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Managing Wishlist Items

Once you've added books to your wishlists, BookWish provides powerful tools to organize, track, and manage them. Keep your reading life organized with statuses, priorities, and personal notes.

Viewing Wishlist Items​

Opening a Wishlist​

  1. Go to the Wish tab
  2. Tap any wishlist to open it
  3. See all books in that list

Item Display​

Each book in your wishlist shows:

  • Cover image (48x64 pixels)

    • Book cover thumbnail
    • Placeholder icon if no image available
    • High-quality cached images

  • Book title (up to 2 lines)

    • Truncated with ellipsis if too long
    • Tap anywhere to see full details

  • Author(s) (up to 1 line)

    • Comma-separated for multiple authors
    • Truncated with ellipsis if needed

  • Status icon (right side)

    • Star = Want to Read
    • Book = Currently Reading
    • Checkmark = Finished

  • Priority badge (top-right corner)

    • Red star = High priority
    • Yellow star = Low priority
    • No badge = Normal priority

  • Notes indicator (right side)

    • Filled document icon = Has notes
    • Outline document icon = No notes yet

Code Reference: Item tile implementation in /app/lib/ui/components/wishlist_item_tile.dart.

Reading Status​

Track where you are with each book using reading statuses.

Status Options​

Want to Read​

  • Icon: Star (yellow/amber)
  • Meaning: Book is on your to-read list
  • Default: This is the default status when adding books
  • Use for: Books you plan to read eventually

Currently Reading​

  • Icon: Book (teal)
  • Meaning: You're actively reading this book
  • Use for: Books you've started
  • Tip: Move books here when you begin reading

Finished​

  • Icon: Checkmark circle (green)
  • Meaning: You've completed this book
  • Use for: Books you've read cover to cover
  • Note: Consider leaving a review after finishing

Code Reference: Status icons and colors in /app/lib/ui/components/wishlist_item_tile.dart (lines 21-55).

Changing Status​

To update a book's reading status:

  1. Tap the status icon on the book tile
  2. A dialog appears with status and priority options
  3. Select new status under "Reading Status"
    • Tap "Want to Read"
    • Tap "Currently Reading"
    • Tap "Finished"
  4. Tap "Save" to apply changes

The status icon updates immediately on your wishlist.

Implementation: Status picker dialog in /app/lib/ui/components/wishlist_item_tile.dart (lines 57-194).

Priority Levels​

Prioritize which books to read next with priority settings.

Priority Types​

High Priority​

  • Badge: Red star icon
  • Meaning: Read this soon
  • Use for:
    • Book club selections
    • Time-sensitive reads
    • Highly anticipated releases
    • Recommendations you're excited about

Normal Priority​

  • Badge: None (default)
  • Meaning: Standard reading list
  • Use for: Most books in your collection

Low Priority​

  • Badge: Yellow star icon
  • Meaning: Read eventually
  • Use for:
    • Books you're curious about but not urgent
    • Long-term reading goals
    • "Nice to have" additions

Setting Priority​

To change a book's priority:

  1. Tap the status icon on the book tile
  2. Scroll to the "Priority" section
  3. Select priority level:
    • Tap "High Priority"
    • Tap "Normal"
    • Tap "Low Priority"
  4. Tap "Save" to apply

Priority badges appear on the book cover thumbnail.

Code Reference: Priority options in /app/lib/ui/components/wishlist_item_tile.dart (lines 109-139).

Personal Notes (Scribbles)​

Add private notes to any book in your wishlist using the Scribble feature.

What Are Scribbles?​

Scribbles are personal notes attached to books in your wishlists:

  • Private: Only you can see them
  • Flexible: Free-form text
  • Persistent: Saved across devices
  • Book-specific: Each book can have its own note

Use Cases for Scribbles​

  • Why you want to read it: "Recommended by Sarah"
  • Context: "For my research project on climate fiction"
  • Reminders: "Buy the hardcover edition"
  • Quotes to look for: "Contains the 'to be or not to be' passage"
  • Reading notes: "Left off at Chapter 5"
  • Gift planning: "Mom's birthday present"

Adding a Scribble​

  1. Find the book in your wishlist
  2. Tap the note icon (document icon on the right)
  3. The scribble overlay opens
  4. Write your note in the text field
  5. Tap "Save" or tap outside to save automatically

Viewing/Editing Scribbles​

To view or edit an existing scribble:

  1. Tap the filled note icon on books with scribbles
  2. Your note appears in the overlay
  3. Edit the text
  4. Tap "Save" or tap outside

The note icon changes from outline (no note) to filled (has note).

Code Reference: Scribble overlay accessed via /app/lib/ui/components/wishlist_item_tile.dart (lines 359-363).

