Method to set Date from user integer column

macnab69 · 07-06-2013, 10:55 AM

I have listed (I don't have them all yet) Agatha Christie's books. I have entries in Series for the Hercule Poirot stories, the Miss Marple stories, etc.

But I want to be able to list them in order of date written. I currently have an integer user column (called Agatha Sort) to put them in the correct order. I would like to use the Date column instead. (For these books I am not interested in the date I added them.)

Is there a way I can transfer the user column to the Date column so that when sorted according to Agatha Sort, Date reads 1 Jan 2000, 2 Jan 2000, 3 Jan 2000, etc.?

Agatha Sort currently has 01, 02, 03, etc.

It seems a waste to have a column dedicated to just one author.

chaley · 07-06-2013, 12:26 PM

Isn't the built-in published date column what you should use? If you enter the correct values, you can sort/search however you want.

In any event, you can do what you want with bulk metadata search/replace.
Mode: regular expression
Source field: is your int column.
Search for: (.*)
Replace with: \1/01/2000 (assuming you use dd/mm/yyyy dates)
destination field: your date column

This only works if there is actually something in the int column, and only if the value is less than 31.

macnab69 · 07-06-2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

This only works if there is actually something in the int column, and only if the value is less than 31.

I can change the month after 31 entries, no problem. I understand the concept.

Problem: Date is not available as destination field (Bug/shortcoming?). Using pubdate, which I don't use, comes to the same - an extra column. (Also, it is only accurate to the month.)

chaley · 07-06-2013, 04:53 PM

Pubdate can be accurate to the millisecond. Look at calibre's tweaks to see how to control what is displayed.

macnab69 · 07-06-2013, 10:35 PM

It gets complicated going past AgathaSort = 31. Bit difficult to say replace with value found subtract 31.

Only 87 books, can always edit them manually.

BetterRed · 07-07-2013, 12:40 AM

I would use the publication date and View Manager to create a ChristieView - select by author sort on pubdate, put columns in different order etc etc

BR

macnab69 · 07-07-2013, 12:51 AM

The problem is I still have to do it by hand. Maybe I should set up my Download Metadata for just Pubdate and see what I can achieve.

I can then either leave it in Pubdate or copy to Date. Except that Date is not available as a destination field.

BetterRed · 07-07-2013, 01:14 AM

I don't have Date as a displayed column - for me it serves no useful purpose

If you massage this list into a csv then you can push into the ImportList plugin and update the pubdate

BR

macnab69 · 07-07-2013, 01:20 AM

I'll give it a go.

Thinking about it, I don't use Date anymore either.

theducks · 07-07-2013, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macnab69

I'll give it a go.

Thinking about it, I don't use Date anymore either.

Date is the date the (book) record was FIRST created in Calibre. I am with BR, if you keep your wishlist as an Empty Book like I do, date has lost useful (date actual book added) meaning.

Pub Date is the date the Metadata returns for the ISBN.
Many people want this to contain First Published

07-06-2013, 10:55 AM	#1
macnab69 Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 5754 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Africa Device: Kindle 4	Method to set Date from user integer column I have listed (I don't have them all yet) Agatha Christie's books. I have entries in Series for the Hercule Poirot stories, the Miss Marple stories, etc. But I want to be able to list them in order of date written. I currently have an integer user column (called Agatha Sort) to put them in the correct order. I would like to use the Date column instead. (For these books I am not interested in the date I added them.) Is there a way I can transfer the user column to the Date column so that when sorted according to Agatha Sort, Date reads 1 Jan 2000, 2 Jan 2000, 3 Jan 2000, etc.? Agatha Sort currently has 01, 02, 03, etc. It seems a waste to have a column dedicated to just one author.

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07-06-2013, 12:26 PM	#2
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,742 Karma: 6997045 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Isn't the built-in published date column what you should use? If you enter the correct values, you can sort/search however you want. In any event, you can do what you want with bulk metadata search/replace. Mode: regular expression Source field: is your int column. Search for: (.*) Replace with: \1/01/2000 (assuming you use dd/mm/yyyy dates) destination field: your date column This only works if there is actually something in the int column, and only if the value is less than 31.

07-06-2013, 04:53 PM	#4
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,742 Karma: 6997045 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Pubdate can be accurate to the millisecond. Look at calibre's tweaks to see how to control what is displayed.

07-06-2013, 10:35 PM	#5
macnab69 Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 5754 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Africa Device: Kindle 4	It gets complicated going past AgathaSort = 31. Bit difficult to say replace with value found subtract 31. Only 87 books, can always edit them manually.

07-07-2013, 12:40 AM	#6
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,572 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	I would use the publication date and View Manager to create a ChristieView - select by author sort on pubdate, put columns in different order etc etc BR

07-07-2013, 12:51 AM	#7
macnab69 Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 5754 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Africa Device: Kindle 4	The problem is I still have to do it by hand. Maybe I should set up my Download Metadata for just Pubdate and see what I can achieve. I can then either leave it in Pubdate or copy to Date. Except that Date is not available as a destination field.

07-07-2013, 01:14 AM	#8
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,572 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	I don't have Date as a displayed column - for me it serves no useful purpose If you massage this list into a csv then you can push into the ImportList plugin and update the pubdate BR

07-07-2013, 01:20 AM	#9
macnab69 Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 5754 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Africa Device: Kindle 4	I'll give it a go. Thinking about it, I don't use Date anymore either.

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