Defragmenting Calibre?

emanresu · 02-06-2011, 11:43 AM

I've noticed that as books are added to the library, in its internal file structure, Calibre appends an incrementing number enclosed in parentheses to them in the order they were added. As time goes by and I remove books and add new ones, I am left with gaps between numbers which Calibre apparently does not fill in with new books, similar to the way a hard drive becomes fragmented over time. I'm sure this doesn't actually have any effect on Calibre's performance, but it does hurt my OCD. Is there any easy way to force Calibre to resort/renumber your books so as to fill in these gaps?

kovidgoyal · 02-06-2011, 12:04 PM

No, those numbers are deliberately unique. Re-using numbers would cause endless bugs.

Perkin · 02-06-2011, 12:25 PM

You could create a new library, switch back to orig library, select all your entries, then 'Copy to Library', and select the new library.

All the entries in the new library will then be 'de-fragged'

Lady Fitzgerald · 02-06-2011, 01:17 PM

You shouldn't even be messing around in calibre's internal file structure. Anything you could do in the internal file structure can (and should) be done from within calibre. You risk corrupting calibre's internal file structure by directly going into it.

For more on this, look here. Be sure to open the link and the spoiler.

Archon · 02-06-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

but it does hurt my OCD. Is there any easy way to force Calibre to resort/renumber your books so as to fill in these gaps?

In order to satisfy your OCD, don't look in the folder.

Like Schrödinger's cat, if you don't look you will never know.

Happy Sunday
Archon

PS All my money in my wallet is in sequential order and all faces the same way so I know your pain.

Lady Fitzgerald · 02-06-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archon

In order to satisfy your OCD, don't look in the folder...

I have my calibre library folders hidden to reduce the temptation to peek.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archon

...PS All my money in my wallet is in sequential order and all faces the same way so I know your pain.

What? Are you saying not everyone does that?

Actually, being a little OCD can be a good thing. I have ADD and and I need routines to be able to stay on track. Besides, keeping one's bills in order and facing the same way is just good money management that reduces the chances for errors.

theducks · 02-06-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

What? Are you saying not everyone does that?

You (still) have Money in you wallet?

You are not buying enough e-books

Lady Fitzgerald · 02-06-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

You (still) have Money in you wallet?

You are not buying enough e-books

Mad money (and I keep it in the watch pocket in my jeans or my bra if I'm wearing a skirt/dress). I usually use my debit card.

You're right, though, I'm not buying enough e-books. And I won't as long as they are DRM infested and more expensive than used books (and, often, new books).

02-06-2011, 11:43 AM	#1
emanresu Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: PC	Defragmenting Calibre? I've noticed that as books are added to the library, in its internal file structure, Calibre appends an incrementing number enclosed in parentheses to them in the order they were added. As time goes by and I remove books and add new ones, I am left with gaps between numbers which Calibre apparently does not fill in with new books, similar to the way a hard drive becomes fragmented over time. I'm sure this doesn't actually have any effect on Calibre's performance, but it does hurt my OCD. Is there any easy way to force Calibre to resort/renumber your books so as to fill in these gaps?

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02-06-2011, 12:04 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,569 Karma: 28548962 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	No, those numbers are deliberately unique. Re-using numbers would cause endless bugs.

02-06-2011, 12:25 PM	#3
Perkin Guru Posts: 657 Karma: 64171 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Kent, England, Sol 3, ZZ9 plural Z Alpha Device: Sony PRS-300, Kobo Aura HD, iPad (Marvin)	You could create a new library, switch back to orig library, select all your entries, then 'Copy to Library', and select the new library. All the entries in the new library will then be 'de-fragged'

02-06-2011, 01:17 PM	#4
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	You shouldn't even be messing around in calibre's internal file structure. Anything you could do in the internal file structure can (and should) be done from within calibre. You risk corrupting calibre's internal file structure by directly going into it. For more on this, look here. Be sure to open the link and the spoiler.

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