Bulk Edit Search & Replace expressions?

OldLincoln · 01-10-2017, 04:15 PM

Sorry if it sounds crazy..

I'm trying to write a bulk search & replace to replace the tags column with #pages " Pages" (To look like 228 Pages" in the tags column that's otherwise empty). What I have is:
Regex: search field = tags
Search for: \*
Replace with: #pages " Pages"
Destination field: tags

It sees the tags field ok but just repeats it in the destination field. I've tried different replace with and nothing works. I've also tried in on books with a blank tags field.

Thanks

chaley · 01-11-2017, 08:27 AM

If I understand you correctly you are trying to replace the tags field with text that is variable depending on the book. A book has a custom column #pages, presumably filled in by something like the Count Pages plugin. In book A the value could be 231 and book B the value could be 195. You want the tags column in book A to contain "231 pages" and in book B to contain "195 pages".

You can do this in calibre, but not in the way you are suggesting. However, before I go into that, why not use the custom column directly? Why put the information into tags?

Assuming you really want to put the info into tags, your S&R should look like this:

OldLincoln · 01-12-2017, 12:23 AM

Thanks Chaley (again)!!!

I said it sounds crazy... The pages download into CC fine but FBReader doesn't pick it up.
You said most readers don't. However I noticed that it does pick up tags and since I don't ever use them I manually changed all new books before sending and liked it so I've tried to mechanize it. After exhaustion trying I called for help and you stepped up. So many thanks.

PS some times I just want a quick read or avoid a long one so pages matter to me.

MerlinMama · 01-12-2017, 04:05 AM

This might not work for your reader, or it might not be what you want in appearance, but I added the page number to the title (I have a weird thing that I prefer to read from the shortest book to the longest, with few exceptions). In my case, I have it at the beginning of the title.

OldLincoln · 01-14-2017, 05:32 PM

Thanks, MerlinMama. Just for the sake of options, how did you go about doing that?

MerlinMama · 01-14-2017, 05:48 PM

When device is connected, Device=>Configure the device. At the bottom of the "File Format" tab, you find the Save Template box. I put my template in there.

To cover my bases, I also saved my template in these two places: Preferences=>Sending books to devices; as well as Preferences=>Metadata Plugboards.

theducks · 01-14-2017, 06:00 PM

save template affects Filename

Kindles use metadata , so the plug board inserts non-standard(to the K) data into the standard places without needing to corrupt

the field in the library

01-10-2017, 04:15 PM	#1
OldLincoln Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 1961918 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: FBReader	Bulk Edit Search & Replace expressions? Sorry if it sounds crazy.. I'm trying to write a bulk search & replace to replace the tags column with #pages " Pages" (To look like 228 Pages" in the tags column that's otherwise empty). What I have is: Regex: search field = tags Search for: \* Replace with: #pages " Pages" Destination field: tags It sees the tags field ok but just repeats it in the destination field. I've tried different replace with and nothing works. I've also tried in on books with a blank tags field. Thanks

01-11-2017, 08:27 AM	#2
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,742 Karma: 6997045 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	If I understand you correctly you are trying to replace the tags field with text that is variable depending on the book. A book has a custom column #pages, presumably filled in by something like the Count Pages plugin. In book A the value could be 231 and book B the value could be 195. You want the tags column in book A to contain "231 pages" and in book B to contain "195 pages". You can do this in calibre, but not in the way you are suggesting. However, before I go into that, why not use the custom column directly? Why put the information into tags? Assuming you really want to put the info into tags, your S&R should look like this: Attached Thumbnails

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01-12-2017, 12:23 AM	#3
OldLincoln Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 1961918 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: FBReader	Thanks Chaley (again)!!! I said it sounds crazy... The pages download into CC fine but FBReader doesn't pick it up. You said most readers don't. However I noticed that it does pick up tags and since I don't ever use them I manually changed all new books before sending and liked it so I've tried to mechanize it. After exhaustion trying I called for help and you stepped up. So many thanks. PS some times I just want a quick read or avoid a long one so pages matter to me.

01-12-2017, 04:05 AM	#4
MerlinMama Evangelist Posts: 482 Karma: 32554 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Sage	This might not work for your reader, or it might not be what you want in appearance, but I added the page number to the title (I have a weird thing that I prefer to read from the shortest book to the longest, with few exceptions). In my case, I have it at the beginning of the title.

01-14-2017, 05:32 PM	#5
OldLincoln Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 1961918 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: FBReader	Thanks, MerlinMama. Just for the sake of options, how did you go about doing that?

01-14-2017, 05:48 PM	#6
MerlinMama Evangelist Posts: 482 Karma: 32554 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Sage	When device is connected, Device=>Configure the device. At the bottom of the "File Format" tab, you find the Save Template box. I put my template in there. To cover my bases, I also saved my template in these two places: Preferences=>Sending books to devices; as well as Preferences=>Metadata Plugboards.

01-14-2017, 06:00 PM	#7
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,809 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	save template affects Filename Kindles use metadata , so the plug board inserts non-standard(to the K) data into the standard places without needing to corrupt the field in the library

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