Help Editing Metadata of New Books While Adding Them

Kevin1a · 06-15-2016, 09:32 PM

Hello! I'm relatively new. I've been using calibre on GNU/Linux for a few weeks now. I looked at the FAQ and didn't find any commentary on this. I have an obscene amount of ebooks, probably in the tens of thousands. I want to go through and edit the metadata as I import the books a few at a time from my old manually sorted (or not sorted at all :P) library. Whenever I import books they get mixed into the main library. Is there anyway for me to edit them as I import them, or see just the books I'm importing, so I don't have to page through the library to find the newly imported books every time?

Great program and very straightforward. Works great, and I'm looking forward to regaining the vocabulary I had as a middle schooler when I was reading seven Hardy Boys books a day!

theducks · 06-15-2016, 10:05 PM

There are many ways to add books, just as there are Many ways to do the Initial Management.

Make a PLAN

I would make 2 Libraries (you already have 1) They may NOT be nested.

Intake (any name will do), where you add books that will need Metadata work

Main (Calibre Library is the default, but you don't need to use this name or Library)

Add Books to Intake (you can use Add Books (select option) or you could drag and drop a bunch at a time.

Beat the Metadata into submission, then right click on those books: Copy to Library:Main (delete)

repeat.

It take TIME to get it all in order

BetterRed · 06-15-2016, 10:13 PM

@Kevin1a - firstly, welcome to mobileread

What many of us have is a separate 'intake' library into which we add books in manageable 'batches'. When we've updated the metadata for a 'batch' we copy the books from the "intake" library to the "main" library - there is a tool to copy books in the book list context menu, you can also add it to a toolbar if you prefer.

The Find Duplicates optional plugin has a Find library duplicates feature that can used to resolve duplicates before copying

Another strategy, is to insert a tag using the setting in Preferences->Add Books - e.g. !newbook - and then create a Virtual Library of books with that tag.

BR

Kevin1a · 06-15-2016, 10:21 PM

This is fantastic advice. Thank you. I found the libraries tab and I'm getting to work. I got bored trying to sort my music and decided to work on ebooks for a while!

darryl · 06-15-2016, 10:41 PM

An easy way to have your most recently added books at the top is to sort by date, which can be done by simply clicking the applicable column. Successive clicks will alternate the sort between ascending and descending. As you add books the most recent will appear at the top. I usually keep my library sorted in this manner by default, most recent books first.

itimpi · 06-15-2016, 11:29 PM

I use the option to add a tag when the book is first added to the library (I use a [TODO] tag. I can therefore search on that tag to find books that need attention. When I have checked/edited the metadata I remove that tag.

I also tend to use the option to sort by date added so the ones that need attention are near the top of the list, but because I have added the tag it ensures that even if I add new books, the ones that need attention do not get forgotten.

eschwartz · 06-16-2016, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darryl

An easy way to have your most recently added books at the top is to sort by date, which can be done by simply clicking the applicable column. Successive clicks will alternate the sort between ascending and descending. As you add books the most recent will appear at the top. I usually keep my library sorted in this manner by default, most recent books first.

Same, except I do that specifically when doing my post-import maintenance.

Joanna · 06-16-2016, 05:40 AM

I also use 'sort by date' order when dealing with new books (and in some other situations, too).

Right now, I have a couple of 'main' virtual libraries, shown in tabs (fiction, non-fiction, reference, press, audiobooks etc.) and based on a custom column #virtuallibraries.

When I add new books, they obviously don't have any value in #virtuallibraries - so I can easily sort them out to a separate VL 'New'. I also have an icon shown in the list view next to the title for all the books with no value in the #virtuallibraries column. Out of all the approaches I've tested, this works best for me, as it doesn't require a separate library nor adding some extra tag I have to delete later on.

So to put it short: if you have any kind of metadata that's never there for new books and is always filled out when you edit metadata - then it's a great way to separate the subset of new books from the rest of library.

