How to remove all tags at once?

al35 · 03-22-2010, 08:59 PM

Hi! Is there any way to remove all tags from a selection of books without going through them all manually? In the metadata edit window, I can remove specific tags from a selection, but how about ALL tags (but without affecting the non-selected books)? The downloaded metadata usually has too many tags.

DoctorOhh · 03-22-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al35

Hi! Is there any way to remove all tags from a selection of books without going through them all manually? In the metadata edit window, I can remove specific tags from a selection, but how about ALL tags (but without affecting the non-selected books)? The downloaded metadata usually has too many tags.

My solution was to not download the tags to begin with. The metadata download plugins allow you to turn off downloading tags and allow everything else.

PaleoRDR · 03-22-2010, 10:20 PM

I also would like to be able to "bulk" delete all tags from my Calibre database, whether by a direct database update or by going through the GUI. What I'm finding is that Stanza does not actually make use (apparently) of the series and sequence information within the Calibre database, but the tags field is imported into stanza and used as a sortable subject field. If there were a simple way to eliminate all the existing garbage in the Tags fields, then I'd use that field to hold series/sequence information instead. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a way to "bulk" delete except by specific Tag - and there's got to be at least several hundred unique tags in my db. I've currently got in excess of 2000 ebooks loaded into Calibre, and the cleanup is going to be a pain. Is there an interactive SQL interface for the db engine?

DoctorOhh · 03-22-2010, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaleoRDR

I also would like to be able to "bulk" delete all tags from my Calibre database,

... ~~ ...

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a way to "bulk" delete except by specific Tag - and there's got to be at least several hundred unique tags in my db.

This isn't as daunting a task as you might think.

1. Highlight all books you want to eliminate tags from.
2. Then click edit meta information.
3. Now type "a" in the remove tags bar. A list of all of the tags starting with "a" will be shown. Selcet the top tag. Now do it again and select the next "a" tag until all the "a" tags are listed. Continue to "b", "c", "d" etc...
4. Do a couple of letters at a time click OK then go back into the edit meta information and do e, f, g...
5. Wash, rinse and repeat.

In a short spell all tags will be gone with less then the effort to search here for a better solution.

Starson17 · 03-22-2010, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaleoRDR

Is there an interactive SQL interface for the db engine?

Not interactive, but you can get Calibre to execute SQL scripts that should do what you want.

I haven't got time to go into details, but see if a search will pull up a post I wrote that had SQL code for the guy who wanted all duplicate titles in his database. It may get you started. There's also a post by Kovid that got me started, although his post had a typo in the code.

PaleoRDR · 03-22-2010, 10:58 PM

Walt -

Not a bad idea, but not really practical for the volume of information that has to be removed. I tried your suggestion, selecting a block of 50 ebooks to test with. When I typed "a", I was presented with 117 individual unique tags that begin with "a". You can't select the entire block of them, either. I'd have to go through the entire list, one at a time, to get rid of all tags that begin with "a". Then "b", "c", "d", ad nauseum. I would estimate that if I wanted to follow this model, doing all 2000+ ebooks in a single block group so that I only have to go through it once, it would take just about 2 days. This should be a fairly simple sql update, if there's a command interface for the db.

Michael

DoctorOhh · 03-22-2010, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaleoRDR

Walt -

Not a bad idea, but not really practical for the volume of information that has to be removed. I tried your suggestion, selecting a block of 50 ebooks to test with. When I typed "a", I was presented with 117 individual unique tags that begin with "a". You can't select the entire block of them, either. I'd have to go through the entire list, one at a time, to get rid of all tags that begin with "a". Then "b", "c", "d", ad nauseum. I would estimate that if I wanted to follow this model, doing all 2000+ ebooks in a single block group so that I only have to go through it once, it would take just about 2 days. This should be a fairly simple sql update, if there's a command interface for the db.

Michael

Do as you like but I'm guessing 2-3 hours tops (and that is while doing other things), most likely less time. Typing "a" then clicking the bottom "a" tag and repeating you would have eliminated all 117 "a" tags in about 4 minutes.

I am fortunate since I stopped downloading en-mass all of the tags, almost as soon as the option to do it was available.

I'm sure many folks could benefit from a solution. If you come up with an alternative solution please share.

You might also want to request as a feature/enhancement to be able to eliminate all tags at once.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

GRiker · 03-22-2010, 11:18 PM

If your tags are a complete mess, and you simply want to start over by removing all tags from your database:

Highlight a single title in the main window
Click Edit meta information or press shortcut key E to open the Edit Meta Information dialog
Click the Open Tag Editor icon to the right of the Tags: field
If there are any tags in the Applied tags column on the right, select them all and click the 'x' icon to the right of the Applied tags column to move them to the Available tags column on the left.
Select all of the tags in the Available tags column by click-dragging through them, or clicking one tag then pressing Cmd/Ctrl-A to select all.
Click the trash can icon to the left of the Available tags column to delete the tag names from the database.
Click OK to exit the Tag Editor dialog
Click OK to exit the Edit Meta Information dialog
Press Cmd/Ctrl-A to select all books in your library
Click Edit meta information or press E to open the Edit Meta Information dialog
In the Remove tags: field, type '*' (no quotes)
Click OK to remove the tags from the individual books. Poof.

