Plugboard, template, and custom composite column recipes

[chaley]

Several people are doing interesting and useful things with templates, plugboards, and composite fields. This thread is both a request that they share what they have done and a place to put the information.

Suggestions/recipes are summarized below. Don't hesitate to post corrections and useful variants.

Kindle/Kobo

• Metadata: Show series - series Index - Title as Title (Kindle/Kobo) (economix)
  
  Spoiler:

  I have been playing around with the Metadata plugboards to get the titles on a Kindle 3 to show series information. I used the following template:
  format: mobi
  device: kindle2
  template: {series}{series_index:0>2s| - | - }{title}
  destination: title
  
  This works very nicely for books that are part of a series e.g.:
  

  A Song of Ice & Fire - 01 - A Game of Thrones
  A Song of Ice & Fire - 02 - A Clash of Kings
  A Song of Ice & Fire - 03 - A Storm of Swords
  A Song of Ice & Fire - 04 - A Feast for Crows

• Metadata: Show series [series index] - title as title (Kindle) (Scott Nielsen)
  
  Spoiler:

  format: mobi
  device: kindle2
  template: {series:|| }{series_index:0>2s|[|] - }{title}
  destination: title
  
• Metadata: Show author name as Initial and Surname (Kindle) (inspired by brewjono)
  
  Spoiler:

  1) Verify author_sort values are Surname, Firstname order.
  2) Uncheck 'use author sort' in the mobi output plugin.
  3) Create a plugboard
  format: mobi
  device: kindle2
  template: {author_sort:re(\, (.).*?( &|$),\, \1\2)}
  destination: authors
  
• Reading/read status custom column (Kindle) (pchrist7, w/ideas from beckywc):
  
  Spoiler:

  Extract reading/read status from kindle annotations and show them in a custom column. See this post for details and instructions..
  

Filename (Save Templates)

• Filename: author sort/series/title - version (WinCE/Mobile (Mobipocket))(sweetpea)
  
  Spoiler:

  Using a version custom column in filenames
  {author_sort}/{series}/{title} - v{#version:0>2s}
  
• Filename: Create file paths grouping authors into [A - D]-like categories (WinCE/Mobile (Mobipocket)) (Sweetpea)
  
  Spoiler:

  {author_sort:switch(^[A-D],[A - D],^[E-J],[E - J],^[K-O],[K - O],^[P-T],[P - T],^[U-Z],[U - Z],[Other])}
  
• Filename: Create path based on series index (sweetpea, inspired by Arco Witter)
  
  Spoiler:

  If you have a lot of books in a series, and want them in a folder hierarchy like series/00-09/author/title, series/10-19/author/title. You want just author/title if there is no series.
  Create a composite column called (for example) #s_index.
  Column: #s_dex
  Template: {series_index:0>2s}
  
  Save template:

   {series}{#s_dex:switch(0.,00-09,1.,10-19,2.,20-29,3.,30-39,4.,40-49,5.,50-59,6.,60-69,7.,70-79,8.,80-89,9.,90-99,)|/|/}{author}/{title}

General Metadata

• Metadata: Put series into the title, using either initials or a shortened form. Strip leading articles from the series name (any) (inspired by Gary_M_Mugford)
  
  Spoiler:

  The solution requires creating three composite columns. The first column is used to remove the leading articles. The second is used to compute the 'shorten' form. The third is to compute the 'initials' form. Once you have these columns, the plugboard selects between them. You can hide any or all of the three columns on the library view.
  
  First column:
  

  Name: #stripped_series. Template: {series:re(^(A|The|An)\s+,)||}

  Second column (the shortened form):
  

  Name: #shortened. Template: {#stripped_series:shorten(4,-,4)}

  Third column (the initials form) (Modified/corrected by eschwartz 6/Jan/14):
  

  Name: #initials. Template: {#stripped_series:re([\s]?([^\s])[^\s]+(\s|$),\1)}

  Plugboard expression:
  

  Template:{#stripped_series:lookup(.\s,#initials,.,#shortened,series)}{series_index:0>2s| [|] }{title}
  Destination field: title

  This set of fields and plugboard produces:
  Series: The Lord of the Rings
  Series index: 2
  Title: The Two Towers
  Output: LotR [02] The Two Towers
  
  Series: Dahak
  Series index: 1
  Title: Mutineers Moon
  Output: Dahak [01] Mutineers Moon
  
  Series: Berserkers
  Series Index: 4
  Title: Berserker Throne
  Output: Bers-kers [04] Berserker Throne
  
  Series: Meg Langslow Mysteries
  Series Index: 3
  Title: Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos
  Output: MLM [03] Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos
  
• Author pen names.
  
