Add Empty Books

ownedbycats · 02-19-2026, 11:23 PM

Is there way to make it not take the author/series from selected book?

kovidgoyal · 02-20-2026, 02:49 AM

Doesnt the add empty books have a popup where you specify the author/series?

ownedbycats · 02-20-2026, 04:00 AM

Yes. It automatically takes from the selected one and I have to remove it every time.

kovidgoyal · 02-20-2026, 04:15 AM

Well, all books must have an author so not taking it from the selected book would just mean a value of Unknown instead. For series, it might make sense, but just for that having a dedicated option to save clicking one clear button doesnt really make sense to me.

BetterRed · 02-20-2026, 05:52 AM

You can remove Series with the Del key — Tab into into it, press Del key, Tab, Tab, type Title, Return — and your done.

theducks · 02-20-2026, 01:53 PM

While we are discussing this box....

(useful when adding multiple )
1) Could we have a 'initial' series-index
2) Loop, waiting for the next Title to be entered.

BetterRed · 02-20-2026, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

While we are discussing this box....

(useful when adding multiple )
1) Could we have a 'initial' series-index
2) Loop, waiting for the next Title to be entered.

Would it not be easier to use the Import list plugin with a CSV?

For me at least, much easier to type into a table editor than type into one at time dialogue boxes.

BR

theducks · 02-20-2026, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Would it not be easier to use the Import list plugin with a CSV?

For me at least, much easier to type into a table editor than type into one at time dialogue boxes.

BR

If it worked that easy. I have to build the entire CSV. The 'add empty' pre-fills some of the data and all I have to do is add/update the missing field.

I used to use Import List with Fantastic Fiction:web page.
That used to have good series data as well is the rest. Series stopped being reliable over a year ago. Now it hardly finds results.
The Browser button on the Predefined page, does bring up the selected author. ??

BetterRed · 02-20-2026, 05:51 PM

Any half decent table editor can copy a cell down a column or copy an entire row.

So, you only have to enter (or paste) Author and Series once - then copy that row into the N empty rows below - and while you're there you could do the same for Publisher and Tags. Enter (or paste) the Titles. save the file, and submit to IL -- I would then move the csv into the data folder of the first book.

I use the free version of Modern CSV (portable). IMO full blown spreadsheet applications like Excel, LO Calc, etc are over kill for CSV creation. It's a Windows, MacOS, Linux Qt based application.

BR

02-19-2026, 11:23 PM	#1
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 11,571 Karma: 81412473 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Add Empty Books Is there way to make it not take the author/series from selected book?

02-20-2026, 04:00 AM	#3
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 11,571 Karma: 81412473 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Yes. It automatically takes from the selected one and I have to remove it every time. Attached Thumbnails

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02-20-2026, 02:49 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 46,033 Karma: 29579868 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Doesnt the add empty books have a popup where you specify the author/series?

02-20-2026, 04:15 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 46,033 Karma: 29579868 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Well, all books must have an author so not taking it from the selected book would just mean a value of Unknown instead. For series, it might make sense, but just for that having a dedicated option to save clicking one clear button doesnt really make sense to me.

02-20-2026, 05:52 AM	#5
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,404 Karma: 31000056 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	You can remove Series with the Del key — Tab into into it, press Del key, Tab, Tab, type Title, Return — and your done.

02-20-2026, 01:53 PM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,536 Karma: 62543878 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	While we are discussing this box.... (useful when adding multiple ) 1) Could we have a 'initial' series-index 2) Loop, waiting for the next Title to be entered.

02-20-2026, 05:51 PM	#9
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,404 Karma: 31000056 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Any half decent table editor can copy a cell down a column or copy an entire row. So, you only have to enter (or paste) Author and Series once - then copy that row into the N empty rows below - and while you're there you could do the same for Publisher and Tags. Enter (or paste) the Titles. save the file, and submit to IL -- I would then move the csv into the data folder of the first book. I use the free version of Modern CSV (portable). IMO full blown spreadsheet applications like Excel, LO Calc, etc are over kill for CSV creation. It's a Windows, MacOS, Linux Qt based application. BR