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🏷️ Metadata Manager

Take complete control of your library's organization. Clean up inconsistencies, merge duplicates, and standardize metadata across your entire book collection with powerful bulk editing tools.

Metadata Manager Overview

Note: If you have enabled "Auto-Move Files on Metadata Update" and/or "Write to File", those settings will be honored when metadata changes are applied.

🌟 What You'll Achieve​

With the Metadata Manager, you can:

  • Standardize metadata across your entire library
  • Merge duplicate entries (e.g., "Sci-Fi" and "Science Fiction")
  • Rename or split metadata values in bulk
  • Clean up inconsistencies from different sources
  • View and filter all metadata with comprehensive statistics

💡 Pro Tip: Use the Metadata Manager regularly after adding new books to maintain a clean, organized library.

✨ Key Features & Capabilities​

📊 Comprehensive Metadata Views​

  • 7 Metadata Categories: Manage Authors, Genres, Moods, Tags, Series, Publishers, and Languages
  • Smart Statistics: See book counts for each metadata value
  • Powerful Filtering: Search and filter across thousands of entries
  • Sortable Tables: Sort by name or book count

🔄 Bulk Operations​

  • Merge Multiple Items: Combine duplicate or similar entries
  • Rename Entries: Update metadata values across all books
  • Split Values: Convert single entries into multiple tags
  • Delete Unwanted Data: Remove metadata from books in bulk

📖 Understanding Metadata Types​

Multi-Value Fields​

These fields allow books to have multiple values:

  • Authors 👤: Books can have multiple authors
  • Genres 🏷️: Books can belong to multiple genres
  • Moods ❤️: Books can have multiple mood tags
  • Tags 🔖: Books can have unlimited custom tags

Example Operations:

  • Merge "Sci-Fi" and "Science Fiction" into "Science Fiction, Sci-Fi" (both tags)
  • Split "Mystery & Detective" into "Mystery, Detective" (two separate tags)

Single-Value Fields​

These fields allow only one value per book:

  • Series 📚: Each book belongs to one series (or none)
  • Publisher 🏢: Each book has one publisher
  • Language 🌐: Each book is in one language

Example Operations:

  • Merge "En", "English", "en-US" into "English" (standardized)
  • Rename "Penguin Books Inc." to "Penguin Books"

⚠️ Important: For single-value fields, merge operations standardize all selected values to one target value.

🚀 Getting Started​

Accessing the Metadata Manager​

Metadata Manager Overview

  1. Navigate to Settings:

    • Click on Settings in the main navigation
    • Select Metadata Manager from the settings menu

  2. Choose a Category:

    • Click on any tab to view that metadata type
    • Each tab shows the count of unique values

  3. Explore Your Data:

    • Browse the table to see all metadata values
    • Check the "Books" column to see how many books use each value

🔄 Merging Metadata​

Combine duplicate or similar entries into standardized values.

When to Merge​

Merge metadata when you have:

  • Variations: "Sci-Fi" vs "Science Fiction" vs "SciFi"
  • Typos: "Mistery" vs "Mystery"
  • Different Formats: "J.K. Rowling" vs "Rowling, J.K."
  • Multiple Languages: "English" vs "En" vs "en-US"

Steps to Merge​

  1. Select Items to Merge:

    • Check the boxes next to items you want to merge
    • Select at least 2 items
    • Use "Select Similar" to find related entries

    Select items to merge

  2. Click "Merge Selected":

    • The merge dialog will open
    • Review the items you've selected
    • See the total books affected

  3. Enter Target Value(s):

    Enter merge target

    For Multi-Value Fields (Authors, Genres, Moods, Tags):

    • Single value: Science Fiction → All books get one tag
    • Multiple values: Science Fiction, Sci-Fi → All books get both tags

    For Single-Value Fields (Series, Publisher, Language):

    • Single value only: English → Standardizes all to "English"
    • Multiple values not allowed

  4. Confirm the Merge:

    • Review the confirmation dialog
    • Click "Merge" to proceed
    • Changes apply immediately

Merge Examples​

Example 1: Standardizing Genres (Multi-Value)

Selected: "Sci-Fi", "Science Fiction", "SciFi"
Target: "Science Fiction"
Result: All books get the tag "Science Fiction"

Example 2: Creating Multiple Tags (Multi-Value)

Selected: "Mystery & Detective", "Detective Fiction"
Target: "Mystery, Detective"
Result: All books get both "Mystery" and "Detective" tags

Example 3: Standardizing Language (Single-Value)

Selected: "En", "English", "en-US"
Target: "English"
Result: All books have their language set to "English"

✏️ Renaming Metadata​

Rename individual entries or split them into multiple values.

