Bulk metadata Search/Replace: template function question

meghane_e · 01-23-2019, 03:31 PM

Happy New Year!
OK, I want to do a Bulk Edit/Replace on all of my anthologies to copy the list of individual authors from the authors field to my new column #various_authors. I've been trying to test it on a copy of one of the books. I tried the attached template function statement but nothing happens when I run it. Could I get some help on what it should be?

First step, I made a new column to put a list of authors in for an anthology using the "Ampersand separated text, shown in the Tag browser" choice in the "Preferences -> Make your own column" dialog. It works as expected for adding names manually, copy/pasting, etc. The tag/name manager browser works. Everything looks good.

Second step, I'm stuck on copying all the names to a new field (see the attached). Also what do I need to do to remove the individuals' names from authors, should I write a Template Function or can I still write it in the Metadata Search/Replace?

For future, can someone clarify when and how to use a single-function template {} vs a program: 'function()' in the Edit Metadata browser. I'm not finding the documentation clear on the specific differences using the template language in the Bulk Search/Replace and the Template Function browsers. The template language is the same but the info needed in the surrounding data fields is different. Thank you for any help!

BetterRed · 01-24-2019, 02:50 AM

Try:

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BR

theducks · 01-24-2019, 04:37 AM

I think you want Step 2 to determine WHICH books get this treatment.
That is done BEFORE entering Bulk Mode MDE. A Search (criteria) is the typical way
Step 3 is Select All (results of #2)
Step 4 is the 'copying' of the old Authors -> #various_authors as BR has shown
Step 5(a,b) is to replace the old Authors with a severely truncated value.

I use Editors_name (ed) or <Various> in the Authors field when the original list of Authors is >2 (I started using Calibre with A filename based reader device and needed a reasonable length file name)

meghane_e · 01-24-2019, 09:32 PM

Thanks! I did a regular search on "authors:#>2" and made the copy on those. That worked.

01-23-2019, 03:31 PM	#1
meghane_e Zealot Posts: 105 Karma: 38500 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: San Jose, CA Device: Kindle -> Something new (Kobo or Boox probably)	Bulk metadata Search/Replace: template function question Happy New Year! OK, I want to do a Bulk Edit/Replace on all of my anthologies to copy the list of individual authors from the authors field to my new column #various_authors. I've been trying to test it on a copy of one of the books. I tried the attached template function statement but nothing happens when I run it. Could I get some help on what it should be? First step, I made a new column to put a list of authors in for an anthology using the "Ampersand separated text, shown in the Tag browser" choice in the "Preferences -> Make your own column" dialog. It works as expected for adding names manually, copy/pasting, etc. The tag/name manager browser works. Everything looks good. Second step, I'm stuck on copying all the names to a new field (see the attached). Also what do I need to do to remove the individuals' names from authors, should I write a Template Function or can I still write it in the Metadata Search/Replace? For future, can someone clarify when and how to use a single-function template {} vs a program: 'function()' in the Edit Metadata browser. I'm not finding the documentation clear on the specific differences using the template language in the Bulk Search/Replace and the Template Function browsers. The template language is the same but the info needed in the surrounding data fields is different. Thank you for any help! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by meghane_e; 01-23-2019 at 03:35 PM.

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01-24-2019, 02:50 AM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,660 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Try: BR

01-24-2019, 04:37 AM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,939 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I think you want Step 2 to determine WHICH books get this treatment. That is done BEFORE entering Bulk Mode MDE. A Search (criteria) is the typical way Step 3 is Select All (results of #2) Step 4 is the 'copying' of the old Authors -> #various_authors as BR has shown Step 5(a,b) is to replace the old Authors with a severely truncated value. I use Editors_name (ed) or <Various> in the Authors field when the original list of Authors is >2 (I started using Calibre with A filename based reader device and needed a reasonable length file name)

01-24-2019, 09:32 PM	#4
meghane_e Zealot Posts: 105 Karma: 38500 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: San Jose, CA Device: Kindle -> Something new (Kobo or Boox probably)	Thanks! I did a regular search on "authors:#>2" and made the copy on those. That worked.

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