Bulk change author link info

[pg111]

Hi everybody,

I hope this message finds you well.

I'm using Evernote to store info about authors.

So far I used to copy internal Evernote app link (evernote:// protocol) and paste it in the link field of the managed author.

After a recent Windows upgrade I'm realizing that evernote:// protocol is no longer registered with Windows on my system. Anyway I think it would be a better idea to view author info on Evernote web (https:// protocol).

The problem is I have 223 author links for which I have to convert Evernote protocol links into web protocol links. I can do that using a text editor.

My question is the following: Is there a way to reinject this updated link text file into calibre so I get the proper info in Link field in Managing authors?

Any other useful suggestion to achieve this result would be much appreciated.

Happy Holidays to everybody.

Patrick

[BetterRed]

I ran up against exactly the same problem with Evernote, but I don't want my Authors notebook in the Evernote cloud so I am in the process of using calibre:\\ protocol links instead. More on that to come.

Originally Posted by pg111

My question is the following: Is there a way to reinject this updated link text file into calibre so I get the proper info in Link field in Managing authors?

If you're familiar with SQL databases and tools in general, and the structure of the calibre library database schema in particular you could:

• Copy the Link column (to the clipboard) as a list from the Authors table in the library database (metadata.db) using a database tool such as DB Browser for SQLLite
• Paste the clipboard into a text editor and edit the list
• Copy the edited list back to the clipboard
• Paste the edited list in the clipboard over the Link column in the Authors table using the same database tool.

Does it work?

Did for me, I was able to avoided having to edit 1,400+ link cells in Manage Authors with a simple regex find and replace in Notepad++.

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Replacing my Evernote hosted Author notebook

I had an Authors notebook in Evernote, in which I kept basic biographical info (DOB, DOD, Nationality etc), links to web pages, obits, images, basically a loosely structured scrapbook.

For a while I could to get to the books I had for an Author in my calibre libraries with links from the Author note in Evernote to calibre server. But as calibre's server component evolved it became increasingly hard to maintain the links, so it fell by the wayside.

So what have I done about the Evernote schemozzle:

• I exported the Author notes to Web Archives (.MHT files). The only things I know of that can deal with .MHT files are Word (for editing) and Internet Explorer (for viewing) - not ideal but at least they work on a sunny day
• I created a new Calibre library, Authors, and populated it with the 1,400+ .MHT files.
• I have replaced the evernote://blah-blah links I had in the Books library Author link field with calibre://show-book links to the author's 'book' in the Authors library.
• I have put calibre://search links of the Books library into the Author link field in the Authors library.
• I have added some custom columns to the Authors library, into which I am gradually moving the content of the .MHT files, when I have finished these files will be scrapped.

Pro: I can get to an author's books in my libraries from my Authors scrap book, and to my Authors scrapbook from their books.

Con: I cannot access my Authors and Books libraries simultaneously, which for me is less of problem than I anticipated.

BR

[pg111]

Thanks, BetterRed. I will try your solution but allow me time to do so since I'm busy enough and moreover I may have to get familiar with use of some tools you recommend. Please be sure that I will not give up anyway.

By the way since I posted my query I have decided to forget about Evernote which is worse and worse. I'm trying Notion as a potential replacement. But basically your suggestion is still good whichever note software I use.