[solved] Great way of flashcards import e.g. from incremental reading elsewhere not in Pleco = merging cats + manual target cat indication in txt-file

Cameroon

探花
Hi!
I got in question where I didn't expect - tried to import flashcards from a .txt to a specified Pleco's category - and found out that's impossible (or I didn't search properly).
Also in txt import there's no those nice settings like in creating a single card - in what it concerns dupes (behavior with dupes differences whether they are in category or not).

Why I needed this? Here's the user story as the title goes: I read one book intermittently on my android phone in Pleco where I add cards in Pleco's cool way, no problems here.
But sometimes I also read the same book on my E-ink reader, where I lookup unknown words in a dictionary and add them to a list (plaintext) - then I import this list into Pleco to have my entire base at hand to study.

But this list for import may contain words that are already in Pleco's flashcards (e.g. imported in the previous import session), which I included again by own fault or elsehow.
And here, there isn't the abovementioned great setting to behave separately when the dupes are in the target category or elsewhere - dupe candidates are compared with all the Pleco's flashcard base. While I'm ok with importing dupes when they result in different categories, I don't want to have them in the same category. But how can this be achieved? Yes, I can be more accurate and keep the record which new words I added and which I haven't. But it's much more appealing not to care about this and just import the vocab in bulk and be sure that Pleco will manage all the rest, getting rid of unneeded dupes and keeping the right ones. Given that there already are the great settings for it to be done. But they only reside in another section (not the one concerning import).

And also there's no dupe check when copying/moving from one category (e.g. from the default Uncategorized) to another category (the target one where you'd want to keep the resulting flashcards) - and that's why I'd need to be able to set the target category for import - this way I'd be able to allow dupes if the original card is somewhere else and skip (or update existing) if the original card is in the target category.

UPD: while I have been writing the above text, a partial solution came to my mind: add the first line to the txt for import with target category name. But I won't remove the question hence there might be way better solutions )) Also this method doesn't resolve the need for different behavior for dupes depending they're in a target cat or elsewhere.
 
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mikelove

皇帝
Staff member
The intent there - and indeed the reason why we let cards belong to more than one category - is that this will be managed by your test profiles; you won't see the redundant cards in the new category because you've already learned them and the flashcard system knows that. So 'words I found in such-and-such book' ought to contain any card that matches that description, even cards that you've already learned; categories aren't responsible for managing new cards to study, they're strictly a way to organize words.
 

Cameroon

探花
If I get you correctly, such method as incremental reading (i.e. studying words as you read a text containing them) can't be used in Pleco if it involves flashcard import?

Example: I imported Pleco's internal HSK 3.0 cards, but this deck contain tons of words I'll be studying for months or years. But imagine I read a chapter in a book which contained word that's already in the HSK deck. It won't be imported and I'll miss to study it now until my HSK studying reaches this specific word. Or, if I chose to allow dupe creating, aside from this word's duplicate card (which is good in this case) I'll also get unwanted dupes (and will learn some words with twice or more repetitions than the others, which isn't a good practice). How can I (if not making dupes) pick this already existing card from HSK deck to get to studying it immediately (while the context they appear is alive)?

For instance in Anki there are such statuses as buried and suspended cards. In this case I could have suspended the whole HSK deck aforehand and then unsuspend the card(s) identical to the newly imported instead of dupe(s) creation. Pleco's logic doesn't involve these statuses, that's why I seek the way to optimize the studying process in this aspect.

you've already learned them and the flashcard system knows that
As far as I know, the flashcard system decides whether a new card is a dupe or not, based on a simple fact of identical card's existence in the database, it doesn't take into account has the user learnt this card or not (or when this cards is scheduled for review). Or does it?

this will be managed by your test profiles
How shall test profiles be used in such case?

indeed the reason why we let cards belong to more than one category
Again your reply has given me the hint: if I put the header to the imported txt-file which will set the right target category, then, if I choose to merge categories on dupe detection, thus after the import is done I'll have this old-new card having both cats (old and new), and, hence, it will exist in both cats without dupe creation? Will try it, it could be the solution - at least in the first glance...
 
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mikelove

皇帝
Staff member
Example: I imported Pleco's internal HSK 3.0 cards, but this deck contain tons of words I'll be studying for months or years. But imagine I read a chapter in a book which contained word that's already in the HSK deck. It won't be imported and I'll miss to study it now until my HSK studying reaches this specific word. Or, if I chose to allow dupe creating, aside from this word's duplicate card (which is good in this case) I'll also get unwanted dupes (and will learn some words with twice or more repetitions than the others, which isn't a good practice). How can I (if not making dupes) pick this already existing card from HSK deck to get to studying it immediately (while the context they appear is alive)?

No, it *will* be imported, that's my point - the existing card will be added to the new category, but it's the same card showing up in both places. So if you then study it as part of your incremental reading, at whatever point you get to it in HSK study the system will know you already learned it.

For instance in Anki there are such statuses as buried and suspended cards. In this case I could have suspended the whole HSK deck aforehand and then unsuspend the card(s) identical to the newly imported instead of dupe(s) creation. Pleco's logic doesn't involve these statuses, that's why I seek the way to optimize the studying process in this aspect.

We do have a suspended status in Pleco, actually, though it's not heavily used. But in any case we consider that more of a tool for leeches / buggy cards you want to keep in statistics / etc, not for managing duplicates.

As far as I know, the flashcard system decides whether a new card is a dupe or not, based on a simple fact of identical card's existence in the database, it doesn't take into account has the user learnt this card or not (or when this cards is scheduled for review). Or does it?

No, but by default the duplicate gets added to the new category.

Again your reply has given me the hint: if I put the header to the imported txt-file which will set the right target category, then, if I choose to merge categories on dupe detection, thus after the import is done I'll have this old-new card having both cats (old and new), and, hence, it will exist in both cats without dupe creation? Will try it, it could be the solution - at least in the first glance...

That's correct, yes.
 

Cameroon

探花
That's correct, yes
Thanks for your advice, sorted this out, using categories merging (+manually entering in text file target flashcard category to import to) I finally coped to get my flashcard routine the way I wanted.
very handy and just the way flashcard principles require.
Such an intelligent system Pleco is, its logic sometimes not so obvious and needs some thought to get it right, but this not-obviousity is only because the logic beneath it is very multilayered and, hence, versatile.

Having dived by this chance deeper into the flashcards settings (missed this submenu earlier for the reason unknown) found it so cool and customizable.
Anyway didn't find the suspend card option, where is it?
(actually it may be thought of that all Pleco's dictionary consist of suspended ready-made high-quality flashcards and user in fact doesn't create card, he/she rather unsuspends them)
 
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