  Spoiler:

  Use User categories and templates to manage multiple pen names for authors. See this thread, in particular posts #7 and #15.

Useful stored templates

• Get the lookup name of the current column in the books view:
  
  Spoiler:

  Stored template:
  

  python:
  def evaluate(book, context):
  	from calibre.gui2.ui import get_gui
  	gui = get_gui()
  	cv = get_gui().current_view()
  	return cv.column_map[cv.currentIndex().column()]

  Preferences / Stored templates screen capture:
  
  Example:
  

  current_column_name = current_column();
  column_value = field(current_column_name)

• Check if a date is less than another:
  
  Spoiler:

  Stored template:
  

  python:
  def evaluate(book, context):
  	args = context.arguments
  	if args is None or len(args) != 2:
  		return "date_less_than requires 2 arguments"
  	d1 = book.get(args[0])
  	d2 = book.get(args[1])
  	if d1 is None or d2 is None:
  		return '' # return no if either date isn't defined
  	return 'Yes' if d1 < d2 else ''

  Preferences / Stored templates screen capture:
  
  
  Example:
  

  if date_less_than('#mydate1', '#mydate2') == 'Yes' then something fi

Template Searches

• Search for books where title and series have the same value.
• Search for books with the highest series index.
• Search for books with the lowest series index.
• Search for books with extra files
• Count the number of books with the same column value, for example 'series', then show the books with the count greater than or equal to some value.
• Search for books where at least one author has a note attached. Be sure to use the third version of the template found in post #10. You can search for other columns by following the instructions in post #10.
• Search for one book per field value, for example authors.
• Search for books where a value in some field, for example tags, has notes.
• Search for books where all the values in a field, for example "authors", have notes.
• Template to search for notes containing specific text.

Common composite custom columns

All the recipes below require the creation of a custom column of type 'Column built from other columns', called a composite column. Creation instructions are under the spoiler.

Spoiler:

1. Go to preferences, Interface (the first row), Add your own columns.
2) Click the green plus sign.
3) Choose a lookup name. This will be the name you use for searching and in templates. It must be letters, all lowercase. Note that when you use the lookup name you must prefix it with a '#' character. Do not enter that character here.
4) Choose a column heading. This is what will appear at the top of the column.
5) Choose a column type. For the recipes below, that type must be 'Column built from other columns'.
6) Enter the template from the recipe into the template box.
7) Press OK, Apply, etc. Restart calibre.

• Display the ISBN. Template: {isbn}
• Display the formats for a book. Template: {formats}. EDIT: calibre 6.17 has a native Formats column. See Preferences / Add your own columns and check the box for Formats (lookup name 'formats')
• Display Yes if the book has an EPUB format. Template:{formats:contains(EPUB, Yes,)}
• Display the author sort. Template: {author_sort}
• Display the title sort. Template: {title_sort}

Deprecated

• Sony Metadata
  
  Spoiler:

  
  Metadata: Show author and title for title (Sony) (Sweetpea)
  

  Spoiler:

  format: device-db
  device: any device (or PRS505)
  template: {authors} - {title}
  destination: title
  

  
  Metadata: Show title [series [series index]] as title, limiting series to 8 letters (Sony) (chaley)
  

  Spoiler:

  Put 8 characters of the series plus the series index at the end of the title. The plugboard is:
  [CODE]format: device-db
  device: PRS505
  template: {title}{series:<.8s| [|}{series_index:| [|]]}
  destination: title
  

  
  Metadata: Show series - series index - title, with series as initials (Sony) (inspired by speakingtohe)
  

  Spoiler:

  The plugboard is:
  format: device-db
  device: PRS505
  template: {series:re(([^\s])[^\s]+(\s|$),\1)}{series_index:0>2s| - | - }{title}
  destination: title
  

  
  Metadata: Given a yes/no 'Read' custom column, have the collections display Read, Reading, Unread (Sony) (sweetpea)
  

  Spoiler:

  Assume that you have a custom yes/no column where you keep whether or not a book is read. Yes means the book is read, No means that the book is being read, and Unknown (empty) means that the book is to be read. This recipe will create a column containing Read/Reading/Unread that can be used to create a collection.
  
