but that is harder to manage. For example, you usually need to reboot after changing it. The easiest way (for me) to run calibre from source is to use a .bat (or .cmd) file and run from a cmd prompt. The file will contain the following, but with your path: Code: set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM=C:\calibre_development\calibre\src calibre-debug -g This way you will see the debug output, which will help if something goes wrong. If you want to use a different library, add the appropriate CALIBRE line(s) to the above. What I do is use different configuration folders so settings so my production library doesn't get touched. As such I add: Code: set CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=C:\calibre_development\config_test to my .bat file, having copied my production config folder to there and then modifying the library path in global.py. The same techniques work on linux systems, with syntax changes appropriate for the shell in use. Don't forget to export your environment variables if your shell requires it (most do).

06-21-2010, 11:37 AM	#9
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,951 Karma: 7225107 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Copy the following and paste it into a cmd box. Code: set CALIBRE_DEVELOP_FROM="C:\Documents and Settings\shop1\calibre\src" calibre-debug -g Assuming I have the paths right (they are copied from a previous message), calibre should run from source. You should see an asterisk next to the version number. You will be using your standard configuration. If this doesn't work, then either the path does not lead to the right place or there is something wrong with the source folders. The 'right place' will contain the folders routes, calibre, cherrypy, odf, and pyPdf.

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06-20-2010, 08:06 PM	#3
GRiker Comparer of the Ephemeris Posts: 1,496 Karma: 424697 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad	I think you need to set the variable one level deeper to the src directory. You will see an asterisk by the version number in the gui when running from source. G

06-21-2010, 01:35 PM	#11
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,951 Karma: 7225107 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Could there be a DEVELOP_CALIBRE_FROM specified in your windows environment? Go to my computer, right-click and choose properties, then advanced, then environment variables, and check both the user box and the system box.

06-26-2010, 06:06 AM	#15
ivanm e^bored Posts: 44 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo Aura HD, BeBook Neo	I've just found this feature in the new 0.7.5 version, and am quite pleased with it. However, I'm not sure how to deal with numbering of both the main series and the sub-series (and the Honorverse books are the main culprits ); any advice? Also, is there any nice way of dealing with books which may or may not have a sub-series when sending them to a device or saving them (rather than having to use yet another possible saving format)?

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