Add books problem Mac to Windows libraries

richardhc · 10-05-2011, 12:28 AM

I have had problems adding books between MacIntosh and Windows versions of Calibre. When I try to add a book into my Windows Ebook Library from a folder with a book, cover and metadata from a Mac version of Calibre the book is imported but neither the cover of the metadata is.
If I then open the Mac created folder and copy the opf file and cover into the Windows library folder the cover appears and some of the metadata - but not the description.
I have seen the same problem when trying to add books from a Calibre Windows library folder into a Mac Calibre Libray.
Does anyone know how to work around this or have any explanation of why this is happening? I am using Calibre 8.18 (downloading the newest one now).https://www2.mobileread.com/i/smiliesadd1/help.gif

GeekyGal · 10-05-2011, 03:52 AM

richardhc,

I also use Calibre at both Win [office desktop] and a Mac laptop, but don't import the books separately into the libraries from machine to machine. I have found that if I store the library in a Dropbox subdirectory, I can access it from either OS, and books added in one are accessible in the other. The caveat is that I need to let the Dropbox files sync when I turn on the computer and before I open Calibre. If I have not been doing massive editing - as I did last week - that doesn't take long. to sync a few books and the metadata.db files. If I open Calibre before the sync, obviously, the information already on the computer is used, and I can get conflicts, or accidentally overwrite newer data with older.

All of the metadata, covers and description sync seamlessly between the two installations. Would something like Dropbox or other cloud storage work for your situation?

FWIW, a library of close to 3,000 books takes up about something under 4GB, including the covers, descriptions, book files, a lot of custom columns, etc. I don't have an exact number as I have a fair bit of other stuff in my Dropbox directories.

Hope this helps,

GeekyGal

itimpi · 10-05-2011, 06:44 AM

richardhc: Instead of adding the files to the Windows database in the way you describe, have you tried telling the Calibre running on Windows to switch to the library in the Mac folder, and then use the Calibre facilitiy for copying books between libraries? That technique should bring everything over intact and should also be less effort.

Note that copying the opf file between libraries achieves nothing. That file is meant merely as a backup of what is what is the metadata.db database and Calibre will not re-read it to populate the local database unless it is database restore mode. Copying the cover.jpg file WILL however get ntoiced.

richardhc · 10-07-2011, 01:48 AM

Thanks for your suggestions - however I access the internet via my mobile and where I live it is still GPRS (yes there are places still using GPRS on our planet) so Dropbox isn't such a good option.

Itimpi's suggestion is good - except that the folders containing the ebooks are not the whole library so Calibre won't recognize the folders as a library.

I initially tried adding the whole folder and subfolders with different authors by using the add books from directories including subdirectories assuming every ebook is a different ebook file. That didn't get any metadata or covers.

I found that if I do it one book folder at a time as 'add books from directories including subdirectories assuming every ebook is the same ebook in a different format. That works and I get the cover and metadata.
I don't know why one option works and the other doesn't.

Also, when I try it with a mobi ebook format there is always an error when I try to open it - NoneType Object has no attribute tag. I can open my own mobi files without a problem.

10-05-2011, 12:28 AM	#1
richardhc Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 30 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	Add books problem Mac to Windows libraries I have had problems adding books between MacIntosh and Windows versions of Calibre. When I try to add a book into my Windows Ebook Library from a folder with a book, cover and metadata from a Mac version of Calibre the book is imported but neither the cover of the metadata is. If I then open the Mac created folder and copy the opf file and cover into the Windows library folder the cover appears and some of the metadata - but not the description. I have seen the same problem when trying to add books from a Calibre Windows library folder into a Mac Calibre Libray. Does anyone know how to work around this or have any explanation of why this is happening? I am using Calibre 8.18 (downloading the newest one now).https://www2.mobileread.com/i/smiliesadd1/help.gif

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10-05-2011, 03:52 AM	#2
GeekyGal Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 13888 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle FireHD, Kindle3G, iPad, MacBook, iRex Illiad (ret)	richardhc, I also use Calibre at both Win [office desktop] and a Mac laptop, but don't import the books separately into the libraries from machine to machine. I have found that if I store the library in a Dropbox subdirectory, I can access it from either OS, and books added in one are accessible in the other. The caveat is that I need to let the Dropbox files sync when I turn on the computer and before I open Calibre. If I have not been doing massive editing - as I did last week - that doesn't take long. to sync a few books and the metadata.db files. If I open Calibre before the sync, obviously, the information already on the computer is used, and I can get conflicts, or accidentally overwrite newer data with older. All of the metadata, covers and description sync seamlessly between the two installations. Would something like Dropbox or other cloud storage work for your situation? FWIW, a library of close to 3,000 books takes up about something under 4GB, including the covers, descriptions, book files, a lot of custom columns, etc. I don't have an exact number as I have a fair bit of other stuff in my Dropbox directories. Hope this helps, GeekyGal

10-05-2011, 06:44 AM	#3
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	richardhc: Instead of adding the files to the Windows database in the way you describe, have you tried telling the Calibre running on Windows to switch to the library in the Mac folder, and then use the Calibre facilitiy for copying books between libraries? That technique should bring everything over intact and should also be less effort. Note that copying the opf file between libraries achieves nothing. That file is meant merely as a backup of what is what is the metadata.db database and Calibre will not re-read it to populate the local database unless it is database restore mode. Copying the cover.jpg file WILL however get ntoiced.

10-07-2011, 01:48 AM	#4
richardhc Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 30 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	Thanks for your suggestions - however I access the internet via my mobile and where I live it is still GPRS (yes there are places still using GPRS on our planet) so Dropbox isn't such a good option. Itimpi's suggestion is good - except that the folders containing the ebooks are not the whole library so Calibre won't recognize the folders as a library. I initially tried adding the whole folder and subfolders with different authors by using the add books from directories including subdirectories assuming every ebook is a different ebook file. That didn't get any metadata or covers. I found that if I do it one book folder at a time as 'add books from directories including subdirectories assuming every ebook is the same ebook in a different format. That works and I get the cover and metadata. I don't know why one option works and the other doesn't. Also, when I try it with a mobi ebook format there is always an error when I try to open it - NoneType Object has no attribute tag. I can open my own mobi files without a problem.

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