Sort library on multiple fields

[tobiasj]

I have been looking for a way to sort on multiple fields in the library. For example, I want all of an authors books together, but I want them sorted by Series and series index. Is there some way to accomplish this in Calibre or is there a plugin that sorts on multiple fields? I seem only to be able to sort by series or author and not by both with author first.

-John

[theducks]

Originally Posted by tobiasj

I have been looking for a way to sort on multiple fields in the library. For example, I want all of an authors books together, but I want them sorted by Series and series index. Is there some way to accomplish this in Calibre or is there a plugin that sorts on multiple fields? I seem only to be able to sort by series or author and not by both with author first.

-John

Just click each column head you want sorted in order:
eg. Authors then Title

Series sorts include the index order in the sort

FWIW, you may read series by only 1 author. Many have different authors, making a Series<>Author sort iffy

just like you can't do a series<>Title sort (well you CAN do the sort operation, it won't render wonderful results )

Note: There is a sort on start up option where you can enter the column names to always do.
Preferences: Tweaks: <sort_columns_at_startup> selection from right

[tobiasj]

Originally Posted by theducks

Just click each column head you want sorted in order:
eg. Authors then Title

Series sorts include the index order in the sort

FWIW, you may read series by only 1 author. Many have different authors, making a Series<>Author sort iffy

This doesn't seem to work the way you suggest, if I click on the Author column first then click on Series, it changes from an author sort to a series sort, it doesn't um, stack the sorts. Though I may misunderstand what your suggesting I do.

I am not worried about series with different authors, I do have a couple of those but whatever order they end up in doesn't bother me. Having the 20+ books by the same author all over the library rather than together annoys me since my default sort is by series Yes, I know I can create vlibraries or search to accomplish this on a smaller scale but I want the entire library to sort that way. There may simply not be a way to do it, and that's too bad.

[tobiasj]

Originally Posted by theducks

Note: There is a sort on start up option where you can enter the column names to always do.
Preferences: Tweaks: <sort_columns_at_startup> selection from right

This however seems to have worked exactly the way I was looking for. I am going to play with it some more, but simply adding [('authors', 0), ('series', 0)] it seems to sort the way I expected...

Thanks!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by tobiasj

This doesn't seem to work the way you suggest, if I click on the Author column first then click on Series, it changes from an author sort to a series sort, it doesn't um, stack the sorts. Though I may misunderstand what your suggesting I do.

I am not worried about series with different authors, I do have a couple of those but whatever order they end up in doesn't bother me. Having the 20+ books by the same author all over the library rather than together annoys me since my default sort is by series Yes, I know I can create vlibraries or search to accomplish this on a smaller scale but I want the entire library to sort that way. There may simply not be a way to do it, and that's too bad.

It does here.

Your Authors may have slight differences (Jonn Smith vs John Q. Smith)
Your Author sort field may be erratic (shows red)

Get the Quality check Plugin. It has all sorts of Metadat checks to help you identify books that need more Metadata help

[tobiasj]

Originally Posted by theducks

It does here.

Your Authors may have slight differences (Jonn Smith vs John Q. Smith)
Your Author sort field may be erratic (shows red)

Get the Quality check Plugin. It has all sorts of Metadat checks to help you identify books that need more Metadata help

I have already spent the last week or so cleaning up all the meta data. Like I said in my second reply, setting the start-up sort works exactly as I wanted it to which means to me that the meta data must be correct. Either way you got me exactly where I wanted to be sort-wise in my library. Thanks!

[chaley]

Originally Posted by tobiasj

This doesn't seem to work the way you suggest, if I click on the Author column first then click on Series, it changes from an author sort to a series sort, it doesn't um, stack the sorts. Though I may misunderstand what your suggesting I do.

Do the clicks in the opposite order. The last column you click is the major sort order. The second-to-last is the sort used if the values in the last column you clicked are equal. And so on.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by tobiasj

I have already spent the last week or so cleaning up all the meta data. Like I said in my second reply, setting the start-up sort works exactly as I wanted it to which means to me that the meta data must be correct. Either way you got me exactly where I wanted to be sort-wise in my library. Thanks!

@tobiasj - this may do some/all of what you want, has facility to save/reuse multiple 'columns to display' and 'columns to sort' setups ==>> [GUI Plugin] View Manager

BR

[cvlowe]

An option that is sort of clunky, but works is to use the title sort field and manually enter the info in the way you want it to sort. It's not an optimal method by any means but it works.

[fidvo]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@tobiasj - this may do some/all of what you want, has facility to save/reuse multiple 'columns to display' and 'columns to sort' setups ==>> [GUI Plugin] View Manager

BR

Keep in mind that, at least the last time I checked, View Manager can't sort on more than 3 fields. It will let you check more than 3 boxes, but the sorting doesn't work past 3.

It was months ago since I noticed this, so it might have changed since then.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by fidvo

Keep in mind that, at least the last time I checked, View Manager can't sort on more than 3 fields. It will let you check more than 3 boxes, but the sorting doesn't work past 3.

It was months ago since I noticed this, so it might have changed since then.

@fidvo - I don't think the PI has changed, functionally, since June last year. I have about a dozen views but none have more than 3 sort fields - maybe that's why I have have about a dozen views

It would be nice if one could associate views with Virtual Libraries.

I'm mouse shy so I find clicking on column headers a PITA.

BR

[DoctorOhh]

I'm not at my machine, but IIRC the number of sort levels is controlled by a tweak. I have that tweak set to 5, but I don't know that it translates to this plugin.

[dickloraine]

If anything else fails, there is always the possibility to sort through a custom column. Make a custom column that consists of other columns and use this to sort.

[pjmpjm]

Originally Posted by theducks

It does here.

Your Authors may have slight differences (Jonn Smith vs John Q. Smith)
Your Author sort field may be erratic (shows red)

Get the Quality check Plugin. It has all sorts of Metadat checks to help you identify books that need more Metadata help

Thanks to everyone for the sorting feedback. Once you try it out, it's easier than it sounds. Much appreciated.