Library Maintenance - Missing Books

iwaddo77 · 03-23-2012, 02:01 AM

Hi, I wanted to delete a load of old books from my library. I did this outside of Calibre because it was easier to find the books I wanted to delete as they had all been added at the same time.

I assumed that if ran the check library routine it would tell me I had some missing books and fix the database, but it didn't :-(

Is there a quick way to remove missing books from the database?

Regards

Ian

speakingtohe · 03-23-2012, 02:06 AM

try formats:false in the search bar

iwaddo77 · 03-23-2012, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

try formats:false in the search bar

Thank you, but unfortunately this only found 3 books neither of which were the 358 I'm looking for :-(

iwaddo77 · 03-23-2012, 07:12 AM

I found that all the books had been added in one go and as I did nothing else on the same day so the date is the same, therefore I've used date:22/03/2012 which has done the trick.

chaley · 03-23-2012, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwaddo77

I assumed that if ran the check library routine it would tell me I had some missing books and fix the database, but it didn't :-(

Check library should have told you that you have missing formats, not missing books. Did it? If would have also given you the opportunity to tell calibre that the formats are gone forever.

A "format" is an instance of a file purported to contain the book. Some common formats are epub, mobi, prc, pdf, etc. It is perfectly legal to have books in your database that have no formats, which would be the case if you deleted them.

iwaddo77 · 03-23-2012, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaley

Check library should have told you that you have missing formats, not missing books. Did it? If would have also given you the opportunity to tell calibre that the formats are gone forever.

A "format" is an instance of a file purported to contain the book. Some common formats are epub, mobi, prc, pdf, etc. It is perfectly legal to have books in your database that have no formats, which would be the case if you deleted them.

No, this was the first thing I tried.

regards

chaley · 03-23-2012, 10:34 AM

Hmmm... That is mysterious, because that function has worked in every instance where I know it has been run.

To be sure, you saw a screen like the one shown below, but with the line pointed at by the red arrow having no triangle next to it?

iwaddo77 · 03-23-2012, 10:40 AM

Yes saw that screen and it showed one book that must have been previously deleted, I know I had manually deleted 358 book folders from my Calibre folder was looking out for a big list or a big number. If it was there I struggle to see how I might have missed it.

Regards

theducks · 03-23-2012, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwaddo77

Hi, I wanted to delete a load of old books from my library. I did this outside of Calibre because it was easier to find the books I wanted to delete as they had all been added at the same time.

I assumed that if ran the check library routine it would tell me I had some missing books and fix the database, but it didn't :-(

Is there a quick way to remove missing books from the database?

Regards

Ian

FWIW: if you sort on the Date column, you should see books added on the same day.

from there you can use a number of searches, tags and filters to aid in (multi-)selection for Delete candidates. (right click context has Delete options)

iwaddo77 · 03-23-2012, 12:05 PM

That was my first idea but I couldn't see how to add a date column - I've just looked at it again and found it straight away - I will look harder next time.

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

chaley · 03-23-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwaddo77

Yes saw that screen and it showed one book that must have been previously deleted, I know I had manually deleted 358 book folders from my Calibre folder was looking out for a big list or a big number. If it was there I struggle to see how I might have missed it.

You didn't miss it.

I assume that when you say you deleted books, you deleted the folders containing the books. I have established that check_library does not offer the ability to remove formats if the folders that contained the formats are gone.

This is clearly wrong behavior. I will look into fixing it in the next couple of days.

Edit: Fix submitted.

iwaddo77 · 03-31-2012, 05:50 AM

Hi, not sure if you have you fixed this yet, but having just downloaded 0.8.45 I thought I'd run some tests again.

I had previously imported the 359 books.
Library contains 4760 books
Date:23/03/2012 shows 359 of all.
Check Library finds no errors or missing books.

I manually delete the 359 books from my hard drive outside of Calibre and run Calibre.
Library contains 4760 books
Date:23/03/2012 shows 359 of all.
Check Library finds no SQL errors but does say there is loads of books and covers missing, I select the fixable check boxes and tell Calibre to run the fixes.

The library still contains 4760 books, Date:23/03/2012 still shows 359 of all, Check Library reports no errors or missing books.

However, if I try and open any of the books imported on the 23/03/2012 I get a book not found error.

So, even though Calibre seemed to find the error and fix it, in reality nothing has changed. The only way to correct this problem is to use Date:23/03/2012, select all the 359 books and delete them from within Calibre.

This is not causing me any problem but is something that I thought worth testing again.

Let me know if I can help further.

