records vs Books (terminology)

[SimonMc]

I may have misunderstood how Calibre works but I think of it as when you import books each book gets a new record (depending on config) with a single book file and piece of metadata containing any imported attributes.

If you wish to merge records then you can choose which records metadata to retain but each of the book files will be added to the same record.

This leads me bumbling in to my area of confusion:
1.) Having selected edit metadata why is the term merge book records used ? Wouldn't merge metadata or merge records be more appropriate ?

2.) Having selected merge book records wouldn't it then say merge in to first record delete metadata ?

I always hoped I wasn't stupid but the options and terminology leave me confused, bewildered and afraid for my ebooks.

My preferred work flow would be after initial import I would sanitise author and title, merge all the records whilst retaining all book formats and then download the metadata. Once I have done that I would them do a 2,3 or 4 way diff of the files and retain whichever seemed to be the best formatted and complete file. This would then be exported to, probably, a .mobi format and uploaded to my Kindle.

TL;DR: I would like to select 2+ records and merge all of them into a single record whilst keeping ALL ebooks from each record (multiple .mobi .epub files possibly with the same name), without deleting any of them. Problem is that the terminology confuses me and I don't understand if Calibre will do it or delete ebook files which I want to keep.

My apologies if this is a stupid question or if I am, indeed, stupid.

Simon

[theducks]

A Record (a line item) can contain 1 each of ALLOWED formats
A Record contains COMMON metadata to all formats
A Record is a single Title

Series or Tags is a way of creating a linkage (inactive) to other Records

To make a single book out of multiple books: Merge EPUB (the plugin) (All must be EPUB )

Otherwise: you will need to do a LOT of work if you insist on working with Mobi

[BetterRed]

@SimonMc - I'm not entirely sure what your question is. All of what you appear to want is doable.

FWIW I add books to a 'New Books' library. I then do whatever is necessary get the author and title correct. Then I use the Find Duplicates->Library Duplicates to determine if a new book is in the target library - if its not I move it to the new library, if it is I decide whether I want to add it to the existing book (I have Add books preferences set to merge).

Find Duplicates is an Optional plugin

For merging try this, you may want to use a test library to see if it does what you want

1. Mark the two book records you want to 'merge'
2. Show marked books
3. Sort the two book records so that the one with the metadata you want to keep is on top
4. Select the two book records
5. Merge them via appropriate the Edit metadata->Merge book records option.

You may need to Add the Mark Books tool to a Toolbar/Menu if its not there

A Book record is a line in the Book List - corresponds to a lowest level (leaf) folder in the library/author/book tree that calibre uses to store book format files. And for each Book record there is a row in the book table of the metadata database.

As theducks wrote a Book record can contain multiple format files (epub, pdf, mobi, lit, txt etc) but only one of each type.

BR

[SimonMc]

Thanks for the clarification..

Any particular reason for the limitation of only one for each format ?

I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by SimonMc

Thanks for the clarification..

Any particular reason for the limitation of only one for each format ?

@SimonMc - calibre uses the file type to do things - eg Convert DOCX to EPUB, Send a MOBI to a Kindle etc.

If it allowed multiple instances of a format it would add a substantial new layer of complexity which most users wouldn't need.

Users have devised various schemes to handle multiple formats of the same book - eg because they have a book in different languages in the same format. There's no official or even best way to address this - happy to discuss.

Originally Posted by SimonMc

I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me.

That's what the forum is for

BTW welcome to Mobileread.

BR