How to set customer column value in plugin?

[likekindle]

Hi there, I have a plugin called "douban.py", which can get some metadata from a website, and I also create a customer column called "#douban_rating".
In the douban.py file, there're code like this:

    def to_metadata(self, browser, log, entry_, timeout):  # {{{
        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, utcnow
#......
        # Ratings
        if rating:
            try:
                mi.rating = float(rating['average']) / 2.0
            except:
                log.exception('Failed to parse rating')
                mi.rating = 0
#......

and i want to put the value float(rating['average']) in my column "#douban_rating", how to do that?
Thanks a lot.

[kovidgoyal]

Metadata download plugins can only store data in builtin columns, not custom one.

[likekindle]

Well, are there any workaround to do that? maybe i could just save the value into a txt file, then write a script to load them into my column?
or any other method? i just want to save the rating value into my column.
thanks for reply.

[kovidgoyal]

Save it as a tag and use a custom column template to display it in another column or use search and replace to copy it into another column.

[likekindle]

that seems OK, but i'm not sure how to do that:
"use a custom column template to display it in another column"
"use search and replace to copy it into another column"
could you give me a demo?

[BetterRed]

@likekindle - for the Skoob bookstore (Brazilian) there are two plugins, a Metadata Download plugin, and a GUI plugin called Skoob Synch, you might want to have a look at those, and IIRC Goodreads might have something similar. See ==>> Index of plugins

BR

[davidfor]

The Goodreads_rating plugin does it by adding the rating to the publisher column and then the F_rating plugin moves this to the separate column.

[likekindle]

@BetterRed Thanks, it seems a little complicated for me, i may try it later if i have no other ways.

[likekindle]

@davidfor
that's clever, i've tried the plugins, and they work for me, i could get rating from goodreads and store the value into a custom column.
Then I have to modify my douban plugin just like the goodreads, right?
maybe something like this:

        if rating:
            try:
                #print(float(rating['average']))
                my_rate = float(rating['average'])
                print(title + " ----: " + str(my_rate))
                if not(mi.rating==None):
				    mi.publisher+="#PrB.rating#"+ str(my_rate)
				    print ('mi.publisher:', mi.publisher)
                
                mi.rating = float(rating['average']) / 2.0
            except:
                log.exception('Failed to parse rating')
                mi.rating = 0

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by likekindle

@davidfor
that's clever, i've tried the plugins, and they work for me, i could get rating from goodreads and store the value into a custom column.
Then I have to modify my douban plugin just like the goodreads, right?
maybe something like this:

        if rating:
            try:
                #print(float(rating['average']))
                my_rate = float(rating['average'])
                print(title + " ----: " + str(my_rate))
                if not(mi.rating==None):
				    mi.publisher+="#PrB.rating#"+ str(my_rate)
				    print ('mi.publisher:', mi.publisher)
                
                mi.rating = float(rating['average']) / 2.0
            except:
                log.exception('Failed to parse rating')
                mi.rating = 0

That should work. But, has "mi.rating" been set earlier? Otherwise, you are testing if it before setting it.

[likekindle]

@davidfor
Thank you so much, it works for me, and saves a lot of time for me.

Cheers