How to create Virtual Library with arbitrary collection of books

[paul55391]

I want to create a Virtual Library containing a subset of books that have no common search criteria. I simply want to select a book and add it to a Virtual Library. I don't want to modify the metadata of books to add Tags, to create the Virtual Library. I want to 'say' "I want Book A1, Book A2, ... Book An in a Virtual Library". Am I right in concluding I can't do this?

[Krazykiwi]

I added a column for this, pretty much because I couldn't figure out any other way to do it. I don't show it in the UI, I just use it to put some books in and out of a couple of VL's.

If the list is not too big though, you might consider using the Reading List plugin - it won't give you an actual VL, but does give you a way to arbitrarily make a list of books.

[Divingduck]

If you like to define a subset of books for a virtual library, you need something to query about. This can be a tag, a value of an user defined column, a missing tag or what ever else you can imagine.
Eg you can set up a query to show all books what have a tag "MyVirtualLib" and then use this query to define your special virtual library.

[theducks]

Using a T-F (logical) column is probably a good way to go

The create a VL based upon that column being True

You might check out the Reading List PI
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...85&postcount=1

that might be what you are heading at

[paul55391]

Thanks, responders. I created a column of type Integer and now I can use this field to assign books to one or more virtual libraries.

[DaltonST]

There is a tool in the Job Spy plug-in that will automatically create a Search String using the currently selected book IDs. That Search can then be saved as a Virtual Library.


DaltonST

[Divingduck]

Originally Posted by paul55391

Thanks, responders. I created a column of type Integer and now I can use this field to assign books to one or more virtual libraries.

Sometimes it is good to know to what virtual lib a book is linked (if a book is part of more than one virtual library). In this case this is maybe useful for you too:
Create a custom column build from other column and use the template function

{0:'virtual_libraries()'}

[BetterRed]

I reserve my VL usage to 'permanent collections' via searches on 'tags' and '#status'. My arbitrary collections typically have a life of days/weeks/months, for those I prefer to use the Reading List Plug-in

BR

[fidvo]

I use a tag-like column to store multiple entries that I use to divide my books into Virtual Libraries. A book can belong to multiple VL's this way.