When to Rename​

Use rename when you need to:

  • Fix Typos: "Mistery" → "Mystery"
  • Update Formatting: "rowling, j.k." → "J.K. Rowling"
  • Split Combined Values: "Mystery & Detective" → "Mystery, Detective"
  • Standardize Naming: "Penguin Books Inc." → "Penguin Books"

Steps to Rename​

  1. Find the Item:

    Confirm merge

    • Browse or search for the metadata entry
    • Click the pencil icon (Rename button)

  2. Enter New Name(s):

    Click rename button

    For Multi-Value Fields:

    • Single name: Renames the entry
    • Multiple names (comma-separated): Splits into multiple entries

    For Single-Value Fields:

    • Single name only: Renames the entry
    • Multiple names not allowed

  3. Confirm the Change:

    Enter new name

    • Review the number of affected books
    • Click "Rename" to proceed

Rename Examples​

Example 1: Simple Rename (Any Field)

Current: "J.K. Rowling"
New: "Rowling, J.K."
Result: All books updated to new format

Example 2: Splitting Tags (Multi-Value)

Current: "Mystery & Detective"
New: "Mystery, Detective"
Result: All books now have both "Mystery" and "Detective" tags

Example 3: Fixing Publisher (Single-Value)

Current: "Penguin Books Inc."
New: "Penguin Books"
Result: All books have standardized publisher name

🗑️ Deleting Metadata​

Remove unwanted metadata from your library.

When to Delete​

Delete metadata when:

  • Removing Incorrect Data: Wrong author name added by mistake
  • Cleaning Up: Removing auto-generated tags you don't want
  • Simplifying: Reducing overly complex categorization
  • Fixing Imports: Removing unwanted metadata from bulk imports

Steps to Delete​

Click delete button

Option 1: Delete Single Item

  1. Find the Item:

    • Browse or search for the entry
    • Click the trash icon (Delete button)

  2. Review Warning:

    • See how many books will be affected
    • Understand what will be removed
    • Note that this action cannot be undone

  3. Confirm Deletion:

    • Click "Delete" to proceed
    • The metadata is removed from all books

Option 2: Delete Multiple Items

  1. Select Items:

    • Check boxes next to items to delete
    • Select one or more entries

  2. Click "Delete Selected":

    • Review all selected items
    • See total books affected

  3. Confirm Deletion:

    • Verify the list is correct
    • Click "Delete" to proceed

What Happens When You Delete​

  • ✅ Metadata is removed from all affected books
  • ✅ Books remain in your library
  • ✅ Other metadata on books is unchanged
  • ⚠️ This action cannot be undone

🎯 Using Smart Selection Tools​

Speed up your workflow with powerful selection features.

Select Similar​

Find and select entries with similar names automatically.

  1. Click "Select Similar" button (filter icon) on any item
  2. Automatic Selection:
    • Finds entries containing the same words
    • Selects variations and similar entries
    • Useful for finding duplicates

Example:

Click "Select Similar" on "Science Fiction"
Automatically selects:
- "Science Fiction"
- "Sci-Fi" (contains part of the words)
- "Science" (matches word)

💡 Best Practices​

Maintaining a Clean Library​

  1. Regular Reviews

    • Check Metadata Manager monthly
    • Look for duplicate entries
    • Standardize naming conventions

  2. Before Bulk Imports

    • Preview metadata in sample files
    • Plan standardization strategy
    • Document your conventions

  3. After Adding Books

    • Review new metadata entries
    • Merge with existing standards
    • Clean up automatic imports

Naming Conventions​

Authors:

  • ✅ Use consistent format: "First Last" or "Last, First"
  • ✅ Include full names when known
  • ❌ Avoid abbreviations unless standard

Genres:

  • ✅ Use specific, descriptive terms
  • ✅ Prefer established genre names
  • ❌ Avoid overly broad categories

Tags:

  • ✅ Use lowercase for consistency
  • ✅ Keep tags focused and specific
  • ❌ Avoid redundant tags

Series:

  • ✅ Use official series names
  • ✅ Be consistent with formatting
  • ❌ Don't include book numbers in series name

Publishers:

  • ✅ Use official publisher names
  • ✅ Standardize imprint vs parent company
  • ❌ Avoid including "Inc.", "Ltd." unless necessary

Languages:

  • ✅ Use full language names
  • ✅ Prefer English names for consistency
  • ❌ Avoid ISO codes unless preferred

Workflow Tips​

  1. Start with High-Count Items

    • Sort by "Books" column
    • Focus on entries affecting many books
    • Maximum impact for your effort

  2. Use Search Effectively

    • Search for common variations
    • Look for special characters
    • Find entries with numbers or typos

  3. Test with Small Selections

    • Try operations on 1-2 items first
    • Verify results before bulk operations
    • Build confidence with the tools

  4. Click to Verify

    • Click metadata values to see affected books
    • Review books before merging/deleting
    • Ensure you're targeting the right items

⚠️ Important Notes​

Data Safety​

  • No Undo: Merge, rename, and delete operations cannot be undone
  • Use Confirmations: Always read confirmation dialogs carefully
  • Backup First: Consider backing up your database before major changes
  • Test Small: Try operations on a few items before bulk actions

Performance Considerations​

  • Large Libraries: Operations on thousands of books may take a few seconds
  • Filtered Tables: Selection works on filtered results
  • Real-time Updates: Changes apply immediately across the application

Limitations​

  • Case Sensitivity: Metadata is case-sensitive ("fiction" ≠ "Fiction")
  • Special Characters: Be careful with punctuation and special characters
  • Whitespace: Leading/trailing spaces matter ("Author" ≠ "Author ")
  • Single vs Multi-Value: Remember which fields allow multiple values

🔧 Common Tasks​

Task 1: Standardize All Genres​

Goal: Ensure consistent genre naming across your library

  1. Go to the Genres tab
  2. Sort by book count (highest first)
  3. Look for duplicate/similar entries
  4. Select variations (e.g., "Sci-Fi", "Science Fiction", "SciFi")
  5. Merge into your preferred standard ("Science Fiction")
  6. Repeat for other genre variations

Task 2: Clean Up Auto-Generated Tags​

Goal: Remove unwanted tags from bulk imports

  1. Go to the Tags tab
  2. Search for common auto-tag patterns
  3. Select unwanted tags (e.g., "unread", "to-read")
  4. Click "Delete Selected"
  5. Confirm deletion

Task 3: Fix Author Name Formatting​

Goal: Standardize how author names appear

  1. Go to the Authors tab
  2. Find authors with inconsistent formatting
  3. Rename each to your preferred format
  4. Consider: "FirstName LastName" or "LastName, FirstName"
  5. Be consistent across all authors

Task 4: Merge Publisher Variations​

Goal: Consolidate different publisher name formats

  1. Go to the Publishers tab
  2. Look for variations (e.g., "Penguin", "Penguin Books", "Penguin Publishing")
  3. Click "Select Similar" on the main entry
  4. Review selected items
  5. Merge all into the official publisher name

Task 5: Standardize Languages​

Goal: Use consistent language names

  1. Go to the Languages tab
  2. Find variations (e.g., "en", "English", "en-US")
  3. Select all variations
  4. Merge into your preferred format ("English")
  5. Repeat for other languages

🆘 Troubleshooting​

"Merge Selected" Button is Disabled​

Cause: You need at least 2 items selected Solution: Select more items by checking their boxes

Changes Don't Appear Immediately​

Cause: Browser cache or table not refreshed Solution:

  • Wait a moment for the table to reload
  • Refresh the page if needed
  • Check the All Books view to verify changes

Can't Find a Specific Entry​

Cause: Searching with wrong case or spelling Solution:

  • Try different search terms
  • Sort the table alphabetically
  • Check for special characters or extra spaces

Accidentally Deleted Metadata​

Cause: No undo feature available Solution:

  • Re-add metadata manually to affected books
  • Restore from backup if available
  • Use book edit feature to add back metadata

Merge Created Too Many Tags​

Cause: Used commas when single value intended Solution:

  • Select the unwanted tags
  • Delete them
  • Re-merge with correct target value

Remember: The Metadata Manager is a powerful tool for maintaining a clean, organized library. Take your time, verify your changes, and enjoy a perfectly categorized book collection! 📚✨