G

DoctorOhh · 03-22-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRiker

If your tags are a complete mess, and you simply want to start over by removing all tags from your database:

Excellent! I'll take your word that this will work for those that asked. Much karma to you.

Worldwalker · 03-26-2010, 01:39 AM

Just hopping on the bandwagon here ... personally, I really think a remove-all-tags function that works like all of the other metadata-changing options in bulk edit would be an extremely useful feature. There are times when you don't want to strip all tags from all books in your library, just a range of them, and when deleting every possible tag from a-z individually would take forever. It shouldn't be too complicated to build this into the existing bulk edit feature, and I've seen several people asking about it. How about it, ye who are wise in the ways of The Code?

sjohnson717 · 04-09-2010, 10:24 AM

I agree with WorldWalker. Would like an option to remove all tags (or replace all tags with nothing, if you prefer). That said, GRiker's process worked fine on 300+ books.

SirBC · 04-09-2010, 11:51 AM

This worked for me:

Quote:

1- Delete all "Available Tags" under 1 book in Tag pull down menu.
2- Confirm that you want to delete all tags
3- Select all Books for Bulk Edt
4- In line Remove Tags simply put *************************
5- hit OK

03-22-2010, 08:59 PM	#1
al35 Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: PRS505	How to remove all tags at once? Hi! Is there any way to remove all tags from a selection of books without going through them all manually? In the metadata edit window, I can remove specific tags from a selection, but how about ALL tags (but without affecting the non-selected books)? The downloaded metadata usually has too many tags.

03-22-2010, 10:20 PM	#3
PaleoRDR Stone Tablet Reader Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: USA Device: iPhone	I've been asking the same question. I also would like to be able to "bulk" delete all tags from my Calibre database, whether by a direct database update or by going through the GUI. What I'm finding is that Stanza does not actually make use (apparently) of the series and sequence information within the Calibre database, but the tags field is imported into stanza and used as a sortable subject field. If there were a simple way to eliminate all the existing garbage in the Tags fields, then I'd use that field to hold series/sequence information instead. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a way to "bulk" delete except by specific Tag - and there's got to be at least several hundred unique tags in my db. I've currently got in excess of 2000 ebooks loaded into Calibre, and the cleanup is going to be a pain. Is there an interactive SQL interface for the db engine?

03-22-2010, 10:58 PM	#6
PaleoRDR Stone Tablet Reader Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: USA Device: iPhone	Thanks, but not really feasible Walt - Not a bad idea, but not really practical for the volume of information that has to be removed. I tried your suggestion, selecting a block of 50 ebooks to test with. When I typed "a", I was presented with 117 individual unique tags that begin with "a". You can't select the entire block of them, either. I'd have to go through the entire list, one at a time, to get rid of all tags that begin with "a". Then "b", "c", "d", ad nauseum. I would estimate that if I wanted to follow this model, doing all 2000+ ebooks in a single block group so that I only have to go through it once, it would take just about 2 days. This should be a fairly simple sql update, if there's a command interface for the db. Michael

03-22-2010, 11:18 PM	#8
GRiker Comparer of the Ephemeris Posts: 1,496 Karma: 424697 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad	If your tags are a complete mess, and you simply want to start over by removing all tags from your database: Highlight a single title in the main window Click Edit meta information or press shortcut key E to open the Edit Meta Information dialog Click the Open Tag Editor icon to the right of the Tags: field If there are any tags in the Applied tags column on the right, select them all and click the 'x' icon to the right of the Applied tags column to move them to the Available tags column on the left. Select all of the tags in the Available tags column by click-dragging through them, or clicking one tag then pressing Cmd/Ctrl-A to select all. Click the trash can icon to the left of the Available tags column to delete the tag names from the database. Click OK to exit the Tag Editor dialog Click OK to exit the Edit Meta Information dialog Press Cmd/Ctrl-A to select all books in your library Click Edit meta information or press E to open the Edit Meta Information dialog In the Remove tags: field, type '*' (no quotes) Click OK to remove the tags from the individual books. Poof. G

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03-26-2010, 01:39 AM	#10
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	Just hopping on the bandwagon here ... personally, I really think a remove-all-tags function that works like all of the other metadata-changing options in bulk edit would be an extremely useful feature. There are times when you don't want to strip all tags from all books in your library, just a range of them, and when deleting every possible tag from a-z individually would take forever. It shouldn't be too complicated to build this into the existing bulk edit feature, and I've seen several people asking about it. How about it, ye who are wise in the ways of The Code?

04-09-2010, 10:24 AM	#11
sjohnson717 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad	I agree with WorldWalker. Would like an option to remove all tags (or replace all tags with nothing, if you prefer). That said, GRiker's process worked fine on 300+ books.

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