Better import/export = backup & restore

My request: improve the import/export feature, allowing a file exported from LT to be fully imported by LT without any hack.

As I searched for a solution of my problem, I found that requests and attempts to improve import/export is an old and recurrent topic/request.

It is odd that one cannot import the LT tab delimited exported file and restore his catalog. Inadvertently, I exported my catalog, fulfilled every entry with all information, including original language and DDC (which no library source in LT have for the brazilian authors I read), and tried to import it back. From a file with 927 books, only 653 were imported and no DDC nor Tag was imported.

I know there is a different CSV format recommended for importing. But there is no DDC column or original language column in it and I don't want to loose info.

I understand there is a LT API. So, I guess it would be possible to someone to write a program that would read a completed tab delimited file exported by LT and upload it via API. Is that possible? If the feature is not in pipeline, at least you could explain how a feature like this should be implemented, so that someone could try to do it.

Thanks

Having imported something in excess of 6000 entries and knowing that I will have to touch every one to allow for searching, the ability to export it to avoid having to do this again is very important.

Another minor point is that I would like to have a complete copy of all my data that I can store off the 'net' just in case something happens to LT. I'm sure LT is well backed up both on multiple servers and off site BUT with all the craziness about security the last few days I would be more comfortable with that data stored in my own off site location!! Just a thought from someone who has worked in this medium since the punched cards day and has seen backups fail when they are needed!

PS: I'm a LT rookie having only been on the system for less than 2 years!

2>

Oh, you can store the data offsite (or at least most of it - I think it's been pointed out that "From Where" is missing from the tab-delimited export). You just can't automatically re-import it to LT again.

Good export/import/backups are essential. I will have more confidence in LT when this is improved. I include with this CK information like series, other authors, etc.

James

>4 Keeline: Yeah - CK is a whole 'nother barrel of apples. What we can export is our own _book_ records - CK attaches to the _work_. The simplest functional problem is that most of the CK records are multi-valued (you can put multiple series, etc on a work/book), which means the export would have to be a _lot_ more complicated than a simple tab- or comma-delimited table. Tim was talking about an XML export, lo these many years ago, which _might_ make it possible...or not.

It would be great to be able to do a full export, and fantastic to be able to do a full import from that export. But I'm not seeing it happening any time in the near, or even mid-distant, future.

Other Authors isn't CK, though, it is "our own _book_ records" and yet, we don't get that, either. And that's something essential.

But again, multi-valued. Yeah, I'd be a lot happier if everything would export - even just everything in my book record. But it is a programming challenge.

It's a longstanding bug (since at least 2010) that "new" books with Other Author information - where "new" means entered since 2008 - don't have that information export. "Old-style" Other Author information does export.

Looking for alternatives to solve this problem, I have been looking the LibraryThing API. I just found out that there is no way to use the API to add or edit books. This is also a very old request and in 2008, by the time there were discussions about a XML export and import feature, there was also a discussion on adding the "add/edit" feature to the API (https://www.librarything.com/topic/42813).

It is 2014 and nothing yet. :-(

While I researched, I have seen many people asking these features for different reasons: some wanted the safety of a fully operational backup and restore, others wanted to develop their own LT app for Android and iOS, there was even the NY State Archives that wanted to upload their info into LT... I don't know how many developers are there in the LT community, but I strongly believe there would be a lot of new tools for the LT ecosystem if this feature of add/edit books was added. It would allow, at least, different solutions for export and import.

Collections and Your Tags are multivalued and they are exported as a comma-separated list in the field.

Something can be done.

A discussion in the past considered an XML export (in 2008 as noted in #9) to include multi-value fields in a clearer manner.

It can be done. It is only a matter of priorities.

After people's unease with Amazon buying GoodReads, there was an acknowledgment that a better export and corresponding import was essential for the confidence of users.

James

True. And the Other Authors in your book record should certainly be exported. CK is still a weird data set - though I definitely agree that I'd love to have it exported. The XML export was in 2008? Sheesh. Well, I'd still like to see it.

Would import of ck data not have big opportunities for ratty data, being site wide?

Yes, Ck should not be imported. If nothing else, you'd end up with lots of duplicates.

And, to be fair, the export discussion was restarted in 2010. Unfortunately, Tim started the thread and then seems never to have returned.

2015 and nothing ...

I guess in 2018, in the 10 year anniversary of the request.. or maybe I am being optimistic.

Well, the situation for export data has improved significantly, so now it's just the import that's the problem.