issues importing ebooks into calibre

[Susann]

Hi there,
I am currently having trouble importing books into Calibre. I have imported them without problems in the past and so am not sure if I am doing something different or if something has changed. Something different this time though, and not sure if it has any bearing on the issue is that a message popped up when I attempted to import the books into Calibre saying I needed to have administrator privileges, and it has never said that before. I am not sure whether this has changed something and made it so I cannot import multiple books. I can still import one book at a time, but I have a lot to import and I know I shouldnt have to do that as this has not been an issue in the past (a couple of weeks ago).
I tried to add books in every different way I could think of and also utilizing the different options Calibre provides (single directory, etc). I also set it up to automatically add books from the folder I am trying to import from but that hasn't worked either.
Nothing happens at all. There are no error messages, or anything. Just nothing as if I haven't asked for the books to be added.
Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I thank you in advance for any light that can be shed on this issue.
Susann

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Susann

Hi there,
I am currently having trouble importing books into Calibre. I have imported them without problems in the past and so am not sure if I am doing something different or if something has changed. Something different this time though, and not sure if it has any bearing on the issue is that a message popped up when I attempted to import the books into Calibre saying I needed to have administrator privileges, and it has never said that before. I am not sure whether this has changed something and made it so I cannot import multiple books. I can still import one book at a time, but I have a lot to import and I know I shouldnt have to do that as this has not been an issue in the past (a couple of weeks ago).
I tried to add books in every different way I could think of and also utilizing the different options Calibre provides (single directory, etc). I also set it up to automatically add books from the folder I am trying to import from but that hasn't worked either.
Nothing happens at all. There are no error messages, or anything. Just nothing as if I haven't asked for the books to be added.
Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I thank you in advance for any light that can be shed on this issue.
Susann

What OS (and version)?
I would Uninstall. the get a fresh download and try again.

[Gunnerp245]

It was been suggested before that permission errors are likely associated with virus programs preventing reads/writes.

[SampleAndy]

Hello all,
I'm not having a problem importing books, per se, I'm just having a problem importing the books I want to. I usually download my books to my Kindle for PC app and then import them into Calibre to disperse to whatever Kindle I want to use for that book. The problem I've had (and still have) is importing only the current books. For instance, this morning, I downloaded 7 books, but I already had 126. In the past, I've tried highlighting the particular books that were new, and drag'n'dropping them into Calibre, or importing them via menu choices 1 or 3. Choice 1 tries to give me duplicates of everything I already have in Calibre, and depending on how I choose the files in Choice 3, I get an AZW file, and three unrecognized formats, MBP, PHL and APNX, instead of getting one book with AZW, MBP (and possibly PHL and APNX) formats.

What have you found to be the best way to do this, or is there a RIGHT way to do it?

Thanks for your help,
Andy

[piperclassique]

SampleAndy, there are several ways to do this. For a physical kindle i find easiest is to plug in the kindle via USB, click on device to show the books on the kindle, then right click on the book you want to import, and choose add to library from the drop down menu. Usual shift click and ctrl click for multiple selections will work, too.
If you are only using the app then use "add books" just go to the directory where the books are, sort by type, and just select the book files only. You can leave all the other stuff behind.

[theducks]

@SampleAndy
(I am bringing your PM question online)

I don't use Kindle for PC, so I am no help there.

You might set up a (Calibre) Auto-Add folder and drop books there. This way, Calibre does not have to be running. It will pick up the books the next time it is 'Run'.


You might want to Set/Adjust Preferences: Adding Books: Auto Merge

[calvin-c]

I've imported from K4PC, always using 'Add books from a single directory'. It sometimes gives me duplicate books but more often it tells me some books are already in the catalog-and gives me the option of skipping those. The ones it misses are usually ones that I've changed the title for some reason. I figure that if I'm 'stupid enough' to change the title then I'll just have to put up with the problems that causes.

[piperclassique]

You can configure the options for adding books in calibre preferences

[SampleAndy]

What I've been doing since I asked the question accomplishes what I want to do, but it feels like a kludge of monumental proportions. I move everything but the new files to a temporary folder, do an Add Books via option 3 and then move all the other files back. It works, but it's not what I'd call an elegant solution.

:|