What is opf, and do I need to keep it?

Davimee · 04-28-2010, 10:38 PM

I've been working on managing my library so when my reader comes in the mail tomorrow, I'll have everything set up on my SD card. I've made a bunch of books using Microsoft Word and saved them in rtf. Previously I just had a few of those (and the first several I made I used WordPad, if that makes any difference), and I just dragged and dropped them onto my reader with the USB. There was no opf file at that time. This past week I've made a whole bunch of rtf files and imported them into calibre. All I did in Calibre is give the books an author, tag, and series name. So tonight when I copied all the books onto my card, the folder is full of opf files, as well. Do I need these files, or can I delete them? I looked in the wiki, and saw that they contain the metadata for epub books, so I'm guessing it's the same thing... but since my other files didn't need them, can I just delete these, as well?

Thanks!

HarryT · 04-29-2010, 05:55 AM

Yes, you can delete them, and tell Calibre not to export them. They do, as you suggest, contain the metadata for the book, as well as a list of all the files that make up the book.

Davimee · 04-29-2010, 02:19 PM

That answers my question, thank you! I will delete them for the rtf files, but keep them for epub. Thanks!

polly · 04-30-2010, 02:20 AM

If you use Save to Disk instead of Send to Device, Calibre will only send the book and not the associated files (jpg if you have a cover, opf etc.) You can delete the opf files off of your reader, but you shouldn't be adding or deleting anything directly to your Calibre library folder. You can really confuse the Calibre database if you don't let it manage those files.

Davimee · 04-30-2010, 12:43 PM

Thanks, Polly. I have been using Save to Disk, but it still loads the opf file. But I found the option to uncheck, so it no longer adds those to the card. And as to changing anything in Calibre, I wouldn't have a clue how to do that anyway, so I just leave it alone.

04-28-2010, 10:38 PM	#1
Davimee Happy Wife & Momma Posts: 532 Karma: 1634 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Device: Purple Astak Pocket Pro! :)	What is opf, and do I need to keep it? I've been working on managing my library so when my reader comes in the mail tomorrow, I'll have everything set up on my SD card. I've made a bunch of books using Microsoft Word and saved them in rtf. Previously I just had a few of those (and the first several I made I used WordPad, if that makes any difference), and I just dragged and dropped them onto my reader with the USB. There was no opf file at that time. This past week I've made a whole bunch of rtf files and imported them into calibre. All I did in Calibre is give the books an author, tag, and series name. So tonight when I copied all the books onto my card, the folder is full of opf files, as well. Do I need these files, or can I delete them? I looked in the wiki, and saw that they contain the metadata for epub books, so I'm guessing it's the same thing... but since my other files didn't need them, can I just delete these, as well? Thanks!

04-29-2010, 05:55 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,657 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	Yes, you can delete them, and tell Calibre not to export them. They do, as you suggest, contain the metadata for the book, as well as a list of all the files that make up the book. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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04-29-2010, 02:19 PM	#3
Davimee Happy Wife & Momma Posts: 532 Karma: 1634 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Device: Purple Astak Pocket Pro! :)	That answers my question, thank you! I will delete them for the rtf files, but keep them for epub. Thanks!

04-30-2010, 02:20 AM	#4
polly Evangelist Posts: 449 Karma: 270240 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony PRS 650, PocketBook 360, Astak PocketPro (RIP), Tungsten T3	If you use Save to Disk instead of Send to Device, Calibre will only send the book and not the associated files (jpg if you have a cover, opf etc.) You can delete the opf files off of your reader, but you shouldn't be adding or deleting anything directly to your Calibre library folder. You can really confuse the Calibre database if you don't let it manage those files.

04-30-2010, 12:43 PM	#5
Davimee Happy Wife & Momma Posts: 532 Karma: 1634 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Device: Purple Astak Pocket Pro! :)	Thanks, Polly. I have been using Save to Disk, but it still loads the opf file. But I found the option to uncheck, so it no longer adds those to the card. And as to changing anything in Calibre, I wouldn't have a clue how to do that anyway, so I just leave it alone.


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