Feature request: Bulk edit the IDs field

[mcandre]

Hi,

I enjoy Calibre's bulk edit capability. Can we please add the IDs field to the bulk edit options?

I have a large library with a lot of junk data in this field, however Calibre currently lacks the ability to bulk edit this field.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by mcandre

Hi,

I enjoy Calibre's bulk edit capability. Can we please add the IDs field to the bulk edit options?

I have a large library with a lot of junk data in this field, however Calibre currently lacks the ability to bulk edit this field.

I don't think there is a bulk edit feature in the book editor. Do you mean the bulk metadata edit in the main library? Does IDs mean "identifiers"? If so then editing identifiers is already there. If you mean something else then please explain further.

The attached screen capture shows how to delete the identifier named 'x' from all selected books.

[mcandre]

There is a bulk edit feature. When you select multiple books, then edit, most of the fields are presented.

However, the IDs field is missing.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by mcandre

There is a bulk edit feature. When you select multiple books, then edit, most of the fields are presented.

However, the IDs field is missing.

Identifiers are supposed to be unique as they identify a version.
Identifiers have 2 parts. Type:Value
AFAIK you can only assign one of any type.
You can remove in Bulk, a TYPE in the tag browser.
I believe that also offers All or current VL

[chaley]

Originally Posted by mcandre

There is a bulk edit feature. When you select multiple books, then edit, most of the fields are presented.

However, the IDs field is missing.

OK, we are talking about the same thing, metadata bulk edit. You put this thread in the (book) Editor subforum. I will move it to the Library Management subforum.

For various interface and technical reasons the Identifiers field doesn't appear on the bulk metadata edit "Basic metadata" tab. I doubt this will change. I know I am not interested in doing the work.

However, as I said above, you can edit identifiers using the bulk metadata edit "Search and replace" tab in "Regular expression" mode. You can delete identifiers, change an identifier name, change an identifier value, create new identifiers from existing ones, or replace the entire set of identifiers with the result of evaluating a template.

As @theducks pointed out, you can delete identifiers from the tag browser.

[chaley]

Moderator Notice
Moved to the Library Management subforum

[meghane_e]

Hello,
I can understand why a bulk Ids field seems like an unpleasant proposition since it's based on unique identiers and the theory that everything has a pre-existing assigned UID.

So how could I approach a situation where I have the following 3 cases simultaneously?
1. Individual chapters from an online story were initially loaded in from a particular site but a UID wasn't assigned at the time (by me). In my case it's been 10 years! Eventually, the chapters were compiled into a single book, both by me and then when the author found a publisher.

2. I have a large number of books released directly from small authors without any IDs because the books weren't listed in a broad DB anywhere at the time (years ago now).

3. Other books I have weren't recorded with a mobi-asin or asin number at the time but they are now.


Today, I want to create IDs for the individual chapters, compiled stories, author-released books, and updated IDs. It seems like it would be easier to address case 3 if I can get cases 1 and 2 out of the way. Yes/no?

If yes, I'd like to create an incremental ID in bulk metadata Search/Replace. I would probably want a format that used something like website_name + story_id + chapter_number. Can that be done? Would the plugin for series apply somewhat directly?

Thanks for ideas!