Help needed with editing Metadata

rhino27 · 06-24-2008, 07:48 PM

First let me say I love Calibre. It makes dealing with all my e-books easy.

The issue I'm having is if I add some ebooks to the library and convert them to lrf then try to edit the metadat (category, series, etc.). The changes appear in the gui but if I save the library to disk, delete the books from the library and then add the books back into the library, the metadata is not there.

So in short, it seems like once I convert a file to lrf, I can't make any changes to the metadata

Mark

kovidgoyal · 06-24-2008, 08:52 PM

LRF files dont have fields for all the metadata calibre manages. What metadata in particular are you having trouble with?

rhino27 · 06-25-2008, 01:01 AM

Series and the number of the book in the series.

Here's what I'm trying to do (if this is not a supported method, let me know)

I have thousands of ebooks in various formats. I want to convert them all to LRF format so I can read them on my 505.
I'd like to take advantage of the Collections feature of the reader.
I don't know which ebooks will convert to LRF format without errors so my idea is to add 100 or so to the library in Calibre (4.73) at a time.
I then do a bulk convert and remove any that have errors.
Then I want to edit the metadata for Title, Author, Series, Book # of each book. The changes are reflected in the gui.
Then I want to save them to a folder called COnvertedToLRF.
Then I delete them from the library so I can start working on the next batch.

The problem is when I go to add them back into the library (I pick the *.lrf files in the ConvertedToLRF folder) the Series and Book number and the cover picture (if I added one) are gone (blank)

Is this supported and am I doing it the right way?

Thanks

kovidgoyal · 06-25-2008, 09:47 AM

Why not just leave them in the database and add the next 100?

rhino27 · 06-25-2008, 06:41 PM

I have already converted and loaded several hundred books to my reader via Calibre. I then deleted them from the library.

Is there a way to read them back from my reader into the library?

igorsk · 06-25-2008, 06:55 PM

Just copy them from the flash drive (if you have the 505).

rhino27 · 06-26-2008, 12:11 AM

What process do I follow to copy them from the flash drive? I do have a 505.
I have books in internal memory and on an SD card.

I connected the 505 to my computer and started Calibre. I then clicked on the library icon and it showed no books. I then clicked on the Add Books icon and selected from a single directory. I chose the directory on the drive letter windows gave the internal memory which looked like this:
J:\database\media\books

I highlighted the.lrf books (I tried highlighting different amounts of books) and I get the following error

unpack requires a string argument of length 6
Detailed traceback:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "main.py", line 431, in add_books
File "main.py", line 443, in _add_books
File "calibre\ebooks\metadata\meta.pyo", line 71, in get_metadata
File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 223, in get_metadata
File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 439, in __init__
File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 64, in __get__
File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 312, in restore_pos
File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 471, in unpack
File "struct.pyo", line 87, in unpack
error: unpack requires a string argument of length 6

Am I doing it the right way?

rhino27 · 06-26-2008, 12:13 AM

Forgot to mention I also tried clicking on the internal icon and then saving the books to a directory on my hard drive. Then I added them into the library but all the Series and Book # within the series was lost

kovidgoyal · 06-26-2008, 12:55 AM

Looks like there is a problem book in the directory. Do it one by one till you come to the book causing that error message.

rhino27 · 06-26-2008, 01:06 AM

Ok, I'll give it a shot.

I was playing around with the command line commands to see if I was doing something wrong through the gui and found the following.

I add a single book (*.lit) to the library. I edit the metadata and add something to the TAGS, SERIES and Book # fields. For example (Fiction, Deathlands, Book 1)

Then I convert it to lrf format. The changes still show up in the gui.
(good so far)

I save the book to disk. I leave the book in the library. I go to the directory where the books are stored. There are 4 files: *.lrf *.lit *.opf *.jpg

I use lrf-meta to look at the metadata and it shows UNKOWN for the category and doesn't even list the Series or Book number.

I try to run the opf-meta and the lit-meta commands on the respective files and they both error out with
AttributeError" 'OPFReader' object has no attribute 'language'

any thoughts?

kovidgoyal · 06-26-2008, 01:59 AM

LRF files font have fields for series, so the LRF file wont have that information. calibre doesn't write metadata to lit files, so it wont have the updated metadata either.

There's a regression in opf-meta that is causing the error, you can check the updated metadata is there in the opf file by simply opening it in a text editor.

