Avoid Alphabetically sorted custom columns

[Tanjamuse]

Hi.

I have created the following custom column on advice from BetterRed (see attached image), but when I add stories I get more than just the names of the characters in that specific column (see second attached image).

Have I done something wrong or is it the wrong way to put it.

What I am trying to do, is avoid Calibre sorting it alphabetically, if I edit in the main column.

[chaley]

There are three issues here.

First is the appearance if the [u' characters. This is a bug in the raw_field function. I have submitted a fix.

Second is the assumption that you need to use raw_field. The only field (column) that is sorted alphabetically by default is tags. All custom multiple-value functions are sorted only when displayed (usually). When used in templates they are not sorted. Because of this, and because you are manipulating a custom column, you can use

{#characters(0,1,\,)}

or

program: sublist(field('#characters'), 0, 1, ',')

The third is the column type you are using for #characters. Because these are character names and because (if I understand correctly) you want to preserve a known order when editing that column, you should check the box "Contains names" in the #character column definition. The separator will become ampersand (&) instead of comma and the values will be displayed in the order you entered them. If you do this then the main_character template becomes

{#characters:sublist(0,1,&)}

If you check the box you must change any template that uses a "list" function with a separator of ',' to use '&'.

[Tanjamuse]

But when I download, the Fanfiction, the characters are automatically separated by commas instead of &.

How would that affect it?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Tanjamuse

But when I download, the Fanfiction, the characters are automatically separated by commas instead of &.

How would that affect it?

It won't work.

Either:

• the FFDL offers the option of treating them as names (separating them with &),
• you run a search & replace to convert the column separator from ',' to '&', or
• you live with showing the columns in alpha order when you edit them.

[JimmXinu]

Originally Posted by chaley

• the FFDL offers the option of treating them as names (separating them with &),

For the benefit of readers who might come here, but not see the answering post in the FanFicFare thread:

In FanFicFare personal.ini in the appropriate section you can add:

join_string_characters:\s&\s

Then instead of ', ' it will use ' & ' when joining the list.