Problem of exporting books from one computer to another.
 

Please let me know if I'm in the wrong forum as it has been a while since I have visited.

I have all the links and instructions on how to do this but still I have mucked it up somehow. This is what I did.

I was trying to import my Calibre Library from my old computer to a new computer. I first of all put all my Documents Library from my old computer to an external hard drive. Then I transferred all my Documents Library to the new computer.

Now that I knew all the data was on my new computer, I went ahead and downloaded Calibre on my new computer. Once downloaded, I right clicked 'Calibre Library' on the toolbar at the top of the screen and chose 'Export/Import all Calibre data. I then clicked 'Import previously exported data' & then 'Choose folder.' I then selected the 'Calibre Library' that was on my D Drive and got the following message below.

"Importing calibre data means all libraries, settings, plug-ins, etc. will be imported. This is a security risk only proceed if the data you are importing was previously generated by you, using the calibre export functionality."

Then if I click Yes, I get the error not valid message: The folder D:\Documents\Calibre Library is not valid: No exported data found in D:\My Documents\Calibre Library.

Then, to my horror, when I went back to my old my old computer, my whole library has disappeared from that. What could I have done and how do I restore my original library to my old computer? Then, how do I export that library to my new computer?

I really hope have not lost all my library in the old computer by doing something silly. The thing is, I still have all those books in folders within a folder in the D:\Documents\Calibre Library in my main, Documents Library. So, how could I have lost them?

If all is lost, can I do a backup and restore to recover them?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

HB

If you simply copied the library folder over to your new computer, you can't use the export/import function (you should have used the export function instead of copying). But you can still get your books to Calibre. Right-click on the Library icon, Switch/Create library, Use the previously existing library at the new location. Then browse to the folder your library is in. Click OK. Now you should have your library in Calibre, if it's intact.

And don't put your library in the Documents folder, just in case.

I've never felt comfortable letting Windows manage my files so I sort of follow the convention that linux uses and have a folder called home at the top of the C drive and in that is my hobnail folder. I don't tell Windows anything about that hobnail folder except for backups (when I specify only some folders to back up). There was a bug in a Windows 10 update not too long ago where it trashed some user's files in the Documents folder and I was sure glad I wasn't using it for my files. Apps can do whatever they want in there for config stuff and whatnot.

Anyhow, in that hobnail folder is my calibre folder. When I (re)install Windows I simply copy that hobnail folder to the new system and then tell calibre to use that existing calibre folder and everything works.

I performed your procedure on the new computer and thankfully all my Calibre books are back there. However, my old computer is still not showing any books in it any more.

What should I do when on the old computer that used to have all the books in there but now has none? How do I get these books back to this location?

Thanks

HB

You probably MOVED your Library or Config instead of Copy
Figure out which is missing and COPY it back

Hi the ducks, how the devil are you?

It's been awhile since I've been on the website. Could you elaborate more with your answer perhaps with a step-by-step instructional please?

Thanks

HB

On your old system, the one without books (or possibly plugins. )

What was the NAME (if not the default) of the missing Library?
What is the NAME shown on the titlebar of the missing book Calibre Library?
(rather than confuse with varied solutions, lets get these answered so we can target the answer

What I did was, on the new computer, the folder that I put into it that worked was called 'Calibre Library.' I also had another folder named the same on the old laptop. I put this folder in the old computer the same way by right clicking library, Switch/create. It did not work so when I went back to the new computer, I copied the 'Calibre Library' folder and put it on OneDrive.

I then used that folder instead on OneDrive and put that into the old computer and it worked. My books were back there again also on the old computer. I double checked my new computer and they were still there too. Does that mean I should delete the Calibre Library folder that did not work?

Now that is sorted, how do I know if my plug-ins are there as well? Is there any way I can check if my plug-ins are already there? I do have a folder called 'Calibre Plug-ins' but I don't want to put them in yet in case they are already there.

I also have on the new computer, many Calibre Library folders (11 in total) that are called, 'Calibre Library deleted with numbers and letter codes beneath them. What are these and where have they come from? Should I delete these?

Thanks

HB

Can somebody answer my previous post for me please? Thank you.

HB

As to settings and plugins, they're in the folder named "calibre" that's usually located at User/AppData/Roaming. Just copy the entire folder "calibre" and paste to the same location on the new computer.

As to many deleted libraries on your new computer, sorry, no idea.

Thanks for all your help Sirtel, I truly appreciate it.

I’m going to assume that all my plug-ins are back inside the library. Everything seems to me working okay now on both computers so I’m not going to rock the boat.

HB

Just a minor correction in terms for others seeing this

The configuration folder is for the logged on USER of Calibre (for many of us, we are the only user). That is where PI and other OVERALL settings.
The Library only contains info that applies to IT (IIRC there are a few PI Settings kept there if they must match the Library, BUT the PI CODE is not there. That is in the config folder)