Using Tags or tag-like column in Save To Disk/Send to Device

[BookJunkieLI]

I don't recall seeing this topic come up before and my search terms seem to be too broad. I've fiddled around with it a bit on my own but I'm not sure if it just won't work or if I'm missing something obvious or not so obvious or what.

What I'm looking to do is use tag-like custom columns in my Save To Disk/Send To Device export template. I have a number of fanfiction stories that are crossovers so they have two or more fandoms associated with them. My current template is as follows:

{#library}{#fandoms:|/|}{#subfandoms1:|/|}{#subfandoms2:|/|}{title} - {author}

#fandoms, #subfandoms1, and #subfandoms2 are all tag-like columns.

So let's say I have a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Supernatural crossover story. Right now it would be exported like this:

Fanfic/BTVS/Xover/Supernatural/Title - Author

because I only have one tag in each column:
#fandoms=BTVS
#subfandoms1=Xover
#subfandoms2=Supernatural

What I'd like to do is have tags for each fandom in the columns like so:
#fandoms=BTVS, Supernatural
#subfandoms1=Xover
#subfandoms2=BTVS, Supernatural

Because ultimately what I would like is for the story to be exported like this:

Fanfic/BTVS/Xover/Supernatural/Title - Author
Fanfic/Supernatural/Xover/BTVS/Title - Author

It does mean having the story twice on my Nook but since Calibre would manage them as one iteration I don't mind.

Right now what I get though is:

Fanfic/BTVS, Supernatural/Xover/BTVS, Supernatural/Title - Author

Which defeats the purpose. But I then realized if I could get the tags to export individually I'd probably end up with the following:

Fanfic/BTVS/Xover/BTVS/Title - Author
Fanfic/BTVS/Xover/Supernatural/Title - Author
Fanfic/Supernatural/Xover/BTVS/Title - Author
Fanfic/Supernatural/Xover/Supernatural/Title - Author

Obviously the first and fourth lines are not what I'm looking for and I don't want to have to police my Nook after each export for "rogue" directories.

The only other options I could think of were to:
A) List the stories twice in Calibre, once under each fandom in #fandoms and #subfandoms2. - I don't really like the idea of having the same story listed twice in Calibre. Too much chance of having mismatched metadata.
or
B) put Xover in #fandoms and then BTVS, Supernatural in #subfandoms1, which is what I used to do but then I realized I was never going into the Xover directory.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[eschwartz]

You cannot have calibre export books to multiple paths at once.

Personally, I would suggest that this is what collections are for. Of course, the Nook has problems in that area as I recall.

[gabby98]

yea, I do something similar for some of my books, but I have a Kobo and collections are easier. That's one of the reasons I ditched my Nook for Kobo Glo

[BookJunkieLI]

Are collections on the Kobo multi-layer? The last time I looked at collections/shelves was awhile ago for the Nook, Kindle and Sony and they were all single layer with a character limit which is why I prefer the directory/sub-directory structure I can get in my Nook STR.

[BookJunkieLI]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You cannot have calibre export books to multiple paths at once.

I suspected that might be the case but hoped there was a work around.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Personally, I would suggest that this is what collections are for. Of course, the Nook has problems in that area as I recall.

I think all the readily available ereaders had issues with collections back when I finally went with the Nook STR, which was shortly after it first came out.

[gabby98]

not necessarily, but you can use multiple columns to create collections. Currently I use the actual series column, but I also use a custom column named 'Collections' for my TBR or books I know are appropriate for my niece and nephews (Kids/YA).

A book can be in multiple collections without needing multiple copies. You could use your #fandoms and if it has more than one fandom assigned it would be in all of those collections

For example My books from Kathy Reichs are in the Temperance Brennan Series collection and my TBR collection.

[gabby98]

Originally Posted by BookJunkieLI

I suspected that might be the case but hoped there was a work around.


I think all the readily available ereaders had issues with collections back when I finally went with the Nook STR, which was shortly after it first came out.

I hear ya...I still have my nook STR for a backup or loaner, but I absolutely feel in love with my glo because of the light and the collections. Things were so much easier to deal with, keep organized and the light was perfect for my reading without my tinted glasses (i have a light sensitivity, migraines and insomnia).

[eschwartz]

Actually, one pretty cool thing about the Kindles is, on older firmware revisions that came prior to Cloud Collections, it is actually possible to add a collection to a collection, thus in effect creating nested collections! Yes, I use this.

AFAIK, no other ereader out there supports this at all (and the Kindle only via a hack). You could do it with, say, Calibre Companion and hierarchical tags, but that is an android app.