Moving Items Between Wishlists​

To move a book from one wishlist to another:

Method 1: Remove and Re-add​

  1. Remove the book from the current wishlist (swipe to delete)
  2. Search for the book again
  3. Add it to the desired wishlist
  4. Set status and priority again

Method 2: Add to Multiple Lists​

  1. Books can exist in multiple wishlists simultaneously
  2. Search for the book
  3. Add it to the second wishlist
  4. Optionally remove from the first list
Multiple Wishlists

Each wishlist maintains its own status and priority for the same book. A book can be "Want to Read" in one list and "Finished" in another.

Removing Items​

Swipe to Delete​

To remove a book from a wishlist:

  1. Swipe left on the book tile
  2. Red delete background appears
  3. Continue swiping to reveal the trash icon
  4. Confirm deletion in the dialog
    • Shows book title for verification
    • "Remove" button confirms
    • "Cancel" button aborts
  5. Book is removed from the wishlist
Permanent Removal

Removing a book from a wishlist is permanent. The book is deleted from that list only - it remains in other wishlists if you added it to multiple lists.

Code Reference: Swipe-to-delete in /app/lib/ui/components/wishlist_item_tile.dart (lines 212-275).

What Happens When You Remove​

  • The book is removed from the wishlist
  • Your scribbles for that book in this list are deleted
  • Status and priority for this list are lost
  • Other wishlists with the same book are unaffected
  • You can re-add the book anytime (starts fresh)

Bulk Operations​

Currently, BookWish handles items individually. For multiple operations:

Removing Multiple Books​

  1. Swipe and delete each book
  2. Confirmations are required for each

Changing Multiple Statuses​

  1. Open each book's status picker
  2. Update individually
  3. Changes save immediately

Future Enhancement​

Batch operations may be added in future updates for:

  • Multi-select mode
  • Bulk status changes
  • Bulk priority updates
  • Bulk list moves

Organizing Strategies​

By Status​

Within each wishlist, organize by reading status:

  1. Keep "Currently Reading" books at the top
  2. "Want to Read" in the middle
  3. "Finished" books at the bottom (or move to a "Read" list)

By Priority​

Use priority to focus on what's next:

  • High priority = read this month
  • Normal priority = read this year
  • Low priority = someday/maybe

By Notes​

Use scribbles for context:

  • Gift ideas tagged with recipient names
  • Book club books tagged with meeting dates
  • Research books tagged with project names

Viewing Book Details​

Tap any book to open the full details overlay:

Detail View Shows​

  • Full cover image
  • Complete title and subtitle
  • All authors and contributors
  • Publisher and publication date
  • Page count and ISBN
  • Full description/synopsis
  • Availability at stores
  • Community reviews and ratings

Actions Available​

  • Update wishlist settings
  • Share the book
  • View in stores
  • See similar books
  • Add to different wishlist

Code Reference: Book info overlay in /app/lib/ui/overlays/book_info_overlay.dart.

Item Statistics​

Each wishlist displays:

  • Item count: Total books in the list
  • Shown on the wishlist tile
  • Updates in real-time as you add/remove

Data Model: Count tracked in /app/lib/api/models/wishlist.dart (line 9).

Performance​

BookWish optimizes wishlist management:

Fast Updates​

  • Status changes apply immediately
  • Priority changes appear instantly
  • Notes save automatically
  • No loading spinners for quick operations

Efficient Display​

  • Cover images are cached
  • Smooth scrolling even with hundreds of books
  • Lazy loading for long lists

Sync Across Devices​

  • Changes sync to the cloud
  • Access from any device
  • Real-time updates

Troubleshooting​

Status Won't Change​

  • Ensure you tapped "Save" in the dialog
  • Check your internet connection
  • Try again if it failed

Priority Badge Not Showing​

  • Normal priority has no badge (expected)
  • High and Low priorities show star badges
  • Refresh the list if it doesn't appear

Notes Not Saving​

  • Wait for the save confirmation
  • Check internet connection
  • Notes may save locally and sync later

Book Won't Delete​

  • Complete the swipe gesture fully
  • Confirm in the deletion dialog
  • Check if you have permission (your own wishlist)

Best Practices​

Status Management​

  • Move books to "Currently Reading" when you start
  • Mark as "Finished" when complete
  • Keep "Want to Read" for future plans

Priority System​

  • Use sparingly - not every book needs high priority
  • Review priorities monthly
  • Adjust as interests change

Note Organization​

  • Keep notes concise
  • Use consistent formatting
  • Include dates for time-sensitive notes
  • Tag books for specific purposes

Regular Maintenance​

  • Review wishlists monthly
  • Remove books you've lost interest in
  • Update statuses for accuracy
  • Clear finished books to a separate list

Next Steps​