Copy columns

[BetterRed]

How can I copy one column to another

Specifically I want to copy the standard Calibre column Modified (last_modified) which is a date, to a Custom Column MyModified (mymodified) which is a date.

I want it do it to all books in the library

thanks BR

ps : I have the feeling this is a question to which I once knew the answer

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

How can I copy one column to another

Specifically I want to copy the standard Calibre column Modified (last_modified) which is a date, to a Custom Column MyModified (mymodified) which is a date.

I want it do it to all books in the library

thanks BR

ps : I have the feeling this is a question to which I once knew the answer

did you peek at search and replace in bulk meta-edit?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

did you peek at search and replace in bulk meta-edit?

It only seems to deal with strings - eg in Title replace "Pirate" with "Pilate"

Or am I missing something

BR

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

It only seems to deal with strings - eg in Title replace "Pirate" with "Pilate"

Or am I missing something

BR

Yes Set the 'Search mode' to 'Regular Expression' and be amazed at what you can do with it.

Read this for info on REs.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

It only seems to deal with strings - eg in Title replace "Pirate" with "Pilate"

Or am I missing something

BR

Lots

Mbovenka beat me.
(.+) in the source
\1 into the destination

[BetterRed]

Thanks mbovenka

I already wrote a SQL script (I'm better at them than I am at RE's) - it seems to have worked. And I will understand it tomorrow when I'll adapt it to copy from last weeks database last_modified to this weeks database mymodified where this weeks last_modified is a 2012-11-24 13:21:35

I thought there was a simple way to copy like typed fields, I must have dreamt it.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Thanks mbovenka

I already wrote a SQL script (I'm better at them than I am at RE's) - it seems to have worked. And I will understand it tomorrow when I'll adapt it to copy from last weeks database last_modified to this weeks database mymodified where this weeks last_modified is a 2012-11-24 13:21:35

I thought there was a simple way to copy like typed fields, I must have dreamt it.

BR

You are ignoring my solution???

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

You are ignoring my solution???

I don't think I am mate, but cryptic crossword puzzles aren't my cup of tea.

I've done what I wanted via an SQL Script. Read last_modified from last fridays metadata.db and wrote it to #mymodified in the current metadata.db.

Maybe a Bulk Metadata Edit RegExp could have done that - read one instance of a database and written to another - with a different schema - but I had neither the time or inclination to figure out how - considering the SQL tools & skills I have 'at my fingertips'.

So, I now have what I set out to do yesterday - a #mymodified TIMESTAMP column populated with the last_modified TIMESTAMP column as of last Friday. When I want to change a #mymodified value, I would normally also change the #bookstatus value; I already do that via metadata edit, so its no hardship to click the Set 'My Modified' to today button, which btw also updates the time element

I am wondering if my 'problem' had something to do with the fact that I start calibre in View Managers Default configuration which up until half an hour ago had last_modified as its secondary sort field. I have the impression that not many of us use View Manager, and even fewer sort on a custom column (#bookstatus) and last_modified date (now changed to #mymodified).

For me at least this matter is resolved

BR

[theducks]