Author(s) sort

[Bigo2]

I am trying everything what was said here about the Author(s) sort - the order of the First Name and the Second Name (or Christian Name and Surname if you like) but cannot find the solution...

But first, I have to say that I do not understand why any programmer would even think about organizing people’s names database in any other way than the SURNAME first…

I understand that the default Author(s) column is alphabetized according to the surname, you just have to look the last word on the line, but it seems to me pretty odd…

So I am asking again: I want to start with copying aver 1000 books from a folder on my PC (win7 64bit) – they are all in one folder and mostly have the following format:

Altered Humans - Darrell Bain
Assassin's apprentice - Robin Hobb
Dolan's Cadillac - Stephen King
or
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Leonidovich Pasternak
Distant Galaxies Colliding - Gareth L. Powell
Familiar Pattern - A. Bertram Chandler
Poor Henry - E. C. Tubb

these are most common, but some of them are stored like this (I suppose those would be probably easier for my purpose):

All Together Dead - Harris, Charlaine
And Then There Were None – Christie, Agatha
or
Fahrenheit 451 - Bradbury_ Ray
Ender in Exile - Card_ Orson Scott

however, some are like this, not many, and I suppose they can be changed manually:

Dune - House Harkonnen - Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson & Frank Herbert

My requirement is, that the Calibre Library file structure created on my PC should look like this:
e.g.

M:\Calibre Library\Bain, Darrell\Altered Humans (####)\
M:\Calibre Library\Hobb, Robin\Assasin’s apprentice (####)\
M:\Calibre Library\Pasternak, Boris Leonidovich\Doctor Zhivago\
M:\Calibre Library\Tub, E. C.\Poor Henry (####)\

The same name order should be in the Calibre main window for the “Author(s)” column

Could you please let me know what to do to be able transfer these mixed files from my source and get most of the Calibre Library on my PC as well as in the Calibre program sorted out according to my requirement? I mean, is there any universal algorithm or tweak which can be applied to get (mostly) as I require?

Thanks George

[GoingDown]

Hi,

OK, you have plenty of things you want to do here.

First, it is not a problem to store author name in form of SURNAME, FIRSTNAME, if you want to do it. Also, if you already have books on your library in form FIRSTNAME SURNAME, you can run mass convert to switch them over. I got excellent instructions for that from this forum, I will try to find out the thread.

Second, when you want to import your books, it is possible to modify import options so that the import automatically picks up the author right. You just need to sort the books in different folders (folder1 to books with author in form FIRSTNAME SURNAME, and folder2 to books with author in form SURNAME, FIRSTNAME). Then just import the books with certain option so that your results will be right.
It is even possible to import books with the Series name and series numbers. You will need to modify the import regexp. There is instructions somewhere for that too.

Regarding for the disk folder structure, it will automatically be so how Calibre wants it - it is using the directory structure as its database, so you cannot mess around of it manually. Calibre creates own folder for each author, but book series are not getting folders.

After I started to use calibre, I have never bothered to look the disk structure. It is much easier to find what I am looking for with calibre than directly from file manager.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Bigo2

I am trying everything what was said here about the Author(s) sort - the order of the First Name and the Second Name (or Christian Name and Surname if you like) but cannot find the solution...

There are many threads discussing this topic. Take a look at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=110352.

But first, I have to say that I do not understand why any programmer would even think about organizing people’s names database in any other way than the SURNAME first…

Because a large majority of users want to see the names in FN LN (FirstName LastName) order.

My requirement is, that the Calibre Library file structure created on my PC should look like this:
e.g.

M:\Calibre Library\Bain, Darrell\Altered Humans (####)\
M:\Calibre Library\Hobb, Robin\Assasin’s apprentice (####)\
M:\Calibre Library\Pasternak, Boris Leonidovich\Doctor Zhivago\
M:\Calibre Library\Tub, E. C.\Poor Henry (####)\

As GoingDown said, you have no control over how calibre stores its data in the file system, and should not depend upon it.

Could you please let me know what to do to be able transfer these mixed files from my source and get most of the Calibre Library on my PC as well as in the Calibre program sorted out according to my requirement? I mean, is there any universal algorithm or tweak which can be applied to get (mostly) as I require?

GoingDown gave you the gist. First get your library set up with the author tweaks set as you wish. Next, import the books, setting the options as you wish. You will almost certainly need to play with the field matching regexps, and for all the examples, you will need to check the 'swap author first name and last name' box in preferences/add books. Some cleanup will be required for names that calibre gets wrong, such as Joe Blogs Jr.

[Bigo2]

GoingDown and chaley thanks for your answers.

I thought that someone will give me an universal algorithm or tweak - but it looks like it is not as easy, so I will have to read more, learn more and try more...

I am not a programmer so I do not know how complicated it would be to develop the program in such a way, so that the user would tick "LN first" or "FN first" and then everything would happen automatically, no matter how is the original file structured (provided that the book name and the author name is separated by a dash or so).

Since Calibre cannot do this easily (perhaps it can, but the way it does it reminds me programs form 30 years ago when the user had to be also a programmer), for preparation of the files to be copied to Calibre I have found nice little utility called "Bulk Rename Utility" a freeware program which is quite good for renaming files. This way the files can be prepared so they have the same structure before they are added to Calibre...

