"Modified Date" Column Automatically Changes For ALL Novels

vanessabluellie · 02-07-2023, 08:49 AM

Hello,

I'm having this strange issue which I'm not sure is actually supposed to be like that or if there's some possible way to fix it.

But in my Calibre Library, when I made an update to the "Custom Columns" in the Preferences, as in creating a new custom column or even just editing one of the columns, the "Modified Date" column completely changed for ALL novels to the present date.

I hadn't made any changes to the novels and this is a bit inconvenient since I lost track of my record with the date in the program. (But, the novels themselves in the path folder in the drive have the correct modified date, so it's only in the program itself).

Is there perhaps some way to fix this? Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

BetterRed · 02-07-2023, 09:03 AM

There's nothing to fix.

The "Modified Date" that calibre maintains is the date the metadata was changed, nothing to do with file system dates.

And, when you add or remove a custom column the metadata.opf file on the book files will be updated. These files are the means by which calibre can rebuild it's database should it get 'lost' ot corrupt - the metadata.db file in the library root folder.

BR

Wiggo · 02-07-2023, 09:51 AM

@vanessabluellie

That’s why I use this PI
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=341183

ownedbycats · 02-07-2023, 10:18 AM

GetFileName also allows importing the date of the original file, albeit only for new books.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh....php?p=4276006

vanessabluellie · 02-07-2023, 10:26 AM

@Wiggo
@ownedbycats

Thank you! The "Last Modified" plugin didn't seem to work for me ahah, but I'll check the "GetFileName" plugin, thanks!

Wiggo · 02-07-2023, 12:32 PM

Did you create a new column? The PI doesn't work without a dedicated (new) date column!

Quoth · 02-07-2023, 01:32 PM

All sorts of things can trigger "modified date". The Date Added and Published date don't change except by user edit once a book is added.

Is it possible to add a Last Edited/Replaced column? (changes to files rather than modified Metadata).

theducks · 02-07-2023, 01:43 PM

last_modified means something 'dirtied' the metadata
All Book implies the structure of the DB might have been modified. Even a simple column spelling correction.
'dirtied' requires the metadata.opf (backup file) for every book be updated so if you ever need to restore the DB (not re-add books), it becomes trivial.

vanessabluellie · 02-07-2023, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiggo

Did you create a new column? The PI doesn't work without a dedicated (new) date column!

AH, thank you!!!!! I get it now! I'm super slow ahah, sorry for the trouble!

vanessabluellie · 02-07-2023, 07:39 PM

@Quoth

Thank you! I'll try this as well!

DNSB · 02-07-2023, 11:47 PM

A possible alternate tool is to use the Job Spy plugin. One of it's options under GUI Tools that are Metadata related is Set Last-Modified Date to Date-Added (Timestamp) [Selected Books]. I've used it once in a while when I've made a change that set all the modified date to the current date to restore it to the date added timestamp.

vanessabluellie · 02-08-2023, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

A possible alternate tool is to use the Job Spy plugin. One of it's options under GUI Tools that are Metadata related is Set Last-Modified Date to Date-Added (Timestamp) [Selected Books]. I've used it once in a while when I've made a change that set all the modified date to the current date to restore it to the date added timestamp.

Thank you for this!! It did the job as well!

02-07-2023, 08:49 AM	#1
vanessabluellie Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2022 Device: none	"Modified Date" Column Automatically Changes For ALL Novels Hello, I'm having this strange issue which I'm not sure is actually supposed to be like that or if there's some possible way to fix it. But in my Calibre Library, when I made an update to the "Custom Columns" in the Preferences, as in creating a new custom column or even just editing one of the columns, the "Modified Date" column completely changed for ALL novels to the present date. I hadn't made any changes to the novels and this is a bit inconvenient since I lost track of my record with the date in the program. (But, the novels themselves in the path folder in the drive have the correct modified date, so it's only in the program itself). Is there perhaps some way to fix this? Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

02-07-2023, 12:32 PM	#6
Wiggo Leftutti Posts: 549 Karma: 1717097 Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Bavaria Device: iPad Pro, Kobo Libra 2	Did you create a new column? The PI doesn't work without a dedicated (new) date column! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Wiggo; 02-07-2023 at 12:34 PM.

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02-07-2023, 09:03 AM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	There's nothing to fix. The "Modified Date" that calibre maintains is the date the metadata was changed, nothing to do with file system dates. And, when you add or remove a custom column the metadata.opf file on the book files will be updated. These files are the means by which calibre can rebuild it's database should it get 'lost' ot corrupt - the metadata.db file in the library root folder. BR

02-07-2023, 09:51 AM	#3
Wiggo Leftutti Posts: 549 Karma: 1717097 Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Bavaria Device: iPad Pro, Kobo Libra 2	@vanessabluellie That’s why I use this PI https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=341183

02-07-2023, 10:18 AM	#4
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 10,974 Karma: 75337983 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	GetFileName also allows importing the date of the original file, albeit only for new books. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh....php?p=4276006

02-07-2023, 10:26 AM	#5
vanessabluellie Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2022 Device: none	@Wiggo @ownedbycats Thank you! The "Last Modified" plugin didn't seem to work for me ahah, but I'll check the "GetFileName" plugin, thanks!

02-07-2023, 01:32 PM	#7
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,033 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	All sorts of things can trigger "modified date". The Date Added and Published date don't change except by user edit once a book is added. Is it possible to add a Last Edited/Replaced column? (changes to files rather than modified Metadata).

02-07-2023, 01:43 PM	#8
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,056 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	last_modified means something 'dirtied' the metadata All Book implies the structure of the DB might have been modified. Even a simple column spelling correction. 'dirtied' requires the metadata.opf (backup file) for every book be updated so if you ever need to restore the DB (not re-add books), it becomes trivial.

02-07-2023, 07:39 PM	#10
vanessabluellie Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2022 Device: none	@Quoth Thank you! I'll try this as well!

02-07-2023, 11:47 PM	#11
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,191 Karma: 168983734 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	A possible alternate tool is to use the Job Spy plugin. One of it's options under GUI Tools that are Metadata related is Set Last-Modified Date to Date-Added (Timestamp) [Selected Books]. I've used it once in a while when I've made a change that set all the modified date to the current date to restore it to the date added timestamp.

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