Automatic Metadata Management

gxxshock · 12-28-2008, 06:40 AM

Hey everyone,

I am in the process of trying to cleanup my eBook collection for my new PRS-700 and I was wondering whether or not its already possible to do the following things in Calibre (or maybe a different Program) and if not whether these features could be implemented.

Fetching Metadata from filename via variables (i.e. %a - %t - %y = Author - Title - Year)
The analog to above feature, namely renaming files using metadata
Then using this small amount of information to gather the remaining data from ISBNdb.com automatically
Now since it has the ISBN the script would automatically get the cover from LibraryThing.com
A button to save information not only in XMP but also in the old Meta fields (the ones used by Windows and BeCyPDFMetaEdit)
Options for organizing library author folders (the actual filesystem) in Categories like textbooks or fiction then sub-categories like fantasy etc.

1st and 2nd feature could be implemented similar to the way it's done in Tag&Rename (see attachment)

for this amazing software

itimpi · 12-28-2008, 07:18 AM

As far as I know none of the automated features that you ask for currently exist. If may well be worth raising a ticket for enhancement requests via the calibre site to keep these ideas visible.

A point to note is that you have no control over the actual names of files as stored within the Calibre library. It is best to think of these files as part of Calibre's database where it controls the filenames and applies arbitary naming rules. Indeed I believe that in an earlier release these files were actually stored within a database - but that got a bit large and unwieldy so now the file system is used as part of the database. Therefore it is quite likely that you may wish to also have a set of ebooks stored externally to calibre where you have complete control over how they are named and organised.

I must admit I would like the ability to specify import filename masks for extracting meta-data from the filename along the lines you mentioned. Linked to that would be the ability to have output filename masks so that one can control the format of the filename for files that are exported from the calibre library. One issue that would need careful thought - what if the metadata items via a filename mask conflicted with those actually held within the file as existing metadata - which takes precedence? My gut feeling would be that in such a case items from the filename mask take precedence as in many cases what is actually already present in the file is wrong.

kovidgoyal · 12-28-2008, 12:48 PM

You can already get metadata from filenames, see the advanced section of the config dialog. There is a feature request for output masks, and feel free to file one for automated metadata download.

12-28-2008, 06:40 AM	#1
gxxshock Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-700	Automatic Metadata Management Hey everyone, I am in the process of trying to cleanup my eBook collection for my new PRS-700 and I was wondering whether or not its already possible to do the following things in Calibre (or maybe a different Program) and if not whether these features could be implemented. Fetching Metadata from filename via variables (i.e. %a - %t - %y = Author - Title - Year) The analog to above feature, namely renaming files using metadata Then using this small amount of information to gather the remaining data from ISBNdb.com automatically Now since it has the ISBN the script would automatically get the cover from LibraryThing.com A button to save information not only in XMP but also in the old Meta fields (the ones used by Windows and BeCyPDFMetaEdit) Options for organizing library author folders (the actual filesystem) in Categories like textbooks or fiction then sub-categories like fantasy etc. 1st and 2nd feature could be implemented similar to the way it's done in Tag&Rename (see attachment) for this amazing software Attached Thumbnails

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Automatic transfer books	gewatson	Calibre	3	09-20-2010 12:13 PM
PRS-300 No automatic hyphenation?	robert_epub	Sony Reader	5	03-23-2010 09:06 AM
Automatic Downloaders Framework	-Thomas-	iRex	41	10-19-2009 04:55 PM
Automatic shut off?	Stacey34	Sony Reader	8	03-14-2009 06:11 AM
Automatic OS Upgrade?	palafox	iRex	18	05-18-2007 02:07 PM

12-28-2008, 07:18 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	As far as I know none of the automated features that you ask for currently exist. If may well be worth raising a ticket for enhancement requests via the calibre site to keep these ideas visible. A point to note is that you have no control over the actual names of files as stored within the Calibre library. It is best to think of these files as part of Calibre's database where it controls the filenames and applies arbitary naming rules. Indeed I believe that in an earlier release these files were actually stored within a database - but that got a bit large and unwieldy so now the file system is used as part of the database. Therefore it is quite likely that you may wish to also have a set of ebooks stored externally to calibre where you have complete control over how they are named and organised. I must admit I would like the ability to specify import filename masks for extracting meta-data from the filename along the lines you mentioned. Linked to that would be the ability to have output filename masks so that one can control the format of the filename for files that are exported from the calibre library. One issue that would need careful thought - what if the metadata items via a filename mask conflicted with those actually held within the file as existing metadata - which takes precedence? My gut feeling would be that in such a case items from the filename mask take precedence as in many cases what is actually already present in the file is wrong.

12-28-2008, 12:48 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You can already get metadata from filenames, see the advanced section of the config dialog. There is a feature request for output masks, and feel free to file one for automated metadata download.

Advert