As for the Calibre directory structure on my PC, I do not believe that “a large majority of users want to see the names in FN LN (FirstName LastName) order” – that would be exactly the same as if somebody would claim that a large majority of users want to see the names in a phone book starting with FN…
I do not want to "mess around" with directory structure, actually I like the Calibre PC directory structure and eventually all my books will be there..., however, as I already stated, I would prefer the folders named LN, FN or LN_ FN - something like that. Everything else is OK and should be as it is.

Thanks - with Regards Bigo2

[Pinecone]

With Calibre, you don't mess with the folders or files, so it doesn't matter what they are called?

In Caliber, you can display the books in ANY order.

[itimpi]

As has been mentioned, playing around with Calibre's internal folders is normally a very bad idea.

Having said that, the folder structure will reflect how the Author field is set up in Calibre. I set my Author field up as "Firstname Lastname" and thus see that as my folder structure which means it orders on first name. If I had set the author field up in "Lastname, Firstname" format then the folders would have been ordered on Lastname.

[GoingDown]

Yes, I am using Authors as LN, FN, so my folder structure seems to be LASTNAME_ FIRSTNAME (comma is replaced by _). Seems nice for me, although I really don't care so much.

I changed authors to be in LN, FN after some instructions on this forum, but I cannot find the thread anymore. I am sure it is here somewhere...

[Sabardeyn]

Since I was a part of one such conversation just recently, here is a link. Make sure to follow the links back into the other threads.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=112044

[Bigo2]

Hi, reading the links and playing with the program I managed what I wanted.

Now the Calibre Author(s) tag is sorted according to the last name, and looks like this: "Christie, Agatha" or “Asimov, Isaac”.

Also on my PC the Calibre folders are created according to the last name. However, even though I added the file in the following format:
"Christie, Agatha - Five Little Pigs.mobi"
or
“Asimov, Isaac - Fantastic Voyage”

the names come up like this:

“…\Calibre Library\Christie_ Agatha\Five Little Pigs (1476)\Five Little Pigs - Christie_ Agatha.mobi"
or
“…\Calibre Library\Asimov_ Isaac\Fantastic Voyage (1941)\Fantastic Voyage - Asimov_ Isaac.mobi”

1. Underscores instead the commas – which I do not like and would like to change it
2. In the Calibre Library subfolder the Author’s name and Title is reversed – which is not that bad and I do not care much about that, but still, I would prefer to know how to change it if possible.

Thanks for your attention

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by Bigo2

“…\Calibre Library\Christie_ Agatha\Five Little Pigs (1476)\Five Little Pigs - Christie_ Agatha.mobi"
or
“…\Calibre Library\Asimov_ Isaac\Fantastic Voyage (1941)\Fantastic Voyage - Asimov_ Isaac.mobi”

1. Underscores instead the commas – which I do not like and would like to change it
2. In the Calibre Library subfolder the Author’s name and Title is reversed – which is not that bad and I do not care much about that, but still, I would prefer to know how to change it if possible.

It's been said in this thread before, I'm going to say it again: You can't. Don't try. You probably shouldn't even be in that folder. See this thread.

[itimpi]

You might also want to look at the relationship between the Author and author_sort field.

The way that the author_sort is derived from the author field has a default behavior based on expecting the author field to be in 'firstname lastname' format and the author_sort field being derived from this of 'lastname, firstname'. However this behavior can be tailored - look at Preferences->Advanced->Tweaks and read the comments in the top pane relating to author and author_sort to see what is available.

[Bigo2]

Originally Posted by Manichean

...You probably shouldn't even be in that folder. See this thread.

Hi - I know, and I don't try to change anything there - I just don't like it that way.

Understand, the Calibre Library is nice how it is created, and I eventually I want all my books there. Who knows, perhaps in future I might use it with some other software... So if Calibre could be configured to use the comma instead of the onderscore, I would prefer it.

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by Bigo2

Understand, the Calibre Library is nice how it is created, and I eventually I want all my books there. Who knows, perhaps in future I might use it with some other software... So if Calibre could be configured to use the comma instead of the onderscore, I would prefer it.

You cannot do so. Calibre is multi-platform, and as part of ensuring that it runs on all platforms any characters in filenames that might not be valid on all platforms are replaced by underscores.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Bigo2

1. Underscores instead the commas – which I do not like and would like to change it
2. In the Calibre Library subfolder the Author’s name and Title is reversed – which is not that bad and I do not care much about that, but still, I would prefer to know how to change it if possible.

You can't can't change it in this folder structure. you have jumped through all possible hoops just to get the folders this contorted.

Originally Posted by Bigo2

Who knows, perhaps in future I might use it with some other software... So if Calibre could be configured to use the comma instead of the onderscore, I would prefer it.

The internal calibre library cannot be configured as you wish. But if it concerns you so you could use the Save to Disk feature to export your books and configure the resulting folders/file names in the exact format you're looking for.

So you could create a separate set of folders (backup) that reflect all of your books in the exact format you want them to be in.

[Bigo2]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

...So you could create a separate set of folders (backup) that reflect all of your books in the exact format you want them to be in.

Thanks dwanthny, good idea, if it cannot be done otherwise...