Questions about Calibre<->Amazon Library communication

kaufman · 09-23-2014, 12:12 PM

Whenever I buy a new book from Amazon, I put it into my Calibre library. I actually do that for any book I buy, but these questions are about Amazon specifically.

1) I noticed today that I had forgotten to import a book. Is there any way to compare my Calibre library and my Amazon library to see which books from Amazon are missing from Calibre?

2) I have decided to add a column called source to indicate where I purchased a book. Is there some way to (semi-) automatically compare my Calibre and Amazon libraries and to fill in a value based on its being in both libraries?

Thanks.

eschwartz · 09-23-2014, 04:11 PM

I have no idea how you'dd compare them both, but note that all books from Amazon should have an ASIN which will be used by calibre's importer to fill the mobi-asin identifier.

theducks · 09-23-2014, 06:37 PM

Can the Amazon Library EXPORT a (CSV) list of Book names?

Creative Misuse the Import from List PI

Once configured, It should show books that match.

You can make it ADD (empty books) with a tag.
Now create a Calibre 'Catalog' of those Tagged

There is you pull list to Import into Calibre

eschwartz · 09-23-2014, 06:48 PM

Unless Amazon has done a good job hiding it from me, there is no Export to CSV option.

I am sure a great deal of creative stuff could be done with a PI to login to MYK and parse the http response.

Now we just need someone to write one.

JSWolf · 09-23-2014, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaufman

1) I noticed today that I had forgotten to import a book. Is there any way to compare my Calibre library and my Amazon library to see which books from Amazon are missing from Calibre?

Yes, manually.

Quote:

2) I have decided to add a column called source to indicate where I purchased a book. Is there some way to (semi-) automatically compare my Calibre and Amazon libraries and to fill in a value based on its being in both libraries?

If you don't any any Mobi or AZW3 in your Calibre library that are not from Amazon, you can have the custom field filled in based on the file type. Someone else will have to tell you how to do this.

kaufman · 09-24-2014, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, manually.

Thanks. I knew it could be done manually. I was hoping there was an automated process. I have about 1000 amazon books in my library. That's a lot of manual processing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you don't any any Mobi or AZW3 in your Calibre library that are not from Amazon, you can have the custom field filled in based on the file type. Someone else will have to tell you how to do this.

Except I convert everything to epub when I import them and delete the other formats. That's the most portable format, and for the last 18 months (until I purchased the voyage) , all of my e-Readers have used that format.

theducks · 09-25-2014, 07:31 AM

Find Duplicates PI has a 'Find in Library' compare

Find dups, delete dups from the (temp) TBA Library, use 'Copy to Library':main

kaufman · 09-26-2014, 01:00 AM

That's a good idea. I'll try that. Thanks.

BetterRed · 09-26-2014, 05:33 AM

@kaufman - What is your "Amazon library" - if its a list in a web browser from your Amazon account, copy and paste it into a half decent text editor (Notepad++, Text Wrangler, Vim) that can strip out the markup, edit it into a list that the Import List PI can handle and get it to add a tag 'in amazon'

BR

kaufman · 09-26-2014, 10:24 AM

I thought of that, but it only lists a few books at a time. I have over 1000 books in my amazon library.

theducks · 09-26-2014, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaufman

I thought of that, but it only lists a few books at a time. I have over 1000 books in my amazon library.

Why not use the Import List PI as a starting point?

Start with a Pre-defined (2nd tab):Amazon selection as a model, Then Edit the template to create one for 'My Library'

JSWolf · 09-26-2014, 04:08 PM

What I do is import the eBooks and use the Find Duplicates plugin to first weed out any exact duplicates and then I do another compare to find out other duplicates and I keep the newer version (unless it doesn't matter).

BetterRed · 09-26-2014, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaufman

I thought of that, but it only lists a few books at a time. I have over 1000 books in my amazon library.

I suspected that might be the case - once again form over substance post modern stylists force users into becoming a mental contortionists.

If you were to download some of your books into "there" desktop library, could you obtain a usable list from it? If so, then mayhap you could download your entire Amazing Not library, and so on, and so forth?

