Format column shows all books as ePub

[carlberger]

All the books are shown as EPUB in the format column even though many are MOBI or AZW3 or multiple.

Any way to correct this problem?

[PeterT]

Is this a custom column? If so, what is it's definition?

I know I have a custom colum

Lookup name: formats
Column Heading: Formats
Column type: Column built from other columns
Template: {:'approximate_formats()'}
sort/search column by: text

and it work's perfectly.

[BetterRed]

@carlberger - it might be an idea to run Library Maintenance->Check Library

The second phase includes the comparison of what formats are in the book folders (according to your computer's file management software) versus what the calibre has recorded in its database as being there. It might give a clue as to why that formats column is spurious.

They can get out of synch if you add/delete/rename files in book folders other than via calibre - if you stick with calibre to do those things then you should not get any problems of that nature.

BR

[carlberger]

Not a custom column. Nor is it fixed by running maintenance.

Looks like I'll try your script and let you know!

Thanks

[PeterT]

I'm confused... as far as I know Calibre does NOT have a format column; you have to create one yourself....

[BetterRed]

I think there was a time when Formats could be shown as a column (i.e what you see in Book Details Formats), but because it created performance problems the approximate_formats() function was provided, either then or later the support for Formats as a column was dropped.

Maybe the OP's Formats column is an artifact of an earlier version of calibre

BR

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I think there was a time when Formats could be shown as a column (i.e what you see in Book Details Formats), but because it created performance problems the approximate_formats() function was provided, either then or later the support for Formats as a column was dropped.

While you are correct that the basic easy click custom column for formats does now use the {:'approximate_formats()'} function, the basic formats column using {formats} is still a supported optional custom column and was not dropped.

Originally Posted by carlberger

Not a custom column.

It is a custom column. The formats column was never a provided column in any version of calibre which means either you or whoever created the library created this custom column.

As PeterT indicated if the column says epub for every entry it is most likely a problem with the custom column template. Follow PeterT's example and you should be fine.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by carlberger

Not a custom column. Nor is it fixed by running maintenance.

Put the cursor over the column heading. This will display the lookup name for the column. If it starts with a "#", it is a custom column and you can look at its definition in preferences. If it doesn't, tell us the name of the column.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

While you are correct that the basic easy click custom column for formats does now use the {:'approximate_formats()'} function, the basic formats column using {formats} is still a supported optional custom column and was not dropped.

@DoctorOhh - Thanks for the clarification - I must have had the {formats} variant, back then I didn't even know templates existed, let alone what they were - still don't know much more than that they do exist

BR

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

back then I didn't even know templates existed, let alone what they were - still don't know much more than that they do exist

You and I both.

[carlberger]

Could have sworn there was a simple click box in the preferences.
Made a custom one based on the script above and works like a charm. Just had to rename it to Format2.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by carlberger

Could have sworn there was a simple click box in the preferences.

@carlberger - there was such a thing - sort of

The Quick create link for Formats in the Add column dialogue, originally created this template {formats}.

It was changed, for performance reasons and after considerable discussion at MB, to create this template {:'approximate_formats()'}

BR

PS : I can't recall when the change was made - quite a while back - maybe last year even.

[PeterT]

Approximate_formats was added in 0.8.70, 21 September 2012.