Plugboard, template, and custom composite column recipes

[ownedbycats]

I have a date column, #fanficupdated. Is it possible for a template rule to compare that to the date of a matched book currently on the device and return a bool?

I'd like to display a column icon if the version of a fanfic in my library is newer than the one on the device (to remind me to re-upload it). Making a hidden composite column to tie the icon to seems best idea.

[ownedbycats]

For a format_date, how would I make it return the first three numbers of the year?

{pubdate:'test($,
strcat(format_date($,'yyyy')),
'Unknown')'}

I'm trying to get this to return, for instance, 1970.1973 if the pubdate year is 1973.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

For a format_date, how would I make it return the first three numbers of the year?

{pubdate:'test($,
strcat(format_date($,'yyyy')),
'Unknown')'}

I'm trying to get this to return, for instance, 1970.1973 if the pubdate year is 1973.

See https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...29#post4046729.

It seems that adding substr to the template functions might be a good idea.

[ownedbycats]

Is there a template function that can test for "does this book have an annotation/bookmark"?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Is there a template function that can test for "does this book have an annotation/bookmark"?

No, and I don't know whether such a thing is possible. I will look once I am able to do development again.

[ownedbycats]

Thank you. For context, I was hoping to make a psuedobool composite column.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Is there a template function that can test for "does this book have an annotation/bookmark"?

Originally Posted by chaley

No, and I don't know whether such a thing is possible. I will look once I am able to do development again.

It is possible but it would be very slow requiring fetching all annotations from the database. I am not going to add it until/if/when that changes.

[ownedbycats]

Understandable. I might make an enhancement request for some option to mark all the books with annotations.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by chaley

It is possible but it would be very slow requiring fetching all annotations from the database. I am not going to add it until/if/when that changes.

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Understandable. I might make an enhancement request for some option to mark all the books with annotations.

After discussions with Kovid I will add a new database method to calibre that returns the number of annotations of all kinds and on all formats attached to the book. This method runs without needing to read the database tables so it is as fast as we can make it, one hopes fast enough.

I also added a template function annotation_count() that returns the count if it is > 0 else the empty string. This will work with template functions like "isempty()", "test()", "first_non_empty", etc. It will also work with numeric relationals such as "if annotation_count() ># 0 then 'foo' else 'bar' fi"

[ownedbycats]

Thank you

[ownedbycats]

program:
	p = identifier_in_field(id:isbn)
	g = identifier_in_field(id:goodreads)

  if p then strcat(p)
  else 
  if g then strcat(g)
 fi

I was trying to make it show Goodreads only if the ISBN didn't exist. It didn't quite work as expected.



I'm still trying to figure these out.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

program:
	p = identifier_in_field(id:isbn)
	g = identifier_in_field(id:goodreads)

  if p then strcat(p)
  else 
  if g then strcat(g)
 fi

I was trying to make it show Goodreads only if the ISBN didn't exist. It didn't quite work as expected.

Attachment 183232

I'm still trying to figure these out.

program:
	p = identifier_in_field(id:isbn)
	g = identifier_in_field(id:goodreads)

        if p then strcat(p)
        else 
           if g then strcat(g)
           fi
        fi

At least a fi is missing

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

program:
	p = identifier_in_field(id:isbn)
	g = identifier_in_field(id:goodreads)

  if p then strcat(p)
  else 
  if g then strcat(g)
 fi

I was trying to make it show Goodreads only if the ISBN didn't exist. It didn't quite work as expected.

Attachment 183232

I'm still trying to figure these out.

There are several errors in this template.

• You need semicolons between the statements.
• There is no function identifier_in_field. I think you mean identifier_in_list, but regardless you don't want to use it. Instead use 'select'.
• You are missing a second fi (as Terisa de morgan said

That said, if I understand what you want to do then this template is does the job.

program:
	i = field('identifiers');
	ifempty(select(i, 'isbn'), select(i, 'goodreads'))

If you really want to use an if statement then this works.

program:
	i = field('identifiers');
	p = select(i, 'isbn');
	if p then p else select(i, 'goodreads') fi

[ownedbycats]

That works. I was just starting out with the two identifiers as a a test case. Eventually I want to encompass more identifiers in descending priority (e.g. if isbn or goodreads doesn't exist, check asin, then google, then url, etc...).

[chaley]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

That works. I was just starting out with the two identifiers as a a test case. Eventually I want to encompass more identifiers in descending priority (e.g. if isbn or goodreads doesn't exist, check asin, then google, then url, etc...).

Then you want to use first_non_empty, in which you can list the order by priority. Example:

program:
	i = field('identifiers');
	first_non_empty(
		select(i, 'isbn'),
		select(i, 'goodreads')
# more as desired
	)