how to edit blank key values in a batch

fredericky

var fieldName = "language";
var oldValue = " ";
var newValue = "en";

var fieldID = Zotero.ItemFields.getID(fieldName);
var s = new Zotero.Search();
s.libraryID = ZoteroPane.getSelectedLibraryID();
s.addCondition(fieldName, 'is', oldValue);
var ids = await s.search();
if (!ids.length) {
return "No items found";
}
await Zotero.DB.executeTransaction(async function () {
for (let id of ids) {
let item = await Zotero.Items.getAsync(id);
let mappedFieldID = Zotero.ItemFields.getFieldIDFromTypeAndBase(item.itemTypeID, fieldName);
item.setField(mappedFieldID ? mappedFieldID : fieldID, newValue);
await item.save();
}
});
return ids.length + " item(s) updated";

fredericky

I want to replace blank values for language with en, however, the above javascript does not work

fredericky

can anyone help me out? Thanks very much!

bwiernik

Enter a blank string for oldValue, rather than a space.

"" not " "

fredericky

there is someting wrong using "" not " "
SyntaxError: unexpected token: identifier

fredericky

var fieldName = "language";
var oldValue = "" not " ";
var newValue = "en";

var fieldID = Zotero.ItemFields.getID(fieldName);
var s = new Zotero.Search();
s.libraryID = ZoteroPane.getSelectedLibraryID();
s.addCondition(fieldName, 'is', oldValue);
var ids = await s.search();
if (!ids.length) {
return "No items found";
}
await Zotero.DB.executeTransaction(async function () {
for (let id of ids) {
let item = await Zotero.Items.getAsync(id);
let mappedFieldID = Zotero.ItemFields.getFieldIDFromTypeAndBase(item.itemTypeID, fieldName);
item.setField(mappedFieldID ? mappedFieldID : fieldID, newValue);
await item.save();
}
});
return ids.length + " item(s) updated";

here is what I used

qqbb

@fredericky: I would suggest to use the Zutilo add-on for this, see here.

Copy {"itemType": "book", "language": "en"} to the clipboard and use Zutilo's "Paste into empty item fields". The "itemType" name/value pair needs to be kept for technical reasons, its value is irrelevant for this function.

Also, remember to back up your Zotero data, in particular your 'zotero.sqlite' database. Running code that you are not sure about can have unwanted results.

qqbb

You can also create a new empty Zotero item and only fill in "en" for the Language. Then use Zutilo's "Copy item fields" and paste that into empty fields for your selected items.

fredericky

Thanks! This is quite useful!