Make author names in the Book Details panel clickable. Clicking them takes you to the wikipedia page for the author by default. You may have to tell calibre to display author names in the Book details panel first via Preferences->Look & Feel->Book details. You can change the link for individual authors by right clicking on the author's name in the Tag Browser and selecting Manage Authors.

resources/metadata_sqlite.sql

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 CREATE TABLE authors ( id   INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
                               name TEXT NOT NULL COLLATE NOCASE,
                               sort TEXT COLLATE NOCASE,
+                              link TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT "",
                               UNIQUE(name)
                              );
 CREATE TABLE books ( id      INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
@@ -545,4 +546,4 @@ CREATE TRIGGER series_update_trg
         BEGIN
           UPDATE series SET sort=NEW.name WHERE id=NEW.id;
         END;
-pragma user_version=20;
+pragma user_version=21;

src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/__init__.py

@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ CALIBRE_METADATA_FIELDS = frozenset([
     # a dict of user category names, where the value is a list of item names
     # from the book that are in that category
     'user_categories',
+    # a dict of author to an associated hyperlink
+    'author_link_map',
 
     ]
 )

src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ NULL_VALUES = {
                 'authors'      : [_('Unknown')],
                 'title'        : _('Unknown'),
                 'user_categories' : {},
+                'author_link_map' : {},
                 'language'     : 'und'
 }
 

src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf2.py

@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ def serialize_user_metadata(metadata_elem, all_user_metadata, tail='\n'+(' '*8))
         metadata_elem.append(meta)
 
 
-def dump_user_categories(cats):
+def dump_dict(cats):
     if not cats:
         cats = {}
     from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.json_codec import object_to_unicode
@@ -537,8 +537,9 @@ class OPF(object): # {{{
                                     formatter=parse_date, renderer=isoformat)
     user_categories = MetadataField('user_categories', is_dc=False,
                                     formatter=json.loads,
-                                    renderer=dump_user_categories)
+                                    renderer=dump_dict)
-
+    author_link_map = MetadataField('author_link_map', is_dc=False,
+                                formatter=json.loads, renderer=dump_dict)
 
     def __init__(self, stream, basedir=os.getcwdu(), unquote_urls=True,
             populate_spine=True):
@@ -1039,7 +1040,7 @@ class OPF(object): # {{{
         for attr in ('title', 'authors', 'author_sort', 'title_sort',
                      'publisher', 'series', 'series_index', 'rating',
                      'isbn', 'tags', 'category', 'comments',
-                     'pubdate', 'user_categories'):
+                     'pubdate', 'user_categories', 'author_link_map'):
             val = getattr(mi, attr, None)
             if val is not None and val != [] and val != (None, None):
                 setattr(self, attr, val)
@@ -1336,6 +1337,8 @@ def metadata_to_opf(mi, as_string=True):
         for tag in mi.tags:
             factory(DC('subject'), tag)
     meta = lambda n, c: factory('meta', name='calibre:'+n, content=c)
+    if getattr(mi, 'author_link_map', None) is not None:
+        meta('author_link_map', dump_dict(mi.author_link_map))
     if mi.series:
         meta('series', mi.series)
     if mi.series_index is not None:
@@ -1349,7 +1352,7 @@ def metadata_to_opf(mi, as_string=True):
     if mi.title_sort:
         meta('title_sort', mi.title_sort)
     if mi.user_categories:
-        meta('user_categories', dump_user_categories(mi.user_categories))
+        meta('user_categories', dump_dict(mi.user_categories))
 
     serialize_user_metadata(metadata, mi.get_all_user_metadata(False))
 

src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py

@@ -83,13 +83,14 @@ gprefs.defaults['tags_browser_partition_method'] = 'first letter'
 gprefs.defaults['tags_browser_collapse_at'] = 100
 gprefs.defaults['edit_metadata_single_layout'] = 'default'
 gprefs.defaults['book_display_fields'] = [
-        ('title', False), ('authors', False), ('formats', True),
+        ('title', False), ('authors', True), ('formats', True),
         ('series', True), ('identifiers', True), ('tags', True),
         ('path', True), ('publisher', False), ('rating', False),
         ('author_sort', False), ('sort', False), ('timestamp', False),
         ('uuid', False), ('comments', True), ('id', False), ('pubdate', False),
         ('last_modified', False), ('size', False),
         ]
+gprefs.defaults['default_author_link'] = 'http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search={author}'
 
