list of ISBNs in text file; add OR set metadata via calibredb?

lairdb · 06-09-2021, 07:28 PM

Ugh. I have a library reconciliation problem, and I'm not sure how to approach it.

(Environment is Windows 10; only one calibre library is in play.)

(Background: I am giving away about 3,000 paper books; I have previously recorded some of them into Calibre rows, but I'm not sure I've caught all of them, and I'd like to track what I've given away. I can barcode scan them as I box them.)

Scanning them in batches yields a text file of ISBN13s. (I can batch convert these to ISBN10s if needed.)

1) Some of those books are already in my Calibre library -- if they are, then their matching ISBN10 is in a custom column #PaperISBN. For those, I just want to add a tag.

I could do that by iterating through the file and using

Code:

calibredb search #paperisbn:0935526781

to find them -- but it's not obvious how to pipeline the search result to calibredb set_metadata.

2) If they are not in my library, I want to add them, set the tag, and set the #PaperISBN to the correct value.

I think I can do most of 2 with

Code:

 calibredb add --empty --isbn 0935526781 --tag newtag

...but that doesn't prevent duplicates and there's no way to set the custom field in add.

I could work around the custom field by using the GUI to select all tag:newtag and use metadata search/replace to copy the ISBN into #PaperISBN. (But that seems awkward.)

Help? Thanks.

theducks · 06-09-2021, 08:05 PM

You can also create a CSV CATALOG using any search results/VL in the GUI.
Right click the CONVERT icon:Create catalog:<pick the type>

lairdb · 06-09-2021, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

You can also create a CSV CATALOG using any search results/VL in the GUI.
Right click the CONVERT icon:Create catalog:<pick the type>

Sorry, not sure how that applies. I already have the text file of ISBN13s -- I need to bash it against the Calibre db and add or update as appropriate.

theducks · 06-09-2021, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lairdb

Sorry, not sure how that applies. I already have the text file of ISBN13s -- I need to bash it against the Calibre db and add or update as appropriate.

Sorry, was confused about your task. Obviously, my sug is not valid.

PeterT · 06-09-2021, 09:19 PM

Many times I've done comparisons like that using Excel. Load the two lists into Excel and then do lookups of each value from one file in a table defined as all values from the other file.

I've also been known to do the comparisons in a Perl orpython script.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

06-09-2021, 07:28 PM	#1
lairdb dog ear Posts: 53 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: lots	list of ISBNs in text file; add OR set metadata via calibredb? Ugh. I have a library reconciliation problem, and I'm not sure how to approach it. (Environment is Windows 10; only one calibre library is in play.) (Background: I am giving away about 3,000 paper books; I have previously recorded some of them into Calibre rows, but I'm not sure I've caught all of them, and I'd like to track what I've given away. I can barcode scan them as I box them.) Scanning them in batches yields a text file of ISBN13s. (I can batch convert these to ISBN10s if needed.) 1) Some of those books are already in my Calibre library -- if they are, then their matching ISBN10 is in a custom column #PaperISBN. For those, I just want to add a tag. I could do that by iterating through the file and using Code: calibredb search #paperisbn:0935526781 to find them -- but it's not obvious how to pipeline the search result to calibredb set_metadata. 2) If they are not in my library, I want to add them, set the tag, and set the #PaperISBN to the correct value. I think I can do most of 2 with Code: calibredb add --empty --isbn 0935526781 --tag newtag ...but that doesn't prevent duplicates and there's no way to set the custom field in add. I could work around the custom field by using the GUI to select all tag:newtag and use metadata search/replace to copy the ISBN into #PaperISBN. (But that seems awkward.) Help? Thanks. Last edited by lairdb; 06-09-2021 at 07:30 PM. Reason: typos, clarification

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06-09-2021, 08:05 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,920 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	You can also create a CSV CATALOG using any search results/VL in the GUI. Right click the CONVERT icon:Create catalog:<pick the type>

06-09-2021, 09:19 PM	#5
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,344 Karma: 78876004 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Many times I've done comparisons like that using Excel. Load the two lists into Excel and then do lookups of each value from one file in a table defined as all values from the other file. I've also been known to do the comparisons in a Perl orpython script. Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

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