BR

eschwartz · 09-27-2014, 11:36 PM

I'd just like to point out again, that on import of a .mobi/.azw/.azw3 book, if the exth 113 field (Amazon uses this for ASIN) contains anything, it will be added to the metadata identifiers field in calibre.

I assume any .mobi/.azw/.azw3 books that are being imported are from Amazon, and anyways, the field should not typically contain anything otherwise, so if there is an

Code:

{identifiers:select(mobi-asin)}

it is almost certainly purchased from Amazon.

kaufman · 10-01-2014, 03:05 AM

It's a good idea, but I cleanup the id's a lot. Also, it doesn't help with the "are any of my amazon books missing" issue.

I think I'm going to have to create a new library, pull everything on and compare.

Thanks to everyone for the help.

09-23-2014, 12:12 PM	#1
kaufman Calibre Companion Fanatic Posts: 873 Karma: 1088610 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Galaxy Note 4, Kindle Voyage	Questions about Calibre<->Amazon Library communication Whenever I buy a new book from Amazon, I put it into my Calibre library. I actually do that for any book I buy, but these questions are about Amazon specifically. 1) I noticed today that I had forgotten to import a book. Is there any way to compare my Calibre library and my Amazon library to see which books from Amazon are missing from Calibre? 2) I have decided to add a column called source to indicate where I purchased a book. Is there some way to (semi-) automatically compare my Calibre and Amazon libraries and to fill in a value based on its being in both libraries? Thanks.

09-27-2014, 11:36 PM	#14
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I'd just like to point out again, that on import of a .mobi/.azw/.azw3 book, if the exth 113 field (Amazon uses this for ASIN) contains anything, it will be added to the metadata identifiers field in calibre. I assume any .mobi/.azw/.azw3 books that are being imported are from Amazon, and anyways, the field should not typically contain anything otherwise, so if there is an Code: {identifiers:select(mobi-asin)} it is almost certainly purchased from Amazon.

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09-23-2014, 04:11 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I have no idea how you'dd compare them both, but note that all books from Amazon should have an ASIN which will be used by calibre's importer to fill the mobi-asin identifier.

09-23-2014, 06:37 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,251 Karma: 61360164 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Can the Amazon Library EXPORT a (CSV) list of Book names? Creative Misuse the Import from List PI Once configured, It should show books that match. You can make it ADD (empty books) with a tag. Now create a Calibre 'Catalog' of those Tagged There is you pull list to Import into Calibre

09-23-2014, 06:48 PM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Unless Amazon has done a good job hiding it from me, there is no Export to CSV option. I am sure a great deal of creative stuff could be done with a PI to login to MYK and parse the http response. Now we just need someone to write one.

09-25-2014, 07:31 AM	#7
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,251 Karma: 61360164 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Find Duplicates PI has a 'Find in Library' compare Find dups, delete dups from the (temp) TBA Library, use 'Copy to Library':main

09-26-2014, 01:00 AM	#8
kaufman Calibre Companion Fanatic Posts: 873 Karma: 1088610 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Galaxy Note 4, Kindle Voyage	That's a good idea. I'll try that. Thanks.

09-26-2014, 05:33 AM	#9
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,012 Karma: 30277294 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@kaufman - What is your "Amazon library" - if its a list in a web browser from your Amazon account, copy and paste it into a half decent text editor (Notepad++, Text Wrangler, Vim) that can strip out the markup, edit it into a list that the Import List PI can handle and get it to add a tag 'in amazon' BR

09-26-2014, 10:24 AM	#10
kaufman Calibre Companion Fanatic Posts: 873 Karma: 1088610 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Galaxy Note 4, Kindle Voyage	I thought of that, but it only lists a few books at a time. I have over 1000 books in my amazon library.

09-26-2014, 04:08 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,746 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What I do is import the eBooks and use the Find Duplicates plugin to first weed out any exact duplicates and then I do another compare to find out other duplicates and I keep the newer version (unless it doesn't matter).

10-01-2014, 03:05 AM	#15
kaufman Calibre Companion Fanatic Posts: 873 Karma: 1088610 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Galaxy Note 4, Kindle Voyage	It's a good idea, but I cleanup the id's a lot. Also, it doesn't help with the "are any of my amazon books missing" issue. I think I'm going to have to create a new library, pull everything on and compare. Thanks to everyone for the help.