Regards

chaley · 03-31-2012, 06:03 AM

Removing the formats does not remove the books, and is not intended to do so. The books will still be in calibre's database (actually, the metadata for the books), but won't have any ebook files (formats) associated with them.

When you say "if I try and open any of the books imported on the 23/03/2012 I get a book not found error", what exactly are you doing?

theducks · 03-31-2012, 06:08 AM

@iwaddo77

What you did originally is a great reason NOT to use that method.

Look at all the work you had to do, when you could have just used the last method in the first place.

I believe what you saw is the correct outcome.

The Library check fixed the internal references to now indicate that these are now 'Empty Books' (listings that have no book attached).
Many of us use these 'Empty Books', to document our Paper library or as a 'wish list'.

iwaddo77 · 03-31-2012, 04:38 PM

OK, so perhaps I understand that an empty book might be useful, however, I still would have expected that a library maintenance tool would allow me to remove all references from the database to entries (I mean folders and files, or do I mean books and formats) that no longer exist.

If there is a reason for there to be empty books then perhaps there ought to be options in the library maintenance routines.

Regards

03-23-2012, 02:01 AM	#1
iwaddo77 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	Library Maintenance - Missing Books Hi, I wanted to delete a load of old books from my library. I did this outside of Calibre because it was easier to find the books I wanted to delete as they had all been added at the same time. I assumed that if ran the check library routine it would tell me I had some missing books and fix the database, but it didn't :-( Is there a quick way to remove missing books from the database? Regards Ian

03-23-2012, 10:34 AM	#7
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,734 Karma: 6690881 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Hmmm... That is mysterious, because that function has worked in every instance where I know it has been run. To be sure, you saw a screen like the one shown below, but with the line pointed at by the red arrow having no triangle next to it? Attached Thumbnails

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03-23-2012, 02:06 AM	#2
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	try formats:false in the search bar

03-23-2012, 07:12 AM	#4
iwaddo77 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	I found that all the books had been added in one go and as I did nothing else on the same day so the date is the same, therefore I've used date:22/03/2012 which has done the trick.

03-23-2012, 10:40 AM	#8
iwaddo77 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	Yes saw that screen and it showed one book that must have been previously deleted, I know I had manually deleted 358 book folders from my Calibre folder was looking out for a big list or a big number. If it was there I struggle to see how I might have missed it. Regards

03-23-2012, 12:05 PM	#10
iwaddo77 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	That was my first idea but I couldn't see how to add a date column - I've just looked at it again and found it straight away - I will look harder next time. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

03-31-2012, 05:50 AM	#12
iwaddo77 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	Hi, not sure if you have you fixed this yet, but having just downloaded 0.8.45 I thought I'd run some tests again. I had previously imported the 359 books. Library contains 4760 books Date:23/03/2012 shows 359 of all. Check Library finds no errors or missing books. I manually delete the 359 books from my hard drive outside of Calibre and run Calibre. Library contains 4760 books Date:23/03/2012 shows 359 of all. Check Library finds no SQL errors but does say there is loads of books and covers missing, I select the fixable check boxes and tell Calibre to run the fixes. The library still contains 4760 books, Date:23/03/2012 still shows 359 of all, Check Library reports no errors or missing books. However, if I try and open any of the books imported on the 23/03/2012 I get a book not found error. So, even though Calibre seemed to find the error and fix it, in reality nothing has changed. The only way to correct this problem is to use Date:23/03/2012, select all the 359 books and delete them from within Calibre. This is not causing me any problem but is something that I thought worth testing again. Let me know if I can help further. Regards

03-31-2012, 06:03 AM	#13
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,734 Karma: 6690881 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Removing the formats does not remove the books, and is not intended to do so. The books will still be in calibre's database (actually, the metadata for the books), but won't have any ebook files (formats) associated with them. When you say "if I try and open any of the books imported on the 23/03/2012 I get a book not found error", what exactly are you doing?

03-31-2012, 06:08 AM	#14
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,781 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	@iwaddo77 What you did originally is a great reason NOT to use that method. Look at all the work you had to do, when you could have just used the last method in the first place. I believe what you saw is the correct outcome. The Library check fixed the internal references to now indicate that these are now 'Empty Books' (listings that have no book attached). Many of us use these 'Empty Books', to document our Paper library or as a 'wish list'.

03-31-2012, 04:38 PM	#15
iwaddo77 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	OK, so perhaps I understand that an empty book might be useful, however, I still would have expected that a library maintenance tool would allow me to remove all references from the database to entries (I mean folders and files, or do I mean books and formats) that no longer exist. If there is a reason for there to be empty books then perhaps there ought to be options in the library maintenance routines. Regards

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