 # }}}
 

src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2010, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
+import urllib2
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import (QPixmap, QSize, QWidget, Qt, pyqtSignal, QUrl,
     QPropertyAnimation, QEasingCurve, QApplication, QFontInfo,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ from calibre.library.comments import comments_to_html
 from calibre.gui2 import (config, open_local_file, open_url, pixmap_to_data,
         gprefs)
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
+from calibre.utils.formatter import EvalFormatter
 
 def render_html(mi, css, vertical, widget, all_fields=False): # {{{
     table = render_data(mi, all_fields=all_fields,
@@ -121,6 +123,26 @@ def render_data(mi, use_roman_numbers=True, all_fields=False):
             if links:
                 ans.append((field, u'<td class="title">%s</td><td>%s</td>'%(
                     _('Ids')+':', links)))
+        elif field == 'authors' and not isdevice:
+            authors = []
+            formatter = EvalFormatter()
+            for aut in mi.authors:
+                if mi.author_link_map[aut]:
+                    link = mi.author_link_map[aut]
+                elif gprefs.get('default_author_link'):
+                    vals = {'author': aut}
+                    try:
+                        vals['author_sort'] =  mi.author_sort_map[aut]
+                    except:
+                        vals['author_sort'] = aut
+                    link = formatter.safe_format(
+                            gprefs.get('default_author_link'), vals, '', vals)
+                if link:
+                    authors.append(u'<a href="%s">%s</a>'%(urllib2.quote(link), aut))
+                else:
+                    authors.append(aut)
+            ans.append((field, u'<td class="title">%s</td><td>%s</td>'%(name,
+                u' & '.join(authors))))
         else:
             val = mi.format_field(field)[-1]
             if val is None:

src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/edit_authors_dialog.py

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class EditAuthorsDialog(QDialog, Ui_EditAuthorsDialog):
 
         # Set up the column headings
         self.table.setSelectionMode(QAbstractItemView.SingleSelection)
-        self.table.setColumnCount(2)
+        self.table.setColumnCount(3)
         self.down_arrow_icon = QIcon(I('arrow-down.png'))
         self.up_arrow_icon = QIcon(I('arrow-up.png'))
         self.blank_icon = QIcon(I('blank.png'))
@@ -43,26 +43,33 @@ class EditAuthorsDialog(QDialog, Ui_EditAuthorsDialog):
         self.aus_col = QTableWidgetItem(_('Author sort'))
         self.table.setHorizontalHeaderItem(1, self.aus_col)
         self.aus_col.setIcon(self.up_arrow_icon)
+        self.aul_col = QTableWidgetItem(_('Link'))
+        self.table.setHorizontalHeaderItem(2, self.aul_col)
+        self.aus_col.setIcon(self.blank_icon)
 
         # Add the data
         self.authors = {}
         auts = db.get_authors_with_ids()
         self.table.setRowCount(len(auts))
         select_item = None
-        for row, (id, author, sort) in enumerate(auts):
+        for row, (id, author, sort, link) in enumerate(auts):
             author = author.replace('|', ',')
-            self.authors[id] = (author, sort)
+            self.authors[id] = (author, sort, link)
             aut = tableItem(author)
             aut.setData(Qt.UserRole, id)
             sort = tableItem(sort)
+            link = tableItem(link)
             self.table.setItem(row, 0, aut)
             self.table.setItem(row, 1, sort)
+            self.table.setItem(row, 2, link)
             if id == id_to_select:
                 if select_sort:
                     select_item = sort
                 else:
                     select_item = aut
         self.table.resizeColumnsToContents()
+        if self.table.columnWidth(2) < 200:
+            self.table.setColumnWidth(2, 200)
 
         # set up the cellChanged signal only after the table is filled
         self.table.cellChanged.connect(self.cell_changed)
@@ -236,9 +243,10 @@ class EditAuthorsDialog(QDialog, Ui_EditAuthorsDialog):
             id   = self.table.item(row, 0).data(Qt.UserRole).toInt()[0]
             aut  = unicode(self.table.item(row, 0).text()).strip()
             sort = unicode(self.table.item(row, 1).text()).strip()
-            orig_aut,orig_sort = self.authors[id]
+            link = unicode(self.table.item(row, 2).text()).strip()
-            if orig_aut != aut or orig_sort != sort:
+            orig_aut,orig_sort,orig_link = self.authors[id]
-                self.result.append((id, orig_aut, aut, sort))
+            if orig_aut != aut or orig_sort != sort or orig_link != link:
+                self.result.append((id, orig_aut, aut, sort, link))
 
