Adding New Libraries?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

On the main screen, there is a blue box at the left of a white box that stretches across the screen. The blue box has a picture of some books, the name "Library" and a book count. This suggests to me that calibre can have more than one library. If so, how can I set up another library?

I have a huge collection of songbooks. Many songs are duplicated. Instead of just filing them as books, it would be more convenient if I could put each song into a library indivdually. Even if I went to the trouble of adding tags for each song in each songbook (which I'm mulling over), having the songs and/or songbooks in a separate library would still be more convenient.

[chaley]

Current version (0.7) does not support multiple libraries. That space is reserved for device views.

Two workarounds, both using 0.7 features:

1) put everything in one library and use restrictions to view only the individual songbooks.

2) a)Add a songbook to the library.
b) Create a folder on your main disc somewhere that makes sense; this folder will end up holding the songbook.
c) Using 'connect to folder', mount that folder as a device. It will appear on the top bar.
d) send the files for the songbook to the folder device. They will get copied to that folder, along with some other information that helps calibre.
e) delete the files from the songbook from the main library.
f) repeat as needed.

At the end, you will have a folder for each songbook. To look at the songbook, you connect to its folder.

The major problem with solution 2 is that searching and metadata management is limited. Solution 1 gives you the full power of calibre's tagging and metadata management, at the expense of a larger library.

I prefer solution 1, but in some cases solution 2 is better.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

On the main screen, there is a blue box at the left of a white box that stretches across the screen. The blue box has a picture of some books, the name "Library" and a book count. This suggests to me that calibre can have more than one library. If so, how can I set up another library?

When you get an ereader, you will see the library of books on the ereader on this row. There is currently no true way to set up "another library" or to use the row you are referring to. However, there are lots of ways to simulate what you want. I think the best way is to use tags, a defined Search for books having that tag, and the "Restrict To" option (underneath the "blue box"). Think of "Restrict To" as a virtual library. You may want to view the tutorial movies that Kovid just made about the new options in Calibre.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Starson17

When you get an ereader, you will see the library of books on the ereader on this row. There is currently no true way to set up "another library" or to use the row you are referring to.

I suppose I should have also pointed out that you can use the Configuration Wizard to switch to a separate Library. It doesn't use that row, but it will let you set up a second library.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Configuration wizard? Where is that and how would I use it?

Btw, I thought the current version is 06.55.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Configuration wizard? Where is that and how would I use it?

The Wizard is on the black arrow pulldown to the right of the Preferences button ("Run Welcome Wizard"). Make a directory (I use "Library2"), copy the metadata.db file from your current library into that directory, then run the CW and point to the new directory. Then start Calibre. It will look like you still have the same books - delete them - they aren't really there. Now add any books you want into this new library. (I'd still use the virtual library method, but it's up to you.) You can use the Wizard to switch back and forth within seconds after you have it set up.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I'll have to try that later after I get back home. It sounds doable although if I use the wizard to switch between libraries, I won't be able to have them hidden. Oh well.

The more I think about it, the better I'm liking the idea of just putting each song as a separate "book" in the second library and tagging each one with genre, etc. The only reason I needed book titles was so I could pull up a list whenever I want to make sure I don't duplicate a purchase. I can do that in a Word or Excel file. I'm still mulling it over, though.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

The more I think about it, the better I'm liking the idea of just putting each song as a separate "book" in the second library and tagging each one with genre, etc. The only reason I needed book titles was so I could pull up a list whenever I want to make sure I don't duplicate a purchase. I can do that in a Word or Excel file. I'm still mulling it over, though.

If each song is a book, then would it make sense to use series as the collection title, and the series index to specify the order? Sort-of like the books are chapters in the series, numbered by the index.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chaley

If each song is a book, then would it make sense to use series as the collection title, and the series index to specify the order? Sort-of like the books are chapters in the series, numbered by the index.

This seems to be an excellent idea.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Ok, I'm back (actually I'm Jeannie...). You guys are thinking a lot like I am but on a parallel path. I have about a hundred songbooks (not including the two to three dozen hymnals). Like I'm doing with my book collection, I'm going to cut most of them apart (not the ones with some historical value; I have a few oldies) and scan them with my cute little ADF scanner (tiny but mighty). But, instead grouping the songs back into a single PDF per songbook (part of the scanning process), I can keep each song separate.

Instead of having to manually search through the table of contents of each songbook (frustrating, tedious, time consuming, and just plain boring), I was thinking of taking each song (most the books have one song on one or more full pages; I'll figure out how to deal with the ones that have more than one song per page later) and putting it into a library as though each one was a book. I can identify which songbook each "book" came from by listing the title of the songbook as a series (although I don't see any need to enter series numbers unless calibre has other ideas). This way, I can use calibre to create a list of the original songbook titles (I can use it to make sure I don't buy duplicates; I'm such a music whore) and I can search for individual songs, including duplicates (often, there are multiple lyrics, tunes, and arrangements), by title, composer, genre, ethnicity, meter, key, and whatever other tags I can think of to toss in there. If I can't think of a search term, I can always browse the list (now that would be a nightmare if still in separate songbooks).

Am I making sense and does anyone see anything wrong with this? In the meantime, I've had a rough day and I'm calling it a night (especially since it's dark out). I'll try setting up a second library tomorrow when, hopefully, my brain is working better and play with this.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I'm baaack (actually, I'm...wait...already used that one). I had some housekeeping to do this morning (yuck; domestic goddess I'm not!) but I finally set up a second library. As I feared, I can't access them through the welcome wizard if hidden unless I unhide them first. Which leads to the next dumb question. Is it possible to have more than one installation of calibre and if so, how?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Is it possible to have more than one installation of calibre and if so, how?

I actually have one installation of Calibre but if I run it from the regular shortcut provided by the installation I get my test library. This points to the standard location config file and opens the default library.

If I want to run my normal use Library I run the attached batch file. I forget who created it but it allows me to point to a different location for the library, config, and metadata.db file. There is adequate documentation in the batch file to help you use it.

You don't have to change all parameters you could just provide a different location for the library and it would find the metadata.db at that location. The second batch file below is how I'm currently running my second library. All I have set is a new location for the library.

I hope it helps.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Ok, I made no sense of that. Keep in mind I am doing good when I manage to turn a computer on. You have to explain things to me in very, very simple steps.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Ok, I made no sense of that. Keep in mind I am doing good when I manage to turn a computer on. You have to explain things to me in very, very simple steps.

OK, first I run Windows XP and this works for that.

I attached a less cluttered bat file.

Using notepad to edit the file replace "C:\My Dropbox\CalibreLibrary" with your library location.

SET CALIBRE_LIBRARY_DIRECTORY="C:\My Dropbox\CalibreLibrary"

Save the file. Now when you run this bat file by double clicking it or from a shortcut it will open the library you specified.

If you want a second or third library do the above steps but point to a different directory.

Save the bat files with different names.

Calibre_library_1.bat
Calibre_library_2.bat
Calibre_library_3.bat

Each will open a totally separate library. Only run one at a time.

If you are not using Windows you may need other advice.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Thanks for the explaination. Before I fool with it, will this work when I upgrade to Win 7 (it is inevitable)?