File Name Check When Adding

[tarisea]

When I add books I separate out the Title and Series and wind up with a lot of duplicates and unnecessary work. I have the GetFileName plugin installed. Is there some way to get the Add Books to check file name and not add duplicates?

Failing that is the someway I can make this more accurate?

Please Help. Thank you

[kovidgoyal]

Use the Find Duplicates plugin to fine tune searching for duplicates.

[tarisea]

of course, but it is a pain, I would rather not have the duplicates added in the first place. is there any way to get it to check by file name since i have a column with the file name in it.

[kovidgoyal]

No, the builtin check is by title only.

[BetterRed]

@Tarisea - if you add books to a "New Books" library, you could then use the Find Duplicates->Find library duplicates option against your main library. Non duplicates can be moved to the main library using the Copy to Library tool, and you can decide what you want to do about the duplicates.

BR

[tarisea]

So I cannot figure this out.

I have all of my books in my library. Some have files attached, some don't. So when I want to update my library, I bulk add all the books in my kindle folder. I need it to recognize duplicates and merge them. That way if the book has been updated the new file will overwrite the old file. And if a blank record for that book is in my library and I now have the book, calibre will add the file to the record.

The add books to a ADDBOOKS library doesn't work because there are duplicates that need to merge.

And I am guessing that it isn't working because I separate the book name and series. So is there a way to have Full Title, Title, Series and have metadata update Title and Series but leave Full Title alone?

I'm out of ideas. Please help

[Rellwood]

@tarisa

If you have files with only the .opf file then use either the quality check or simply go to the tags browser and and choose (-) on formats. This will show you all the book files without actual books. Then you can simply copy or move them to another library and add your new books to (yet another) library. Keep your main library clean but hold blanks in another library with a final "incoming" library. this way you know if you send the new books to the library without the formats they either will or won't merge, but at least you know which books are empty files and which aren't

[Montana Harper]

Originally Posted by tarisea

And I am guessing that it isn't working because I separate the book name and series. So is there a way to have Full Title, Title, Series and have metadata update Title and Series but leave Full Title alone?

I'm out of ideas. Please help

I would suggest leaving the Title field as-is and hiding the column, then creating a visible custom column for your Edited Title. You can copy the Title into that field and edit it to appear the way you want without impacting behind-the-scenes comparisons, etc. I think that would do what you're looking for.