Sorting collections by author/title

[Emily Hope]

Hi, all,

I'm new here--I just took the plunge and bought a 505, which I *love*. However, I am having an issue--there doesn't seem to be a way to sort collections by author or title within the reader as opposed to by date. I have done some searching on the forums, and there are several threads on the subject, but I couldn't seem to find a resolution (maybe because there isn't one?)

I was hoping that I'd be able to do this on EBook Library (I'm using the new 3.0 on a Mac). However, although I can change the way the books are sorted within the software, when I unplug the reader, they're still sorted by date. On EBL, the books are labeled by number (in the order they appear on the reader) in the left-hand column, but when they are resorted by author, the numbering doesn't change, and I can't figure out a way to change it. Is there something that I'm missing here? I'm also using Calibre, if that helps.

I'm hoping that I'm missing something and that this isn't a limitation of the reader--it's driving me crazy, and I think if it were fixed the reader would be practically perfect for me. Thanks!

[acidzebra]

Welcome!

Maybe this is stating the obvious or I am daft but on my main 505 screen I see
"Books by Title"
"Books by Author"
"Books by date"

these do what they sound like they do: group by title, author, date.

[Emily Hope]

Thanks for the reply--I did see those options on the reader, but I'm talking about within collections--which is the primary way that I'd like to organize my books (according to genre).

[Kostas]

Originally Posted by Emily Hope

but I'm talking about within collections--which is the primary way that I'd like to organize my books.

Actually, there is a way to sort manually your books within collections with "File Manager and Collections Creator for PRS 505" (here and here).
However, I don't how this app gets installed on a mac.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by acidzebra

these do what they sound like they do: group by title, author, date.

Yea, but those give you a flat view of all the books. You either choose one of those OR you go to collections.

BOb

[dordale]

Within the reader software, when you have your Reader connected, you can drag the books to the order you'd like them to appear, but unfortunately there's no way to change the order on the reader itself.

dordale

[acidzebra]

Originally Posted by Emily Hope

I'm talking about within collections--which is the primary way that I'd like to organize my books (according to genre).

Okay, no, the Sony does not do multilevel sort.

I use Calibre to manage my ebooks, the plus side of that (aside from the awesome book management and conversion system) is that you can insert multiple "tags" which get translated to (separate) collections on the Sony. You can also add a "series" tag which will also get translated to collections with the added plus that you can organise the series by book X of Y which the Sony will honor when viewing a collection.

[doreenjoy]

You *can* do sorting within Collections on the Sony Reader.

First, in the Library Software, click on a Collection. In version 2.0, Choose MANUALLY from the drop down menu. In version 3.0, click on the top of the # column.

Drag the books into the order you prefer.

When you synch the collection. the order of the books in the software will be reflected on your Reader.

BTW, I have never been able to figure out how to do this on Calibre. I find it confusing and the UI inscrutable.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

BTW, I have never been able to figure out how to do this on Calibre. I find it confusing and the UI inscrutable.

Calibre will create a collection on the reader using the series number and the books will be ordered in the collection by the series number, as long as you put all books in the series on the reader at the same time using "send to device".

BOb

[Emily Hope]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

You *can* do sorting within Collections on the Sony Reader.

First, in the Library Software, click on a Collection. In version 2.0, Choose MANUALLY from the drop down menu. In version 3.0, click on the top of the # column.

Drag the books into the order you prefer.

When you synch the collection. the order of the books in the software will be reflected on your Reader.

BTW, I have never been able to figure out how to do this on Calibre. I find it confusing and the UI inscrutable.

This worked perfectly! A bit fiddly to do every time I add new books, but at least there's a solution. Yay!

[dreams]

I found that I can sort on the Reader when it is plugged in without using sync.

I view the collection in the Reader and drag and drop into the place i would like it. This works well for when I am just adding a book or two and want to be quick. Or when I want to change the order of what i want on the first page of a collection. (hopefully, this isn't what you have been talking about and I just misunderstood.)

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Calibre will create a collection on the reader using the series number and the books will be ordered in the collection by the series number, as long as you put all books in the series on the reader at the same time using "send to device".
BOb

Thanks, but that's not very practical, and I find it a PITA to have to edit the series numbers all the time. Much easier to drag and drop in the Sony software IME.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

Thanks, but that's not very practical, and I find it a PITA to have to edit the series numbers all the time. Much easier to drag and drop in the Sony software IME.

Whatever works for you. You said you didn't know how to do it in Calibre, so I was trying to help out.

BOb

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Whatever works for you. You said you didn't know how to do it in Calibre, so I was trying to help out.

BOb

I do appreciate that and didn't mean to sound ungrateful.