[kweller]

I've just started using Calibre and it seems an excellent piece of software. Using it has enabled me to easily (albeit lengthily!) to sort out or eBook collection to ensure the metadata is correct and consistent.

I have (quite) a few questions that I didn't find on a search of the forum. I'll be grateful if someone can answer them; please feel free to point me to the relevant thread if I missed it.

Is it possible to...

...validate the database? By which I mean check that everything which is in the database actually exists on the HDD and ensure the database itself is consistent.

...inspect a book using Calibre without adding it to the library? I know I could add it to the library then delete it afterwards if necessary but I was wondering if I can skip the add/delete step and just look at the book details, view it etc.

...delete one or more formats of a book? e.g. if I have a book in PRC, PDF and LRF formats just delete, say, the pdf.

...use Calibre in multi-user mode? Our eBook library is stored on a NAS and I'm currently running Calibre just on my machine. SWMBO also has a reader and it would be useful if she could run Calibre on her machine against the same database.

Is there a size limit for the viewer? I have a 5.4Mb PRC file and the viewer crashes whenever I try to access it. AFAIK the eBook file is fine.

Where is the metadata stored, in the database or in the eBook file itself? (I suspect the answer is some and some)

If I want to back-up the Calibre database am I correct in assuming all I need to backup is metadata.db?

Is it possible to persuade Calibre to pre-populate the metadata for a bulk edit where the data for all the files to be edited is consistent? I'm thinking of a situation where, for several books, I have made a typo in an author's name or the sort sequence is wrong. I realise I can retype it but if all I need to do is make a small edit to the existing data it would be easier if the bulk editor presented consistent existing data.

And finally, I'll be grateful if someone will recommend a piece of software which I could use to run queries against the Calibre database and/or export the data from within it.

Thanks

Kevin