Feature Request: preserving original filename

[Dopedangel]

Currently calibre cant import metadata from file names to custom columns. If it could do that having a specific old filename column would not be needed. As a workaround if you don't use the publisher field you could use that to import file-names.
File-names usually do not have publisher fields and you need the original file-names to correct your library so once you are done you can update the publisher field.

[Agama]

How did victthoe delete the post that I replied to in #15?

[Agama]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Currently calibre cant import metadata from file names to custom columns.

Can plugins set data for custom columns? Presumably the filename is available on adding a book to the library, so it may be possible to transfer it into a custom column using a FileTypePlugin triggered by on_import or on_postimport.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Agama

How did victthoe delete the post that I replied to in #15?

It seems he was banned and his posts deleted because of a hidden spam link.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Agama

How did victthoe delete the post that I replied to in #15?

looks like a bad case of banned
(only Greenies can do that)

[Giuseppe Chillem]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

So you infer, because you think it's important *and* because there are thousands of users, obviously *many other somebodies* must think it's important.

Ok, that makes sense.

Important ? Useful !
I have a personal usage scenario which I have described in the first message. I suppose other, which don't express their opinion here, could have the same usage scenario.

Since neither you nor I have usage data it is in the sixth sense of the developers to imagine if the feature could be useful or not.

Like anyone else I am attached to my opinions and this is a fault of every human being. Yes, I could fail, I could not express the opinion of other people, I could be strongly wrong but at the same time I could be right...

Please, never consider what I write as universal, dogmatic, imperative. I have made only a Feature Request :-) and I am open to conversation.

[Giuseppe Chillem]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Currently calibre cant import metadata from file names to custom columns. If it could do that having a specific old filename column would not be needed. As a workaround if you don't use the publisher field you could use that to import file-names.
File-names usually do not have publisher fields and you need the original file-names to correct your library so once you are done you can update the publisher field.

Dopedangel the problem arises in the scenario where:

1) You read metadata from the books and you don't use Regular Expressions.

In the scenario where you read directly from filename your suggestion is good.

[cybmole]

dunno for sure if this workaround would work, but if you have a lot of books to add...
1. set preferences to use filename, not metadata - add all the books
2. flip preferences to use metadata not filename - add all the books again
3. merge the duplicate books that were added in step 2 with those added in step 1

maybe that way you can capture all the information you need

[Agama]

I'm interested in the possibility of writing a FileTypePlugin for this situation. I see that calibre "can't import metadata from file names to custom columns" but is it possible for a plugin to update custom column data?