Shelfarians discussion
Navigating Goodreads
>
So overwhelmed
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I just tried to sign into shelfari and get a new sign in screen that states they are merging with GR. I went to sign in and cannot unless I use the Amazon linked acct.I never linked ..."I don't understandthe need for Shelfari to say it is extended to May 31 and then not allow access. I was just visiting groups and copy and paste my lists.I have not added any books since the CSV was sent to me.
Laurie wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I just tried to sign into shelfari and get a new sign in screen that states they are merging with GR. I went to sign in and cannot unless I use the Amaz..."Right. I'm not adding anything else to Shelfari. All I want is to extract info, but I need access in order to do so. I am glad that I have the CSV file labeled "library" on my desktop.
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Howard Bott. So, what happened was I was telling a friend (in real life) about my book The Kitchen House and then she told me I would probably like Saleh's Children..."
So you found him...
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Laurie wrote: "don't understandthe need for Shelfari to say it is extended to May 31 and then not allow access. I was just visiting groups and copy and paste my lists.I have not added any books since the CSV was sent to me...."It may have nothing to do with users and everything to do with GR's readiness.
Jonetta wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Howard Bott. So, what happened was I was telling a friend (in real life) about my book The Kitchen House and then she told me I would probably like [b..."
Jonetta wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Howard Bott.
So, what happened was I was telling a friend (in real life) about my book [book:The Kitchen House|6837103] and then she told me I would probably like [b..."
I didn't find him on GR, I went to Amazon to see what else he has written. Apparently, nothing.
When you access the book, you also get the author. I created the link to the author using your book title link that took me to the book page. That page provides you the link to the author's data.
Dosha, see the link in my message #205 above.
Jonetta wrote: "Dosha, see the link in my message #205 above."GR should be paying you very well for your services. Just saying. On the other hand, I could also learn how to use my computer :-)
Lol! Rule of thumb...if you've found the book, you've found the author. You can access all the information from the book page (series, author, your review, etc.).
Mod
Click on your own NAME in upper right (where it says "signed is as XXX" ) It will take you to your profile page and you can navigate to your books and your groups from there.
There is no search bar, however, so you cannot look up a new book to add it to your shelf any longer.
Tracey wrote: "All I now get is a message about the merge and how to transfer your data...."You should, from there, be able to click on your own username to take you to your profile page. You can still get to your own shelf and groups from there. Also, friends. The only way I can see to add to your shelf now is via another person.
Laurie wrote: "I don't understandthe need for Shelfari to say it is extended to May 31 and then not allow access. I was just visiting groups and copy and paste my lists.I have not added any books since the CSV was sent to me...."I still add books and don't see what the big deal is about doing that, honestly. I know it's going to disappear, so if I want to add to it in the meantime, what's their problem with that. :-(
Part of a migration, typically, is to reach a point where you've halted activity and prepare to shut everything down. I think we should take the rather strong hint (removal of edit and search functions) and cease adding to the database. But, there's nothing specifically saying you can't do it and it's certainly your prerogative.
Book Concierge wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I just tried to sign into shelfari and get a new sign in screen that states they are merging with GR. I went to sign in and cannot unless I use the Amazon linked acct.I never linked ..."my username is nowhere to be seen.It is a white page with black type on one line.No "shelfari" main page or sign in page.Tried a few times now.
Jonetta wrote: "Part of a migration, typically, is to reach a point where you've halted activity and prepare to shut everything down. I think we should take the rather strong hint (removal of edit and search funct..."shelfari should have just left it at March 16th deadline,any day after that would have been a bonus.But to say it is extended to May 31 is misleading.
Laurie wrote: "shelfari should have just left it at March 16th deadline,any day after that would have been a bonus.But to say it is extended to May 31 is misleading...."Technically, they didn't announce it was extended. They just changed the date without fanfare in the link connected to the banner. The site is virtually unusable now.
"The site is virtually unusable now." (Jonetta)so true
I hate seeing it like this...there but not there.
Just close it, so we all can move on
I've found workarounds. Crazy, I know, but I won't be letting go until the site is gone.
Oh goodness I'm nervous.... been so long since I did any coding for people other than myself. But....
Here you go: http://megalion.org/shelf
I've run my and Alison D's library.csv files through the script over and over. The converted csvs now import perfectly. I created a test GR account and imported there to test.
Another way to spot check, especially since there's no easy visual clue if review was imported, export your data from GR, scan the csv. Especially near the bottom of the file, Do you see reviews where expected?
I ended up skipping some of the extra fields like Private Notes because I was running into enough things getting the basics done.
IF You've ALREADY tried to manually copy stuff over, you can still use this script to try to catch anything you missed. How I would do it: export your current GR, make test GR account. Import that csv first. Now you have a safe place to test without impacting your actual account.
