[Old Thread] Bulk ISBN Removal

brewjono · 10-25-2010, 08:08 PM

Is it possible to do a bulk removal of the ISBN?

Many books I add of differing formats have ISBN's that are just made up numbers.

This then has an impact when doing a bulk metadata, social tags, covers update.

Because Calibre appears to use the ISBN as the most important factor when determining metadata like series etc.

I would like to be able to select a pile of books and just remove the ISBN?

Can anybody help with this?

Brewjono.

Starson17 · 10-25-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewjono

Is it possible to do a bulk removal of the ISBN?

make a backup of your library first.
search for isbn:true
select all books found and press "e" to bulk edit metadata
use the experimental search and replace to search for regular expression .* in field isbn and replace with blank into destination field isbn.

kovidgoyal · 10-25-2010, 09:19 PM

Use search and replace in the bulk metadata edit dialog with a regular expression search of .* and an empty replace box.

bigpallooka · 10-26-2010, 09:31 AM

This is surely an argument for the phrase "Great minds think alike" ?

brewjono · 10-27-2010, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Use search and replace in the bulk metadata edit dialog with a regular expression search of .* and an empty replace box.

Thankyou.

That worked seamlessly. Did about 10,000 books in 30 seconds.

Much appreciated.

Brewjono.

traceylb · 05-04-2011, 12:25 PM

Help! I've used this method of removing ISBN with no problems previously but it is seems that in the last few version updates of Calibre it has stopped working for me. I select the Edit in Bulk and enter the following:

Search Field: #isbn
Search for: .*
all other fields left blank

Problem is that the Test Result shows "You must specify a destination when source is a composite field" and I get the same in an error box if I try to run the search and replace still. Is there a new way to remove ISBNs in bulk?

Manichean · 05-04-2011, 05:11 PM

Did you, oh, I don't know, try to specify a destination field?

chaley · 05-04-2011, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by traceylb

Help! I've used this method of removing ISBN with no problems previously but it is seems that in the last few version updates of Calibre it has stopped working for me. I select the Edit in Bulk and enter the following:

Search Field: #isbn
Search for: .*
all other fields left blank

Problem is that the Test Result shows "You must specify a destination when source is a composite field" and I get the same in an error box if I try to run the search and replace still. Is there a new way to remove ISBNs in bulk?

Search field -> identifiers, not the custom column. The custom column just displays information. It cannot be edited there.

Manichean · 05-04-2011, 06:15 PM

Oops, yeah, totally missed that. Never mind me, then.

10-25-2010, 08:08 PM	#1
brewjono Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 501816 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Device: K3, K4, KPW	[Old Thread] Bulk ISBN Removal Is it possible to do a bulk removal of the ISBN? Many books I add of differing formats have ISBN's that are just made up numbers. This then has an impact when doing a bulk metadata, social tags, covers update. Because Calibre appears to use the ISBN as the most important factor when determining metadata like series etc. I would like to be able to select a pile of books and just remove the ISBN? Can anybody help with this? Brewjono.

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10-25-2010, 09:19 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,851 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Use search and replace in the bulk metadata edit dialog with a regular expression search of .* and an empty replace box.

10-26-2010, 09:31 AM	#4
bigpallooka Connoisseur Posts: 86 Karma: 24 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Kobo/Tablet PC/Desktop/Laptop	This is surely an argument for the phrase "Great minds think alike" ?

05-04-2011, 12:25 PM	#6
traceylb Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 50 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Libra H2O	Help! I've used this method of removing ISBN with no problems previously but it is seems that in the last few version updates of Calibre it has stopped working for me. I select the Edit in Bulk and enter the following: Search Field: #isbn Search for: .* all other fields left blank Problem is that the Test Result shows "You must specify a destination when source is a composite field" and I get the same in an error box if I try to run the search and replace still. Is there a new way to remove ISBNs in bulk?

05-04-2011, 05:11 PM	#7
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Did you, oh, I don't know, try to specify a destination field?

05-04-2011, 06:15 PM	#9
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Oops, yeah, totally missed that. Never mind me, then.

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