[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Merischino

this is why I was so confused when I posted what did about what I see when I peek: I get multiple folders for authors in in my calibre database, with multiple books stored inside those folders, despite the fact that my calibre library had been changed/updated/standardized using the GUI such that there should only have been one folder which held two copies (one epub, one lit) of each work within that single author folder.

This can be cleaned up. Obviously, you need to find out if it's working incorrectly. Some of your posts indicate to me that you may have a permissions issue, but other things can be going on.

For example, if you have a folder open in File Explorer, Calibre can't remove it when it needs to. It leaves orphan folders. They don't hurt anything, but are confusing. Permissions issue can cause these orphan folders, too.

When I make changes using the GUI, what is reflected inside my calibre file structure is not consistent with the changes I have made.

In what way?

And, even if the changes to the metadata within the GUI can still, after closign out that record, be seen by opening up that record within the GUI again, it does not necessarily reflect in how things sort.

More info?

To reiterate: something is amiss in denmark?

It sounds like it, but I'm still unable to finger your problem.

So I'm guessing what I need to do next is backup my calibre library as it stands now, then completely delete everything calibre but the backup. and then perform a clean install. and then delete the newly created calibre file structure and replace it with the backedup one. And hope for the best?

If you want, to, but personally I don't see that as being the answer. I'd track down what's actually happening first.

Some questions I'd want answered first:

Are my books all accessible in the GUI (confirms that at worst, we have orphan folders problem)

If I change an author name, does the folder in the Library disappear under the old author name and reappear under the new name? (confirms Calibre can delete an old folder and create a new one)

Are my bulk edits working correctly to change author - check each record individually with an individual metadata edit.

Sorting - also check each record's metadata individually (select and press "E" in GUI) and look at author_sort. Are they all correct? Look for spaces, extra commas at the end, odd non-ascii chars, etc.

If you can see all your books, then what are these extra odd(possible orphan) folders? Note that each folder under an author has a record id at the end of the folder name. That id is also in the displayed info in GUI when that record is selected and you can see the comments. Track down if that id exists in the database or is it an orphan by checking the author or title and searching for it, then look at the id and cross-match.

Something will appear wonkified.