Can you export a list of tags?

[bhagerty]

It seems like it should be trivial to export a list of tags, or at least copy and paste them from Calibre to something else, but I can't figure out how to do it. Right-clicking on "Tags - Manage Tags" gives you a spreadsheet-style list of the tags, but I couldn't copy and paste more than one at a time, no matter how many rows I highlighted.

Any way to export such a list? It would be helpful to me as I try to rationalize them again, having stepped away from the project for a while.

Thanks!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by bhagerty

It seems like it should be trivial to export a list of tags, or at least copy and paste them from Calibre to something else, but I can't figure out how to do it. Right-clicking on "Tags - Manage Tags" gives you a spreadsheet-style list of the tags, but I couldn't copy and paste more than one at a time, no matter how many rows I highlighted.

Any way to export such a list? It would be helpful to me as I try to rationalize them again, having stepped away from the project for a while.

Thanks!

You might brush off your SQL skills and download a SQLite database browser

Tags exist in the ... wait for it.... Tags table in the metadata.db

File:Export: Table as a CSV file

[eschwartz]

Rough hack:

create a new (empty) book.
Edit Metadata ==> Tags manager ==> Add all tags to the book record.
Copy the tags from the tags field.
Delete pointless book record.


I don't know of any way from within calibre to copy the list.

[BetterRed]

@bhagerty

The SQLite database browser tool referred by theducks is very easy to use in this instance, no sql needed - just point and click

In the Browse Tab, select the Tags table, then File->Export->Table(s) as CSV , here you need specify file name and location.

The CSV File View utility from nirsoft is a handy tool for looking at CSV files - simpler than spreadsheets, word processors etc.

This request comes up from time to time. Maybe the Manage Categories (authors, tags, publishers etc) function could be furnished with a Save list as a csv button. Use list_categories command

BR

[bhagerty]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I didn't know that Calibre's database was in a SQL-compatible database called "metadata.db." Now I do.

So I opened "metadata.db" it in a SQL tool (I used Sqliteman Portable, but DB Browser for SQLite Portable would work too, I'm sure - both are at Portableapps.com) and exported the tag list in CSV format.

But this is a workaround, not exactly a solution. It seems to me it would be nice to have this capability in Calibre itself, rather than having to use a separate tool to open the Calibre database. Even though I basically know what I'm doing, I was worried that I might alter the Calibre metadata database inadvertently when I opened it in my SQL tool.

Thanks again for the advice!

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by bhagerty

It seems to me it would be nice to have this capability in Calibre itself, rather than having to use a separate tool to open the Calibre database

@bhagerty sorry we completely forgot the list_categories command

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@bhagerty sorry we completely forgot the list_categories command

BR

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@bhagerty sorry we completely forgot the list_categories command

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@bhagerty sorry we completely forgot the list_categories command

Originally Posted by theducks

Originally Posted by eschwartz

So, what do we blame, collective amnesia or follow the leader

[bhagerty]

@BetterRed:

(1) Sarcasm is unfriendly. And in this case, totally uncalled for. I asked a good-faith question, followed some advice, thanked folks for their advice, and followed up with a good-faith suggestion.

(2) On top of which, it seems that you are being willfully obtuse, just to create an occasion for your sarcasm. I'm glad there's a command-line option for listing categories, and I appreciate your pointing it out. But it's quite obvious that I was talking about having an option to create a list of tags from within Calibre's GUI. (Indeed, I almost wrote "from within Calibre's GUI" in place of "in Calibre itself" in my last post, but I thought, "No need for that; surely it's obvious what I'm talking about.") Command-line tools are not perfect substitutes for GUI implementations, even if some folks (you—and, in fact, me) are comfortable with command-line tools.

So I will clarify my suggestion and stand by it: It would be nice if, within Calibre's GUI, there were a simple means to export a list of tags.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by bhagerty

@BetterRed:

(1) Sarcasm is unfriendly. And in this case, totally uncalled for. I asked a good-faith question, followed some advice, thanked folks for their advice, and followed up with a good-faith suggestion.

(2) On top of which, it seems that you are being willfully obtuse, just to create an occasion for your sarcasm. I'm glad there's a command-line option for listing categories, and I appreciate your pointing it out. But it's quite obvious that I was talking about having an option to create a list of tags from within Calibre's GUI. (Indeed, I almost wrote "from within Calibre's GUI" in place of "in Calibre itself" in my last post, but I thought, "No need for that; surely it's obvious what I'm talking about.") Command-line tools are not perfect substitutes for GUI implementations, even if some folks (you—and, in fact, me) are comfortable with command-line tools.

So I will clarify my suggestion and stand by it: It would be nice if, within Calibre's GUI, there were a simple means to export a list of tags.

3 MR posts new and you rant (You might want to look at some of the handles on this list https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showgroups.php )

Your original request had merit.
Calibre often has many ways to get from point B to point L

Your original request has ultra low (known to these forum) usage.
Adding low usage Bloat to an already Overly Rich GUI does not. There are multi-millions of Calibre installations.

The CLI is not that difficult when you need to do an odd job (There are folk here that do REGULAR Calibre jobs with the CLI. I assume that their rigs are headless) The online Help documents almost all the possible commands.

BTW Just because you read the list today... We were poking fun at each other because we did not keep current. Calibre has grown (features) a Huge amount in the 5 years I have been using it. Do not be surprised that we don't use all of the Calibre power available.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by bhagerty

@BetterRed:

(1) Sarcasm is unfriendly. And in this case, totally uncalled for. I asked a good-faith question, followed some advice, thanked folks for their advice, and followed up with a good-faith suggestion.

Would it be sarcastic of me to admire your skill at taking offense over comments not directed at you?

No one has been sarcastic at you, we were laughing at ourselves, the supposed experts, for missing a feature that we, of all people should have known about.

(2) On top of which, it seems that you are being willfully obtuse, just to create an occasion for your sarcasm. I'm glad there's a command-line option for listing categories, and I appreciate your pointing it out. But it's quite obvious that I was talking about having an option to create a list of tags from within Calibre's GUI. (Indeed, I almost wrote "from within Calibre's GUI" in place of "in Calibre itself" in my last post, but I thought, "No need for that; surely it's obvious what I'm talking about.") Command-line tools are not perfect substitutes for GUI implementations, even if some folks (you—and, in fact, me) are comfortable with command-line tools.

So I will clarify my suggestion and stand by it: It would be nice if, within Calibre's GUI, there were a simple means to export a list of tags.

Good of you to clarify your question. It's a shame you couldn't do that before attacking people for providing an answer that did not meet your unstated qualifications.

We deal with solutions here, not philosophies.



Attitude matters a lot here. Willfully antagonistic behavior does not encourage members and users to volunteer their time to try to help you. Nor does it encourage the developer (should he see this thread, which he probably will) to respect your input and add a new feature.



Goodbye.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by bhagerty

So I will clarify my suggestion and stand by it: It would be nice if, within Calibre's GUI, there were a simple means to export a list of tags.

@bhagerty <sarcasm> . . . Ψ². . . . . . <\sarcasm>

Request for enhancements can be made here ==>> Bugs : calibre

BR

[bhagerty]

@theducks @eschwartz @BetterRed - I apologize. I found this post again when I had the exact same question and couldn't remember the solution, and rereading it, I am embarrassed by myself. I was a touchy jerk. You were all patient and helpful. I don't know what I was thinking.

[TSR!]

I would like a way to simply edit my existing tags to correct spelling, capitalization, etc. I don't know how to do this and I can't fathom how the tag editor works nor find any instructions for it.