Kindle Touch/PW1 or PW2 on fw5.4.0
Jailbreak is required, to use Collections Manager (kindlet).

[BookJunkieLI]

@gabby98 - I'll check out the Kobo forums as I've heard good things about the Kobo Glo but I'm not thrilled about the idea of single layer collections. The ability for multiple layers is pretty much a must for me. I'm one of those people who believes that if I have the room to store my entire library on my reader then I am going to store my entire library on my reader.

@eschwartz - I hadn't known that about the Kindle. I have a PW1 (I think) that I picked up from Ebay cheap awhile ago but never did more than some basic fiddling with it. It was mostly so I could help a friend long-distance with hers. I may look into jailbreaking it but I have also been thinking about switching to a tablet and using a reading app like Moon+ or Aldiko. I've 'known' about Calibre Companion but never paid much attention to it before. I'm definitely going to look into it more now. Thanks.

[eschwartz]

You're welcome.
I would definitely look into Calibre Companion if I were you. Personally I would rather not read on a tablet, but it sounds like you don't have that problem.

[gabby98]

Originally Posted by BookJunkieLI

@gabby98 - I'll check out the Kobo forums as I've heard good things about the Kobo Glo but I'm not thrilled about the idea of single layer collections. The ability for multiple layers is pretty much a must for me. I'm one of those people who believes that if I have the room to store my entire library on my reader then I am going to store my entire library on my reader.

@eschwartz ......

I was like that with my Nook, but tried to break the habit with my Glo...not sure why. It's usually a pain though cause then I want something and i haven't purposefully loaded it yet.

I would love to have the option for nested collections, it would be nice to have a collection for an author then the series for that other if they have any, but I think I have mostly made piece with it. Small consolation: At least by having one book in multiple collections it may help to lessen the occurrence of forgetting it was there at all because you were so focused on one fandom and not the other.

I have found Moon+ very likable. Due to my light sensitivity and migraines I can only read on a phone or tablet for so long, but like having it/them for backups when I may have left the reader, or something and need a temporary distraction

[BookJunkieLI]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You're welcome.
I would definitely look into Calibre Companion if I were you. Personally I would rather not read on a tablet, but it sounds like you don't have that problem.

Eh, I'm not thrilled about the idea of reading on a tablet for long periods of time but I'm coming to accept that it might be the only way to get all the features I want:

-Multi-layer organization
-Ability to store entire library
-Book summary without having to open the book
-Ability to mark as read

You'd think it would be easy but apparently not.

[eschwartz]

Hmm, well, most of those features appear to be ones your average vendor does not consider to have mass appeal. Naturally you'd have better luck on a platform that anyone can develop on, especially if that anyone is a calibre developer.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BookJunkieLI

Eh, I'm not thrilled about the idea of reading on a tablet for long periods of time but I'm coming to accept that it might be the only way to get all the features I want:

-Multi-layer organization
-Ability to store entire library
-Book summary without having to open the book
-Ability to mark as read

You'd think it would be easy but apparently not.

@BookJunkieL - how about an ONYX Boox e-ink tablet running Android & Calibre Companion - if CC doesn't have all the features you want, you would have a developer who would at least consider them.

BR

[BookJunkieLI]

Originally Posted by gabby98

I was like that with my Nook, but tried to break the habit with my Glo...not sure why. It's usually a pain though cause then I want something and i haven't purposefully loaded it yet.

I would love to have the option for nested collections, it would be nice to have a collection for an author then the series for that other if they have any, but I think I have mostly made piece with it. Small consolation: At least by having one book in multiple collections it may help to lessen the occurrence of forgetting it was there at all because you were so focused on one fandom and not the other.

I have found Moon+ very likable. Due to my light sensitivity and migraines I can only read on a phone or tablet for so long, but like having it/them for backups when I may have left the reader, or something and need a temporary distraction

I think if I only read standard novel length fiction I'd be more willing to put just my favorites and my To Be Read list on my Nook but I predominantly read fanfiction, which are usually short stories - 20,000 words or less. I can go through a lot of stories in one night if I'm in the mood.

I've never understood why nested collections/sub-directories/sub-categories aren't a standard offering. Every book seller site uses them so why would they think readers wouldn't want that kind of organizational ability? I could understand if they limited the number of layers; I'd probably whine, but I'd understand. LOL

I played with Moon+ a little last night and liked what I saw, but I still need to actually import some stories into it and see how it organizes things. I suspect it's going to be a choice between Moon+ and Calibre Companion.