Import the converted Shelfari csvs. Export GR again. Spot check and compare lines from GR export 1 & 2. If you're satisfied that importing the converted csvs was useful and didn't muck up your existing data, go back to your account, import the converted csvs there.
Done!
Hope this helps you guys. Let me know how it works, and ESPECIALLY if you encounter any problems.
Assuming it works for people, feel free to pass the url around. Share the relief!
It is a wonderful thing that you know how to code. I may have to learn. I understand norbing about it.
It is. But you don't need to know it to use the script
Mod
Were you Laurie G on Shelfari .... if so, here's your page:
http://www.shelfari.com/o1517481166
Book Concierge wrote: "Laurie wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I just tried to sign into shelfari and get a new sign in screen that states they are merging with GR. I went to sign in and cannot unless I use ..."you found me, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Feels like such a ghost town over there...no site tools at the top, no searching, no side bars, no book page tabs, no SERIES linking to book's series pages, no author names linking... Though some pages still exist even if they aren't linked to the book page anymore...
Personal pages since some of the drop down/side bars aren't there with the links:
http://www.shelfari.com/ (user name) /author
http://www.shelfari.com/ (user name) /series
For finding books:
Try making/entering a likely url for the tagging pages for a tag that might have already been attached to the book:
http://www.shelfari.com/books/tags/ (word)
http://www.shelfari.com/books/tags/ (word)%20(word)
Anna wrote: "Feels like such a ghost town over there...no site tools at the top, no searching, no side bars, no book page tabs, no SERIES linking to book's series pages, no author names linking... Though som..."
I got this to work to pull up the entire book list for Karin Slaughter (using your last example):
http://www.shelfari.com/books/tags/Ka...
Anna wrote: "Feels like such a ghost town over there...no site tools at the top, no searching, no side bars, no book page tabs, no SERIES linking to book's series pages, no author names linking... Though som..."
I decided to just put it down because using it now is like putting the pink banner of death on life support. Not much quality left to the life of shelfari.
That may be wiser for many, Dosha, but in my situation I still feel like I would like to improve my export/import....and I am thankful for the extra time to do it. :)
Lauren wrote: "Alison wrote: yes lets say it say read, and I change it to to read, it still stays where it is in the read shelf. ."Ah, yes. This is a known bug. I recommend that you post about it in this thread..."
thank you
Alison wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Alison wrote: yes lets say it say read, and I change it to to read, it still stays where it is in the read shelf. ."Ah, yes. This is a known bug. I recommend that you post about it..."
That happens to me too. I am afraid to make changes because figuring out how to undo something is nerve wracking.
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "I am afraid to make changes because figuring out how to undo something is nerve wracking. ..."This whole process is nerve-wracking! I think I'm ready to call it quits now though. I've been cleaning up the mess for months now and I think I'm withing 50 books that are "to read" that could be missing. Not as important as the read, rated, and reviewed ones I've managed to save. You are all right though - it does look disheartening over there!
Ahem, i did make a tool to fix the import/export problem: http://megalion.org/shelfUsed to be a Web programmer
Megalion wrote: "Ahem, i did make a tool to fix the import/export problem: http://megalion.org/shelfUsed to be a Web programmer"
I didn't mean to imply that I didn't trust your programming! In fact, I want to try your program on my other Goodreads page. I have very little on my personal page that I think still needs fixing.
Anna wrote: "Feels like such a ghost town over there...no site tools at the top, no searching, no side bars, no book page tabs, no SERIES linking to book's series pages, no author names linking... Though som..."
Anna, these have been a lifesaver as I try to capture the series character lists before the deadline. Thanks very much!
Yes, I am so bummed that amazon was not smart enough to get GR to mirror all the shelfari data fields....you would think that as the trusted stewards of our data they would make a safe place for it all, including characters, at the place they are shifting us to....unless I missed something?
I noticed that they expanded the character profiles, at least I don't remember them being as robust as they are now. It's still not what we had on Shelfari, though.
Jonetta wrote: "Anna wrote: "Feels like such a ghost town over there...no site tools at the top, no searching, no side bars, no book page tabs, no SERIES linking to book's series pages, no author names linking... ..." Anna, these have been a lifesaver as I try to capture the series character lists before the deadline. Thanks very much! ......
I may be weird, but I did take the time to copy and paste into something for myself from my personal edits...like all the descriptions I wrote/edited, etc.
Your edits page still exists out there in cyber space:
http://www.shelfari.com/ (user name) /edits
I am thinking all the book page tabs are out there as well...I just need to figure out a book edition page URL formula. This is the formula for reviews:
http://www.shelfari.com/books/2412543...
http://www.shelfari.com/books/ (book id number)/ (book) - (title) - (with) - (hyphensbetweenwords) /readers-reviews
OOOOOhhhhh!!!! I'm IN...got the code:D
http://www.shelfari.com/books/2412543...
http://www.shelfari.com/books/ (book id number)/ (book) - (title) - (with) - (hyphens) - (betweenwords) /editions
.....