06-24-2008, 07:48 PM	#1
rhino27 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: PRS-505	Help needed with editing Metadata First let me say I love Calibre. It makes dealing with all my e-books easy. The issue I'm having is if I add some ebooks to the library and convert them to lrf then try to edit the metadat (category, series, etc.). The changes appear in the gui but if I save the library to disk, delete the books from the library and then add the books back into the library, the metadata is not there. So in short, it seems like once I convert a file to lrf, I can't make any changes to the metadata Mark

06-25-2008, 06:41 PM	#5
rhino27 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: PRS-505	Another question I have already converted and loaded several hundred books to my reader via Calibre. I then deleted them from the library. Is there a way to read them back from my reader into the library?

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06-24-2008, 08:52 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	LRF files dont have fields for all the metadata calibre manages. What metadata in particular are you having trouble with?

06-25-2008, 01:01 AM	#3
rhino27 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: PRS-505	Series and the number of the book in the series. Here's what I'm trying to do (if this is not a supported method, let me know) I have thousands of ebooks in various formats. I want to convert them all to LRF format so I can read them on my 505. I'd like to take advantage of the Collections feature of the reader. I don't know which ebooks will convert to LRF format without errors so my idea is to add 100 or so to the library in Calibre (4.73) at a time. I then do a bulk convert and remove any that have errors. Then I want to edit the metadata for Title, Author, Series, Book # of each book. The changes are reflected in the gui. Then I want to save them to a folder called COnvertedToLRF. Then I delete them from the library so I can start working on the next batch. The problem is when I go to add them back into the library (I pick the *.lrf files in the ConvertedToLRF folder) the Series and Book number and the cover picture (if I added one) are gone (blank) Is this supported and am I doing it the right way? Thanks

06-25-2008, 09:47 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Why not just leave them in the database and add the next 100?

06-25-2008, 06:55 PM	#6
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Just copy them from the flash drive (if you have the 505).

06-26-2008, 12:11 AM	#7
rhino27 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: PRS-505	What process do I follow to copy them from the flash drive? I do have a 505. I have books in internal memory and on an SD card. I connected the 505 to my computer and started Calibre. I then clicked on the library icon and it showed no books. I then clicked on the Add Books icon and selected from a single directory. I chose the directory on the drive letter windows gave the internal memory which looked like this: J:\database\media\books I highlighted the.lrf books (I tried highlighting different amounts of books) and I get the following error unpack requires a string argument of length 6 Detailed traceback: Traceback (most recent call last): File "main.py", line 431, in add_books File "main.py", line 443, in _add_books File "calibre\ebooks\metadata\meta.pyo", line 71, in get_metadata File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 223, in get_metadata File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 439, in __init__ File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 64, in __get__ File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 312, in restore_pos File "calibre\ebooks\lrf\meta.pyo", line 471, in unpack File "struct.pyo", line 87, in unpack error: unpack requires a string argument of length 6 Am I doing it the right way?

06-26-2008, 12:13 AM	#8
rhino27 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: PRS-505	Forgot to mention I also tried clicking on the internal icon and then saving the books to a directory on my hard drive. Then I added them into the library but all the Series and Book # within the series was lost

06-26-2008, 12:55 AM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Looks like there is a problem book in the directory. Do it one by one till you come to the book causing that error message.

06-26-2008, 01:06 AM	#10
rhino27 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: PRS-505	Ok, I'll give it a shot. I was playing around with the command line commands to see if I was doing something wrong through the gui and found the following. I add a single book (.lit) to the library. I edit the metadata and add something to the TAGS, SERIES and Book # fields. For example (Fiction, Deathlands, Book 1) Then I convert it to lrf format. The changes still show up in the gui. (good so far) I save the book to disk. I leave the book in the library. I go to the directory where the books are stored. There are 4 files: .lrf .lit .opf *.jpg I use lrf-meta to look at the metadata and it shows UNKOWN for the category and doesn't even list the Series or Book number. I try to run the opf-meta and the lit-meta commands on the respective files and they both error out with AttributeError" 'OPFReader' object has no attribute 'language' any thoughts?

06-26-2008, 01:59 AM	#11
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	LRF files font have fields for series, so the LRF file wont have that information. calibre doesn't write metadata to lit files, so it wont have the updated metadata either. There's a regression in opf-meta that is causing the error, you can check the updated metadata is there in the opf file by simply opening it in a text editor.

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