  Create a composite custom column, named as you will. In this example we assume that the yes/no column is named #read. The new column's template will be:
  template: {#read:switch(Yes,Read,No,Reading,Unread)}
  Then put the new composite column's name into the fields to be used for series list in the Sony's device customization.
  

[economix]

Hi, thanks for implementing this feature.
I have been playing around with the Metadata plugboards to get the titles on a Kindle 3 to show series information. I used the following template:

{series} - {series_index:0>2s} - {title}

With title as the destination field. This works very nicely for books that are part of a series e.g.:

A Song of Ice & Fire - 01 - A Game of Thrones
A Song of Ice & Fire - 02 - A Clash of Kings
A Song of Ice & Fire - 03 - A Storm of Swords
A Song of Ice & Fire - 04 - A Feast for Crows

Is what shows up in the title field on the Kindle.
However, when a book is sent that is not part of a series, I get a leading - - in the title e.g.:

- - To Kill a Mockingbird

I am wondering if there is a way to eliminate the extraneous dashes at the start of the title when there is nothing in the series field. Or alternatively, an easy way to turn the plugboard on and off depending on whether the book being sent is part of a series or not.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by economix

I am wondering if there is a way to eliminate the extraneous dashes at the start of the title when there is nothing in the series field. Or alternatively, an easy way to turn the plugboard on and off.

Use

{series}{series_index:0>2s| - | - }{title}

The vertical bars separate the value from leading and trailing text that is added only if the value is not empty.

You might want to take a look at the (new) template tutorial in the manual. There are lots of fun toys.

[Sweetpea]

Thanks to the plugboard and composite fields, I can now use Calibre for my WinCE/Mobile (Mobipocket) devices.

The filename is made up as;

{author_sort}/{series}/{title} - v{#version:0>2s}

{title} consists of series and index, because the Sony isn't supported by the plugboard. It's not a big deal, as you want the series info with the title anyway, otherwise, ordering by title simply doesn't make any sense.

My plugboard is more interresting:

{#author_title_sort}{#raw:test( - [raw],)} - {title}

is plugged into the title field for PRC and MOBI files.

{#author_title_sort} is a field that looks a bit like {author_sort}, except I don't want the entire first name. Especially on my PDA, where the screenwidth is not too wide, the full name would take too much room.

"Andersen, Hans Christian - Fairy Tales"
vs
"Andersen, H.C. - Fairy Tales"

The {#raw} means I've not checked the book yet and I won't have it in PDF format.

I am working on a save template for my BBMini: it uses these composite fields:

{#folder_name} is a composite field: {#folder_a_t:lookup(#folder_a_t,#u_z)}
{#folder_a_t} is a composite field: {#folder_a_j:lookup(#folder_a_j,#folder_k_t)}
{#folder_k_t} is a composite field: {#k_o:lookup(#k_o,#p_t)}
{#folder_a_j} is a composite field: {#a_e:lookup(#a_e,#f_j)}
{#u_z} is a composite field: {#first_letter:contains([U-Z],[U - Z],)}
{#p_t} is a composite field: {#first_letter:contains([P-T],[P - T],)}
{#k_o} is a compositie field: {#first_letter:contains([K-O],[K - O],)}
{#f_j} is a compositie field: {#first_letter:contains([F-J],[F - J],)}
{#a_e} is a compositie field: {#first_letter:contains([A-E],[A - E],)}
{#first_letter} is a compositie field: {author_sort:.1}

I tried to add them into one, but it gave me an error

[speakingtohe]

Just curious

Why isn't the SOny supported by the plugboard?

Helen

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Just curious

Why isn't the SOny supported by the plugboard?

Helen

I believe it is... there's a PRS505 device, and from what I could gather from the plugins list, all Sony devices are handled by the same plugin. So, if you use PRS505, it ought to work.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Just curious

Why isn't the SOny supported by the plugboard?

