@seabream -
Attached is a version that fixes your problems 1 & 3.
I cannot replicate your problem 2.
Run these fake story URLs in FFDL. They demonstrate issues 2 & 3 without having to hit real servers:
http://test1.com?sid=80 [Rizzoli & Isles]
http://test1.com?sid=81 [Pitch Perfect]
http://test1.com?sid=82 [Henry (Once Upon a Time), Once Upon a Time (TV)]
This is the replace_metadata code I was testing with:
Code:
extra_valid_entries:edchars
edchars_label: Characters by fandom
include_in_edchars:characters
add_to_custom_columns_settings:
edchars=>#characters
replace_metadata:
characters=>(^Henry.*$)=>Henry Mills&&category=>Once Upon a Time.*
characters=>(^Chloe B\.$)=>Chloe Beale&&category=>Pitch Perfect
characters=>(.+)=>ch Pitch Perfect: \1&&category=>Pitch Perfect
edchars=>(ch Pitch Perfect: )=>Pitch Perfect.
characters=>(^J\. Rizzoli$)=>Jane Rizzoli&&category=>Rizzoli & Isles
characters=>(.+)=>ch Rizzoli & Isles: \1&&category=>Rizzoli & Isles
edchars=>(ch Rizzoli & Isles: )=>Rizzoli & Isles.
You do have to use '&' rather than just '&' for now obscure reasons related to the early days of FFDL. But at least it's consistent now.
Do you realize that your category.character system doesn't work for crossover stories? Fake story
http://test1.com?sid=83 demos a Rizzoli & Isles X Pitch Perfect story. Each character ends up with both categories: "Rizzoli & Isles.Pitch Perfect.Chloe Beale, Rizzoli & Isles.Pitch Perfect.J. Rizzoli"
If you're already creating lines for each character name filtered by category, that's probably where you need to add the category to the character, too.
UPDATE Mar 16, 2013 - Remove obsolete beta versions