Suggestion: Updating certain metadata on merge?

[changeling]

Hello,

When we add a book that is already on the library, we have the option to merge the entries automatically. This is very handy with books that are updated often.

Then, we can manually set the metadata from the new book's file. This is also good because if it happened automatically, we could be overwriting certain metadata we want to keep.

For example, I may want to import the "IDs" field (ISBN, revision, etc), but not the tags assigned by someone else, because I use my own tags. What I actually do is this: I select the new epub, use "Set metadata from the book", copy the fields I want to update, then CANCEL the edit, and then paste them in manually.

Here's where my suggestion comes in.

- The "fancie, more complex" way: could we define in preferences which metadata should be always updated upon merging, leaving the rest intact? EG: whenever I merge a new book, update IDs, Language and Publication Date, leave the rest intact.

- The "easier, yet still good enough" way: we could have an "update" icon next to each metadata field. It could be next to the "nuke" icon. When we hit it, it sets that particular metadata from the selected book.

What do you think?

[kovidgoyal]

If you dont want to add tags just setup a tag rule that deletes all tag under preferences->adding books->adding actions.

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by changeling

For example, I may want to import the "IDs" field (ISBN, revision, etc), but not the tags assigned by someone else, because I use my own tags. What I actually do is this: I select the new epub, use "Set metadata from the book", copy the fields I want to update, then CANCEL the edit, and then paste them in manually.

I don't fully understand how you're pasting manually, but this tweak exclude_fields_on_paste when copying/pasting metadata may be useful:

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by changeling

I select the new epub, use "Set metadata from the book", copy the fields I want to update, then CANCEL the edit, and then paste them in manually.

fwiw, you can right-click the field in the MDE and 'undo' to save a step.

[changeling]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If you dont want to add tags just setup a tag rule that deletes all tag under preferences->adding books->adding actions.

Thank you. Tags is one part of it, I am doing that already. I was wondering if I could choose some specific fields where the new book's data should always overrule the data in the existing entry.

An example- I have a certain book with "isbn:whatever, revision:1.1" in the IDs field.

Now I download a new version. The new epub has "isbn:whatever, revision:2.0".

I would like the revision number to be automatically updated when I merge the new book. or have a quick way to update just the ID field. I hope it's clearer now.

[changeling]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

I don't fully understand how you're pasting manually, but this tweak exclude_fields_on_paste when copying/pasting metadata may be useful:

Many thanks, this could help. I will have a look.