Date field details

rcharbon · 09-21-2014, 11:21 AM

When I first started using Calibre, the date field would reflect the date when I imported a book, making it easy to find recent additions. In recent versions, sometimes that happens, and sometimes an older date appears.

So:
What does the Date field represent?
Where does the Date for a new book come from?
Can I make Date consistently reflect "Date added" or can I create a "Date added" field?

I'm on Win7, usually updating Calibre as new versions appear. I import books by dragging them from Windows Explorer to the Calibri UI.

Thanks,
Ray

kovidgoyal · 09-21-2014, 12:35 PM

That field still shows the date added, the only exception is if you are adding a book from a folder that also contains an OPF file that specifies a value for that calibre specific field. These OPF files are created by calibre when using save to disk for example, so that if you save to disk and re-import the date is preserved.

eschwartz · 09-21-2014, 12:37 PM

Date is date added.There is another column for date last_modified. Either one should not show dates from before you added it.

The only thing I can think of is the computer has the wrong date.

Edit: What Kovid said.

Wait. The date will be derived from an OPF in the folder even if "Add books from directories etc. each file is the same book in a different format" is NOT explicitly used?

kovidgoyal · 09-21-2014, 12:47 PM

IIRC, if the opf has the same name as the ebook file, yes it will.

file.epub
file.opf

eschwartz · 09-21-2014, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

IIRC, if the opf has the same name as the ebook file, yes it will.

file.epub
file.opf

Cool. I didn't know that.

BetterRed · 09-21-2014, 05:17 PM

My understanding is:

The date/Date can be changed, hence I assume its usage as 'Date Added' is by convention, I use it to hold the timestamp of when I last did something to the book - Add to library being the first something

The date_last_modified/Modified cannot be changed. It has a fixed usage - the date calibre last did something to the database for the book.

BR

rcharbon · 09-21-2014, 10:03 PM

So just delete any OPF files floating around in the originating folder before importing book files, I suppose.

I suppose this is to make it easier to rebuild a database from backups while retaining metadata?

eschwartz · 09-21-2014, 10:08 PM

Yes, and yes.

09-21-2014, 11:21 AM	#1
rcharbon Indie author Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle WiFi/iPhone	Date field details When I first started using Calibre, the date field would reflect the date when I imported a book, making it easy to find recent additions. In recent versions, sometimes that happens, and sometimes an older date appears. So: What does the Date field represent? Where does the Date for a new book come from? Can I make Date consistently reflect "Date added" or can I create a "Date added" field? I'm on Win7, usually updating Calibre as new versions appear. I import books by dragging them from Windows Explorer to the Calibri UI. Thanks, Ray

09-21-2014, 12:37 PM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Date is date added.There is another column for date last_modified. Either one should not show dates from before you added it. The only thing I can think of is the computer has the wrong date. Edit: What Kovid said. Wait. The date will be derived from an OPF in the folder even if "Add books from directories etc. each file is the same book in a different format" is NOT explicitly used? Last edited by eschwartz; 09-21-2014 at 12:40 PM.

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09-21-2014, 12:35 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That field still shows the date added, the only exception is if you are adding a book from a folder that also contains an OPF file that specifies a value for that calibre specific field. These OPF files are created by calibre when using save to disk for example, so that if you save to disk and re-import the date is preserved.

09-21-2014, 12:47 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	IIRC, if the opf has the same name as the ebook file, yes it will. file.epub file.opf

09-21-2014, 05:17 PM	#6
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,023 Karma: 30277294 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	My understanding is: The date/Date can be changed, hence I assume its usage as 'Date Added' is by convention, I use it to hold the timestamp of when I last did something to the book - Add to library being the first something The date_last_modified/Modified cannot be changed. It has a fixed usage - the date calibre last did something to the database for the book. BR

09-21-2014, 10:03 PM	#7
rcharbon Indie author Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle WiFi/iPhone	So just delete any OPF files floating around in the originating folder before importing book files, I suppose. I suppose this is to make it easier to rebuild a database from backups while retaining metadata?

09-21-2014, 10:08 PM	#8
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Yes, and yes.

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