MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Losing Files

Philosopher · 08-30-2010, 01:29 PM

I have noticed a problem - it has existed over a couple of the recent upgrades - but I have just now begun to try and figure it out.

I am not sure how, why, or when the problem is occurring - just that it has occurred a couple of times.

The problem is simply this: books previously added to the library and then the metadata updated - seem to disappear.

Not the entry - but the physical ebook file itself.

This is what I know: it appears to have something to do with the writing of the file after the metadata changes - and it appears to result from a problem with directory naming.

What I can see is that in the cases that this happens to - there appears to be two directories with the same name - but there seems to be a slight difference.

For example I get two directories for xyz abc TITLE under a particular author (I believe I have also seen the problem with the naming of the author folder (one example has one directory with the author and another with the same but with all the characters capitalized).

In this example one directory is Xyz Abc and the other is XYz Abc. The slight change in the capitalization appears to be at minimum one cause of this.

I am trying to take notes on more instances - but was hoping someone else has encountered this.

Here is an actual example that I am referring to in this particular. An author directory for ZZ Top has two books within it. There are now THREE folders however. The first has no problem. But the second - which appears to have occurred after I updated a cover in the metadata (and in this case the cover file still exists - in both folders - but the ebook file (a pdf in this instance) has disappeared.

One folder is named "ZZ Top - Guitar Anthology"
The other is named "Zz Top - Guitar Anthology"

I believe, but cannot be certain, that the original directory was the first "ZZ". But at some point the second was created.

I suspect that the problem is related to the new directory creation and the new name (just capitalization changed - for an unknown reason) - and that the file name either has or has not changed with it - and at the time the new folder is created the file is attempted to be written to it - but fails - and at the same time is lost in the original directory.

I have had this problem in a few different cases - it is quite frustrating. I will try and see if I can see any other "patterns" as I go through and re-analyze the problem.

I'll also try and see if I can "make" it happen.

But I wonder if anyone else has found this problem yet.

One thing I need to add - although I am not sure if this is where the issue is originating or not - is that some times I edit the library in windows and sometimes in linux. I am not sure if the issue comes when I switch between the two (for example have the original entry made in windows - and it moves the original ebook correctly there - but then make a change in metadata in llinux - and it attempts to write the directory differently [or vice versa with OS]). But I am not sure if this is when this occurs of if it is within the same OS that the problem occurs.

I'm trying to keep an eye out. I'd appreciate any feedback. [And I am sure this is a bug that someone will want to address - I am just not capable, at this time, of being able to do that kind of programming.]

Thanks

08-30-2010, 01:29 PM	#1
Philosopher Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle	Losing Files - Problem with Naming of Directories I have noticed a problem - it has existed over a couple of the recent upgrades - but I have just now begun to try and figure it out. I am not sure how, why, or when the problem is occurring - just that it has occurred a couple of times. The problem is simply this: books previously added to the library and then the metadata updated - seem to disappear. Not the entry - but the physical ebook file itself. This is what I know: it appears to have something to do with the writing of the file after the metadata changes - and it appears to result from a problem with directory naming. What I can see is that in the cases that this happens to - there appears to be two directories with the same name - but there seems to be a slight difference. For example I get two directories for xyz abc TITLE under a particular author (I believe I have also seen the problem with the naming of the author folder (one example has one directory with the author and another with the same but with all the characters capitalized). In this example one directory is Xyz Abc and the other is XYz Abc. The slight change in the capitalization appears to be at minimum one cause of this. I am trying to take notes on more instances - but was hoping someone else has encountered this. Here is an actual example that I am referring to in this particular. An author directory for ZZ Top has two books within it. There are now THREE folders however. The first has no problem. But the second - which appears to have occurred after I updated a cover in the metadata (and in this case the cover file still exists - in both folders - but the ebook file (a pdf in this instance) has disappeared. One folder is named "ZZ Top - Guitar Anthology" The other is named "Zz Top - Guitar Anthology" I believe, but cannot be certain, that the original directory was the first "ZZ". But at some point the second was created. I suspect that the problem is related to the new directory creation and the new name (just capitalization changed - for an unknown reason) - and that the file name either has or has not changed with it - and at the time the new folder is created the file is attempted to be written to it - but fails - and at the same time is lost in the original directory. I have had this problem in a few different cases - it is quite frustrating. I will try and see if I can see any other "patterns" as I go through and re-analyze the problem. I'll also try and see if I can "make" it happen. But I wonder if anyone else has found this problem yet. One thing I need to add - although I am not sure if this is where the issue is originating or not - is that some times I edit the library in windows and sometimes in linux. I am not sure if the issue comes when I switch between the two (for example have the original entry made in windows - and it moves the original ebook correctly there - but then make a change in metadata in llinux - and it attempts to write the directory differently [or vice versa with OS]). But I am not sure if this is when this occurs of if it is within the same OS that the problem occurs. I'm trying to keep an eye out. I'd appreciate any feedback. [And I am sure this is a bug that someone will want to address - I am just not capable, at this time, of being able to do that kind of programming.] Thanks