Splitting <title> - <author> in Title field

zamana · 02-15-2015, 02:12 PM

Hi!

Some time ago I imported around 10 thousand books in one of my libraries. Half of the books <title> - <author> in the field Title, and "Unknown" in the field Author.

How do I split <title> - <author> in order to fix the metadata?

Thanks.
Regards.

eschwartz · 02-15-2015, 03:04 PM

When importing them, there is an option in Preferences ==> Adding books
Uncheck "Read metadata from file contents rather than file name" and calibre will use the regex in the bottom half of that window to derive metadata from the filename.

zamana · 02-15-2015, 03:09 PM

Hi!

Thanks for reply, but that's the problem: the books are already imported, and I don't have the original files anymore.

Should I remove and re-import the books in the library? Is this the easiest path?

Thanks.
Regards.

eschwartz · 02-15-2015, 03:13 PM

For the future, do that. For the books already imported, you can do the same trick to copy information from column to column using Bulk Edit Metadata, last tab (Search and Replace).
Make sure to choose regex mode.

zamana · 02-15-2015, 03:19 PM

That was my first approach, but I simply don't know how to use this resource for my needs...

I'll study the Calibre docs a little.

Thanks.
Regards.

eschwartz · 02-15-2015, 03:25 PM

Search title:

Code:

([^-]) - ([^-])

Replace author:

Code:

\2

Apply

Search title:

Code:

([^-]) - ([^-])

Replace title:

Code:

\1

zamana · 02-15-2015, 03:30 PM

Hummm, almost there...

The result is joining <title><author>

See the attachment, please.

Thanks!

eschwartz · 02-15-2015, 03:33 PM

I am a monumental idiot.

This time, we will repeat the character sets...

Search title:

Code:

([^-]+) - ([^-]+)

Replace author:

Code:

\2

Apply

Search title:

Code:

([^-]+) - ([^-]+)

Replace title:

Code:

\1

zamana · 02-15-2015, 03:38 PM

Are you what!?!?! I can't disagree more!

You saved my day!

This time your RegEx worked fantastically!

Thank you very much for teaching me.
Best regards.

eschwartz · 02-15-2015, 03:45 PM

Well, I certainly made a monumentally stupid oversight.

So when I give myself a virtual slap and call myself stupid, hopefully I remember next time to not overlook that...
Happy to help, though -- now that I am no longer in monumentally-stupid mode.

I hope the rest of your day remains as good.

krizso · 06-21-2015, 03:43 PM

Hi!

I've tried to use your methods to split tile and author fields. The only difference is in my case:
<author> ; <title>

The separator is ";" not the "-".

I've tried a several changes in the regexp but none of them working. Could you please help???

Thank you very much!

eschwartz · 06-21-2015, 06:32 PM

Swapping out the "-" for ";" -- just the middle separator, not the bit in the character sets.

Search title:

Code:

([^-]+) ; ([^-]+)

Replace author:

Code:

\2

Apply

Search title:

Code:

([^-]+) ; ([^-]+)

Replace title:

Code:

\1

For more about the wild and wonderful world of regex, check out this website: http://www.regular-expressions.info
Taught me (most) everything I know. Worth a look.

krizso · 06-22-2015, 02:40 AM

Yes, just as I've thought, but it is nothing happend.

krizso · 06-22-2015, 02:44 AM

Done

It's a little mistake:

([^-]+); ([^-]+)

Thank you!

eschwartz · 06-22-2015, 11:40 AM

That would be because there is no space between the author and the ";" -- but at first you said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by krizso

[...] The only difference is in my case:
<author> ; <title>

The separator is ";" not the "-".

Regexes require great accuracy.

Glad you got it working.

