Custom Columns Not Working As Expected

[niagara94]

Hi - I'm using Calibre Companion and have created 2 custom columns in Calibre and am trying to get them to show properly in Calibre Companion. I have hovered over the columns in Calibre to see how to properly list them yet they aren't showing as I expect them to in Calibre Companion. One column I added is "Series Or Not" and in Calibre Companion I added it as "#series_or_not" (minus quotes) yet in the list of groups it shows up exactly the way I typed it above instead of showing up without the #, the underscore, and there are no capitals. Also I created a "Read" column and it also shows the # sign. I also noticed there is already a Read group so is it redundant to list my custom "Read" column? I don't know how the that is already there "works". Thanks for any help!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by niagara94

Hi - I'm using Calibre Companion and have created 2 custom columns in Calibre and am trying to get them to show properly in Calibre Companion. I have hovered over the columns in Calibre to see how to properly list them yet they aren't showing as I expect them to in Calibre Companion. One column I added is "Series Or Not" and in Calibre Companion I added it as "#series_or_not" (minus quotes) yet in the list of groups it shows up exactly the way I typed it above instead of showing up without the #, the underscore, and there are no capitals. Also I created a "Read" column and it also shows the # sign. I also noticed there is already a Read group so is it redundant to list my custom "Read" column? I don't know how the that is already there "works". Thanks for any help!

Custom columns use the lookup name

Lookup names are always lowercase preceded by a # (hover over the column header in Calibre to see the name to use

[niagara94]

Thank you for your reply. I know that the lookup names are lowercase and that is how I typed it when I put it in in Calibre Companion settings. What I am wondering about is why, when it shows up in the groups in Companion, it doesn't drop the # sign or replace the underscores with spaces or capatilize them like I did when I created the columns. It used to do those things when I was using it on another tablet (the groups just showed up as I created them in the custom columns). Any other ideas? Thanks.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by niagara94

Thank you for your reply. I know that the lookup names are lowercase and that is how I typed it when I put it in in Calibre Companion settings. What I am wondering about is why, when it shows up in the groups in Companion, it doesn't drop the # sign or replace the underscores with spaces or capatilize them like I did when I created the columns. It used to do those things when I was using it on another tablet (the groups just showed up as I created them in the custom columns). Any other ideas? Thanks.

(this is a developer needed question )
Which mode are you connecting by?

[theducks]

I have 4 custom columns that show in CC: 1 date, fixed text,numeric and T/F

All show the name used at the column in calibre (not the lookup name)

Calibre 1.32 (x64) and CC 3.3.4

[niagara94]

Thanks again for your reply. I connect (and always have) wirelessly.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by niagara94

Thanks again for your reply. I connect (and always have) wirelessly.

Wireless works here.
The GURU will have to step up for this one.

[chaley]

If I understand properly (not sure), you have two questions.

1) You have added a custom column to CC's grouping drawer, using lookup name #series_or_not. You see this column in the grouping drawer and you can tap on it to see the values in the column. Your issue is that the group is named with the columns lookup name (#series_or_not) instead of the column's display name (Series Or Not).

This is expected behavior, and has always been like this. CC does not use the display names. It doesn't know what they are when the column is added to the grouping drawer, and they can change from library to library.

CC does know the display names in book details because they are part of the metadata for each book.

2) You have a yes/no column #read and have added it to the grouping drawer. You want to know how this differs from the built-in Read column and how to make it work.

See the set of questions & answers in CC's FAQ "Marking books read and syncing that information with calibre". That group is the fifth bullet point.

Did I understand your questions?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by theducks

I have 4 custom columns that show in CC: 1 date, fixed text,numeric and T/F

All show the name used at the column in calibre (not the lookup name)

Calibre 1.32 (x64) and CC 3.3.4

My guess is that you are looking in book details, not the grouping drawer. Book details shows the column name. The grouping drawer shows the lookup key entered into CC's preferences.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by chaley

My guess is that you are looking in book details, not the grouping drawer. Book details shows the column name. The grouping drawer shows the lookup key entered into CC's preferences.

[niagara94]

Thank you chaley & theducks for your help. Yes, chaley you have understood my questions. The thing is when I had CC installed in my previous tablet it showed the column name in the grouping drawer instead of the look up name. I don't know why it's different now. Is there a tutorial or something I can look up on this?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by niagara94

Thank you chaley & theducks for your help. Yes, chaley you have understood my questions. The thing is when I had CC installed in my previous tablet it showed the column name in the grouping drawer instead of the look up name. I don't know why it's different now.

CC has never shown the display name in the grouping drawer. I know because I wrote that code.

The only explanation I can give you is that the lookup name was very close to the display name. That is what I do. The only difference between the two is the # character.

Is there a tutorial or something I can look up on this?

Tutorial on what?

All of the help and tutorials are in CC's FAQ. If there is something missing please let us know.

[niagara94]

Thank you for your reply. There are more differences than just the # character. There are underscores instead of spaces and the letters aren't capitalized either. Anyways, I will check out the CC link. Is there a way to edit how you typed the custom column without deleting it in Calibre? Thanks!