Configure Metadata download for ISBN overridden by Preferences

[meme]

I noticed while adding an empty book by ISBN (calibre 0.8.19 on Ubuntu 11.04) that the metadata settings appear to be getting applied from the Preferences for Metadata download instead of the ISBN configuration dialog. Are there supposed to be two places to set the metadata download settings, and if so, shouldn't the values set for adding an ISBN book take precedence?

Select Preferences
Select Metadata download
Uncheck Authors (leave some other items checked)
Save
Select Add Books -> Add from ISBN
Enter an ISBN number, then OK
Select Configure download
Check Authors
Apply
Select Download Both
Select OK to update metadata when prompted

Notice that the Authors field does not get populated, but title, cover, etc. do (assuming you have these checked).

If you use Preferences -> Metadata download and check Authors and do the add book by isbn again, the Author data will show up.


Now that I know what's happening its not an issue, but it is a bit confusing when the dialog for configuring what to download appears to be ignored in favour of the general download settings.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by meme

Now that I know what's happening its not an issue, but it is a bit confusing when the dialog for configuring what to download appears to be ignored in favour of the general download settings.

How you add books to calibre has nothing to do with what metadata will be downloaded. Except that if all the metadata download has to go on is the ISBN then that will be the determinant of the metadata info you download not what fields get populated.

As you found out if you don't select authors for download it won't get downloaded. When you go to download metadata there is a chance in the metadata window to change the configuration of what you want downloaded.

[meme]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

When you go to download metadata there is a chance in the metadata window to change the configuration of what you want downloaded.

That's the point - even if I select Authors to be included in the download/metadata update they won't be if the main Preferences->Metadata settings don't have Authors selected for download.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by meme

That's the point - even if I select Authors to be included in the download/metadata update they won't be if the main Preferences->Metadata settings don't have Authors selected for download.

I guess I'm confused. If the following makes sense, but isn't happening for you then a restart or reboot might be in order.

Where are you selecting it at? As far as I know there are three places to get to the screen to change the metadata download options.

Preferences - Metadata
Any configure download metadata button (see attached)

They all take you to essentially to the same page and any changes you make, as long as you clicked apply, (see attached) is applied as the default from then on until you change it.

Good Luck.

[meme]

Just rechecked, same even after a reboot of the PC and restart of calibre.

I am looking at the Metadata download preferences in 2 places.
- One is Preferences -> Metadata download
- The other is the Configure Metadata download screen shown after you select Add a book by ISBN and enter an ISBN and click ok.

After retesting, its clear that if the Preferences->Metadata settings have Authors checked, then the metadata used for the book will include Author information, regardless of what is set in the ISBN Configure Metadata download dialog. And if the Preferences->Metadata settings have Authors unchecked, then the metadata used for the book will be left as Unknown, regardless of what is set in the ISBN Configure Metadata download dialog.

I've hit apply, even restarted and viewed that the changes in the ISBN download dialog are set correctly.

[itimpi]

That sounds like a bug then! The ISBN metadata download screen should initially be populated from the preferences, but any values then set there should become the active ones for this particular metadata download.

[kovidgoyal]

The metadata download dialog following the add from isbn is just the bulk metadata download dialog. It may be there is some special casing of authors for bulk downloads, I don't feel like looking through the code to confirm that right now. Does it happen with any field other than author?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The metadata download dialog following the add from isbn is just the bulk metadata download dialog. It may be there is some special casing of authors for bulk downloads, I don't feel like looking through the code to confirm that right now. Does it happen with any field other than author?

This is what I see, if a metadata download option is not already set in preferences - metadata download that piece of metadata will not download when adding books by ISBN.

example:

1. I have no metadata download items checked in preferences - metadata download.
2. I add books via isbn.
3. I check the metadata configuration from the popup and calibre sets Author and Title automatically.
4. I select download metadata only
5. No metadata is filled in.

Bottom line if an item wasn't previously selected in preferences - metadata download (any metadata item) it will not download when you add books via ISBN.

@meme - I had never used add books via ISBN so I was checking every metadata download configuration except for the one you were asking about.

[theducks]

My experience is that it is mandatory to "Apply" unlike some OS features that any change of a setting without Apply is transient for the session or task Only.
I want the Author filled in this time only, and I don't want to have to remember to go back and clear the tick later

It would be cool if the choice were Tristate:
Never
Only if blank
Always

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by theducks

My experience is that it is mandatory to "Apply" unlike some OS features that any change of a setting without Apply is transient for the session or task Only.
I want the Author filled in this time only, and I don't want to have to remember to go back and clear the tick later

"Apply" doesn't figure into what meme is reporting. When you add books via ISBN a popup for metadata download follows with Author and Title filled in by calibre (no matter what you had previously set) however if either of those items was not set previously then they will not be downloaded. Also any new items you may choose for download and hit apply for also are not downloaded.

[kovidgoyal]

Hmm ok can somebody open a ticket for this, I'll look at it when I have a moment.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Hmm ok can somebody open a ticket for this, I'll look at it when I have a moment.

Bug #856076 submitted.