Best Metadata Looker-Upper?

[TortoiseAvenger]

I was hoping to find a way to automatically add more robust meta data than what comes out of the box with Calibre. Specifically with categories of tags. Be great if I could search for keywords involving settings, types of characters and the like. Sometimes this comes through with the default, and sometimes it doesn't.

Any suggestions?

[theducks]

Index of Plugins, found in the Plugins section of the main Calibre forum

Metadata SOURCE plugins are the TYPE

Characters ? Those are probably going to come from FAN site, which may or not, have a PI.

BUT there is a TOOL (PI), Import List, where you might find a template OR you might use it to roll your own to scrape metadata from the targeted site ( I just looked, I don't see any easy way to Export or import additional templates that would have been Handy for sharing)

[davidfor]

@TortoiseAvenger: The problem isn't the metadata fetching, the problem is the data sources. The metadata available tends to be terrible. Some are maintained by interested people. Others come from publishers, and they don't seem to care. I believe that all the major sources are covered. But, if there is a site that has better metadata that isn't covered, then point it out and someone might be willing to write a metadata source plugin for it.

[JSWolf]

I just make sure the metadata is correct by hand. I don't download it. The only thing I download is the book and the cover (if the eBook has a lo-res cover or a generic cover).

[shalym]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just make sure the metadata is correct by hand. I don't download it. The only thing I download is the book and the cover (if the eBook has a lo-res cover or a generic cover).

Where do you get the book description from?

Shari

[theducks]

Originally Posted by shalym

Where do you get the book description from?

Shari

I cut and paste from various places. That allows you to be selective with the content ( skip the hype )

Search the Internet Plugin is a handy tool to jump to various sites (you can also add your own favs).

[shalym]

Originally Posted by theducks

I cut and paste from various places. That allows you to be selective with the content ( skip the hype )

Search the Internet Plugin is a handy tool to jump to various sites (you can also add your own favs).

I do kind of the same thing with the metadata lookup, only instead of copy and paste, I just choose the best description from that. I have multiple places that are searched, and I choose the one that has the best description. Everything else I edit by hand.

Shari

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by shalym

Where do you get the book description from?

Shari

I don't have a plugin downloading the metadata. I put it all in by hand. I get different bits from different sources. Sometimes I get the series info from a combination of Fantastic Fiction, Overdrive, Goodreader, or the author's website. I get the description from Kobo, Amazon, or Kobo.

As for the descriptions, I remove he review stuff from them.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I don't have a plugin downloading the metadata. I put it all in by hand. I get different bits from different sources. Sometimes I get the series info from a combination of Fantastic Fiction, Overdrive, Goodreader, or the author's website. I get the description from Kobo, Amazon, or Kobo.

Good point.
You can configure EACH of Calibres standard 'Get Metadata' sources
In the MDE (single), There is a button at the bottom 'Configure'
At the top level Right side effects ALL downloaded.
But
If you select a source on the LEFT: Click the Configure SELECTED...

You can 'cherry-pick' the fields from that source

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

Good point.
You can configure EACH of Calibres standard 'Get Metadata' sources
In the MDE (single), There is a button at the bottom 'Configure'
At the top level Right side effects ALL downloaded.
But
If you select a source on the LEFT: Click the Configure SELECTED...

You can 'cherry-pick' the fields from that source

I prefer to get the bits I need. Most eBooks are OK enough. The only thing I do download (most of the time) is the cover if there is a generic cover, a low-res cover, or a cover that I want to replace with a different one (the UK cover instead of the US cover or an older cover). A good example of replacing the cover with a different one is the Discworld series. The original covers by Josh Kirby are excellent. Unfortunately he died and did not get to create all the covers.