Equality searches via the calibredb 'list' option

mobichuck · 03-17-2011, 10:51 AM

I'm working on some scripting glue to help me maintain my library, and running into some problems automating Calibre via the calibredb command-line program.

I'm wanting to implement equality (instead of the default 'contains') searching via 'calibredb list' (using -s), but I can't get it to work like I think it should.

I have two books, "The Twins", and "Time of the Twins".

In the Calibre GUI, if I enter this search criteria:

Code:

title:"=The Twins"

I get what I would expect: the single book that exactly matches "The Twins", and "Time of the Twins" is left out.

But when I try and do this via the command-line, like so:

Code:

calibredb list -s title:"=The Twins"

I get NO results back. If I remove the equality indicator, it returns BOTH "The Twins" and "Time of the Twins", which isn't what I want. Ie:

Code:

calibredb list -s title:"The Twins"

works, but is a 'contains' search.

Can anybody tell me what I might be doing incorrectly?

FWIW: I'm trying to see if a book already exists; if it does, I want to get the ID. I have the exact title and author available for my search.

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2011, 11:21 AM

You need to use proper command line escaping

Code:

calibredb list -s 'title:"=The Twins"'

mobichuck · 03-17-2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You need to use proper command line escaping

Code:

calibredb list -s 'title:"=The Twins"'

I'm so sorry; I meant to indicate that I actually did try this (and many other permutations of single-quotes, double-quotes, double-double-quotes, double-single quotes...)

Wrapping the entire thing in single-quotes (I've also tried the 'backtick') gives me zero results (copy and paste the above line from Kovid):

Code:

C:\Program Files\Calibre2>calibredb list -s 'title:"=The Twins"'
id title authors

If I remove the "=" but leave the single-quotes, I still get nothing:

Code:

C:\Program Files\Calibre2>calibredb list -s 'title:"The Twins"'
id title authors

Removing the escaping gets me back to 'too many hits':

Code:

C:\Program Files\Calibre2>calibredb list -s title:"The Twins"
id   title              authors
772  Time of the Twins  Margaret Weis
3039 The Twins          Gary Alan Wassner

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2011, 11:40 AM

Ah you're on windows, the windows command line is totally crippled, I have no idea how you'd need to get escaping working in windows.

mobichuck · 03-17-2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Ah you're on windows, the windows command line is totally crippled, I have no idea how you'd need to get escaping working in windows.

Figures! Thanks for the help thus far, you - as usual - go above and beyond what anyone supporting software - even commercial software - would ever be expected to do. I'll try some alternate shells and/or the Windows API to get there. Glad to know I do have good syntax; thanks again.

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2011, 11:54 AM

The search code used in calibredb and the GUI is identical (they call the same function), so if it works in one, it has to work in the other (provided you can get the escaping working).

Another alternative (at least on unix) is to pass the output through grep and use that to filter.

chaley · 03-17-2011, 01:13 PM

Dos cmd is indeed broken, getting very confused by escaped quotes ("") and spaces, but the following works on Win7.

Code:

calibredb list -s "title:"""=The Twins""

mobichuck · 03-17-2011, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Dos cmd is indeed broken, getting very confused by escaped quotes ("") and spaces, but the following works on Win7.

Code:

calibredb list -s "title:"""=The Twins""

Holy cow, that did it! Thanks *so* much. PowerShell didn't want to seem to cooperate either, even using "here-strings" and/or the backtick (yes, they use the backtick!) escape character.

Just for posterity's sake, that command also works on XP.

reading · 03-21-2011, 01:40 AM

or this closes the quotes properly and shows how you can add multiple filters

calibredb.exe list -s "title:"""The Twins""" author:"""Gary Alan Wassne""" "

collin8579 · 03-21-2011, 01:28 PM

This is slightly different question but possibly connected, is there a way to search/sort by entries within the metadata that are identical in 2 different fields?
For instance I messed up and copied my author to series field for 1500 books,, and can't seem to find an easy way to sort/search to allow me to remove that error

Is there anyway to **imaginary syntax** Author

series field variable?)

thanks<

Starson17 · 03-21-2011, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by collin8579

Is there anyway to **imaginary syntax** Author

series field variable?)

Yes, sort of, and I answered you in the other thread. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...02&postcount=8

03-17-2011, 10:51 AM	#1
mobichuck Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 2	Equality searches via the calibredb 'list' option I'm working on some scripting glue to help me maintain my library, and running into some problems automating Calibre via the calibredb command-line program. I'm wanting to implement equality (instead of the default 'contains') searching via 'calibredb list' (using -s), but I can't get it to work like I think it should. I have two books, "The Twins", and "Time of the Twins". In the Calibre GUI, if I enter this search criteria: Code: title:"=The Twins" I get what I would expect: the single book that exactly matches "The Twins", and "Time of the Twins" is left out. But when I try and do this via the command-line, like so: Code: calibredb list -s title:"=The Twins" I get NO results back. If I remove the equality indicator, it returns BOTH "The Twins" and "Time of the Twins", which isn't what I want. Ie: Code: calibredb list -s title:"The Twins" works, but is a 'contains' search. Can anybody tell me what I might be doing incorrectly? FWIW: I'm trying to see if a book already exists; if it does, I want to get the ID. I have the exact title and author available for my search.

03-17-2011, 11:21 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You need to use proper command line escaping Code: calibredb list -s 'title:"=The Twins"'

03-17-2011, 01:13 PM	#7
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,741 Karma: 6997045 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Dos cmd is indeed broken, getting very confused by escaped quotes ("") and spaces, but the following works on Win7. Code: calibredb list -s "title:"""=The Twins""

03-21-2011, 01:28 PM	#10
collin8579 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	This is slightly different question but possibly connected, is there a way to search/sort by entries within the metadata that are identical in 2 different fields? For instance I messed up and copied my author to series field for 1500 books,, and can't seem to find an easy way to sort/search to allow me to remove that error Is there anyway to imaginary syntax Authorseries field variable?) thanks<

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
epub in formats list - add open with, or edit, option	cybmole	Calibre	4	01-14-2011 06:28 AM
calibredb list --output-format=xml no longer supported	Mekk	Library Management	6	06-11-2010 08:13 AM
Science Fiction Bellamy, Edward: Equality, v.1, 13 May 2008.	Patricia	BBeB/LRF Books	1	05-18-2008 03:27 AM
Science Fiction Bellamy, Edward: Equality, v.1, 13 May 2008.	Patricia	IMP Books	0	05-12-2008 08:56 PM

03-17-2011, 11:40 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Ah you're on windows, the windows command line is totally crippled, I have no idea how you'd need to get escaping working in windows.

03-17-2011, 11:54 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,858 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The search code used in calibredb and the GUI is identical (they call the same function), so if it works in one, it has to work in the other (provided you can get the escaping working). Another alternative (at least on unix) is to pass the output through grep and use that to filter.

03-21-2011, 01:40 AM	#9
reading Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	or this closes the quotes properly and shows how you can add multiple filters calibredb.exe list -s "title:"""The Twins""" author:"""Gary Alan Wassne""" "

Advert

Advert