Help needed- RegExp for filename to metadata when adding books

jecilop · 06-04-2016, 08:51 PM

SOLVED as of Post #4.

Hello,

The default regular expression for getting metadata from filenames on import is:
(?P<author>[^_-]+) -?\s*(?P<series>[^_0-9-]*)(?P<series_index>[0-9]*)\s*-\s*(?P<title>[^_].+) ?

I have tried adjusting this, but I cannot get it right. Searches related to my problem do not yield the needed answer.
I am trying to import filenames of the following format and want them to fill in the obvious fields.

John Doe - [Narnia World 01] - The Book's Name.epub

The test with the default expression above just yields the author with the rest as the filename. My adjustments result in invalid expressions or incorrect imports.

Can someone share the tweek to this so that files of this format will import as desired? Also, I'm hoping the adjustment will leave the following format as desired on import despite using a single regular expression.
John Doe - The Other Book's Name.epub

So using ONE regular expression for a group of files to be added:
The first book will import 4 types of metadata (author, series, series index, title).
The second book will import only 2 (author and title).

Help is definitely appreciated. I feel like what is default should work for this, but I get the symbols jumbled. I had a pretty good handle on regular expression awhile back, but I think I have to start over :-(

Attached is a screenshot of the Adding Books window showing the test with the default expression.

eschwartz · 06-05-2016, 03:11 PM

How does this look?
The series/series_index section (with brackets properly accounted for) is surrounded in an optional non-capturing group.

Code:

(?P<author>[^_-]+) - (?:\[(?P<series>[^_0-9-]*) (?P<series_index>[0-9]*)\] - )?(?P<title>[^_].+)

jecilop · 06-05-2016, 06:38 PM

Thank you!!
That worked perfectly.

I don't suppose you know how to make it work for series that involve decimals such as .5 or 2.8 or even 3.75.

I tested that (not thinking about it in my original post as being an issue), but the decimal acts as divisive text if in the file name thus greatly changing the import.

It worked fine for any integers, but I do not know how to modify to accept these.

eschwartz · 06-05-2016, 11:34 PM

Should be a simple matter of modifying the

Code:

(?P<series_index>[0-9]*)

section to say that the character set should include a period in addition to numbers.

So:

Code:

(?P<series_index>[.0-9]*)

...

AFAIK the period shouldn't do anything wonky re: filenames, unless of course the file has no extension -- which would mean the period there was declaring everything else to be the file extension.

Fortunately, that is rather unlikely.

jecilop · 06-07-2016, 06:46 PM

Thanks again @eschwartz.

I'm still just barely a beginner on this code. I can put Excel formulas within formulas within formulas without a problem, but this one gets me.

You've given me more to learn from. I tried a website on Regex that you actually linked to on another post of mine a good while back, but it just didn't do it for me.

06-04-2016, 08:51 PM	#1
jecilop Addict Posts: 260 Karma: 139980 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Android	Help needed- RegExp for filename to metadata when adding books SOLVED as of Post #4. Hello, The default regular expression for getting metadata from filenames on import is: (?P<author>[^_-]+) -?\s(?P<series>[^_0-9-])(?P<series_index>[0-9])\s-\s(?P<title>[^_].+) ? I have tried adjusting this, but I cannot get it right. Searches related to my problem do not yield the needed answer. I am trying to import filenames of the following format and want them to fill in the obvious fields.* John Doe - [Narnia World 01] - The Book's Name.epub The test with the default expression above just yields the author with the rest as the filename. My adjustments result in invalid expressions or incorrect imports. Can someone share the tweek to this so that files of this format will import as desired? Also, I'm hoping the adjustment will leave the following format as desired on import despite using a single regular expression. John Doe - The Other Book's Name.epub So using ONE regular expression for a group of files to be added: The first book will import 4 types of metadata (author, series, series index, title). The second book will import only 2 (author and title). Help is definitely appreciated. I feel like what is default should work for this, but I get the symbols jumbled. I had a pretty good handle on regular expression awhile back, but I think I have to start over :-( Attached is a screenshot of the Adding Books window showing the test with the default expression. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by jecilop; 06-07-2016 at 06:47 PM. Reason: Updated-Solved.

06-05-2016, 03:11 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)	How does this look? The series/series_index section (with brackets properly accounted for) is surrounded in an optional non-capturing group. Code: (?P<author>[^_-]+) - (?:\[(?P<series>[^_0-9-]) (?P<series_index>[0-9])\] - )?(?P<title>[^_].+)

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06-05-2016, 06:38 PM	#3
jecilop Addict Posts: 260 Karma: 139980 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Android	Thank you!! That worked perfectly. I don't suppose you know how to make it work for series that involve decimals such as .5 or 2.8 or even 3.75. I tested that (not thinking about it in my original post as being an issue), but the decimal acts as divisive text if in the file name thus greatly changing the import. It worked fine for any integers, but I do not know how to modify to accept these.

06-05-2016, 11:34 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)	Should be a simple matter of modifying the Code: (?P<series_index>[0-9]) section to say that the character set should include a period in addition to numbers. So: Code: (?P<series_index>[.0-9]) ... AFAIK the period shouldn't do anything wonky re: filenames, unless of course the file has no extension -- which would mean the period there was declaring everything else to be the file extension. Fortunately, that is rather unlikely. Last edited by eschwartz; 06-05-2016 at 11:37 PM.

06-07-2016, 06:46 PM	#5
jecilop Addict Posts: 260 Karma: 139980 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Android	Thanks again @eschwartz. I'm still just barely a beginner on this code. I can put Excel formulas within formulas within formulas without a problem, but this one gets me. You've given me more to learn from. I tried a website on Regex that you actually linked to on another post of mine a good while back, but it just didn't do it for me.

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