     def do_recalc_author_sort(self):
         self.table.cellChanged.disconnect()
@@ -276,6 +284,6 @@ class EditAuthorsDialog(QDialog, Ui_EditAuthorsDialog):
             c.setText(author_to_author_sort(aut))
             item = c
         else:
-            item  = self.table.item(row, 1)
+            item  = self.table.item(row, col)
         self.table.setCurrentItem(item)
         self.table.scrollToItem(item)

src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/restore_library.py

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class DBRestore(QDialog):
     def reject(self):
         self.rejected = True
         self.restorer.progress_callback = lambda x, y: x
-        QDialog.rejecet(self)
+        QDialog.reject(self)
 
     def update(self):
         if self.restorer.is_alive():

src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py

@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
                    (_('Partitioned'), 'partition')]
         r('tags_browser_partition_method', gprefs, choices=choices)
         r('tags_browser_collapse_at', gprefs)
+        r('default_author_link', gprefs)
 
         choices = set([k for k in db.field_metadata.all_field_keys()
                 if db.field_metadata[k]['is_category'] and

src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui

@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
        <string>Book Details</string>
       </attribute>
       <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_12">
-       <item row="0" column="0" rowspan="2">
+       <item row="1" column="0" rowspan="2">
         <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupBox">
          <property name="title">
           <string>Select displayed metadata</string>
@@ -243,6 +243,31 @@
          </layout>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item row="0" column="0">
+        <layout class="QHBoxLayout">
+         <item>
+          <widget class="QLabel" name="label">
+           <property name="text">
+            <string>Default author link template:</string>
+           </property>
+           <property name="buddy">
+            <cstring>opt_default_author_link</cstring>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
+         <item>
+          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="opt_default_author_link">
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;p&gt;Enter a template to be used to create a link for
+an author in the books information dialog. This template will 
+be used when no link has been provided for the author using 
+Manage Authors. You can use the values {author} and 
+{author_sort}, and any template function.</string>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
+        </layout>
+       </item>
        <item row="0" column="1">
         <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_use_roman_numerals_for_series_number">
          <property name="text">

src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py

@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView): # {{{
         return expanded_categories, state_map
 
     def reread_collapse_parameters(self):
-        self._model.reread_collapse_parameters(self.get_state()[1])
+        self._model.reread_collapse_model(self.get_state()[1])
 
     def set_database(self, db, tag_match, sort_by):
         self._model.set_database(db)

src/calibre/library/database2.py

@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
              'uuid',
              'has_cover',
             ('au_map', 'authors', 'author',
-                'aum_sortconcat(link.id, authors.name, authors.sort)'),
+                'aum_sortconcat(link.id, authors.name, authors.sort, authors.link)'),
             'last_modified',
             '(SELECT identifiers_concat(type, val) FROM identifiers WHERE identifiers.book=books.id) identifiers',
             ]
@@ -894,13 +894,17 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
             aut_list = []
         aum = []
         aus = {}
-        for (author, author_sort) in aut_list:
+        aul = {}
-            aum.append(author.replace('|', ','))
+        for (author, author_sort, link) in aut_list:
-            aus[author] = author_sort.replace('|', ',')
+            aut = author.replace('|', ',')
+            aum.append(aut)
+            aus[aut] = author_sort.replace('|', ',')
+            aul[aut] = link
         mi.title       = row[fm['title']]
         mi.authors     = aum
         mi.author_sort = row[fm['author_sort']]
         mi.author_sort_map = aus
+        mi.author_link_map = aul
         mi.comments    = row[fm['comments']]
         mi.publisher   = row[fm['publisher']]
         mi.timestamp   = row[fm['timestamp']]
@@ -2041,13 +2045,13 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
     def authors_with_sort_strings(self, id, index_is_id=False):
         id = id if index_is_id else self.id(id)
         aut_strings = self.conn.get('''
-                        SELECT authors.id, authors.name, authors.sort
+                        SELECT authors.id, authors.name, authors.sort, authors.link
                         FROM authors, books_authors_link as bl
                         WHERE bl.book=? and authors.id=bl.author
                         ORDER BY bl.id''', (id,))
         result = []
-        for (id_, author, sort,) in aut_strings:
+        for (id_, author, sort, link) in aut_strings:
-            result.append((id_, author.replace('|', ','), sort))
+            result.append((id_, author.replace('|', ','), sort, link))
         return result
 