Alternatively, the approach with adding a tag automatically and creating a virtual library based on that should work just fine, too.

06-15-2016, 09:32 PM	#1
Kevin1a Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Touch 4	Help Editing Metadata of New Books While Adding Them Hello! I'm relatively new. I've been using calibre on GNU/Linux for a few weeks now. I looked at the FAQ and didn't find any commentary on this. I have an obscene amount of ebooks, probably in the tens of thousands. I want to go through and edit the metadata as I import the books a few at a time from my old manually sorted (or not sorted at all :P) library. Whenever I import books they get mixed into the main library. Is there anyway for me to edit them as I import them, or see just the books I'm importing, so I don't have to page through the library to find the newly imported books every time? Great program and very straightforward. Works great, and I'm looking forward to regaining the vocabulary I had as a middle schooler when I was reading seven Hardy Boys books a day!

06-15-2016, 10:13 PM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,619 Karma: 29710338 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@Kevin1a - firstly, welcome to mobileread What many of us have is a separate 'intake' library into which we add books in manageable 'batches'. When we've updated the metadata for a 'batch' we copy the books from the "intake" library to the "main" library - there is a tool to copy books in the book list context menu, you can also add it to a toolbar if you prefer. The Find Duplicates optional plugin has a Find library duplicates feature that can used to resolve duplicates before copying Another strategy, is to insert a tag using the setting in Preferences->Add Books - e.g. !newbook - and then create a Virtual Library of books with that tag. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 06-15-2016 at 10:18 PM. Reason: add ditto

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06-15-2016, 10:05 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,899 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	There are many ways to add books, just as there are Many ways to do the Initial Management. Make a PLAN I would make 2 Libraries (you already have 1) They may NOT be nested. Intake (any name will do), where you add books that will need Metadata work Main (Calibre Library is the default, but you don't need to use this name or Library) Add Books to Intake (you can use Add Books (select option) or you could drag and drop a bunch at a time. Beat the Metadata into submission, then right click on those books: Copy to Library:Main (delete) repeat. It take TIME to get it all in order

06-15-2016, 10:21 PM	#4
Kevin1a Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Touch 4	This is fantastic advice. Thank you. I found the libraries tab and I'm getting to work. I got bored trying to sort my music and decided to work on ebooks for a while!

06-15-2016, 10:41 PM	#5
darryl Wizard Posts: 3,108 Karma: 60231510 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O, Kindle Oasis, Huwei Ascend Mate 7	An easy way to have your most recently added books at the top is to sort by date, which can be done by simply clicking the applicable column. Successive clicks will alternate the sort between ascending and descending. As you add books the most recent will appear at the top. I usually keep my library sorted in this manner by default, most recent books first.

06-15-2016, 11:29 PM	#6
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I use the option to add a tag when the book is first added to the library (I use a [TODO] tag. I can therefore search on that tag to find books that need attention. When I have checked/edited the metadata I remove that tag. I also tend to use the option to sort by date added so the ones that need attention are near the top of the list, but because I have added the tag it ensures that even if I add new books, the ones that need attention do not get forgotten.

06-16-2016, 05:40 AM	#8
Joanna Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 76476 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Poland Device: none	I also use 'sort by date' order when dealing with new books (and in some other situations, too). Right now, I have a couple of 'main' virtual libraries, shown in tabs (fiction, non-fiction, reference, press, audiobooks etc.) and based on a custom column #virtuallibraries. When I add new books, they obviously don't have any value in #virtuallibraries - so I can easily sort them out to a separate VL 'New'. I also have an icon shown in the list view next to the title for all the books with no value in the #virtuallibraries column. Out of all the approaches I've tested, this works best for me, as it doesn't require a separate library nor adding some extra tag I have to delete later on. So to put it short: if you have any kind of metadata that's never there for new books and is always filled out when you edit metadata - then it's a great way to separate the subset of new books from the rest of library. Alternatively, the approach with adding a tag automatically and creating a virtual library based on that should work just fine, too.

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