Helen

It is, but not in the way that people might expect.

The plugboard supports changing the metadata for books *in the book*. Sony's don't use the metadata in the books, but instead use the information in the device's database (unless something goes wrong and the database is rebuilt). For lots of reasons, the information in the sony database is built using calibre's metadata, not the book's metadata, so changes made using the plugboard won't be used in the database.

I can change the sony driver to use the plugboard when writing to its database, but the changes are non-trivial. My concern is that any mistake will change existing collection data. My experience to date with that sort of mistake has not been at all pleasant.

Edit: The restriction has been removed. Sony DBs are now fully supported by the plugboard, using the special format 'device_db'.

[CCLady]

Originally Posted by chaley

Use

{series}{series_index:0>2s| - | - }{title}

The vertical bars separate the value from leading and trailing text that is added only if the value is not empty.

You might want to take a look at the (new) template tutorial in the manual. There are lots of fun toys.

This works perfectly on the K1 - not on the K3. Is there something else I need to do, or is this something that needs to be added in Calibre itself?

[Scott Nielsen]

Originally Posted by economix

I am wondering if there is a way to eliminate the extraneous dashes at the start of the title when there is nothing in the series field. Or alternatively, an easy way to turn the plugboard on and off depending on whether the book being sent is part of a series or not.

I don't have a dash between series name and index but other than that, this should accomplish what you are looking for.

{series:|| }{series_index:0>2s|[|] - }{title}

[brewjono]

Originally Posted by CCLady

This works perfectly on the K1 - not on the K3. Is there something else I need to do, or is this something that needs to be added in Calibre itself?

It worked for me on my K3.

I would like to use a combination though where I reduce the author to last name, initial and the series as above. I didn't understand the hash (#) used by the other poster though.

Brewjono

[brewjono]

Hoping for some further clarification here.

Prefix this with I am using a K3.

Any changes I make to the Preferences > Sending books to devices > Save Template

only affects the Folder and file name structure within the Documents folder of my Kindle ie what I can see when using Windows Explorer,

Any changes I make to the Preferences > Metadata Plugboards

only affects what is displayed on my Kindle screen.

Example: If I include info regarding the series on the send to device template it will include that info in windows exploer but not on the Kindle screen. If I want to display that series data on the actual kindle screen I have to use a Metadata Plugboard.

That all being said does anybody have a suggestion of a plugboard I can use that will display the series as described by chaley

ie {series}{series_index:0>2s| - | - }{title}

and also the shortened author name as described be Sweetpea.

I have been finding that with the full series name, title, and author it obviously doesn't fit on the K3 screen. I did notice that if you hover over it, it shows a second line of text.

Thanks,

Brewjono

[speakingtohe]

I can change the sony driver to use the plugboard when writing to its database, but the changes are non-trivial. My concern is that any mistake will change existing collection data. My experience to date with that sort of mistake has not been at all pleasant.

Understandable. And the Sony collection thing is sort of ok.


I am trying to get the plugboard working adequately for my mother's kindle 3 and was hoping to be able to test/do it without actually having the kindle. (I have it now but her birthday is getting close)

My mother is 85 and lives several thousand miles away so her being able to do it herself is problematic.

Using this example

{series}{series_index:0>2s| - | - }{title}

I get this on the kindle 3
Along Came a Spider - James PattersonAC1.mobi

And this on save to disk and on folder device.
Along Came a Spider - James Patterson.mobi

What am I doing wrong?

Helen

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

I am trying to get the plugboard working adequately for my mother's kindle 3 and was hoping to be able to test/do it without actually having the kindle.

I don't have your answer but I'm relatively sure you can test out the plug board by using the Connect to Folder option.

[CCLady]

I got an answer on a different board - I should have selected Kindle2 in order for it to work on the K3.

I am a happy Kindler.

[speakingtohe]

don't have your answer but I'm relatively sure you can test out the plug board by using the Connect to Folder option.

Doesn't seem to work

I get this on the kindle 3
Along Came a Spider - James PattersonAC1.mobi

And this on save to disk and on folder device.
Along Came a Spider - James Patterson.mobi