Edit (programmatically) the Date header

[lbutlr]

The date header contains the date the book was added to the library. I would like to change this to the date the underling ebook was created )or failing that, copy the publishing date to the date) since after re-creating my library every book has the same date.

I have command line and scripting skills, and I'm willing to get into the sqlite3 database if that's the only answer, but if there is a better way, I'd rather do that, but while pubdate is editable in Calibre advanced edit, it appears that "Date" is not.

(The reason is that some other tools that integrate with calibre use the date instead of the published date for sorting and classifying "new" books).

[DaltonST]

There are several ways to do what you ask.

[1] Date Added can be changed in single Edit Metadata.

[2] Use Bulk Edit Metadata Search & Replace to copy a source date to a target date.

[3] Import a CSV file to update whatever metadata columns you wish using the Job Spy plugin tool shown in the attached image.



DaltonST

[kovidgoyal]

date is editable in calibre, both directly in the book list and via the edit metadata dialog.

[lbutlr]

Originally Posted by DaltonST

There are several ways to do what you ask.

[1] Date Added can be changed in single Edit Metadata.

Yes, but I want to update ALL records, not one at a time.

Originally Posted by DaltonST

[2] Use Bulk Edit Metadata Search & Replace to copy a source date to a target date.

Not possible in the advanced search, the "copy to field" does not list date as an option.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jgc9pmaqqe...06.54.png?dl=0

Originally Posted by DaltonST

[3] Import a CSV file to update whatever metadata columns you wish using the Job Spy plugin tool shown in the attached image.

I'll take a look at that, didn't know about that.

(I did dump the schemes for all the tables in the metadata.db and do not see where the DATE is stored, all I see in there is Pubdate)

[lbutlr]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

date is editable in calibre, both directly in the book list and via the edit metadata dialog.

But not in the advanced editing, and there is no way to change many, only to change one at a time.

Where is the date in the mysql database?is it the Timestamp field in books table? If so, that will mostly solve my problem as I can simply copy publishing date to timestamp and that will get me 90% of what I want.

[DaltonST]

Timestamp is Added.

SQLite not Mysql. Huge difference.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by lbutlr

Where is the date in the mysql database?is it the Timestamp field in books table?

Yes

FWIW: I clear it at add time so that I can use it to store date I read the book.

BR

[lbutlr]

Originally Posted by DaltonST

Timestamp is Added.

SQLite not Mysql. Huge difference.

Difference, yes. HUGE difference? Eh. But yes, it was a thinko.

Anyway, I am mostly sorted, have copied the published date into the timestamp field and it's all good. Now, if I could figure out how to search for the original publication date for the work (not the date for the edition, so 1805 or whatever for Pride and Prejudice).

<trundles off to do some searching>

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by lbutlr

Anyway, I am mostly sorted, have copied the published date into the timestamp field and it's all good. Now, if I could figure out how to search for the original publication date for the work (not the date for the edition, so 1805 or whatever for Pride and Prejudice).

Some of the metadata source plugins will get the original publishing date if the source site has it. The Goodreads plugin will and I think that Fantastic Fiction does.