02-15-2015, 02:12 PM	#1
zamana Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 52836 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: São Paulo / Brazil Device: Kindles: Touch, Voyage, Oasis 9th, Oasis 10th / Kobo: Libra Colour	Splitting <title> - <author> in Title field Hi! Some time ago I imported around 10 thousand books in one of my libraries. Half of the books <title> - <author> in the field Title, and "Unknown" in the field Author. How do I split <title> - <author> in order to fix the metadata? Thanks. Regards. Last edited by zamana; 02-15-2015 at 02:21 PM. Reason: Grammar.

02-15-2015, 03:19 PM	#5
zamana Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 52836 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: São Paulo / Brazil Device: Kindles: Touch, Voyage, Oasis 9th, Oasis 10th / Kobo: Libra Colour	That was my first approach, but I simply don't know how to use this resource for my needs... I'll study the Calibre docs a little. Thanks. Regards. Last edited by zamana; 02-15-2015 at 03:31 PM.

02-15-2015, 03:25 PM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Search title: Code: ([^-]) - ([^-]) Replace author: Code: \2 Apply Search title: Code: ([^-]) - ([^-]) Replace title: Code: \1

02-15-2015, 03:30 PM	#7
zamana Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 52836 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: São Paulo / Brazil Device: Kindles: Touch, Voyage, Oasis 9th, Oasis 10th / Kobo: Libra Colour	Hummm, almost there... The result is joining <title><author> See the attachment, please. Thanks! Attached Thumbnails

02-15-2015, 03:33 PM	#8
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I am a monumental idiot. This time, we will repeat the character sets... Search title: Code: ([^-]+) - ([^-]+) Replace author: Code: \2 Apply Search title: Code: ([^-]+) - ([^-]+) Replace title: Code: \1

02-15-2015, 03:04 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	When importing them, there is an option in Preferences ==> Adding books Uncheck "Read metadata from file contents rather than file name" and calibre will use the regex in the bottom half of that window to derive metadata from the filename.

02-15-2015, 03:09 PM	#3
zamana Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 52836 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: São Paulo / Brazil Device: Kindles: Touch, Voyage, Oasis 9th, Oasis 10th / Kobo: Libra Colour	Hi! Thanks for reply, but that's the problem: the books are already imported, and I don't have the original files anymore. Should I remove and re-import the books in the library? Is this the easiest path? Thanks. Regards.

02-15-2015, 03:13 PM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	For the future, do that. For the books already imported, you can do the same trick to copy information from column to column using Bulk Edit Metadata, last tab (Search and Replace). Make sure to choose regex mode.

02-15-2015, 03:38 PM	#9
zamana Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 52836 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: São Paulo / Brazil Device: Kindles: Touch, Voyage, Oasis 9th, Oasis 10th / Kobo: Libra Colour	Are you what!?!?! I can't disagree more! You saved my day! This time your RegEx worked fantastically! Thank you very much for teaching me. Best regards.

02-15-2015, 03:45 PM	#10
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Well, I certainly made a monumentally stupid oversight. So when I give myself a virtual slap and call myself stupid, hopefully I remember next time to not overlook that... Happy to help, though -- now that I am no longer in monumentally-stupid mode. I hope the rest of your day remains as good.

06-21-2015, 03:43 PM	#11
krizso Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Almost the same problem Hi! I've tried to use your methods to split tile and author fields. The only difference is in my case: <author> ; <title> The separator is ";" not the "-". I've tried a several changes in the regexp but none of them working. Could you please help??? Thank you very much!

06-21-2015, 06:32 PM	#12
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Swapping out the "-" for ";" -- just the middle separator, not the bit in the character sets. Search title: Code: ([^-]+) ; ([^-]+) Replace author: Code: \2 Apply Search title: Code: ([^-]+) ; ([^-]+) Replace title: Code: \1 For more about the wild and wonderful world of regex, check out this website: http://www.regular-expressions.info Taught me (most) everything I know. Worth a look.

06-22-2015, 02:40 AM	#13
krizso Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Yes, just as I've thought, but it is nothing happend. Attached Thumbnails

06-22-2015, 02:44 AM	#14
krizso Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Done It's a little mistake: ([^-]+); ([^-]+) Thank you!

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