Sharing Library without books

[ktj]

This may seem like a strange question but I wanted to share my calibre library with someone so they could see the books I had, read the book summary, see the cover etc. But at this point I dont want to share all my books since it will all come to about 6gb in total.

So, is there a way I can copy the calibre library to a memory stick but to only copy the library structure and metadata, but not to copy the actually e-book files.

[janrap]

You can use total commander
use function see all files in subdirectories
deselect the book files eg mark *.epub
invert the selection and copy to USB stick

[Gunnerp245]

Make a catalog.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by ktj

This may seem like a strange question but I wanted to share my calibre library with someone so they could see the books I had, read the book summary, see the cover etc. But at this point I dont want to share all my books since it will all come to about 6gb in total.

So, is there a way I can copy the calibre library to a memory stick but to only copy the library structure and metadata, but not to copy the actually e-book files.

Use the Catalogue tool (the arrow on the right of the Library icon)
default is Epub
If you have selected books, that is what will be included, otherwise, it's the entire LIBRARY

[kovidgoyal]

just copy the metadata.db file and tell the recipient to point calibre to the directory containing it as an existing library.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

just copy the metadata.db file and tell the recipient to point calibre to the directory containing it as an existing library.

I was going to suggest that, but realized he wanted covers, which means he needs the folder structure and cover.jpg files. If he's handy with copy or cp, he can probably copy only the cover.jpg files along with the folder structure where they exist. Otherwise, I'd suggest that he copy the entire library, then delete all formats, leaving only the covers.

[ktj]

I tried the catalogue option before to create a csv file (for sorting fuzzy duplicates in excel). I never thought about what the output would be like as an epub.

However after 1hr 30 mins waiting for it to create the thing I cannot actually view the epub as it always gets stuck on the loading screen. Not sure what i did wrong.

[ktj]

Originally Posted by Starson17

I was going to suggest that, but realized he wanted covers, which means he needs the folder structure and cover.jpg files. If he's handy with copy or cp, he can probably copy only the cover.jpg files along with the folder structure where they exist. Otherwise, I'd suggest that he copy the entire library, then delete all formats, leaving only the covers.

Assuming the files have the cover embedded into the epub then i guess this will still work wont it?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by ktj

I tried the catalogue option before to create a csv file (for sorting fuzzy duplicates in excel). I never thought about what the output would be like as an epub.

However after 1hr 30 mins waiting for it to create the thing I cannot actually view the epub as it always gets stuck on the loading screen. Not sure what i did wrong.

You might want to tame down the default 'sections' included in the Catalog.
I am guessing the EPUB file size is over 20MEG, which is going to take quite a bit of crunch power before it renders.

[ktj]

yes it was something like 36mb

[theducks]

Originally Posted by ktj

yes it was something like 36mb

Definatly, un-tick some of the options in the Catalog Create options
Then plan on TIME to start showing the render, even on a fairly robust system

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by ktj

Assuming the files have the cover embedded into the epub then i guess this will still work wont it?

Not if he isn't going to keep the epub files, it won't. He wants to make available cover and other metadata, but not the book content. Metadata is stored in metadata.db, but covers are stored in separate cover.jpg files. The cover may, or may not, also be stored in book formats that can store an image, like EPUB, but the only way to make them available without those formats, or for formats, like TXT, that don't store images, is to keep the cover.jpg file that Calibre creates.