[ETA: Covers page URL formula:
http://www.shelfari.com/books/2412543...
http://www.shelfari.com/books/ (book id number)/ (book) - (title) - (with) - (hyphens) - (betweenwords) /covers ]
WHOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hahahaha I have succeded in adding a book from the editions page of a book:D
http://www.shelfari.com/books/2412543...
http://www.shelfari.com/books/ (book id number)/ (book) - (title) - (with) - (hyphens) - (betweenwords) /editions
[ETA: NO error message when adding...for whatever its worth...]
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Anna wrote: "Feels like such a ghost town over there...no site tools at the top, no searching, no side bars, no book page tabs, no SERIES linking to book's series pages, no author names linking... ..."I agree,the body is dead,time for burial! I miss shelfari,tho.
Anna, are you trying to transfer your books by opening each page? You might want to try my script @ http://megalion.org/shelf
Anna wrote: "WHOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hahahaha I have succeded in adding a book from the editions page of a book:D
http://www.shelfari.com/books/2412543..."
Sweet!
Anna wrote: "Yes, I am so bummed that amazon was not smart enough to get GR to mirror all the shelfari data fields....you would think that as the trusted stewards of our data they would make a safe place for it..."**I agree, Anna. IMHO, the problem is that amazon doesn't care, and they definitely don't care like we do. They sell the world including books, so shelfari and goodreads was just something for them to monopolize. For whatever reason (who's involved, amount of money spent, specific well-published and well-known authors who are here on GR), they decided to demolish shelfari and port people here. Which site was better, more functional, or a preference to users was irrelevant. Just my HO.
I very much agree with that assessment. My coding skills were dusty but It probably took a total of 16 man hours? In my prime, probably less than 8.
So there's no excuse in my opinion for Amazon to not have taken the time to put a developer on fixing the EXPORT file from Shelfari so that it properly imports on GR.
That's what I did in my coding. Fixed all the times that a comma is present in a field yet enacasing in quotes didn't work. That some fields just don't translate because GR handles it differently. I ended up not doing all of the fields but one that I couldn't have done anyways because Shelfari doesn't include it, multiple read dates.
Oh well. only have to suffer this once. I highly doubt GR is going away ... ever.
I hear ya! I wish my coding skills were good enough that I could have saved Shelfari years and years ago before amazon got its hands on it. Well, I'm happy to have found Leafmarks, anyway. They're about as close to Shelfari as we'll ever get. I even like Library Thing better than here, and I've been here since 2011. O.o
I can only handle one book related social media platform. In fact, I only use one of the common ones, FB, and I quit that last September?Time is better spent READING!!
TRUTH! Time is better spent reading (or writing). And FB- ugh! LOL!
Yes, I deleted my fb a few years ago. I loved connecting with people, but it is such a time sucker...and I have other things to focus on...Shelfari dying has been a time sucker, too. :(As I stated other places, I think GR got more traffic than Shelfari because it (Shelfari) was banned by public school internet filters...and there was no app...they probably just neglected Shelfari and waited until Shelfari traffic dropped below some sort of threshold before dropping/closing it. I knew "way back when" that when amazon switched the whole kindle x-ray thing from shelfari off (and we all really protested it being added to shlefari...it didn't function that great) that shelfari was probably no longer a priority.
@megalion Yes, I need to try your script. I have not added my file here...I kinda had a project going on this account before the Shelfari demise warning. I am interested in how it will help my LibraryThing import, which is a big mess also, because commas in private notes and tags. (I have tried all three alternatives....I guess I wanted to see the features each offered. Leafmarks is the most like Shelfari, just a little sparse on features, so got up the gumption to try LT.)
Good luck, Anna! I tried Megalion's script for here and it seemed to work well. Not sure how it will go at LT, but good luck with it. LT is more complex than the other sites, but I hope you'll take some time with it to learn.
I hadn't heard of Leafmarks before and I've decided to investigate alternatives to GR before putting any more time and effort into it. Can anyone summarize the pros and cons of Leafmarks and Library Thing as compared to Shelfari? I think someone said Leafmarks was most like Shelfari, but in what ways? What do people see as the advantages of LT?I'm checking them out on my own, but I'd appreciate the collective wisdom as well.
Shelfarians
Books mentioned in this topic
The Kitchen House (other topics)The Kitchen House (other topics)
Saleh's Children (other topics)
The Kitchen House (other topics)
Saleh's Children (other topics)
So, what happened was I was telling a friend (in real life) about my book The Kitchen House and then she told me I would probably like Saleh's Children. I'm actually enjoying the book very much although I'm in the beginning. So, I decided to look up the author...