[Disfrutalavida]

Hi Worldwalker,
Thanks for the response.

Though I understand the points you make, I have other reasons for having the/file structure in a different format.
I agree about tags, etc but it's just another name for a field in a database and I've been creating databases since 1970.
Sometimes I forget what I know that others don't and subconsciously assume, yes ASS U ME, that they will know what I mean, and not what I say.

I wrote about them in another thread you had with Kovid, Starson17 and Pepak.
Writing files in what has become a de facto structure has lots of advantages.
With a standardized folder/file structure I can create a database in Access, Excel or another program in minutes to manipulate organize or view data any way I wish and export or exchange that data with just about any other program that uses a database.
By using a standardized structure I can use templates from many programs with few changes, and data exchange becomes a breeze.

I did not explain my reasons for not saving when adding new files.
The main reason is speed.
Even with a 7200 RPM USB 2.0 drive hooked to a dual core 2.2 GHZ laptop it took a long time to add files.
Even on my quad core with RAID it took a while to add just 100 records.
That is not something I want to do very often as I plan to use 4GB SD cards to hold the files since my Palm T3 my iPAQ and all my PC's R/W them at close to USB 2.0 max speed.

The other reason is data recovery if the metadata.db file gets corrupted.
Currently I don't see a way for Calibre to recreate the database without reading and saving all the files again.
I added 20 files, closed Calibre and renamed the metadata.db file.
Starting Calibre did not rebuild the database. It had to be saved all over again so now all the files are duplicated even if you add then from the default folders Calibre uses.
With a standardized structure it's much easier to recover data from a hard drive or rebuild a database with another program.
Use the metadata for what it is good at but don't depend on it as your only recovery option. As you well know it's not IF data will become corrupted but WHEN.
And since the average person, not US of course, does not back up all their data the more and easier options for recovery the better and cheaper.

In 1998 I was using 3 9GB SCSI drives with one being a backup and also backed up to a 8GB DAT drive. Twice. 3 backups total.
A power surge wiped out the controller, and the 3 drives connected to it.
The tapes had become corrupted somehow. I lost 4 years of travel photos, data, etc since Seagate wanted $1500 to recover the data.
I cheated and bought new drives and exchanged the platters in a friends clean room, but still lost some data.
Never underestimate Murphy.

I remember when the 360/mod 30's at Argonne Labs were lucky to have 80MB of total capacity connected to them using 4 drives. Waste is waste, and I was taught never to waste anything. My current collection of eBooks is just under 8GB so I probably have more than 8000 books, or some are in multiple formats.
When you input with punch cards or the 16 switches on the control panel you learn to write tight code and waste nothing.

Nice to meet another Mercedes Lackey fan though I only enjoyed the SERRAated Edge series and her collaborations with Ms. McCaffrey.
Have you read the Rowan series by Anne McCaffrey, or the Kingdom series by Terry Brooks? Quite enjoyable also.

Calibre has got so many features I like, and some which I am amazed it has and would never want to do without, which I could not program without a lot of work . . . if ever.
What an incredible project Kovid has taken on, and in 3, count em 3, OS's!
I'd just like to see the input and output done in a way which makes it super easy to get to the data in case the metadata.db has problems.

I don't trust Murphy. OK I do. I trust him to strike when it's least convenient.