Best method to implement multiple series for 1 book

[DrChiper]

I sometimes encounter a book which belongs to more than 1 series (spin-off/cross-over/re-issue, etc.). Up to now I did not bother (it seldom happens) so I just included a separate identical book copy for the other series. Problem solved.
Or is it? I have now 2 identical copies of the same book in the DB, and each is to be maintained separately to keep them in sync. Not handy. Also space-wise.
So I started thinking about a better solution with just one physical book entry: for instance adding a second "series" column to the book (would that work?) or do something with links (to a dummy book entry for the other series?)
So my question: has somebody tried this already and found good/better solution? What is advisable?

[Sirtel]

I just make a note about other series in the comments, but then I have very few such books (I tend to dislike spin-offs and crossovers, and I don't collect multiple issues of the same book, unless there have been substantial changes in the content). For your purpose, creating a custom column for series-like information would probably be the best solution.

[MSWallack]

This has come up several times before. My general answer: Save yourself the headache of dealing with this problem by simply banging your head against your desk (preferably, quite vigorously), cursing the author for creating the metadata hell, and then drowning your pain in a nice glass of your preferred libation. Works every time.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DrChiper

I sometimes encounter a book which belongs to more than 1 series (spin-off/cross-over/re-issue, etc.). Up to now I did not bother (it seldom happens) so I just included a separate identical book copy for the other series. Problem solved.
Or is it? I have now 2 identical copies of the same book in the DB, and each is to be maintained separately to keep them in sync. Not handy. Also space-wise.
So I started thinking about a better solution with just one physical book entry: for instance adding a second "series" column to the book (would that work?) or do something with links (to a dummy book entry for the other series?)
So my question: has somebody tried this already and found good/better solution? What is advisable?

There is a very simple solution. Figure out where you plan on reading this book. Then in series, put in that series and #. So you'll have it where you'll be reading it.

So if the book fits in series A as #4 and Series B as #3 and you plan in reading it as part of series B, put it under series B [3].

[theducks]

What is the most relevant index for that book. Usually it is the spinoff.
A true Spinoff does not require knowledge of the parent story

OTOH It could be the branch of a Parent (Hierarchical)
Pern.Dragonriders
Pern.Harper Hall

Then there are (arbitrary?) Cycles.
C.J. Cherryh did this with Foreigner. I started with Cycles (as the Author indicated) and later just went linear.

I do have a Second (custom) Series column, for when 2 series play together.
J.A. Jance has books where 2 of her series overlap in a case

And then there is the Catchall: <Various> (BTW Kobo indicates a Blank series when I use this notation)

I usually Set MY Favorite series into 1 of my Series type columns and use <Various> when there are more than 2
I also have <Various not from a single Author> that gets used with collections / bundles.
In all Cases, <Various> gets an index of 0

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by theducks

I do have a Second (custom) Series column, for when 2 series play together.

Just to add that a long time ago I needed something like that and this plugin came in handy:

"Supports both the built-in Calibre series column and optional custom series columns."
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=125729

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

Just to add that a long time ago I needed something like that and this plugin came in handy:

"Supports both the built-in Calibre series column and optional custom series columns."
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=125729

That won't help for eBooks on a Kobo as you can only have one series listed.

[DrChiper]

I was playing a little with the "manage series" option to <connect> two series to each other (which kind of works, but unfortunately not for a single book) and found the indicated popup. However, I have no clue what the column "Was" can be used for: it cannot be edited whatsoever.
Anybody?

[DrChiper]

Originally Posted by MSWallack

This has come up several times before. My general answer: Save yourself the headache of dealing with this problem by simply banging your head against your desk (preferably, quite vigorously), cursing the author for creating the metadata hell, and then drowning your pain in a nice glass of your preferred libation. Works every time.

I take your advice: a brandy will do fine

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by DrChiper

I was playing a little with the "manage series" option to <connect> two series to each other (which kind of works, but unfortunately not for a single book) and found the indicated popup. However, I have no clue what the column "Was" can be used for: it cannot be edited whatsoever.
Anybody?

It's an ephemeral display only column. If you change 'Foo' to 'Bar' it will show 'Foo' until you exit via OK or Cancel.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DrChiper

I was playing a little with the "manage series" option to <connect> two series to each other (which kind of works, but unfortunately not for a single book) and found the indicated popup. However, I have no clue what the column "Was" can be used for: it cannot be edited whatsoever.
Anybody?

It displays what the series name WAS, before you edited it (if you did)
This action is consistent with MANAGE TAGS (built into Calibre)

[DrChiper]

@BetterRed, @theducks: thanks for the update

[Sarmat89]

Unfortunately, Calibre was designed in times when EPUB format was too primitive to store multiple series.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

Unfortunately, Calibre was designed in times when EPUB format was too primitive to store multiple series.

I know of folk that have MANY custom series type columns just because the book / bundle has so many . The problem with this flat file approach is you can't, really SORT them all together.

A more workable solution is to either use EPUB_split or Create an empty book that has a link to the parent. Neither is an effortless solution.

[fidvo]

This is something that's bugged me for a long time, so much so that I'm considering writing a plugin to help with this. It wouldn't be a full solution because it would only work in the library, not on the device.

The idea is that you store multiple series in a single, hierarchical, tag-like column. The second-to-last level of the hierarchy (you'll usually only have 2 levels) indicates the series, and the last level indicates the index.

The plugin would simply pull up a screen listing all the "series" that the current book belongs to. You select a series, and it would filter the book list so that only books with that series show, and puts them in order by that specific series. Most of this can be done with the tag browser already; the ordering is the only part that's missing.

Would there be any interest in this plugin? I'm familiar with Python, but I'm clueless when it comes to creating plugins. If others would be interested in it, that might give me the motivation to actually do it.