     # Given a book, return the author_sort string for authors of the book
@@ -2087,7 +2091,8 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
 
         aum = self.authors_with_sort_strings(id_, index_is_id=True)
         self.data.set(id_, self.FIELD_MAP['au_map'],
-            ':#:'.join([':::'.join((au.replace(',', '|'), aus)) for (_, au, aus) in aum]),
+            ':#:'.join([':::'.join((au.replace(',', '|'), aus, aul))
+                                            for (_, au, aus, aul) in aum]),
             row_is_id=True)
 
     def _set_authors(self, id, authors, allow_case_change=False):
@@ -2438,7 +2443,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         self.conn.commit()
 
     def get_authors_with_ids(self):
-        result = self.conn.get('SELECT id,name,sort FROM authors')
+        result = self.conn.get('SELECT id,name,sort,link FROM authors')
         if not result:
             return []
         return result
@@ -2449,6 +2454,13 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
                                (author,), all=False)
         return result
 
+    def set_link_field_for_author(self, aid, link, commit=True, notify=False):
+        if not link:
+            link = ''
+        self.conn.execute('UPDATE authors SET link=? WHERE id=?', (link.strip(), aid))
+        if commit:
+            self.conn.commit()
+
     def set_sort_field_for_author(self, old_id, new_sort, commit=True, notify=False):
         self.conn.execute('UPDATE authors SET sort=? WHERE id=?', \
                               (new_sort.strip(), old_id))

src/calibre/library/restore.py

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class Restore(Thread):
         self.mismatched_dirs = []
         self.successes = 0
         self.tb = None
+        self.authors_links = {}
 
     @property
     def errors_occurred(self):
@@ -160,6 +161,12 @@ class Restore(Thread):
         else:
             self.mismatched_dirs.append(dirpath)
 
+        alm = mi.get('author_link_map', {})
+        for author, link in alm.iteritems():
+            existing_link, timestamp = self.authors_links.get(author, (None, None))
+            if existing_link is None or existing_link != link and timestamp < mi.timestamp:
+                self.authors_links[author] = (link, mi.timestamp)
+
     def create_cc_metadata(self):
         self.books.sort(key=itemgetter('timestamp'))
         self.custom_columns = {}
@@ -206,6 +213,11 @@ class Restore(Thread):
                 self.failed_restores.append((book, traceback.format_exc()))
             self.progress_callback(book['mi'].title, i+1)
 
+        for author in self.authors_links.iterkeys():
+            link, ign = self.authors_links[author]
+            db.conn.execute('UPDATE authors SET link=? WHERE name=?',
+                            (link, author.replace(',', '|')))
+        db.conn.commit()
         db.conn.close()
 
     def restore_book(self, book, db):

src/calibre/library/schema_upgrades.py

@@ -600,4 +600,14 @@ class SchemaUpgrade(object):
                 with open(os.path.join(bdir, fname), 'wb') as f:
                     f.write(script)
 
+    def upgrade_version_20(self):
+        '''
+        Add a link column to the authors table.
+        '''
+
+        script = '''
+        ALTER TABLE authors ADD COLUMN link TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT "";
+        '''
+        self.conn.executescript(script)
+
 

src/calibre/library/sqlite.py

@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ class AumSortedConcatenate(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.ans = {}
 
-    def step(self, ndx, author, sort):
+    def step(self, ndx, author, sort, link):
         if author is not None:
-            self.ans[ndx] = author + ':::' + sort
+            self.ans[ndx] = ':::'.join((author, sort, link))
 
     def finalize(self):
         keys = self.ans.keys()
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class DBThread(Thread):
         load_c_extensions(self.conn)
         self.conn.row_factory = sqlite.Row if self.row_factory else  lambda cursor, row : list(row)
         self.conn.create_aggregate('concat', 1, Concatenate)
-        self.conn.create_aggregate('aum_sortconcat', 3, AumSortedConcatenate)
+        self.conn.create_aggregate('aum_sortconcat', 4, AumSortedConcatenate)
         self.conn.create_collation('PYNOCASE', partial(pynocase,
             encoding=encoding))
         self.conn.create_function('title_sort', 1, title_sort)