Update an existing Calibre entry with a new file

[DMcCunney]

It's possible there's a good way to do this and I simply missed it.

Places like Project Gutenberg tend to issue newer versions of existing titles, with better proofreading and other detail fixes. Add Books will produce a dialog stating the book is a duplicate of an existing entry. I need to accept the duplicate, then perform surgery.

What I'd like is an update option to say "Replace the existing eBook file with this version, but keep the existing metadata."

Is there something I've missed that addresses this, or am I making a feature request?

Thanks,
______
Dennis

[itimpi]

You can either use drag-and-drop onto an existing book entry, or use the Edit Meta data dialog and replace the formats at the top right (either via drag-and-drop or using the button to open a file selection dialog).

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by itimpi

You can either use drag-and-drop onto an existing book entry, or use the Edit Meta data dialog and replace the formats at the top right (either via drag-and-drop or using the button to open a file selection dialog).

Drag-and-drop would be simplest. The problem is knowing the existing book entry to drop it onto. An example is The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius Pollo. The ePub file name as downloaded from PG is pg20239-images.epub. I don't see the proper title unless I use Add Books or open the ePub in a viewer outside of Calibre, so I don't know where to drop it. (And I'm often getting more than one PG title at a time, so even if I recall which titles I downloaded, which files do they correspond to in the download directory?)

Similar issues affect the Edit Metadata dialog.

It's why I'd like the option I mentioned.
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Dennis

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

It's possible there's a good way to do this and I simply missed it.

Places like Project Gutenberg tend to issue newer versions of existing titles, with better proofreading and other detail fixes. Add Books will produce a dialog stating the book is a duplicate of an existing entry. I need to accept the duplicate, then perform surgery.

What I'd like is an update option to say "Replace the existing eBook file with this version, but keep the existing metadata."

Is there something I've missed that addresses this, or am I making a feature request?

Thanks,
______
Dennis

Preferences Adding Books has options on what to do when a duplicate is detected.
I prefer to use itimpi's method.. Look at both (AKA A separate entry or use the standalone viewer on the download before import)

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by theducks

Preferences Adding Books has options on what to do when a duplicate is detected.

The only options I see here are cancel or add dupe. What I'd like is an "Update existing entry" option.

I prefer to use itimpi's method.. Look at both (AKA A separate entry or use the standalone viewer on the download before import)

I can if I must, but I'm looking for ways to avoid that effort.
______
Dennis

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

The only options I see here are cancel or add dupe. What I'd like is an "Update existing entry" option.


I can if I must, but I'm looking for ways to avoid that effort.
______
Dennis

Preferences Adding Books: Automerge option: Overwrite existing formats

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by theducks

Preferences Adding Books: Automerge option: Overwrite existing formats

Ahhh. That looks like just what I want. Now to test.

Thanks!
______
Dennis

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Ahhh. That looks like just what I want. Now to test.

Thanks!
______
Dennis

i deliberately do not use that option as if you get a false match on a duplicate it will silently overwrite rather than create a new book entry. Since duplicate checking is only on title (and does not include author) I frequently get false duplicates.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by itimpi

i deliberately do not use that option as if you get a false match on a duplicate it will silently overwrite rather than create a new book entry. Since duplicate checking is only on title (and does not include author) I frequently get false duplicates.

I add books to a separate Intake library, get the Author and Title, and if relevant the ISBN/ISSN, 'standardised', and then I use the Find Duplicates plugin->Find library duplicates feature to look for duplicates (similar title and author) in the Main library.

If there isn't a duplicate I move the book to the Main library (Copy to library (delete after copy))

If there is a duplicate, I do what ever is needed to to make a decision (e.g. side by side eyeballing), the calibre server is useful in this context as it allows me to look at books in the Main library whilst I have the Intake library open in the library management GUI.

If I want to replace the existing format, I drag drop the file onto the desktop and delete from the Intake library. Then I drag drop from the desktop into the Main library book details sidebar, and delete from desktop. I could do it with Copy to Library, but I'd have to change my Add Books Preference settings and then remember to change them back to their 'normal' settings.

BR