Accidentally Duplicated Entire Library!

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

The find duplicates didn't work. It said none were found but when you go into that author's folder you see 2 separate entries for each book with different numbers...not a calibre expert..don't know that the numbers in parenthesis is anyway. But no the find duplicates doesn't work.

The numbers are book numbers, when a book is added to the library it gets a number - one doesn't have to worry about them

I suggest you backup up the library folder to somewhere even with all the duplicates. Then at least you'll be able to get back to known, if not a good, starting point.

Find Duplicates should work with the settings in attachment.

It only finds them, you have to then take action, I think that's also true of the Library Maintenance process others have suggested

BR

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

The numbers are book numbers, when a book is added to the library it gets a number - one doesn't have to worry about them

I suggest you backup up the library folder to somewhere even with all the duplicates. Then at least you'll be able to get back to known, if not a good, starting point.

Find Duplicates should work with the settings in attachment.

It only finds them, you have to then take action, I think that's also true of the Library Maintenance process others have suggested

BR

I would start with a binary compare and deal with all of the results. Then do it as you've suggested on the remaining books.

[SouLThinking]

Ok that didn't work. It moved EVERYTHING lol even the duplicate folders. This is what it looks like ..I'm adding an example..but the thing is I don't know if you can see that the dae on my original files was March the 2nd entry is June. Ok when you go into the library only one entry is showing for each book but if you click open folder ..you'll see you are in the June entry. I'm confusing myself. Anyway, it's like the original library is in the calibre folder but the calibre doesn't know it? I guess I have to go delete everything manually?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would start with a binary compare and deal with all of the results. Then do it as you've suggested on the remaining books.

@Jon

That went through my mind - but given I never did a binary compare I went for what I knew.

BR

[SouLThinking]

Ok, I'm so lost. Like I said when I used find duplicates it simply says there are none. It doesn't even know that in each folder there is another folder with the same book in it. I tried the binary compare and it found 8 duplicates in the new June folders I fixed them. It doesn't see all my March folders. Is there a way to search for folders before June? Forgive me if I sound dumb..but in this I am..I love to read.I love my books I love Calibre.but I hate all of it right now.

[BetterRed]

Did you try what DoctorOhh suggested in Post #5 - from what you just posted, I would have thought it should have worked

If it didn't work can you remember what happened

BR

[speakingtohe]

Just go with option 2

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I suggest you check each directory to make sure there is actually a book in each directory because if you really did duplicate the eBooks, then find duplicates would have found them as duplicates.

The duplicates are physical, not part of the library.

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

Ok that didn't work. It moved EVERYTHING lol even the duplicate folders.

You moved everything via calibre as outlined in post 5? If so this is new behavior. Previously moving the library via the Calibre GUI only moved the items actually in the database.

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

I guess I have to go delete everything manually?

It doesn't have to be manual, using the check library you can delete those folders/files not part of the library.

[alanHd]

Did you run Check Library under Library Maintenance, This would show any files and folders in your Calibre folder that shouldn't be there. But these files should have been left behind when you moved your Library from my understanding.

Also if you have two entries for the same title, are you sure they are not just different formats of the same book.

[SouLThinking]

Ok, I will try to answer all the questions. I used the check library and although it does show things not in the library it doesn't seem to be as many as I have. Anyway, Yes every folder has a book in and every folder is the same as it's duplicate meaning I have an epub and mobi in every folder. I will try the check library again and hopefully I don't mess it up further. I have it backed up to google drive so maybe I'm ok. Cross your fingers cuz mine are tired from deleting duplicates.

[SouLThinking]

Ok, so I have click over 1000 check boxes? Ok I could have sworn you could hit control shift or control something and you could check multiple boxes that way. Maybe after all this my brain is fried and I can't remember.

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

I have it backed up to google drive so maybe I'm ok.

You should be very wary of using Google Drive to back up a Calibre library. Google Drive removes any numbers in brackets from filenames or folder names which messes up the Calibre library.

I believe that someone has written a utility that can use the .opf file that is stored with each book to put back the numbers in brackets but I would consider using this to be a last resort.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

I have it backed up to google drive so maybe I'm ok.

Google Drive uses numbers in parenthesis for revision tracking so any book that gets updated on the Google drive ends up with a bad UIID that calibre uses to track items. Read more about Google drive and calibre here.

For backing up the library virtually any other cloud storage option works great.

[SouLThinking]

Ok, DoctorOh, Do you have your calibre library in your cloud storage folder? Where everything you put in in there automatically goes to the cloud? I see you utilize copy.com Is this a good one? I already have my books on box.com too. But I have it organized differently. I just have to manually put my books in there every time I add something. So I guess in essence I am already backing up online but manually. I'd rather change from google drive if it isn't the best way.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

Ok, DoctorOh, Do you have your calibre library in your cloud storage folder? Where everything you put in in there automatically goes to the cloud? I see you utilize copy.com

I have had my calibre library in a cloud storage folder for 2.75 years, most of it in Dropbox. I have recently moved my library from Copy.com back to Dropbox since I prefer its syncing and version control. While Copy.com is fully compatible with calibre I find it great as a back-up cloud solution and I currently have it set to backup our family pictures.